1. 1
Leadership
During my high school career, I worked forty hours a week at a local pancake house in
Tucson, Arizona. I have spent the majority of my professional career in the hospitality industry,
managing various upscale restaurants in Tucson, including the only five star restaurant. During
my tenure in the hospitality industry, I learned the differing aspects of sales, operations, human
resources responsibilities, customer relations, and numerous others. It was while working in the
industry that I decided to pursue my education in business. In December of 2011, I finalized my
fourth Associate’s degree requirements, and decided to continue furthering my education. Prior
to attending the business program offered by Northern Arizona University (NAU), I had truly
viewed management in a much more narrow capacity. The NAU curriculum has equipped me
with the knowledge, understanding, and drive to not only become a better manager, but to
become a better leader.
The classes offered at NAU have helped me understand the true universal values that
should reside within any successful organization. Such organizations embrace effective
leadership, strategic vision, team work, diversity, cultural differences, and most importantly –
ethical and moral judgment. The most successful industries are driven by these principles and
posses a moral compass that extends globally. Such organizations understand the importance of
humility, altruistic caring, dignity, honesty, integrity, and excellence.
My seventeen years of management expertise helped me to discover the concept, or
framework of management. However, because of the business curriculum offered by NAU, I
now understand the true difference between “managing” and “leading.” Although it is possible
for managers to be authentic leaders, one has to understand the secret language of leadership
first.

2. 2
Throughout history authentic leaders have made a considerable contribution through their
measurable efforts transcending change through the needs and ambitions of others. Such leaders
have engaged followers and ultimately have created better citizens. Although service is a core
value, authentic leaders possess the ability to create a vision. In the midst of conflict, authentic
leaders search for opportunity to learn and grow from certain mistakes, and embrace change to
help ease transition. Authentic leaders are passionate with regard to the vision, and they
empower their followers. They believe in a theory of “pulling” instead of “pushing,” or guiding
instead of mandating. Authentic leaders are open to possibilities, and believe in an open-door
policy. They understand the concept of failure, yet they still embrace the risk.
Most students attend college with the hopes of not only graduating, but securing their
future with a promising and lucrative career. Many succeed professionally and quickly climb that
corporate ladder. However, the concept of education runs a little deeper for me, and has evolved
over the past four years. There is a difference between “receiving” a diploma and “earning” one.
Most students simply focus on the end result, ignoring the significance of the actual journey. It
is the journey and the time in between that inspires growth and personal development. Success
can be measured in various ways, but it is the learning experience that will ultimately equip the
graduate with the necessary tools to effectively lead. For me, the journey has been the most
important aspect of my education. Aside from the extensive curriculum, I have learned the
promising aspects of patience, perseverance, motivation, and even some sacrifice. It has been a
difficult and time consuming process that has directly affected me financially, socially,
professionally, and personally. All of these aspects have taken a back seat to my education, and
will continue to do so until my graduation date. I have never been as financially paralyzed as I
am now, but I have also never been so thirsty for knowledge.

3. 3
The world is not lacking in technological innovation, but ethically and morally it is
slowing decaying. In this materialistic and power driven world it is imperative that those
boundaries be not only reestablished, but reinvented. When one thinks of strategic goals, shared
visions, and organizational success, rarely are they referring to that of humanity. Anyone can
aspire to contribute on a professional and corporate level, but few can recognize the importance
of the social contribution. After earning my degree from Northern Arizona University, I feel that
I could systematically incorporate the two, driving the organization’s success through
consciousness and altruistic efforts.
As an amazing American essayist, lecturer, and poet once stated:
“Don’t go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson