Biography
EDWARD L. JONES
Edward L jones is a proven leader and motivator. He was the catalyst to new and innovative programs as a university administrator, lead a 30-million-dollar housing and dining operation while serving as the Vice Chair of a 100-million-dollar credit union board. He not only leads, he inspirers and empowers those around him to think creatively and work collaboratively. He consistently focused on the “end game” and produced mission driven results.
As a young professional, Edward entered the world of work with rose colored glasses. His naivete nearly derailed his career. An entire division witnessed a high-level administrator gain an executive position through dubious means. Morale plummeted. The Executive held a division-wide meeting and asked why everyone was so melancholy. He respectfully shared his thoughts. It was not appreciated. With the help of politically savvy professionals he was able to recover.
The third child of hard-working parents who migrated from Tennessee to the industrial north, Edward is a first-generation college student. Based on his working-class background and outlook, he felt his career options were limited. He went to college to play football, but an injury forced him to re-prioritize his life. His energy shifted from athletics to academics. He earned a BA in History, an MS in Higher Education Administration and an MBA (Management and Marketing concentration). That is when it became clear to him that obstacles can be turned in to opportunities for something better.
Edward learned how to create win-win work environments through trial and error. He learned how to survive and thrive in office situations and wants to help others do the same. He learned that the key to success in organizational settings is to remain focused on the mission or the “end game”. Office politics is inevitable; some say, a necessary “evil”. Edward believes it is necessary but not necessarily evil. Like money and time, it is not good or bad. What matters is how it is used.
Edward will teach you how to use “Office Politics” for the benefit of the organization and everyone who works within it. He is working on his first book, Office Politics the Right Way: Powerful Principles on How to Create Win-Win Relationships in the Work Place. This book is guaranteed to be a best seller.