147: Diversity, Digital Transformation & Hiring Veterans with Len Samborowski

Len Samborowski moved up the ranks to become a Colonel in the U.S. Army. Realizing he would not become a General, he retired after 30 years. Transitioning to civilian life led him to an assistant football coach position and later a college professor, but it did not come without challenges. In this episode, Len shares why a veteran’s knowledge of the latest technologies, experience being around different people, and a mission-focused work ethic can serve businesses well.

Special Guest: Len Samborowski, Management Chair & MBA Director – Nichols College

Location: Woodstock, CT USA

Air Date: May 2, 2021

Resources

Manager Memo: Len’s bi-weekly podcast where he and his guests discuss the planning, organizing, leading, and evaluating functions of management.
Luke Leaders 1248: a non-profit organization Len founded that raises funds for educational college or trade school scholarships to future servant leaders.
National Guard: the website dedicated to the organization representing the “…joint activity of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force: the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively.”
The National Guard Bureau Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (NGB-DEI): the website of the office promoting the “…Chief of the National Guard Bureau’s vision for diversity management and equal opportunity policies and programs. With the National Guard Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan as their guide, NGB-DEI identifies and develops programs to address the barriers preventing soldiers, airmen, and civilians from achieving their full potential.”
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: a department of the U.S. federal government that committed to “integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country.”
Army Reserve: an organization configured to provide combat support, combat service support, peacekeeping, nation-building, and civil support capabilities.
Canvas for Android and iOS: a mobile app teaching companion that allows teachers to facilitate their courses on the go, both inside and outside the classroom. This app provides quick access to three of the most frequent course facilitation tasks for teachers: grading, communicating and updating.
Blackboard: a digital Learning Management System (LMS) dedicated to connecting education with cutting-edge technology for higher education, K-12, business and government clients around the world.
Theater Strategic and Operational-Level Perspective: this article by GlobalSecurity.org describes the key elements of theater and operational design in the military, one of which is “branches and sequels,” which Len also describes in this episode.
The Art of War: the timeless, infamous book by Sun Tzu where leaders can glean business lessons based on military strategy.
The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong: a book by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull – explains the concept that every employee in a hierarchy will rise to his or her level of incompetence.
CoVerified: a Covid-19 app designed to help schools and employers get back to activity safely.
Google Docs: a cloud-based application for document creation and collaboration across teams.
Google Drive: Google’s cloud-based file storage solution that allows on-demand access from tablets, computers, and smartphones.
OfficeSuite: a web and cloud-based app that enables users to sync documents on any platform, including Windows, Android, or iOS, for seamless work between devices. The app also offers full compatibility with popular formats including Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Txt), Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides & Adobe PDF.
Zoom: a web-based tool that offers audio and video recording of webinars, conference calls, presentations, meetings, and more. Also includes screen sharing for enhanced collaboration.

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Credits

Producer & Host: Alicia Butler Pierre
Podcast Editor: Olanrewaju Adeyemo
Video Editor: Gladys Jimenez
Transcription: Jodie Maquiran
Sponsor: HubSpot

Bios

More About Guest, Len Samborowski:
Leonard “Len” Samborowski is a retired Army Colonel now serving curious business minds as the Management Chair and MBA Director at Nichols College in Dudley, MA. His latest mission is to give back to others. One way is through his non-profit organization, Luke Leaders 1248 where scholarship funds are awarded to the next generation of servant leaders. As he says, “I’ve got my ice cream cone, just trying to help others get their double-scoop. My life is richly blessed.”

Another mission is to diversify the MBA program at Nichols College. We seek to hire the right talent to produce a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-generational faculty base that encompasses the dynamic promise of business in 2050.

More About Host, Alicia Butler Pierre:
Alicia Butler Pierre is the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc. Her career in operations began over 20 years ago while working as an engineer in various chemical plants and oil refineries. She invented the Kasennu™ framework for business infrastructure and authored, Behind the Façade: How to Structure Company Operations for Sustainable Success. It is the world’s first published book on business infrastructure for small businesses. Alicia hosts the weekly Business Infrastructure podcast with a global audience across 53 countries.