Life After Hillsdale Explained: Chief Rogers
Written by Hannah Strickland
The second lecture of the series “Life After Hillsdale Explained,” put on by Hillsdale College’s Career Services, was given by Mr. Jeffery Rogers, the Assistant Dean of Men who is commonly known around campus as Chief Rogers. Rogers lectured on leadership in the workplace. His lecture was succinct and brought to light some aspects of leadership that are not normally what we twenty-somethings think of when we think about leadership.
We usually think of leadership as taking the initiative, making good and fast decisions, and actively making yourself into a person who others look up to. Chief Rogers, however, emphasized again and again the idea that a good leader is also a good servant to others. This idea of service pervaded his theories on leadership. He argued that you cannot lead if you are unwilling to serve others.
This is something that has been instilled in many of us by our parents but perhaps didn’t translate to “when you’re in the workplace.”
Rogers ended his talk by giving a few real-life examples of situations in the workplace that would need serious and careful thought. We all left the lecture contemplating these ideas and wondering what types of situations we would find ourselves in when we all had jobs in the coming year.
A senior English major, Hannah Strickland is heavily involved in the music, art, and classics departments. She has sung with the Hillsdale College Chamber choir since her freshman year.