# Block Lunch with Christopher Howard, President of Hampden-Sydney College

Christopher Howard, president of Hampden-Sydney College, joined Dean Peter Henry and MBA students for NYU Stern’s Block Lunch event series. Howard discussed his career path, which included positions in the US Air Force, Bristol Myers Squibb, General Electric, the Impact Young Lives Foundation, the University of Oklahoma and his current role at Hampden-Sydney College, as well as the qualities necessary for successful leadership.

Howard shared several pieces of leadership advice with students, including:- Be self-aware; know who you are
- Have a sense of optimism because if you don’t think success is possible when times are tough, neither will your team
- Know what’s happening around you
- Don’t expect to operate in the same way throughout your career; what led you to success as a manager may fail you as a vice president
- Study other leaders
- Character, honesty and ethical behavior will follow you wherever you go

Howard also noted the challenges that leadership brings and said leaders need “the emotional and spiritual courage to do the right thing even when you know it will cause pain.”

Over the course of the semester, students will have an opportunity to hear candid perspectives from thought leaders in varied industries. Upcoming speakers for Spring 2014 include [Susan Jurevics, CEO of Pottermore](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/news-events/block-lunch-susan-jurevics).

Business and Policy Leader Events

— 3/24/2014

![](/sites/default/files/styles/480w/public/assets/images/con_047140.jpg?itok=olePsjmT)Character, honesty and ethical behavior will follow you wherever you go.

###  Past Block Lunch Events

- [Susan Jurevics, CEO of Pottermore](/node/7982)
- [Christopher Howard, President of Hampden-Sydney College](/node/7939)
- [Tom Bernstein, President and Co-Founder of Chelsea Piers](/node/7839)
- [Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group](/node/7354)
- [Mo Koyfman, General Partner at Spark Capital, and Jeremy Philips, Managing Partner of Occam Partners](/node/7348)
- [Dina Powell, President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation](/node/6560)
- [Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE USA](/node/6481)
- [Michael Warren, Principal of Albright Stonebridge Group](/node/6482)
- [Hugo Lindgren, Editor of *The New York Times Magazine*](/node/6007)
- [Ken Mehlman, Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee](/node/6006)
- [Gordon Brown, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom](/node/46977)