Friday Keynote Luncheon – Mel Parker: Guidelines for Success

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By Sheryl S. Jackson

He promised not to bore the audience and to share actionable information that would make everyone believe their time was well spent – and Mel Parker, vice president and general manager of the North American Consumer and Small Office for Dell, delivered on his promise to the Friday luncheon participants.

Following an entertaining and thought-provoking recap of his journey from a farm in rural North Carolina to his military and corporate career positions, Parker shared the rules to which he attributes his success.

The Parker Principles:

*Never stop learning.
"Ferociously seek out knowledge, especially as it relates to your career or to leadership," says Parker. "The ability to lead will fill in gaps that might exist on your resume."

*Be authentic and true to yourself.
If you are always true to yourself, you’ll be able to deliver what you promise. Parker adds, "If I sacrifice my authenticity, I won’t recognize myself in the mirror each morning."

*Dare to dream big.
"Be audacious and unrelenting in your aspirations," says Parker. Don’t listen to people who tell you to settle for less.

A corollary to this saying is "dare to fail." He points out that everyone should embrace the art of failure. "The fear of failure is destructive to a career because it means a fear of trying and that makes you anonymous and your career stagnates."

*Develop real relationships and make them count.
"Real relationships require a mutual show of vulnerability," Parker says. There were few African American cadets at West Point when he attended, so he had to learn to connect with people who didn’t look like him. Learning how to connect with colleagues, bosses, mentors and members of a network are essential to a successful life.

*Own It.
"Take responsibility for everything in your life," stresses Parker. "If you don’t assume responsibility, you are just along for the ride." Owning your decisions, your actions and your results enables you to feel greater satisfaction.

*Be a great listener.
"We are so busy in our minds – thinking about what we want to say and how we can get our ideas out – that we quit listening to others and talk over them," says Parker. Listening is a key component of communication and if you don’t learn how to listen, your career will be crippled."

*Embrace humility.
Be ready to accept criticism and seek out brutal truth in feedback, suggests Parker. It takes courage to ask for honest feedback from a variety of sources and then to make changes as needed. "The ability to accept and learn from criticism gives you a competitive advantage."

*Believe in something.
Whether your beliefs are spiritual or ethical, be sure to identify what is important to you and make it your core and foundation for all you do, says Parker. "Your beliefs and character will be challenged and people will watch to see if you pass the test."

*Be strong and confident.
"Health is everything," says Parker. "Your career, ambitions, promotions and jobs all become insignificant when your health is at risk." For this reason, take care of yourself mentally and physically so you will create a great first impression that exudes energy and confidence.

*Be optimistic.
"Energy and enthusiasm are contagious," points out Parker. "Cynicism and pessimism are also contagious but those people find themselves along while other people are drawn to optimistic people."

National Case Competition Winners Announced
In addition to the inspirational talk by Mel Parker, vice president and general manager of the North American Consumer and Small Office for Dell, Friday luncheon attendees heard about the value of the Leaders of Tomorrow® (LOT) program and met the newest members. Willard Moor III, the new president of chief executive officer of LOT was also introduced.

The highlight of the announcements was the National Case Competition:
*First place: University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business
*Second place: Clark-Atlanta University
*Third place: Howard University

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