Trail-blazing your way to a new program

I spend a lot of time planning and directing Avnet’s so-called Two-Fold Path, our strategic approach to community outreach.  This takes a lot of effort and often leads to really great results.  It also makes me really tired.  The thing about a path, though, is that it doesn’t always lead you to where you think you are going.  I wrote in an earlier blog about how important it is to pay attention while you are wandering down a designated path.  Sometimes it becomes important to trail blaze, and deviate from your planned route.  Sometimes, while you are trail blazing, you stumble across a nugget.  The trick, however, is to pay really close attention.  We corporate types tend to get really entrenched in the paths we are already on (our strategic plan and existing programs and pet projects), and in doing so, we aren’t always open to new trails.

But, sometimes, no matter how busy you are, or how focused you are on the plan that you presently have in place, nature lends you a helping hand and guides you onto some new trails to blaze.  And sometimes, instead of gently nudging you, Mother Nature realizes she has to hit you upside the head with the mother load.   Today is one of those days.

Through an Avnet employee, I just learned about the Hermanas: Diseña Tu Futuro/Design your Future Conference in Avondale, Ariz.  Their mission is to increase the number of underrepresented females in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.  Estrella Mountain Community College and Intel partner to plan, design and host this free one-day conference.  IBM is also a sponsor.

The Hermanas conference provides a supportive environment where the young women interact with successful Latinas, explore technical careers and receive encouragement to finish school, attend college and pursue their goals.

What a wonderful program.  It’s not in my budget nor is it in my CR plan to support this program.  However, it does hit all of our Avnet’s hot buttons:  it’s children’s issues, it’s education, it’s technology and it is partnering with suppliers, Intel and IBM.  It’s also a great chance to partner with Estrella Mountain Community College, a school that has been very active in the Avnet Tech Games (ATG) with faculty who have gone out of their way to help ATG succeed.  And, Avnet employees are already involved in Hermanas, passionate about the cause, and are willing to drum up more interest to get other employees to participate and serve as mentors and volunteers.

This is what my boss, Al Maag, would call a no-brainer.  So, even though sponsoring this program is not part of our existing two-fold path, today I’m willing to go trail blazing – I’m ready to listen to Mother Nature.  I’m also willing to admit that I’m glad today is a day where I’m paying attention to the nuggets along the path.  You see, I am tired from all that planning, and, more importantly, I’m tired of getting smacked upside the head by Mother Nature.

So, let’s see where this new trail will lead us.  Perhaps to buried treasure.