As indicated by the Clifton StrengthsFinder Assessment, my tops strengths are Achiever, Focus, Discipline, Significance, and Analytical. There are aspects of this group that surprise me and others that do not. For example, three of my five strengths fall under the Executing theme, while none of them fall under the relationship building theme. As someone that is definitely an extrovert, I found this surprising, but then I remembered my heavy lean toward task oriented rather than relationship. This is something that I should be conscious about as I go into the field because my job relies heavily on how I relate to other people and establishing those strong relationships. However, I believe that since I am so heavily focused on executing, those relationships will be formed from the intention of getting the job done rather than cultivating relationships.

My top strength was Achiever. This honestly something that I am very proud of as I often spread myself thin across a variety of activities and jobs, so being able to say that I can make my goals a reality is really encouraging. StrengthsFinder defined the Achiever as someone that “works hard and possesses a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive.” As someone that is a full time student, working three jobs, and involved in countless organizations, this definitely rings true to me. But as a leader, I have to be reminded that this strength can also be a weakness. I can often overwork myself and be unavailable because of how busy I am. This is something I definitely need to work on because a leader should be accessible. So much of my personal leadership theory involved giving others a voice, but how am I supposed to actually implement that if constantly jumping back and forth from obligation to obligation?

The second strength of Focus is defined by StrengthsFinder as someone that can “take direction, follow through and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.” I find this rings true because I consider myself able to easily prioritize tasks, whether that is based on the urgency of the task or its importance. This is applicable in my job after graduation because I’ll be working with a large number of clients and businesses, so I have to be able to prioritize not only my time, but also certain relationships.

Discipline is my third strength.  Those that are disciplined “enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create.” As a type A person, this attests to my desire for structure and a specific schedule, often resulting in a booked schedule. This proves that I will be able to handle large amounts of activities and obligations. After graduation, my job entails not only reaching out to people, but scheduling appointments and meetings with them. This allows me to balance the different things I will need to complete during a given day.

The forth strength is Significance, meaning that I am “independent and prioritize projects based on how much influence they will have.” My time will often be allocated on things that matter and can make a difference. With this being said, it is important to keep in mind that just because I might not think it is important or will make an impact, doesn’t mean it will not. When leading it is important to keep open communication with people so that the importance of things is not overlooked, properly allocating the appropriate time and resources where they are needed.

Finally, my fifth strength is Analytical, referring to the “search of reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all of the factors that might affect a situation.” I consider this the ability to often step back and look at the big picture while understanding the intertwines processes and factors that affect the system as a whole. This will be useful for my job after graduation, particularly with the sales nature of the job. When relating to people but also understanding the different components that affect their situation and the factors of closing a sale.

While dissecting my different strengths, I learned that my strengths can also take form as my greatest weaknesses. This reality only proves the importance of consistent reflection and open-mindedness, constantly evaluating my situation and how it relates to others and our situations.

Not all social butterflies start as this majestic creature, but rather as a little caterpillar, voiceless, timid, and afraid of the world around them. This was me during freshman year of high school; helpless, isolated, fearful of taking flight. I had no idea that there were wings to be had; wings to be spread and flown with. There was an urge inside of me to share my opinions and beliefs with others, but I did not want to bother people, thinking that they would get annoyed or immediately dismiss what I had to say. However, someone once listened. They absorbed my thoughts. I began to realize that authoritative figures and leaders were not as intimidating as they had previously seemed. They were actually interested in my ideas and considered each of them. I began to find my wings, and this was simply because one person decided to reach out and ask for my opinion. This is why I lead, not based on a type or category of leadership, but as an opportunity to make others heard. I lead to give others a voice.

Fast forward a couple years, and I had my first job as an aquatics summer camp counselor. At this point, I knew that those with greater experience than myself had the potential to help me grow, and I took this very seriously. This was my first job and I was going to do it right. I respected my authorities and practically considered their requests as a do-or-die command. About two months into the job, a coworker that I had grown close to ask why I was being so serious. She told me that this is a summer camp and, while it is important to follow the schedule and make sure the kids stay safe, it is also just as important to have fun. I had entirely missed out on this part of the job. I realized that this job, and many others, consisted of a balance between tasks and relationships. I began to enjoy the job significantly more, making connections with the kids, therefore making the teaching aspect that much more effective. The following summer, I came back, ready to teach the campers to swim, making their experience enjoyable. When they succeeded, I loved it. Just the idea that I got to play a small part in their lives, such as swimming, filled me with joy. My employer began to see this, consistently asking me what I thought about the camps and how I thought they could be taught more effectively. I was then offered a year-round job as an aquatics instructor, which opened doors for me to be the Aquatics Camp Director for the following summer. I attribute my promotion to that one coworker that asked why. Sometimes in order to fly, one must step back and be reflective, consider their own voice and relate it to those around them. I was so focused on hearing everyone else’s opinion, yet I had not yet truly found the value in my own voice until that summer. My wings were there, ready to embrace the world, but I needed to remember that the first few attempts at flying might not be successful, discovering that there was a certain balance that needed to be maintained to succeed.

I strongly believe that everyone has an opinion of some value, a voice that can contribute, but one must simply take a step back and ask for it. There are many individuals that are timid and afraid that their opinions do not matter or will not make a difference. I know these people exist because I was one. It is important to look for those voices and give them an opportunity to fly. Your voice matters just as much as those around you. Others voices have allowed my own to become strong. By seeing other people spread their wings, I have been able to soar.

Check out this quick video pitch from the Robert Morris University Sport Management Career Fair and Summit last year. I left the summit with job offers, so I guess it worked!

Hi everyone! My name is Erica Slye, but my friends call me “E. Slye”. I am a senior Business Information Technology Student from Reston, Virginia, and I love the Hokies more than life itself. I am a strong willed, and competitive third generation Hokie. Initially, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to make Virginia Tech my home, but as I reflect on my time here, I am so glad that I did.

Freshman year, I quickly got involved with the campus ministry, Cru, as I was looking for a group of friends that shared my values to better ease my transition to college. I lived in the Residential Leadership Community (RLC) and ended up staying my sophomore year as an intern and the Vice President of the community. I also joined a sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and the Collegiate Women in Business. Towards the end of the year, I realized that I had a passion for the sports industry and knew that I wanted to get involved with Virginia Tech Athletics to some capacity.

As a senior, I have now been working in sales, video, and broadcasting for Virginia Tech Athletics for over two years. These experiences have really challenged me to learn about all aspects of the sports industry, narrowing down what I hoped to pursue as a career.

Remember how I mentioned that I am strong willed and competitive? Well, it looks like sales in a male dominated field is where I thrive. I’ve loved being challenged in the industry that I am passionate while also being a support system of women in the field. This fueled the desire that lead me to being the Business Coordinator for the Virginia Tech New Organization of Excellence in 2019; The Society of Women in Sports Media.

I’ve chosen to spend my time and pursue goals that are centered around my values personal leadership philosophy. In short, I lead to give others a voice. No matter the “type” or “category” of leadership something might be on paper, there is still a way to make people feel heard. I plan to continue living out this mentality after graduation as I continue my career in Sport Business as a New Business Consultant with the Arizona Diamondbacks. How am I going to do that? Great question. I’ll find out when I get there.