Running a business requires grit and leadership skills that few people possess. Something that makes Interact Club special is the true and personal connection the club members can develop with the leaders of the community and their success stories. Last week, Ray Godfrey became another such inspiration.

Ray Godfrey, a graduate of Georgia Tech, currently works as an engineer and has been a part of the Rotary Club for a couple of years. He visited the Mill to discuss leadership.

Many students who attended the speech were inspired by Godfrey’s ability to relate with the students. “[His speech] resonated with me,” sophomore Madeleine Ballay said.

During the beginning of his speech, Godfrey described his aversion to leadership as a boy. “I avoided [leadership] like the plague,” Godfrey said. It was only later in his life when he discovered that leadership was a very important trait to possess, as it magnifies a person’s ability to achieve their goals. “[Leadership] is a life hack,” Godfrey said.

He used Mahatma Gandhi as an example of a true leader because Jan. 30 was the anniversary of his death. Many other people were inspired by Ghandi’s techniques of peace, including Martin Luther King Jr.

Godfrey later explained why leadership was important. If people want to achieve something on a large scale, they can’t always do it alone. They will need people to help them succeed. “All of a sudden you will need to find people to make that happen,” Godfrey said. Without leadership, there will be too much confusion and friction to work productively.

One of Godfrey’s main points was the role of the leader, addressing that sometimes supervisors may appear to be superficial. His example was the past CEO and founder of Delta Airlines. Though from an outsider’s point of view his role may seem unnecessary, Godfrey made the point that he is what allowed Delta to exist in the first place. He needed to have the courage and determination to start the company, and that is what brought him success.

Other students appreciated the honesty in what he said. “He talked about getting deep into one thing, instead of doing multiple things but being shallow. It really helped me focus on what I want to do for the remainder of my high school career,” sophomore Rommy Sierra said.

Interact Club Sponsor Marcela Sample appreciated all the students who came to the speech, regardless the reason. “Sometimes, students do things because they have to, not because they want to, which is something they need to stop in order to become a leader,” Sample said.