Name: Elsa Torres

Title: Telecommunications Professional, Professor and Activist

Organisation: Tecnológico de Monterrey

Elsa Torres is an Electronics and Communications Engineer, Master of Science in Electronic Systems specializing in Telecommunications from the Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Monterrey and Doctorate candidate in Information and Communications Technologies and in Education. Elsa has been a member of IEEE since 2012 and a member of the IEEE Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society of the Lambda Rho Chapter of Tecnológico de Monterrey, she is currently IEEE Senior Member and President of the IEEE Monterrey Section. She has worked in the Telecommunications industry for the last 18 years in top-level companies such as Rohde & Schwarz, Keysight Technologies, Axtel, currently at Spectrum Effect and is a Professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Aaditya's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

One of the most challenging parts of being a leader is inspiring and involving the people in your work team to achieve the objectives. Personally, I think that setting an example is essential to be able to achieve it and always remember that we are human beings and as such we must be empathetic. at all times.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

It seems to me that everything has been natural, it is the result of continuous efforts over the years. I was invited to be president of the IEEE Monterrey Section in 2020 due to the volunteer work that I have carried out in the last 11 years at IEEE, and I have led the organization of nearly 500 active members among teachers, researchers, professionals and students, the being a leader is an honor and at the same time a great responsibility.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

It is a challenge to be able to carry out so many activities at the same time, so I try to prioritize them and develop them one by one to be able to successfully finish my day. There are times when my commitments overwhelm me and that is when we must reflect and pause, select the activities that can be carried out at that moment and postpone those that cannot. The most challenging thing is finding the balance between work and your personal life, since as a leader your responsibilities are greater and a large number of decisions and activities that cannot always be delegated depend on you.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

I would summarize one of the most important lessons of leadership in one phrase: “if the word convinces, the example leads”, it is a phrase that my grandfather said and it is very real, if I can give the example that something can be done, then Others will know that they can also achieve it, to be a leader is to inspire.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

"The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma is a great inspirational book that summarizes many of life's ideals very well. Success in life is not how many material goods you have, success in life is being able to have peace, tranquility and happiness at the end of the day, being able to have spaces of solitude and feeling completely grateful for what you have achieved, who you have positively impacted. and have no regrets about having wasted your time. The book tells how a successful lawyer collapses in the middle of an important case to the point of suffering cardiac arrest, this makes him see that he must take a break from his life since not all his material goods and success can return him to his health and peace of mind. What he needs is peace and wisdom, for this he sells all his possessions and sets out on a trip of introspection to India where he will learn from great teachers the transcendental values ​​of the human being.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Study, prepare yourself as best as possible, but also develop your soft skills, work as a team, lead, improve your communication skills, have quality interpersonal relationships because your networking skills will be of great help to you in the future.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

The most rewarding thing about being a leader is positively impacting others. Knowing that I have been able to impact just one person is everything I could want as a leader and as a person. Inspiring the youngest that they can achieve their dreams and that everything is possible is to expand their minds and sow ideals of improvement, is one of my greatest dreams, since this world needs great, empathetic and selfless people who can act as this world a better place. I have proudly been a source of inspiration for some young students and that for me is enough proof of success as a leader.