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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Federal Asian Pacific American Council
(FAPAC)
20th Congressional Seminar & National
Leadership
Training Conference
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Thank you, Sam. As many of you know, Sam is the Chief Financial Officer at
the Department of Labor.
Congratulations to Linda Tuazon-Miller, who is the new President of the FAPAC.
And it's good to see Marina Tse, Associate Deputy Undersecretary of Education,
and R. Allen Pittman, Assistant Secretary of Veteran's Affairs, whom you'll
hear about later.
And congratulations to today's scholarship winners.
In early May, to kick off APA Heritage Month, the Department of Labor sponsored
its fourth Asian Pacific American Federal Career Advancement Summit since 2002.
It was a terrific event. I hope many of you were able to participate.
FAPAC's training conference has grown significantly, too. Congratulations,
FAPAC, on your 20th anniversary! Together, we are making a difference in the
Federal government. In 2004, Asian Pacific Americans comprised 4.9 percent
of the Federal workforce. In 2003, it was 4.6 percent. So, although there is
always room for improvement, real progress is being made.
The pool of talent among Asian Pacific Americans is extraordinary.
I'm proud to work for a leader, President George W. Bush, who has done so
much to reach out to our community. He has appointed nearly 290 Asian Pacific
Americans to the highest levels of the federal government. This includes 94
Presidential appointments requiring Senate confirmation—that's more than any
other president. And the U.S. Department of Labor has the largest number of
Asian Pacific American appointees in the federal government.
I'm also proud to work for a President who shares so many of our community's
core values, including importance of education. President Bush launched the
most sweeping education reform in 50 years, No Child Left Behind. The goal
of this important initiative is to ensure that each and every child learns
and that no group, especially vulnerable immigrants, are left behind.
As today's scholarship recipients pursue their goals in education and the
workplace, they will encounter many opportunities and challenges. So, if I
may, let me share some thoughts about how to adapt to mainstream America.
First, as you pursue your studies it's important not only to get good grades,
but also to learn to be a leader. Leadership is essential to advancing within
mainstream America. Beyond technical competence, it is one of the most sought
after qualities in the workplace.
Now, leadership may come naturally to some. But for most people it is learned
and developed. America has one of the most diverse workforces in the world.
People come from all different ethnic backgrounds and heritages. Individuals
all think differently. So, being appointed to a leadership position does not
automatically make you the leader. A leader must
be able to persuade the team that the direction he or she wants to go in is
best for the mission. Once people are convinced, then they will follow you.
The ability to motivate and inspire others is the key quality that distinguishes
top leaders from everyone else. The most important thing to remember is that
leadership comes through practice. And, like everything else, you get better
at it as you practice.
Second, communicating clearly and effectively—both orally and in writing—is
essential to advancing within mainstream America. In most organizations today,
people work as a part or a member of a team. And good teamwork requires good
communication. Knowing how to communicate and how to voice your opinion in
a constructive, non-threatening way makes a huge difference. And it allows
you to participate constructively without overwhelming others.
Third, learn to network. There are so many advantages to networking. In addition
to widening your circle of friends, it enables you to pick up tips that might
be helpful, such as notice of future openings you might want to pursue. As
part of networking, cultivate relationships and seek out good counsel and advice
from knowledgeable people. America is an open and informal society. Most people
are easy to approach, generous of spirit and willing to help.
This is especially important for women, because we are still making our way
into leadership positions. Let me take this opportunity to say that half of
the members of the top leadership team at the Labor Department are women. That's
the best record of any federal government Department!
Fourth, take personal initiative. For students, it's never too early to begin
planning for your career. That means taking the initiative to seek out and
find good summer job opportunities that will help you develop valuable skills.
The Department of Labor has a summer internship program and is just one of
the many federal departments and agencies that offers paid internships. I would
encourage you to look for and apply to these opportunities early because they
are very competitive. But they are a great way to learn while you earn.
Fifth, it's important to understand the importance of ethics in mainstream
America. Some people erroneously believe that the higher up they go, the less
the rules apply. Actually, I have found the opposite to be true. The higher
you rise in an organization, the more you are expected to be a role model for
others. And the higher your position, the more attention and scrutiny you will
attract.
Sixth, don't be afraid to try new things. And don't be afraid to fail. In
America, there is no one way to succeed. Each person is free to create his
or her own career path.
There are leaders in our nation who know this all too well. When I was a White
House fellow, I met Mufi Hannemann, a Samoan from Hawaii with much promise
and ambition. After our fellowship, Mufi dove right back into politics and
ran for Congress—twice—and lost. He ran for Mayor of his hometown of Honolulu —and
lost. He could have easily thrown in the towel. But instead, Mufi pressed on.
He became a successful business executive, state official and Honolulu councilman.
Last year, he was finally elected to office as the Mayor of Honolulu. Through
all the setbacks, Mufi Hannemann persevered. And because of his perseverance,
he succeeded.
Mufi was following in the footsteps of a long line of Americans whose persistence
helped them overcome great odds. John Thune narrowly lost his first race for
the U.S. Senate in South Dakota by less than 400 votes and then went on to
win the second time, defeating the incumbent Senate Minority Leader. And John
Ensign failed in his first attempt to win a U.S. Senate seat in Nevada and
came back two years later to win. The lives of these people demonstrate the
lessons that can be learned by failing to achieve your goals the first time,
and the importance of trying again and again until you succeed.
Today, our country is more diverse than ever before. Asian Pacific Americans
are one of the fastest growing segments of our society. The doors of mainstream
American are opening wider than ever before. So there has never been a better
time to reach for your dreams. And as you travel along this journey, I hope
you will not forget to help others along the way.
So, once again, thank you, FAPAC, for everything you are doing to help our
community advance within mainstream America. And congratulations to today's
scholarship winners!
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