The Skills and Habits of Successful People and Professionals

For our November meeting, FBLA was proud to welcome Dr. Todd Jochem as our speaker. Dr. Jochem earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana State University and his PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Jochem’s work includes the development of autonomous vehicles for some of the nation's most recognized manufacturers.

To begin the meeting, Dr. Jochem focused on the various skills and habits that make people successful. He began by discussing 2 important skills. The first being the importance of communication meaning both verbal and written communication. Adding on that communication also includes the ability to be able to listen to others, and to understand who exactly are the right people to listen to. The second skill he discussed was the ability to create win-win situations. People will naturally have different views and interests, thus it is critical to create win-win situations because it will allow for a middle ground to be formed in which both parties involved will be satisfied with an outcome.

Dr. Jochem then transitioned into the four habits of successful people including dedication, sacrifice, goal-oriented thinking, and understanding the rules of the game. Looking at the habit of dedication, Dr. Jochem quoted “Dare to be great.” He advised students to be dedicated and never stop working towards something we truly believe in.  Moving onto the next habit: sacrifice. Dr. Jochem talked about how in college you are going to have times when you need to choose between studying and hanging out with friends. At first it is going to be difficult, however, he noted if you truly want to succeed and achieve the goals you set for yourself you need to make sacrifices towards those goals or the potential career you would like to pursue or have. Next Dr. Jochem discussed what it meant to be goal-oriented. This means having the ability to think strategically, think ahead, and think about the bigger picture in order to obtain and achieve the goals you set for yourself. Dr. Jochem mentions how successful people write down and share their goals with others because it motivates them to work harder and push to achieve their goals. Finally, Dr. Jochem addressed the habit of understanding the rules of the game and being equipped for success in this game.

In summary, Dr. Jochem concluded his talk by leaving the room with three key takeaways. He advised students to be willing to take risks, do not be afraid to fail, and believe in yourself even when no one else does. In his final remarks, Dr. Jochem encouraged us to always motivate and be kind to others, which is a great message for all members of our organization.

Thank you on behalf of PR-FBLA for your time and all of your insights Dr. Jochem.

-Sami Saah, Reporter