As the new department head for mechanical engineering, Haitham El Kadiri is responsible for helping to create a shared vision for one of the largest academic units at Mississippi 大象APP. And while his 17 years at MSU have certainly helped to prepare him for the job, he also can draw on what might be an uncommon background for an academic: spear fishing.
At first glance, it may seem that spear fishing and leading the biggest department in MSU鈥檚 Bagley College of Engineering have little in common. For El Kadiri, though, the parallels are clear.
鈥淲hen I was a boy in the 1980s, I earned pocket money as a spear fisherman,鈥 he said. 鈥淏efore each dive, I could only see the shades of blue dancing on the water鈥檚 surface. When you are sitting in the boat, you can only speculate which fish are under the waves and where they might be. But when I hit the water and reached the bottom, I could see what was in the reefs and I could pick the type and size of fish that I wanted.鈥
Those youthful experiences in the waters of his native Morocco helped El Kadiri appreciate the importance of planning ahead. And they鈥檝e helped inform how he approaches his position as department head.
鈥淭he process of developing a strategic plan is actually pretty similar to the approach to spear fishing,鈥 El Kadiri said. 鈥淓ven though you can describe your vision鈥攐r what you see hidden under the water鈥攕ome will remain skeptical until they see the results. The other fishermen would have their own theories about ideal weather or the best bait to use. But there are also people willing to lend a hand鈥攚hether helping you to carry your fishing gear or helping to implement a new vision for the mechanical engineering department.鈥
Spear fishing certainly wasn鈥檛 always easy. El Kadiri described having to hold his breath for extended periods as 鈥渆xcruciating.鈥 He also had to be aware of sharks, which were always an ominous threat.
Beyond helping to hone his strategic planning skills, that time spent diving helped El Kadiri develop a love of nature. While he doesn鈥檛 dive for pocket money anymore, he鈥檚 channeled that passion for the great outdoors into a company that specializes in adventure tourism in his homeland. There, where the Rif Mountains meet the Alboran Mediterranean Sea, he occasionally leads tours where visitors can hunt, fish, hike鈥攁nd yes, even dive.
鈥淚 learned to be a visionary while exploring the reefs,鈥 El Kadiri said. 鈥淵ou have to be willing to dive where others can鈥檛 see and to persevere under the harshest conditions. You must remain courageous in the face of fear. But it was fun, as well.
鈥淟ikewise, successfully implementing a shared plan can be challenging,鈥 he added. 鈥淵ou have to be able to convince others of your vision for the future. But when you reach your goals, the rewards are worth it.鈥