by David Molina on March 5, 2010
Some weeks ago I was in Chicago for the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI). Did some participants or presenters have accents? Of course. Truth be known, some of us who are bilingual or trilingual may speak with an accent. Some very thick. Some very obvious. Others not so much. Does it matter?
Accents have never got in the way of some of our most prominent government, business, community and non-profit leaders. Just look around Portland, Oregon or our state capital in Salem, or Chicago. Observe those leaders that are driving their businesses and organizations forward with innovative and forward-thinking approaches, be it in sales, procurements, grants, new products and services, or new stores.
Countless times, we’ve heard: while I may speak with an accent, I don’t think with an accent. It’s a kind reminder that all of us who are bilingual, or trilingual should not focus on this as a negative. Let’s just get it done, shall we?
David Molina is the Founder and CEO of BilingualHire, a consumer internet service focused on advancing the careers of bilingual [Spanish+ English] talent. You can also visit and connect with him at Twitter, Facebook, and/or Posterous.
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by David Molina on February 26, 2010
There are three types of individuals. When I first attended U.S. Army Boot Camp at Fort Sill, Oklahoma as a Private in 2000, the drill sergeants drilled it in us that there are three types of individuals: 1. those that make things happen, 2. those that watch things happen, and 3. those that wondered what just happened. I’ll leave out the expletives, but you get the just. Seth Godin argues that there is the frightened, clueless or uniformed. I don’t buy that everyone is not cut out for leadership. Nor do I buy the argument that everyone can’t make things happen. The thing is I think it has more to do with observation, training and coaching than anything else. Try it sometime. Observe others and listen to what their challenges are. Listen intently to the roots of the problem. Jump into the conversation, make it kinetic, and act as if no one is watching or who gets the credit (this can be challenging). Bounce ideas, and if possible train and prepare them on their challenges. Don’t just tell them how to do it. Show them how to do it. Invest your time if you believe you can make a difference, if you believe your expertise will help solve the outlined problems. And, along the way coach your mentee as if your entire team depended on it.
David Molina is the Founder and CEO of BilingualHire, a consumer internet service focused on advancing the careers of bilingual [Spanish+ English] talent. You can also visit and connect with him at Twitter, Facebook, and/or Posterous.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
