Our Alumni Spotlight for October 2022 is Kristin Strother! A graduate of Young Americans Christian School (2016) and of Georgia Southern University (2020), Kristin currently works for Mercedes-Benz USA as Critical Parts Coordinator; she loves volunteering and was at our 2022 Charity Golf Outing! While in high school Kristin participated in many of 21CL’s programs. “It was a new experience and not like any I had ever had before. I learned how to network, make friends and ask questions. These are skills that I carried with me and have helped me a great deal in where I am today.” – Kristin Strother
Paint a brief picture of what you are doing now.
My name is Kristin Strother. I was born and raised in Georgia and graduated with a BBA in Information Systems from Georgia Southern University. Currently, I work for Mercedes-Benz USA as Critical Parts Coordinator in the Parts Logistics department. My role is pretty data-focused which consists of managing the database, analyzing the data and communicating my findings in order to facilitate data-driven decisions.
How did participation in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?
21CL was my first big interview process. It showed me that I could get through an interview and that interviews weren’t always scary. I participated in a summer program that was my first time away from home in a facility that wasn’t a cabin or camping. I had to carry myself in a professional setting, manage my own time, and reach out to others on my own. I believe that going through the 21CL process provided me with the confidence in myself that has carried me through to where I am today and where I will go in the future.
Which programs did you participate in? How did the skills/tools/perspectives you acquired from 21CL prepare you for your next steps?
In 2014, I participated in Leadership Unplugged: A CNN Experience (now called the Warner Bros. Discovery Future Leaders Institute), [a 21CL service project cleaning up the] Atlanta Beltline, and other workshops that were held. It was a new experience and not like any I had ever had before. I learned how to network, make friends and ask questions. These are skills that I carried with me and have helped me a great deal in where I am today. In hindsight, I guess the biggest lesson I learned was how to make myself heard. I listened through all of the sessions with the professionals and had conversations at the end. When I needed clarity, I asked a question. This main lesson is what guided me through all of the experiences and opportunities I’ve had thus far.
Did you have a memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL?
I remember going to my interview at Georgia Tech and being so nervous. Then, I was sitting in there with all the other kids thinking of what questions they might ask and how I might answer them, and then I remember someone asking a question like ‘Can you walk like a duck’ or something like that. Funny thing is, the management team at the company I’m at now asks off-the-wall questions like that all the time. Maybe not to walk like a duck, but something that throws off the monotony of being in a serious environment and helps people to relax. Anyway, I got to meet so many people, both peers and professionals with different backgrounds; we all landed in the same room. I loved just conversing and listening to all the people and I made some really great friends!
Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so, how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please Share!
21st Century Leaders has great programs and it empowered me with leadership skills at an early age. Skills such as networking, listening, communication, on-your-feet problem solving, and letting go didn’t resonate with me until I attended the 21CL Summer Leadership Institute in 2014; and it wasn’t until I was navigating through college, working, balancing my own schedule, and job hunting that I realized the power that those lessons actually held. So, I would say yes, 21CL assisted in making me an effective leader.
Many new principles about leadership have been presented to me along the way, however, there are two things that are prevalent in my mind. One is learning to let go of control. Let go, but not too much. Allow other people to help you and if something isn’t done exactly the way you would do it, it’s okay. The second is sometimes the other person is just going to be upset…no matter what. I struggle with this one a lot. I’m such a people pleaser and love to make everyone happy, but sometimes it’s just not possible. You will hold yourself, and sometimes your team, back by trying to please every person.