Chair 2024 Faculty/Staff Institute Speech

This may be a tough pill for some of you to swallow and a harsh reality for others of you to believe, but we have some killers among us here at the University! No, I’m not talking about it in the criminal sense, so there is no need to alert the authorities. I’m referring to Momentum Killers. They’re comfortable being complacent, and complacency is the #1 enemy of momentum. They’re living off of old successes and no longer desire to chase new success. They are stuck in a routine, repeating the same activities daily without the thought of trying something different. Change is constant, and that goes for all aspects of life. The sooner we embrace it, the sooner we move beyond it. Some of these momentum killers are crippled by their fear of failure. They cannot embrace failure to learn from it and make themselves and those around them better. I’m here to tell you that our most challenging times often position us for our most meaningful accomplishments. Some momentum killers are energy vampires, just hell-bent on being in a slump and pulling you down with them. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s often more convenient for someone to hold you down than to help you up! This can cause those of us who are tireless hard workers to become burnt out or feel undervalued. If this were a church service, I’m certain that statement would elicit several Amens. Each of us knows at least 1 or 2 Momentum Killers. They may be faculty, staff, a supervisor, or a co-worker, and if you don’t know one, it might be you. It’s time for us to address these momentum killers so that they can no longer prevent our upward momentum. Momentum killers move out of the way! Positive momentum requires Vision, a Plan, Leadership, Resources, and Relentless Focus. It’s not solely built on a good idea. Since the inception of our very first Preeminence strategic plan (Preeminence 2020), under the storied leadership of Chancellor Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr., each one has been designed to rejuvenate the one before it, allowing us to maintain our momentum continually. As we welcome the new leadership of Chancellor Dr. James R. Martin II, let us do so by renewing the enthusiasm and motivation that got us to where we are today. Our vision is strong; our plan is laid out; our goals are clearly defined; our Leadership is accomplished and ready, and our resources continue to increase exponentially. Now is the perfect time for us all to, both individually and collectively, refresh our focus, keep our foot on the gas as we gain momentum, and do our parts to execute our Preeminence 2030 strategic plan with our destination set far beyond arriving at R1 status. Aggies, always doing. Never Done. Aggie Pride!

2024 NCA&TSU Faculty Staff Institute Speech given by Staff Senate Chair – Mario Lee Lewis