Joseph Cardillo is a top selling author in the fields of health, mind-body-spirit, and martial arts. His books Be Like Water and Bow to Life have inspired people of all ages and backgrounds worldwide. As an educator, he has taught more than 20,000 students at several universities, including the University of Albany and Hudson Valley Community College, where he is a professor of English and creative writing. Cardillo also writes a blog on Attention Training for Psychology Today. His newest book is Can I Have Your Attention? available from Career Press.
Duncan Mathison is an executive career coach and co-author of “Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Search When Times Are Tough.” For 18 years he served as Vice President and consultant for Drake Beam Morin, an international career transition firm working with thousands of people to find new careers whether they were entering the job market or looking for new careers after job loss.
On November 12, more than 700 Columbia Business School students had the rare opportunity to connect with two icons of American business—Warren Buffett, MS ’51, and Bill Gates. During the event, Buffett and Gates responded to student body questions about a variety of topics, including the economy, investing during an economic downturn and the fruitful careers and industries of the future. Buffett and Gates also gave career advice and discussed the mentors and habits that played a role in their success.
When asked about the prospects of the American economy, both Gates and Buffett avidly expressed that they never lost faith in the capitalist system during the economic downturn. They stressed that the fundamentals of the market and the innovative nature of American business will continue to bolster the American economy. Gates identified areas of economic growth in the U.S.—including information technology, healthcare and clean energy – as well as areas of improvement, including risk management in the financial markets and the K-12 school system.
A variety of students asked for life and career advice. Buffett stressed the importance of pursuing work that one was passionate about, rather than pursuing work considered to be lucrative. Gates stressed the need to stay inquisitive and read and research topics of interest regularly. Both Gates and Buffett said that preparedness allowed them to take advantage of a variety of opportunities in their careers, and gave them the confidence to take risks.
It is the first time Buffett and Gates, who met each other in 1991, have appeared together at Columbia University. The last student forum they participated in was in 2005 at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
Bentley University, a new national sponsor, salutes the next generation of leaders with the international Tomorrow25 competition. Launched in 2005, the program honors 25 outstanding high school juniors who demonstrate leadership and accomplishment in a variety of ways, including academic excellence, initiative, citizenship, cultural awareness, social responsibility, and a commitment to making positive change in the world. If this description fits you, talk with your adviser about nominating you for this incredible award. Nominations are accepted from business and community leaders, teachers, mentors, and guidance counselors.
Winners receive national recognition and interact with high-profile leaders at the annual Bentley Leadership Forum (all expenses paid). The Tomorrow25 also appear in a national ad in Time magazine. Deadline for submission is January 15, 2010. Learn more at www.bentley.edu/tomorrow25.
The PBL Business Leader is now sent electronically and is available as an exclusive membership benefit to PBL members. The new reader allows users to view the publication online and search the document for information, send articles to friends, print out the publication, save as a PDF, and easily view interactive videos and web links.
Duncan Mathison is an executive career coach and co-author of “
