West Point Grad Discusses Importance of Honorable, Gridiron Leadership Friday, March 25, 2016
The School of Business welcomed Evan Offstein, D.B.A., former military intelligence officer, author, professor and consultant to campus March 14 to discuss the importance of leadership development at all levels.
Offstein's presentations centered on two of his leadership-focused books:
- "Stand Your Ground: Building Honorable Leaders the West Point Way"
- "Gridiron Leadership: Winning Strategies and Breakthrough Tactics"
"Dr. Offstein gave an interesting approach to leadership from the West Point perspective. I also enjoyed his reflection and emphasis on the importance of ethics," remarked Amber Mole, a sophomore accounting and business management double major.
"I loved that Dr. Offstein had everyone interact with his lecture to make it more engaging," said Brittany Bishop, a sophomore sports, arts and entertainment management student. "Also, I love having speakers on campus who we can learn from based on their successes to help us accomplish our goals."
Offstein is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He earned an M.B.A. degree from Central Michigan University and a doctorate in business from Virginia Tech. His research on organizations, organizational theory and senior executives has won recognition and awards at top international conferences including the Academy of Management Conference, the Strategic Management Society Conference and the American Society for Competitiveness Conference.
"Evan's message really resonated with those who attended his presentations. Leadership is more than just a set of defined characteristics, it's something we must aspire to embody within everything we do," said Patrick Mulvihill, D.Ed., visiting assistant professor of business.
"Dr. Offstein threw out all the generic motivational speeches. Instead, he challenged us to identify great qualities in ourselves and others," explained SAEM junior Ronald Newton, who aspires to be an executive in the sports industry.
Newton was inspired by Offstein's presentation on gridiron leadership and his example of the honorable end to the 1985 NCAA Division I Football championship game.
"He told us that leaders do not romanticize happy endings," remarked Newton. "They try to bring out the best in everyone."
More About: M.A. in leadership, business management, accounting, Rowland School of Business, organizational leadership, student workshop