June 5 2008 marks the fortieth anniversary of the assassination of Robert Francis “Bobby” Kennedy. Born in 1925, the seventh child of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Kennedy, he was the United States Attorney General from 1961-1964, a U.S. Senator from New York from 1965-1968, and a Democratic Presidential candidate. He was assassinated the day after scoring a major victory when he won the California primary.

As a Presidential candidate Kennedy stood on the principles of racial and economic justice, non-aggression in foreign policy, decentralization of power and social improvement. Important to his campaign was a strong belief in the young, whom he envisioned as being the future of a reinvigorated American society based on partnership and equality.

Kennedy graduated from law school in June 1951, and soon made a name for himself as the chief counsel of the Senate’s Labor Rackets Committee. Kennedy challenged Jimmy Hoffa during the antagonistic argument that marked Hoffa's testimony. He managed his brother John's successful presidential campaign. He worked closely with the President as one of his most trusted advisors. After his brother's assassination in late 1963, Kennedy continued as Attorney General under President Johnson for nine months. He resigned in September 1964 and was elected to the United States Senate from New York that November.

As Attorney General, Kennedy pursued a relentless crusade against organized crime and the mafia. Convictions against notorious organized crime figures rose by 800 percent. Kennedy remained committed to civil rights enforcement. Many said that this enveloped almost every area of his public and private life. He committed himself to the most energetic and persistent desegregation of the administration, demanding that every area of government begin recruiting black and other ethnic workers. Kennedy believed in the rights of black students to enjoy the benefits of all levels of the educational system. In 1962, he sent U.S. Marshals and troops to Oxford, Mississippi, to enforce a Federal court order admitting the first African American student, James Meredith, to the University of Mississippi. He extended his commitment to social justice to all areas of national life and into matters of foreign and economic policy.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy proved himself to be a gifted politician, with an ability to obtain compromises from key stakeholders. Robert Kennedy's role is today seen as having been of vital importance in securing a blockade, which averted a full military engagement between the United States and Soviet Russia.

Quotations

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."

"Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital, quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change."

There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were and ask why not."

"Few will have the greatness to bend history; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation ... It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

Other Bytes

Here are some of the things going on in and around the engineering community:

• The full impact of mass retirement of the baby-boomer generation will soon be felt in workplaces throughout the nation. Baby boomers consist of the cohort group born between 1946 and 1964. In some cases it may be desirable to retain select employees beyond the normal retirement age. In “Flexible Phase Out” [Training & Development, 62(4), pp.34-37, April 2008, www.astd.org], William Byham discusses the issue of retiring workers and provides strategies for retaining talented individuals. The author believes that retaining people, rather than rehiring them after their formal retirement, is the preferred course of action and that it makes economic sense to do so. In a related article in the same issue “Safeguarding the Intellectual Capital of Baby Boomers” (pp 30-33) by Beverly Kaye and Joyce Cohen also discusses the value of and competitive advantage of investing time and effort in the retiring “baby-boomer” cohort group.

• Today’s work force is diverse and consequently diversity in providing communication in the most effective and appropriate way is necessary. In: “Bringing Greater Diversity to Communications Methods” [Strategic Communication Management,12(2), pp. 32-35, February/March 2008, www.melcrum.com] Paul Roberts provides you with insights on the case for communication diversity and strategies for making communication methods more diverse resulting in a positive impact on employee engagement. A link is provided to a Web site for further information on the well adjusted organization.

• People with disabilities often have difficulty finding meaningful work. Often this is due to the employer’s fear of the unknown. In reality anyone of us could become disabled and join this group at any time. One of many interesting statistics presented is that among people ages 21-64 in the United States during 2006 12.9 percent had at least one disability. In “Counting on Workers with Disabilities,” [HR Magazine, 53(4), pp. 45-49, April 2008, www.shrm.org] Susan Wells discusses the importance of providing meaningful jobs with equal opportunities for advancement and job mobility for disabled workers. The author provides strategies on the best ways to advance opportunities and improve employability, no matter what the disability.

• Entrepreneurial companies are a major force in our nation’s economy. In “Shining Stars” [Entrepreneur, 36(5), pp. 67-73, May 2008, www.entrepreneur.com], the editors provide insights into the fastest-growing businesses in America and what you can learn from their success. Profiles are provided of the leading entrepreneurial organizations.

• The architecture of libraries is changing to digital formats. Traditionally, libraries have been places of printed materials. Today libraries are transitioning to electronic digital collections. In “Roles and Expectations for Digital Libraries” [Educause Review, 43(2), pp. 31-38. March/April 2008, www.educause.edu/er], Peter Brantley discusses what digital libraries must do. The Taylor Family Digital Library [www.tfdl.ucalgary.ca] at the University of Calgary is one example of such a library that is being designed for the 21-century scholar. More than a building with books, it's a place to learn, to study, to talk, to work together, to research, and to get help with learning and research.

• Often as we journey through our careers, someone will provide us with insights that help us achieve career success. These may be mentors, acquaintances, family members, or a host of other individuals. In “The Best Advice I Ever Got” [Fortune, 157(10), pp. 71-80, 12 May 2008, www.fortune.com], nineteen accomplished people share with you advice that they received that helped them achieve success. Interesting perspectives that you can apply to the management of your career.

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