ASCE Multi-Regional Leadership Conference
Regions 1, 2, 4 & 5
Orlando, FL
Workshop for Section and Branch Leaders
By Shainur Ahsan
I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 Multi-Regional Leadership Conference (MRLC) in Orlando, Florida in January. Among those in attendance were figures from ASCE national such as Robin Kemper, regional governors and directors, section and branch leaders, and student chapter leaders.
The two day conference held at the end of January near Universal Studios was full of information and presentations on how section and branch leaders can engage their membership and take advantage of the tools offered by ASCE national to improve their branch or section. Events like these offer incredible opportunities for future leaders of the civil engineering community to come together and take the collective knowledge and experience back to their local communities.
“Everything is unprecedented until it happens for the first time.”
-Captain Sullenburger
One of the most resonating sessions was titled “Lessons in Leadership from Captain Sully”. If you don’t remember, Captain Sullenburger (Sully) was the pilot who crash landed a passenger jet in the Hudson River after losing both engines immediately after takeoff due to bird strikes. Although immediately hailed as a hero, investigators questioned whether Sully risked everyone’s lives on board by not attempting to land at a nearby airport. Sully maintained his composure throughout the ensuing investigation despite having his competence questioned. He managed to point out flaws in the investigators’ reasoning and was ultimately proven to have taken the correct action – the only possibility which had a chance to save all aboard. The presentation discussed how Captain Sullenburger exhibited the qualities of a leader both at the time of the crash landing and during the investigation. Even when he proven to be a hero, he shared the credit with all those involved – the flight crew, the rescuers, and the passengers. The leadership qualities of Sully can be adopted and applied to situations we may face in our civil engineering careers.
The rest of the conference was full of sessions geared towards specific groups (section/branch leaders, student leaders, or region leaders) including hands-on activities and competitions. The Region 2 breakout session featured tower and bridge building contests with supplies limited to popsicle sticks, binder clips, and clothes pins. Other sessions provided more practical information such as ethical issues to be aware of or resources available through the geographic services group. In one of the breakout sessions for section and branch leaders, the New Hampshire Section shared how they updated their website and newsletter in a more modern format to make the origination of content more efficient. I plan to use information I learned from the breakout sessions into our local branch’s planning efforts for social media for the upcoming year.
Overall, the MRLC was a memorable experience and offered leaders a chance to learn about best practices and the availability of tools and resources to help them be successful in their local branch, section, or chapter. If we all can take back and put into practice the strategies proven successful by others, we can further the mission of ASCE and be more connected with our local membership and communities. With a stronger connection, we can raise awareness on key civil engineering issues and prove the value of our contributions to society.
