In charge....

I had an entirely different post in mind for today, but this woman caught my attention last night on c-span. C-span is not on my normally watched list, I would usually cruise right past it while surfing through the GUIDE feature on our tv network, but last night I could not get that feature to work for some reason and I was flipping channels the old fashioned way.



This very attractive woman was being interview by Brian Lamp on the Q & A program. Dr Renu Khator - the new president and chancellor of the University of Houston.

She is a native of India and shared many of her native cultural traditions. You can read the transcript of the show here.

Dr. Khator is well spoken and direct. I was drawn into the interview, because her massages ring true and I will not be surprised to see the University of Houston really leap forward under her direction. There was much information and inspiration in the interview for all of us. I took many ideas from the interview that I can apply directly to my career growth. Go and read it - take a look at the 100 day survey at the University site.

Every young woman needs role models and Dr. Khator is a great one. I'll be watching and learning from her.

I wrote this quote down from last night's interview. Tell me if you agree or disagree with the thinking behind this ....

RENU KHATOR: I’m very direct.
BRIAN LAMB: How do we know that? At what point, do we know you’re being direct?
RENU KHATOR: Well, I – for instance, somebody will come, and I said, well, we really need to increase retention rates. Why is it that 25 percent of the students they come in and they drop out in the first year? I said, it’s not acceptable. And then people will come to me with different excuses or this is how it has been historically and we can’t change too much. I said I didn’t ask you whether or not we can change it. I asked you how we can change. So please go back and get me my answer and bring me more than one so that it know then what’s responsible.
I push myself hard, and I just like to push my team very hard. And, I think, when you have the vision and it’s a collective vision I think, everybody is willing to walk together.

I am tired of excuses as well. Identify the challenge and find a way to change it for the better. Go for it. It may be a personal or professional excuse - your or someone else's - Don't ask if it can change - ask how it will change and then do it.

(Stepping down from soapbox now.)

Have a wonderful day....