Student Opportunities - University of Houston
Skip to main content

The Fundamentals of Leadership: Shared Consciousness, Humility & Confidence

Thursday, November 12, 2020

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Guest Speaker: Greg Yeo, Chief Engineer (Retired), ExxonMobil Chemical

Professional success is not complicated, but it is not easy, built on the fundamentals of Competence, Leadership, Collaboration, and Grit.

Every university student wants to know: “What do I need to do to succeed in my career?”

  • I’ve attended a good school with a well-respected program.
  • I’ve taken all of the recommended courses in a challenging curriculum.
  • I’ve gotten pretty good/good/great grades in my classes.
  • I have an impressive list of “things that look good on my resume.”

The formula for personal and professional success is not complicated, but it is not easy, built on the fundamentals of Competence, Leadership, Collaboration, and Grit. The university curriculum focuses mainly on technical competence - mastery of the other three are left entirely up to you. They are the un-graded, but vitally important, electives in your university career.

This talk focuses on the critical element of Leadership along with strategies that young professionals can adapt to incorporate leadership development into their professional lives. Greg will share insights and experiences from his own career along with useful references from others that can be read or watched later.

The speaker:
Greg Yeo holds BS and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. He recently retired from ExxonMobil Chemical as Chief Engineer after a 41-year career in the petrochemicals industry. Greg’s career began in process technology and progressed through roles in process design, manufacturing, and, during the most recent 25 years, major venture development. He is a Fellow of the AIChE and has served in leadership roles in the AIChE national programming committee as well as the ethylene industry group. Greg has been a frequent speaker at the Annual Student Conference, working with students and young professionals to help build effective career skills.

A head start on the talk…
If you’re curious about the subject and title of this talk, and if you want to get a head start on some leadership principles that are likely different from what you have previously assumed, here are a few links that may stimulate your thinking: