The cohort received an overview on base operations from Colonel Eugene Apicella, deputy commander at United States Marine Corps Marine Corps Installations West – Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Many of us see Camp Pendleton as that nice 17-mile stretch of coastline that provides a welcome buffer from the hustle and bustle of Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area. Despite having more than 40,000 active duty military and more than 85,000 personnel who live, work and play on the base, outsiders often have little knowledge of the role the base plays in our national security.

Understanding more about Camp Pendleton was exactly what the LEAD San Diego IMPACT group sought as it embarked on a recent optional session held at the base.

The cohort received an impressive overview from Colonel Eugene Apicella, deputy commander at United States Marine Corps Marine Corps Installations West – Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. He spoke of the installation’s role in preparing Marines and sailors to operate in extreme environments, and the incredible advancements in technology that are available to soldiers today. However, he stressed that while technology is important, focusing on the individual is paramount, which includes creating an environment for fostering leadership.

The cohort observed an initial training exercise for new Marines.

We also heard from a panel of Marines, who echoed the colonel’s sentiments on leadership and discussed how a structured environment like the Marine Corps fosters innovation and exploration. Panelists explained that the Marine Corps is constantly reinventing itself and encouraging constituents to think outside the box.

This includes leading with intent, not orders, which is a lesson we can all learn from. When you explain the intent of the action you’re seeking, you give those you are leading direction to see the big picture, not just the immediate task. For example, it’s not just about “taking possession of the next hill” it’s about understanding that “taking the hill” is a step in the overall goal of “clearing the road.” When clear intent is given, it allows others think strategically and empowers them to embrace innovation, so long as it meets the overall goal.

Through our tour of the base, the group engaged with a number of individuals as they trained to fulfill their missions and learned a number of interesting facts:

• Camp Pendleton was acquired to train soldiers for World War II.
• The base often partners with nearby municipalities to use their infrastructure to conduct mission rehearsals for tactics such as bridge crossings.
• They have a number of training facilities that mimic real-world scenarios, such as Afghan villages, and some are built with Hollywood-style sets, pyrotechnics and use actors to bring these situations to life.
• Marines are seeing a culture shift in how mental health and seeking help for these issues are perceived, and more Marines are getting the help they need.
• The cabins of amphibious assault vehicles are anything but “roomy.”
• There are 7,500 homes and apartments on base.
  

  The group got a close look at the inside of an Amphibious Assault Vehicle.

• Six percent of the active duty Marines are women.
• 70,000 retirees live within 50 miles of the new Navy Hospital being built on base.
• The Marines provide an extensive “Transition Readiness” program to prepare individuals for life outside the military.

The cohort successfully achieved its goal of gaining a greater understanding of the role and impact Camp Pendleton has on its Marines and sailors, and our region. I think I speak for the whole group when I say we walked away humbled and proud of the courage and sacrifices our military makes to preserve our freedom.

The term “workplace culture” was first defined by former MIT professor Edgar Schein in 1992 in his seminal work “Organizational Culture and Leadership.” This first definition included the idea that corporate culture is a philosophy to guide organizational strategy, workforce behavior and management attitudes.

The concept of a workplace culture encompasses many different characteristics of a business. Culture has visible components in the way that a business looks and how employees dress, but it really thrives in the attitudes of employees, in the setting of goals and in the communication of business values to employees and clients.

At NST, our workplace culture is one of exploration.  Everyone on our team must have the desire to explore the world, and look for new and improved ways of thinking and working.  New ideas can be found through reading, thinking creatively and brainstorming with others.

With the exploration theme in mind, NST recently transformed a vacant office into the new “Exploration Room” creating a space where our team of explorers can step away from their everyday workspace to spark that imagination, curiosity and desire to explore, with a focus on creating ideas that will contribute to our clients, communities and company.  This room has all the necessary tools to help spark those creative juices with comfortable seating, inspirational quotes, games, client products and, most importantly, plenty of snacks!

Check out the photos and let us know what you think.

The cohort received a lift courtesy of the county’s “official” transportation vehicle.

With more than 70 percent of former San Diego County inmates returning to the prison system and state regulations forcing budget cuts at correctional facilities, the old theory of “lock ‘em up and throw away the key” is no longer rooted in reality.

The LEAD San Diego IMPACT cohort heard from law enforcement officials from different agencies – including San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore and Joseph Jones from the U.S. Border Patrol and community partners, such as Second Chance, which provides work readiness training and other supportive services to former inmates –and collaboration was the resounding theme of the day.

San Diego faces some unique geographical challenges when it comes to law enforcement, and collaboration among different agencies – from federal to state to local – is key to maintaining San Diego’s safety record and weathering the funding challenges being felt throughout the state and nation. While jurisdictions are important, San Diego agencies understand that by working together and sharing information they can be more successful – a lesson to which most leaders will attest.

Collaboration with nonprofit community organizations is also essential to ensuring the safety and well-being of all San Diegans. As the county’s detention facilities face an influx of inmates from the state along with dwindling budget, it’s focusing on programs and partners that can help inmates successfully return to their communities and stay there. Whether it’s substance abuse cessation and work training programs during an inmate’s incarceration, or partnering with outside organizations like Second Chance, it takes collaboration from both public and private entities to ensure inmates can successfully transition the “outside” world.

The cohort had the opportunity to see life from an inmate’s perspective firsthand as we toured the George F. Bailey Detention Facility and the East Mesa Detention Facility. Needless to say, the experience was eye-opening – particularly as our role quickly turned from observer to the ones being observed – and one of my fellow participants said it best when she stated, “I’m so thankful that I don’t struggle to stay out of this place.”

Her assessment was spot on. What if I had the same circumstances these individuals grew up with? What if I was born into a drug-addicted home or grew up in a neighborhood where joining a street gang was an unavoidable option? What if that was the only life I knew?

It made me re-evaluate my own personal preconceptions about former inmates and helped me understand that while most of these individuals are there because of poor decisions, many have never known another option.

Hopefully, through continued collaboration among public, private and community leaders, we can raise awareness of these societal challenges that impact our growing inmate population and create programs that help these individuals transition back into society.

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in LEAD San Diego’s EMBARK program – a five-day leadership development program focused on improving the skills of San Diego’s emerging business leaders. A few minutes into the first session, I quickly realized this was more than just a professional development program – it was a personal development program.  Sure, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test confirmed my love of list making – no surprise there for anyone who knows me.

But the self-awareness exercises we participated in also taught me more about who I am, how the things I do affect others, and how I can improve my interpersonal communication and relationships. The rest of the personalized leadership assessment program was just as impactful as it included knowledgeable and interesting speakers, small group breakout sessions, and interactive team-building exercises.

Here are just a couple of my key takeaways from a phenomenal program:

Sometimes you have to follow to become a better leader. 

Jeff Balesh of Jeff Balesh Consulting encouraged us to lead interdependently, “with intention despite uncertainty.” In other words, it’s ok to have a plan, but it’s important to be flexible and willing to let others help when necessary. Akshay Sateesh of Ziksana Consulting, through a number of quick-thinking exercises, re-emphasized this for us by forcing us to get outside of our comfort zones. His on-the-spot improvisation lessons taught us that good leaders “live in the moment and listen.”  Doug Holman of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce stressed that it’s ok, and sometimes better, to refer colleagues to someone else competent when you’re crunched for time.  You don’t always have to do everything yourself and you can position yourself as a resource in the process.

Small actions can have a big impact.

Throughout the EMBARK program, I was reminded great leaders always find ways to say, “thank you” and that those two words can go a long way in enlightening and inspiring someone. Small actions, even if you don’t remember them, can leave a lasting impact. It’s important to take the extra step, make a follow-up call or write a letter – you never know who could be watching or how you may meet again. First impressions are made all the time, whether you know it or not.

San Diego businesses are uniquely connected.

A benefit of the EMBARK program that will have a lasting impact on me is the people I met through the program. Many of San Diego’s largest and most impactful companies, business groups and nonprofit organizations were represented in my cohort, and interacting with such fun-loving, insightful and driven individuals was exciting and energizing for me. Hearing stories about clients NST has worked with throughout the program also made it clear for me San Diego is a big city that feels like a small town, led by a close-knit group of visionaries.

I truly hope I get to work with each of my fellow EMBARKers again one day and look forward to becoming part of the next generation of San Diego visionaries together.

Despite being a fourth generation native to a city whose military history is as long as its sandy white beaches, my interaction with military life is limited at best. So when the LEAD San Diego IMPACT class recently spent the day learning about the military’s impact on our region, I was eager to get an in-depth look.

The cohort spent the day with well-respected military ambassadors, including Rear Adm. Dixon Smith, who presented a number of achievements and challenges faced by the San Diego military community – from sustainability efforts and post-military job training to the looming sequestration cuts.

The cohort gets a briefing from the USS Benfold crew before boarding for a tour.

Adm. Smith and retired Capt. Larry Blumberg of the San Diego Military Advisory Council painted a vibrant picture of just how integrated the military community is in the region’s economic prosperity.

With one in four San Diego jobs supported by defense spending and more than $20 billion in military funds flowing to San Diego through different channels, it’s no wonder that sequestration has many military personnel and civilians shaking in their boots. While some estimate San Diego’s geography and the Defense Department’s focus on the Pacific Rim may spare us from some of the worst cuts, the impact could reverberate well beyond the military community into engineering, food service, construction, shipbuilding and other industries.

One of the highlights of the cohort’s day on Naval Base San Diego was a tour of the Destroyer USS Benfold, which recently returned to San Diego after a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East. A young officer, who in addition to showing us the bridge and some impressive firepower, talked to us about learning to lead while he was deployed on the ship.

LEAD San Diego IMPACT class participants learned valuable lessons on leadership from our military hosts.

After graduating college, he joined the Navy and was assigned to lead the mechanical division on the USS Benfold, despite having no mechanical background. Imagine being a 22-year-old greenhorn, expected to lead an entire division of mechanical experts, some of whom may have decades of experience, but are looking to you for direction. He spoke, almost glowingly, about the assistance he received from superiors as well as subordinates, and said that both were instrumental in allowing him to grow as a leader.

It reminded me that we all too often look to authority figures or supervisors to teach us how to lead, when our peers can be just as rich of a resource. It’s also a reminder to emerging leaders that they can help improve the skills of those around them with a simple suggestion or by providing a different point of view.

Whether you’ve been mentoring for years or are just starting out on your journey, we’re all responsible for helping develop great leaders.

“We offer service that is good, fast and inexpensive … but you can only pick two of the three.”

While it’s a popular saying among professional service providers and greasy spoon chefs, it accurately speaks to three elements of service that for many industries simply can’t be executed simultaneously.

A similar theory was discussed during a recent LEAD San Diego IMPACT class that focused on the hot topic of health care.

Tom Gehring, executive director & CEO of San Diego County Medical Society, gave the cohort a heavy dose of reality as it relates to the future of health care and the impact of the Affordable Care Act.

One of his examples related to the “pick two” theory. He explained that improving the cost of care, increasing quality of care and improving patients’ access to care can’t happen simultaneously. You can improve access and quality, but that’s going to increase the price. You can increase access and decrease cost, but quality will suffer.

However, these are three basic elements health care reform set out to improve. How well the Affordable Care Act addresses those issues is still up for debate, but the resounding theme the cohort heard throughout the day, was reform isn’t over. The Affordable Care Act isn’t the magic bullet to solve all our problems.

“Health care needed to be reformed. Health care still needs to be reformed,” said Mike Murphy, president and CEO of Sharp HealthCare. “Health care has not been solved.”

The session’s dialogue was data heavy and covered issues ranging from end of life care and health insurance exchanges to the importance of community health centers and the unsustainable nature of Medicare. Some of the mind-boggling statistics shared by the day’s presenters included:

• 18 percent of the U.S. population doesn’t have health insurance and unemployment contributes to this figure.
• Medicare is projected to be bankrupt in 2024.
• In addition to cutting reimbursements to medical providers, the government will also make cuts on payments to medical schools, meaning there may be less physicians, while the number of patients accessing care will increase.
• On average, today’s Medicare patient contributed $200,000 toward Medicare during their working years, but will consume $350,000 in care.
• 60 to 70 percent of health care costs are spent on roughly 10 percent of the population.
• 45 percent of the U.S. population has a chronic condition.

But Gehring reminded the cohort this session wasn’t all about doom and gloom, but rather awareness. By understanding the implications these decisions have on small businesses, large medical providers and low-income members of our community, we’re better equipped to address the needs of our region.

It’s critical for all of us to stay informed and look at the issue from a variety of viewpoints. Solving the health care conundrum will require not just the focus of the health care community and politicians, but all citizens.

As the board chair for the American Red Cross San Diego/Imperial Counties chapter, NST President Bill Trumpfheller accepted a grant from Las Patronas on Jan. 23 at the group’s annual Beneficiary Luncheon. The award will fund a new touch table communications system that will help the Red Cross and emergency responders throughout our region share data.

Check out Bill and the other six recipient organizations in the La Jolla Light’s Jan. 31 edition. Looking good, Bill!

The arts have an incredible ability to connect us, enrich our lives, inspire us and entice emotion, but as LEAD San Diego’s IMPACT cohort recently discussed, arts and culture provide much more than simple enjoyment.

“It’s not just about entertainment and leisure,” said Dalouge Smith, President and CEO of the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory.  He suggested San Diego’s arts and culture community is about much more – community identity, neighborhood cohesion, creativity, education, sustainability, redevelopment and economic activity.

Through the session’s presenters – which included representatives from San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, Museum of Photographic Arts, Balboa Park Celebration EDGE 2015, the City of San Diego and the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership  – the cohort learned the true contribution arts and culture organizations provide to our community. The group heard about how local museums serve our community through environmental sustainability efforts; how artist districts can act as seeds for redeveloping communities; and how our vibrant arts and culture community stimulates more than $170 million in spending and supports a workforce of nearly 6,000 individuals.

Having relished the few art history classes my coursework would allow in college, this idea reminded me of the framework through which I had studied – what a culture’s artwork said about its values and way of life.

As we spoke about the 2015 Centennial Celebration of Balboa Park, the center of cultural life in our region, I began to wonder what San Diegans in 2115 would learn from the arts we create today. Would they see the revitalization in our communities, the diversity of our neighborhoods and the pride San Diegans have for their city?

Creating a lasting arts and culture legacy isn’t just the responsibility of art patrons, it’s up to all San Diegans to foster the opportunities this community brings to our region. With more than 1,120 volunteer board positions and 11,600 arts and culture volunteer opportunities in San Diego, there’s no shortage of ways to get involved. So find what moves you, get involved and help shape the impact of San Diego’s arts and culture for future generations.

Only 63 percent of San Diego County students are considered proficient in English Language Arts and only 53 percent are proficient in History-Social Science.

When Dr. Sally Bennett-Schmidt from the San Diego County Office of Education spoke to the LEAD San Diego IMPACT cohort to share these metrics, the nearly unanimous reaction was shock and disbelief.

While these numbers are increasing, the pressure to continue an upward trajectory, coupled with cuts in education funding, mean instructors focus heavily on language, science and math, but have little time to spend on other areas, such as visual and performing arts.

While some may think painting, woodworking, music or theatre are not as important when looking at these startling proficiency scores, the cohort learned it’s precisely this misconception that is hurting our educational system, our kids and our future workforce.

Dr. Ed Abeyta, director of K-16 education at UC San Diego Extension, suggested it’s a disservice to our students if we don’t give them the time and opportunity to experience what the arts can bring to a “left brain” mind.

In the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines, students are taught to memorize complex solutions often without real-world application. They’re taught that there’s one right way and one right answer. Whereas in the arts, students are rewarded for thinking outside the box, being creative and employing divergent thinking to come up with multiple solutions. Yet, when looking at our ideal future workforce, we need scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians to be innovative, think outside the box and develop new solutions to old problems, and we need artists who can help convey this technical data visually.

“We’re really good at killing creativity,” said Barbara Edwards with Math for America San Diego.

Instead, she suggested, we need to create curriculum and instruction that fosters creativity and invites students into a puzzle or problem.

Our esteemed speakers from UC San Diego’s CREATE, Math for America San Diego, San Diego Science Project, University of San Diego and UC San Diego Extension are all pushing to change this paradigm in education by looking at how incorporating the arts, while changing instructional approaches, can help create a future workforce proficient in the STEM disciplines but also well-versed in “right brain” activities and open to looking at things in a different way. They suggested we should no longer focus solely on the STEM principles, but incorporate the arts and divergent thinking into those areas, which is often referred to as the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) movement.

There’s clearly much work to be done to shift this effort for a movement into systematic change. So what can we do as business and community leaders to help change what we deem to be “critical” in educational instruction to ensure we have a workforce well-equipped to tackle the problems of tomorrow?

Whether it’s joining the PTA, tutoring, fundraising for arts programs in schools, letting your voice be heard at the school board level or hosting a teacher at your workplace to talk about skills the future workforce will need, there’s a number of ways we as a community can get involved in the education of our children.

By shifting our educational paradigms, empowering teachers with the tools to keep students engaged and stimulated, and encouraging community members to become active participants in education, we’ll not only see increased student success, but a better-equipped workforce and, ultimately, a better quality of life for our region.