A Gentle Guide for a Future Generation
Ian Foster's colleagues at PA Consulting know that he's a good listener, often demonstrates great patience, and frequently offers encouragement. Some grade schoolers who live in transitional housing in the Bronx are now also aware of Foster's appealing qualities.
Over the last year, Foster, 39, has been a steady figure at the Harriet Tubman Center in Harlem on Wednesday evenings. He tutors the children, who are often smart but streetwise and distracted, taking on more a role of supportive teacher than of someone who cracks the whip.
"I have always felt that children were part of the future and, if listened to and coached, could really make a difference in what future life would be like," says Foster, who leads PA's IT strategy, risk management, and security practice in New York.
Foster has always had an affinity for children and volunteer work. While growing up in the U.K., he worked with a number of children organizations in inner cities. He did a range of things, from taking weeklong holidays with groups of teens to working one-on-one with kids who fell out of school.
At one point, he was the volunteer director of a healthcare charity in London. While he planned to help the organization with budgets, planning, and organization, he also taught music to stroke victims and other physically handicapped in the community.
A consultant for 20 years, he joined PA in England five years ago. In 1999, the company transferred him and 12 others to New York to help develop the IT consulting practice. Because the unit was still small and work commitments were hectic, there wasn't much spare time for volunteering. Through New York Cares, he did a range of short-term activities until he felt he had enough time to commit to a longer-term project.
Since he travels 50 percent of the time, the volunteering doesn't easily fit into his schedule. However, he made a mental note to try to get to the center at least every other Wednesday and rejiggers noncritical work meetings to make it possible.
"When you start to plan your personal time as opposed to your work time, it's surprising how much you can actually do," he says. "Often people think, 'My volunteering is going to be impacted, so I won't start.' But in reality there's a balance in between."
Semi-Tough at Lucent
When it comes to getting the job done, top managers often look for team members who can run the intra- and extracorporate blocking and tackling that is sometimes necessary for success. These days, though, not all such "in the trenches" services are rendered just on the job.
Take John Johnson, who specializes in being first to move forward to meet a challenge — in more ways than one. Johnson plays semipro football for the Denton Blast, defending champions of the North Texas Football League.
"The unique thing about it is that a lot of guys who play in the league are people who were in the XFL or are playing in the Arena League or are trying to get into the NFL," says Johnson, 27, who manages Lucent's business consulting practice for the south central region of the U.S.
Johnson, who played a half season with Oklahoma State University, did once have a childhood dream of becoming a football star. But now, he says, "I'm just doing it for the stress relief and for the enjoyment of the sport."
However, his experience on the track and wrestling teams in college developed his speed and strength, and when he first joined the newly formed team last year, he ended up with the positions of middle linebacker and wide receiver. This year, Johnson, a team captain who works out and runs each day, will be playing middle linebacker and fullback.
Athletics is definitely in the Johnson family's blood. When his wife and two young children are not attending his games, Johnson coaches his seven-year-old daughter's soccer team and his five-year-old son's soccer and football teams.
"Fortunately, there is little conflict. When my season is ending, theirs will be just kicking up," he says.
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