How Yale Experience Teaches Value of Mission Clarity and Focus - Louise Davis Langheier

In Chapter 3 of 9 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, non-profit founder and executive Louise Davis Langheier shares what she has learned about leadership and organizational effectiveness as a board member at Yale University's Dwight Hall. Specifically, Dwight Hall's efforts teach her the value of clarity of mission, purpose, and goals. Langheier applies these lessons developing a more committed, focused approach at her non-profit, Peer Health Exchange. Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange (http://www.peerhealthexchange.com ), a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. She graduated Yale University with a B.A. in History and serves on the board of directors of Dwight Hall at Yale, the center for public service and social justice.

What Role Does Social Justice Play in Health Education - Louise Davis Langheier

In Chapter 2 of 9 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, non-profit founder and executive Louise Davis Langheier highlights the role of social justice in her work providing health education to high school students. She notes how social justice ensures all people have the same opportunities to succeed and how empowering individuals to make their own decisions and pursue their own dreams enables it. Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange (http://www.peerhealthexchange.com ), a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. She graduated Yale University with a B.A. in History and serves on the board of directors of Dwight Hall at Yale, the center for public service and social justice.

What Writing a Comic Strip Teaches About Brand Storytelling - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 3 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, designer Doug Jaeger shares what writing a college comic strip taught him about brand storytelling. As a designer, Jaeger is motivated by finding solutions. From an early age, as a college student, he sees the relationship between creating art, putting it in a media format, and impacting culture. Through the process he learns compromise, multitasking and prioritization. Jaeger is a partner at design firm JaegerSloan - http://jaegersloan.com/ - and is also president of the Art Director's Club - http://www.adcglobal.org/ . Previously he founded thehappycorp and has served in creative director leadership roles at TBWA/Chiat/Day and JWT. Jaeger holds a BFA in Computer Graphics and Art Media Studies from Syracuse University.

Why Study Computer Graphics at Syracuse University - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 2 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, designer Doug Jaeger shares the decision inputs that informed his choice to study computer graphics at Syracuse University. He highlights influences across his friends, family, and personal interests. Ultimately Jaeger chooses Syracuse a strong balance between academics - science, history, English - and arts and design. Jaeger is a partner at design firm JaegerSloan - http://jaegersloan.com/ - and is also president of the Art Director's Club - http://www.adcglobal.org/ . Previously he founded thehappycorp and has served in creative director leadership roles at TBWA/Chiat/Day and JWT. Jaeger holds a BFA in Computer Graphics and Art Media Studies from Syracuse University.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen: When you were at Syracuse University, what propelled you to focus on computer graphics?

Doug Jaeger:  That's an interesting question. I went to Syracuse because I growing up had a friend, his name was Pete Berthold, and his father was an engineer at BellCorp. BellCorp was the company that defined all the business operating systems for the phone systems, and had the latest Macintosh computer at his house  all the time. In the basement, never being used. It was like the home computer that dad would use when we weren't around as kids, you know, we got home from school, dad wasn't there, we'd play with the computer. I learned about HyperCard and all these computer software way before schools had them, and uh, my friend Pete, my friend Sean, all these guys I was growing up with, were all playing with basic and basicA and all these crazy, geeky things.

Pete was one year older than me. And he was the year ahead of me doing research  he lived, you know, right down the block and he was doing research on what schools to go to, and he built this list of schools, and one was RISD, another one was, University of Arts in Philadelphia had a computer program, there was RIT, Syracuse was one of them - there were very few number of schools on the east coast I was limited because my parents didn't want me to go too far away. And, there was this idea Pete was just like, I'm going to Syracuse. 

And he came back during his break and told me all about you know the technology, and they had this really great SGI lab they were doing 3D modeling in, and he in a sense convinced me that this was a great place to go. Because Pete was a friend of mine, I trusted him.

We were doing a lot of the same things, we were both artists and we were making videos and we were using the computer and so he went there, and then as a result, I went there. And, I wanted to go to RISD because I thought it had greater, you know, creative output  in general it is a more creative school, but my parents felt really strongly, they wanted me to have a basis in academics. You know they wanted me to have science and history classes and English, they thought it was just really important. And so, although RISD has Brown as a sidepiece, they thought I would not do that. And so they felt that it's a school that could control me, put me in this little box where I would do all those things. And so, the city was not an option for me my parents grew up in the city, and they just didn't want me to go there and to learn there, they just thought it would be too corrupting and forced.

And so they wanted me to go somewhere protected, and so Syracuse was that place. And the program was computer graphics, which was half computer science and half art. And the art portion was photography, you know, studio photography, filmmaking, non-linear editing, 3D modeling and interaction design. And I also tried to take classes in conventional design  I had lots of peers that were in design courses as well. And so I was really able to kind of, you know, get experience very early on, on the full palate of what media is and its potential.

How Father Influences Son's Creative Career Development - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 1 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, designer Doug Jaeger shares how his father's experiences and work ethic shaped his own ambition and career. Jaeger learns the value of education and hard work from his father, putting both to work shaping his passion for photography. Jaeger is a partner at design firm JaegerSloan - http://jaegersloan.com/ - and is also president of the Art Director's Club - http://www.adcglobal.org/ . Previously he founded thehappycorp and has served in creative director leadership roles at TBWA/Chiat/Day and JWT. Jaeger holds a BFA in Computer Graphics and Art Media Studies from Syracuse University.

Simon Sinek on How Childhood Influences Cultural Anthropology Research Career

In Chapter 10 of 20 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and leadership expert Simon Sinek shares how his childhood and education have shaped his approach to cultural anthropology, ethnography, and research. Sinek believes research should be done away from focus groups and in the field, especially in uncomfortable environments. His curiosity turns discomfort into a motivating factor he uses to better understand his subjects. Simon Sinek is a trained ethnographer who applies his curiosity around why people do what they do to teach leaders and companies how to inspire people. He is the author of "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". Sinek holds a BA degree in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: How has your anthropology background proven helpful working in unfamiliar environments, including with the United States military?

Simon Sinek: Being trained as an ethnographer being trained and sort of having this cultural anthropology background, significantly changes the way of how I do my work, or being in strange or different situations. This is why I’m against focus groups. I think the concept of a focus group is laughable. That you bring people in to a sterile research environment, so that the researcher can be comfortable and safe and happy, but the respondents – the people who you want to be open and honest – are the ones who are uncomfortable and on-edge, that’s backwards to me. 

It’s the responsibility of the researcher to go to the respondents. It’s the responsibility of the researcher to go into the environment, into the homes, into the societies, into the buildings, into the offices of the people that they want to study and understand. It’s the responsibility of the researcher to deal with the discomfort, rather than forcing the respondent to be uncomfortable. 

So that’s how I was raised, both academically, and also that’s how I was actually raised. I lived all over the world. As a kid, we traveled around a lot, and so I will always go to somebody if I’m interested in them, and I believe they are the ones who should be comfortable and I’m the one who should be uncomfortable. That’s correct, because that way you get the best answers. And so, because that’s how I’ve always done things, I have no problem going to very unfamiliar environments. For me it’s an object of curiosity, if I’m uncomfortable I want to understand what’s making me uncomfortable and I think that’s kind of cool.

How Heidegger Philosophy Influences Professional Ambition - Alan McNab

In Chapter 9 of 17 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, customer advocacy marketing executive Alan McNab reflects on the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and his 1928 work "Being and Time." McNab learns to apply Heidegger's perspective on existence - I am therefore I think - to the context of service-oriented business. McNab holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University and an MBA from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. He has worked in various technology marketing roles at Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Motorola, and is now Vice President, Customer Advocacy at NCR based in Dublin.

How Speech Act Philosophy Impacts Customer Service Strategy - Alan McNab

In Chapter 7 of 17 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, customer advocacy marketing executive Alan McNab details how Speech Act language philosophy impacts customer service strategy. He highlights how coaching teams to engage, listen and make a promise to customers enables a customer service strategy. The Speech Act commitment philosophy empowers the customer as much as it does the line staff - the service technicians - working to deliver value on the ground. McNab holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University and an MBA from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. He has worked in various technology marketing roles at Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Motorola, and is now Vice President, Customer Advocacy at NCR based in Dublin.

How Studying Speech Act Language Philosophy Improves Leadership - Alan McNab

In Chapter 5 of 17 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, customer advocacy marketing executive Alan McNab shares how studying speech act language philosophy has helped improve his leadership skills. He discovers an area of philosophy, speech acts, that applies language - a promise, request, or offer - to create or commit a new future together. By delivering upon a promise, the customer can assess performance and make a declaration of satisfaction or delight to close the loop on the interaction. McNab holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University and an MBA from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. He has worked in various technology marketing roles at Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Motorola, and is now Vice President, Customer Advocacy at NCR based in Dublin.

What Motivates Decision to Choose Coaching Over Therapist Career - Garren Katz

In Chapter 12 of 13 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, executive and private life coach Garren Katz shares why he chose coaching over returning to school to earn a grad school psychology degree and become a therapist. Katz enjoys working with others on identifying and addressing what is missing versus what is wrong. Garren is a graduate of Western Michigan University and coaches clients on areas such as entrepreneurship, relationships, and personal finances. Learn more about Garren at http://about.me/garrenkatz .

How to Use MBA Finance Skills in Marketing Operations Role - Phil McKenzie

In Chapter 9 of 12 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, media and publishing entrepreneur Phil McKenzie shares how he has applied MBA finance skills developed at Goldman Sachs in current marketing operations roles. McKenzie highlights attention to detail - almost obsessively - as the most critical transferable skill.  Phil McKenzie graduated from Howard University and earned an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.  Before starting FREE DMC and the Influencer Conference, McKenzie worked for eight years in sales and trading at Goldman Sachs.

How Dad Teaches Son Valuable Social Skills - Geoff Hamm

In Chapter 1 of 16 of his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, online media sales executive Geoff Hamm grows up going to work, a community college, with his father. Hamm's dad encourages him to take the initiative and introduce himself to the many people he meets each week at his dad's office. Over time, this openness to meeting people helps Hamm navigate a school change in college and sets the foundation for his sales career. Hamm graduated from the University of Illinois - http://illinois.edu/ - and is now SVP of Sales at at Scribd http://www.scribd.com/ in Silicon Valley. Previously he held online sales management positions at Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, Orbitz, IAC, and Excite.

Why College Graduate Decides to Pursue Sales Career - Geoff Hamm

In Chapter 2 of 16 of his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, online media sales executive Geoff Hamm graduates the University of Illinois and begins a sales career. As a child, Hamm would pick up a new toy or pair of shoes and try to persuade friends on why they should also get them. Over time, Hamm works summer jobs and internships and is naturally drawn to sales roles. In sales, Hamm finds it fulfilling and meaningful meeting new people, forming relationships, and learning and developing through the resulting experiences. Hamm graduated from the University of Illinois - http://illinois.edu/ - and is now SVP of Sales at at Scribd http://www.scribd.com/ in Silicon Valley. Previously he held online sales management positions at Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, Orbitz, IAC, and Excite.

How Teaching Skills Enable Sales Success - Geoff Hamm

In Chapter 11 of 16 of his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, online media sales executive Geoff Hamm shares the importance of developing industry expertise in sales. Over time, Hamm gains the industry knowledge to be a a thought leader and become a trusted education resource for his clients. As an industry resource, Hamm is then able to better communicate innovative new product potential. Hamm graduated from the University of Illinois - http://illinois.edu/ - and is now SVP of Sales at at Scribd http://www.scribd.com/ in Silicon Valley. Previously he held online sales management positions at Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, Orbitz, IAC, and Excite.

How to Apply a Passion for Studying History in a Real Estate Career - Brett Goldman

In Chapter 2 of 10 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, real estate development acquisitions director Brett Goldman shares how his passion for history has informed his real estate development career. For his master's thesis, analyzes how a neighborhood's story over many generations can be told through a single piece of property. This provides Goldman a new perspective on real estate cycles that he later applies in his long-term real estate investment pursuits. Brett Goldman is a Real Estate Acquisitions Director at Triangle Equities - http://www.triangleequities.com/ - in New York City. Goldman holds a BA in General Studies from the University of Michigan - http://www.umich.edu/ - and a masters in real estate development from Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation - http://www.arch.columbia.edu/ View more videos at http://www.captureyourflag.com

How MBA Finance Skills Guide Real Estate Investment Career - Brett Goldman

In Chapter 4 of 10 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, real estate development acquisitions director Brett Goldman shares how developing a deep understanding of financial markets, including commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS), plays into his investment decisions. Brett Goldman is a Real Estate Acquisitions Director at Triangle Equities - http://www.triangleequities.com/ - in New York City. Goldman holds a BA in General Studies from the University of Michigan - http://www.umich.edu/ - and a masters in real estate development from Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation - http://www.arch.columbia.edu/ View more videos at http://www.captureyourflag.com

What is the Best Major for a Law Career - James McCormick

In Chapter 1 of 12 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, legal career advisor James McCormick shares what college students and recent college graduates should consider when preparing for and / or planning a law career. McCormick notes there is no preferred major when planning a law career. The only exception is if choosing a specialty field such as intellectual property law. McCormick points out key legal skills - reading, writing, communication, applying critical thought - can be developed across many majors and professions before law school. James McCormick is a Vice President at Empire Search Partners (http://www.empiresearchpartners.com) in New York City. Before transitioning into legal career advisory services, McCormick practiced law as an employee benefits and executive compensation attorney for both Proskauer Rose (http://www.proskauer.com) and Jones Day (http://www.jonesday.com). He holds a JD from Tulane University Law School (http://www.law.tulane.edu) and a BA in History from the University of Michigan (http://www.umich.edu). View more career learning and development knowledge videos at http://www.captureyourflag.com. Follow Capture Your Flag on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/captureyourflag. Follow Capture Your Flag on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/captureyourflag.

How Tax Class Helps Puzzle Solver Focus Law Career - James McCormick

In Chapter 2 of 12 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, legal career advisor James McCormick shares how a tax law class unexpectedly shaped his law career. He finds tax law's inherent puzzle solving nature engaging and seeks additional experience offering related challenges. James McCormick is a Vice President at Empire Search Partners (http://www.empiresearchpartners.com) in New York City. Before transitioning into legal career advisory services, McCormick practiced law as an employee benefits and executive compensation attorney for both Proskauer Rose (http://www.proskauer.com) and Jones Day (http://www.jonesday.com). He holds a JD from Tulane University Law School (http://www.law.tulane.edu) and a BA in History from the University of Michigan (http://www.umich.edu). View more career learning and development knowledge videos at http://www.captureyourflag.com. Follow Capture Your Flag on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/captureyourflag. Follow Capture Your Flag on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/captureyourflag.