That’s why we were so surprised with what the commencement speaker, Professor Ken Goodson, Engineering Chair, had to say. It was far from what we expected for such a defined science, but very appropriate for this occasion.

He began with the congratulations and acknowledgements these new grads deserved for all the long hours and sacrifice that brought them to this incredible milestone. He then went on to describe a world where every day you hear and read about the demand for the very skills they studied. He recounted the threats of global warming, food, water and power shortages, as well as shelter and transportation challenges that are becoming acute. He said the grads were well armed with technical information and the knowledge of how to use it. He hoped, with the education they had gained at Stanford, they would take the lead in solving these problems.

Then, he said there’s nothing holding you back …except possibly your own personalities. He said strict focus on the technical skills can hurt you in the social skills department. And it is social skills that inevitably make the difference in your success.

He recommended three important social traits that he hoped the grads would develop that would propel them in their careers:

1. Empathy (and its cousin, Humility). Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Find out what they want first. Look at it from their standpoint. Don’t think because you have the technical answers that you have the hubris to dismiss their concerns. On the contrary, embrace others and you will be more respected, have more credibility, and be more successful at helping them.
2. Expect a solution. Look for the answer. When you do, you will be more likely to find it. Don’t be discouraged by cynical news or discouraging media chatter. Focus on the job at hand and follow through. When you work with others, look for the best in them and know they will improve. Your attitude can make the difference.
3. Passion for Impact. Allow yourself to be driven by a burning desire to change the world for the better. Know you have the state-of-the-art tools available to handle the world’s challenges, and use your relentless passion to make a positive impact. Apply your education combined with your enthusiasm to overcome all obstacles. Your passion will keep you going and your vision will guide you.

Wow! We couldn’t agree more with these thoughtful sentiments. It’s the best advice we’ve ever heard for young technical grads.

There was a time, not too long ago, when technical folks were in such demand and on such pedestals that the rest of us wondered if social skills were taking a back seat to algorithms.  But as long as people are working with others to accomplish their dreams, social skills will be required in every direction of life, even in engineering. Getting the approval and cooperation of others will always require Empathy, Optimism, and Passion.

All of us can benefit by making these skills a part of our lives. Congratulations to every 2017 graduate, no matter their school or course of study!

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Stanford Commencement Message for New Techies appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

Now that’s the kind of goal we wish all the grads had – a goal that positively impacts the quality of life for generations to come. As much as we would like to think people will do the right thing to protect the future of the planet, many people are simply looking for a quick financial gain. Never mind that it’s clearly costlier in the long run to keep burning fossil fuel and poisoning the ocean, people want to see the immediate benefits.

A 400-500 mile range electric vehicle would provide immediate benefits, not because of politics, not because of concern for the environment, but because of market forces. The big challenge for today’s college grads is to discover ways that pay off immediately to compel consumers to make the right choices.

Better Batteries. Today’s younger generations are inheriting a power grid that fosters monopoly and extortive billing practices. For instance, we buy electricity from our local renewable power district to augment what our solar panels produce. But another company that owns the infrastructure charges us exorbitant monthly fees to be connected to their grid. Consequently, our electric bill has tripled!

Several states in the US are so dominated by the power companies that their pricing structures discourage home owners from installing solar collectors. And these are sunbelt states, perfect for generating solar power! So, what’s the challenge here for grads? Create products that store enough power to allow homeowners to cut the cord to the greedy power companies and be independent. Can today’s grads create local, affordable, and sufficient power storage?

Bio-Degradable Packaging. In the classic 1967 movie, The Graduate Mr. McGuire takes Ben, the graduate, (Dustin Hoffman) aside to advise him about his future. He says, “I just want to say one word to you, just one word … Plastics!” In 1967, the plastics industry was heating up and soon seemingly everything was made of plastic. …And it wound up in our oceans, in our fish, and in our bodies.

Maybe now the advice should be “bio-degradable packaging.” With the explosion of individually packaged home-delivered items, we are drowning in foam peanuts, plastic blister packs, and bubble wrap. Can our new grads create a cheaper and healthier alternative?

And what about the oceans? Can the grads develop a profitable way to harvest the plastic that’s floating around and keep it out of our food supply? Can they create a demand for this type of plastic that makes dollars and sense?

Sustainable Food. With 7.5 billion people on the planet, the food business is a good bet. But what kind of food business? We obviously can’t continue to destroy the world’s lungs to feed the world’s belly. The destruction of the oxygen producing rainforests for grazing lands is not sustainable, nor is it ultimately affordable.

We need to develop locally sourced food supplies that are sustainable. They need to compete economically with fossil-fuel-intensive global sourcing. This will mean food production close to, or in the cities, reducing the cost of transportation significantly. Can the grads find ways to make this more affordable?  Can they create market forces that favor abundant, healthy, and delicious food locally produced?

Congratulations to all the grads out there. You have a lot of challenges. The whole world is watching to see what solutions you come up with. So get to work!

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post 3 Big Throw Downs Challenge Today’s Grads appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.