SANS Technology Institute: Leadership Essay SANS Technology Institute

Leadership Laboratory

Leadership Lab: STI Degree Candidates' Leadership Essays

SANS Technology Institute's mission is to develop the leaders of the future for the information security industry. One of our admission requirements is that an applicant complete an essay describing leadership qualities they have demonstrated in the past.

Leadership Essay SANS Technology Institute

February 8th, 2008
By Emilio Valente

To become and remain a leader involves a life-long dedication to personal development and self awareness. It requires training, education, experience, positive attitude, generosity (selflessness), curiosity and determination.

The best leaders apply values, skills, wisdom, know-how, intellect, efforts and self-control to influence the behavior of others with the goal of accomplishing an organization’s and/or community’s objectives.

Aside from the above, the following qualities must be present:

Fairness
Honesty
Making decisions and not looking back
Having the "Big Picture" or "bird’s eye view" vision and effectively communicating it to others
Encouraging and inspiring others
Trustworthiness
Willing to delegate and believe in others
Patience
Time management

I desire to become an excellent leader. This is my major motivation for which I am applying and desire to successfully complete the STI Master of Science in Information Security Engineering.

I wish to share an episode in my private (family) life when I believe I effectively demonstrated leadership characteristics.

In the end of October 2005, my father (who lives in Italy) suffered a severe stroke. Unfortunately the degree of this event brought him in a coma right away. As soon as I was able to get on a flight, I was traveling to Italy. Upon arriving and seeing the scenario in front of me-it was not one that you would believe.

First of all the medical environment in Italy is not the same as the one in the USA. In Italy the medical assistance is public and it is relatively free of charge. Therefore the hospitals are really crowded and consequently the assistance is poor.

My father was brought there and hospitalized in a room with 7 others and the nurse ratio at that hospital is 1 nurse for every 24 people (3 rooms). Medicines and IVs are mostly supervised by the patient’s relatives; therefore it is strongly recommended not to leave the patient alone in the hospital (24/7).

As soon as I arrived, I went directly to my father and found that my mom, my brother and my sister did not know what else to do. In fact, a priest had already given the last benediction before I was there. My father was not given any medicines anymore.

Before I left, my wife, who is an acupuncturist, explained to me how my father’s health was understood in Oriental Medicine. She gave me some advice about how and where to massage and apply pressure at energetic points (relevant to improving circulation and promoting urine flow - which was 95% halted). She explained that if his circulation improved by massage, it was possible to promote urination, which would then alleviate his heart and perhaps allow for his return from the severe coma.

The day I arrived, without any hesitations, I began the protocol my wife taught me and I remained massaging/or stimulating his circulation for the entire night. By early morning, my father’s body was beginning to produce urine. I continued the protocol over the next few days. My father’s urine flow improved dramatically and he became more stabilized.

This was encouraging to my family which was devastated and had lost hope. They were exhausted after doing shifts at the hospital, trying to find a doctor who would talk with them, and trying to correctly administer the medicine the nurse would leave on the bedside- all the while watching him regress.

I believe my personality and acquired leadership skills were of paramount importance for the well being of my father and family as a whole. I was able to maintain stamina for those first few days, giving my family a chance to sleep. I created a schedule so that we all could cover shifts with my father. This was an act of diplomacy as my siblings both had their own families and responsibilities. I delegated tasks to each family member according to their abilities and necessities. Everyone in my family was very supportive and followed my leadership. We worked like a team in a moment of chaos and fear.

I was able to track down a doctor and receive a comprehensive history and prognosis of my father’s condition (which is a feat by itself!). I was able to use my charm and patience to befriend the overworked nurse so that I was able to get better help for my father. Whilst I was on site with my father, I would help the nurse and the other six patients in his room. The nurse was so appreciative, he was willing to explain the effect of each medicine (the names and times to be taken) needed for my father. I was then able to go purchase them at the pharmacy (as it is the patient who supplies his own meds) and create a schedule for my family to easily follow.

He came out completely from the coma a couple of weeks before Christmas after almost 2 months of coma. Even now, the doctors continue to tell me they don’t know how or why my father improved. I like to believe that it was related to my presence, my therapeutic massages, and the much improved care he received after my arrival.

He returned home in August 2007 for the first time since October 2006 after being into 2 different rehab clinics. He is doing physical therapy now and is learning to walk with a walker since he is paralyzed on his left side. He talks and remembers everything; he is in a sense, back to himself again.

I remained for two and a half months in Italy. My wife and child eventually came to Italy to help me/us. It was an act of "selflessness" to remain for so long. Many decisions were required during this time regarding my father’s medications and hospitalization (where he would go after Intensive Care, then there afterwards for rehab). Many changes needed to be done in my parents’ home to accommodate him. Often I had to make quick decisions that required me to be decisive and confident. I could not second guess or doubt myself; my family depended on my leadership and direction.

My father, in particular, counted on me. He needed inspiration that he could get through this and reassurance that his wife and children were taken care of. I also had to handle a lot of legal, financial, and familial situations. I had a lot of research to do to find a valid rehab private clinic - and a lot of juggling to do with maintaining my numerous roles as a father, a husband, a son, a brother, and an employee. I believe I did well. I know I did my best, and I am proud of how things unfolded.

Being a leader is more than the sum of having a pre-disposed character/personality plus learned skills/theory and experience. It is even more than the synergy of those together with the genuine desire of a shared goal.

An outstanding leader believes in him/her self and others. He/she is able to inspire those around them to also believe and want to dedicate themselves to the shared goal. To do this during challenging times and urgent situations is when a leader truly shines.

“SANS provides top instructors; that is what separates SANS from all other learning opportunities.”
Todd Greenlaw, Telus

The SANS Technology Institute

Leadership Laboratory

Leadership Essay SANS Technology Institute

February 8th, 2008
By Emilio Valente

“SANS provides top instructors; that is what separates SANS from all other learning opportunities.” Todd Greenlaw, Telus

The SANS Technology Institute

Leadership Laboratory

Leadership Essay SANS Technology Institute

February 8th, 2008By Emilio Valente

“SANS provides top instructors; that is what separates SANS from all other learning opportunities.”
Todd Greenlaw, Telus

February 8th, 2008
By Emilio Valente