Friday September 27, UND President Andrew Armacost hosted retired United States Air Force General Lori J. Robinson for the inaugural discussion series that focuses on key topics surrounding national security.
UND LEADS is part of a strategic vision for the University of North Dakota, which seeks to build off the legacy in which the core values of leadership and giving back which UND was founded upon. Discussion series like this recent one is centered around inspiring the future generation of leaders and offering the insight to empower them to make a difference within their own communities outside of their professional careers.
Robinson served as the Commander of the United States North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command during her time in the military and became the first woman to hold these respective positions in the Air Force. General Robinson entered the Air Force in 1982 through the ROTC program at the University of New Hampshire and has learned invaluable life experiences during her time in service, which she took the time to reflect and share during the inaugural UND LEADS discussion with President Armacost.
During the initial stages of the fireside style discussion with President Armacost, General Robinson stated that there were numerous principles regarding being an active leader that she learned during her time as a lead Commander for the Air Force that she continues to abide by to this day.
The first being the importance of becoming a “part of something bigger than yourself.” Adding on that to be a successful leader, you must keep at mind the interest of the organization and buy into the notion that by inspiring the people you work with to become better than yourself the entirety of the institution benefits and can successfully accomplish its goals.
The second key attribute that a successful leader attains according to General Robinson is learning the importance of “listening” to those around you and taking the time to comprehend what exactly they are trying to convey prior to asserting your own point of view during a discussion. Effective communication is the backbone of any efficient team, regardless of whether we are talking about it in a military or civilian context.
The last key point that General Robinson made regarding leadership is understanding that you cannot control everything, and sometimes you need to “stay in your lane” and trust others to do their job. People cannot work to their full potential if they are being micromanaged and feel as if their every move is being watched. By empowering your team and offering guidance and support when needed, you enable a positive work environment to take shape resulting in increased effectiveness and productivity.
President Armacost then drew a connection between the points that General Robinson made during her time in the military drawing from his own respective experience as the President of UND. President Armacost acknowledged the fact that both environments are incredibly “family oriented” and thrive off a sense of togetherness.
Pivoting now towards slightly more pressing issues regarding national security, the discussion shifted towards General Robinson offering insight on the current geopolitical state of the world and potential threats towards national security our adversaries such as China and Russia pose on the United States.
General Robinson acknowledged the meteoric rise of China and their influence on the globe, paying specific focus on their increased military capabilities, which is directly responsible for the shift in national security strategy, as much of our focus as a nation has now pivoted from the middle east to the pacific theater.
Alongside with China, General Robinson also offered her insight about the current conflict taking place between Russia and Ukraine. Acknowledging that although we are not directly involved in the conflict, we must remain cognoscente of the importance of keeping Russia in check due to the potential ramifications that could unfold throughout the world if we do not take the steps to protect and aid our allies in the name of supporting democratic governments.
Coming full picture towards the end of the discussion, a Q&A with the audience took place and General Robinson was able to alleviate some of the concerns that individuals had by offering her own perspective. One of the most substantial points made was regarding a question surrounding how society is going to ensure that we have a younger generation that is ready to make the sacrifice and serve their country.
General Robinson promptly responded that the most effective strategy continues to be promoting the military in a positive light and exposing individuals at a young age to all the opportunities that a career in the military could potentially provide. Events such as air shows or the practice of ROTC students wearing their uniforms to class once a week all promote the armed forces in a positive light and are effective means of inspiring our youth. President Armacost went on to add how within our own community at UND over 2,000 individuals are either veterans or involved with our military to a certain extent homing in on how much pride our administration takes in that fact.
Ultimately, this was an incredibly rewarding discussion to tune into, and it is strongly encouraged you follow up throughout the semester for the next episode of the UND LEADS discussion series.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at [email protected].