Gloria Berlanga: YGELP "opened my aperture."

For over 32 years, Gloria Berlanga has served her state and nation as a member of the Army National Guard. She is currently the Rhode Island National Guard Chief of Staff, a role that oversees 400 full-time Army personnel.

Driven to gain a more robust understanding of global business challenges and strengthen her leadership capabilities, Gloria joined the Yale Global Executive Leadership Program (YGELP) in 2019.

Can you tell me about your career journey and your current role?

I am from a military family; I enlisted in the Army National Guard to honor my father's service (USN Chief Petty Officer Jesus Berlanga, who passed away at 39).?I have over thirty-two years (mostly active duty) in service to both state and nation.?This service includes both enlisted and commissioned officer experience, two command tours, an overseas deployment, and numerous activations in support of our state.?My current role is as the Rhode Island Army National Guard Chief of Staff.?In this role, my team and I focus efforts of over 400 full-time Army personnel to support the field and provide ready, available units for the Adjutant General, Governor, or President when needed.?Together, we provide purpose, motivation, and direction to support all unit mobilizations, demobilizations, training, and state emergency support missions, and support the soldiers, family members, and employers who make it all possible.?

What motivated you to participate in YGELP?

I was intrigued by YGELP.?I completed my formal military education (Senior Service College) in 2016 and I was eager to enhance my leadership abilities and learn from others in a non-standard military environment.?As I had spent all of my career in military settings, YGELP was the perfect environment to learn from others, gain a better understanding of the global challenges facing my business counterparts, and to operate outside of my comfort zone.?

What learnings from YGELP did you implement in your work? What was the impact on your organization?

*The 360 Assessment - A key tool that helped me evolve as a leader, enhanced my relationships with peers, subordinates, and superiors, and made me better prepared to meet the challenges COVID would present to our organization and state.?Specifically, this assessment helped me enhance existing strengths, minimize weaknesses, and strengthen relationships that would be essential in the months to come.

* Modules 1 and 3 -?Leadership Discussions and Case Studies - After assuming my new role in Dec of 2019, I focused on reimagining our internal Talent Management and Leader Development Programs to preserve talent for the long term.?After almost twenty years of combat at that point, we were losing talent to civilian job opportunities.?Many of the readings, lessons learned from case studies, and guidance I obtained from Professors and members of the YGELP cohort were instrumental in improving our processes and have helped us enhance the talent we have now been able to retain.?????

The confidence I gained, combined with the incredible Yale community and cohort I can contact for guidance, has enhanced my abilities to meet the diverse challenges of my current position and made me a better leader for our team.

How has your participation in YGELP helped you to evolve as a leader?

It opened my aperture.?The confidence I gained, combined with the incredible Yale community and cohort I can contact for guidance, has enhanced my abilities to meet the diverse challenges of my current position and made me a better leader for our team.?I also gained a tremendous amount of respect for my cohorts - to an individual, they are innovative, intelligent, courageous, empathetic, and completely dedicated to their people.?It was an honor to learn from and with them.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a program like YGELP?

Go for it!?Professional education for your position (your MBA or your military education) will only take you so far if you don't continue to evolve.?Continuous engagement and mental stimulation on the timeless issues - leadership, culture, managing people, adapting to new environments, the role of innovation - are essential to growth.?Finally, programs like YGELP foster relationships with peers who have dealt with some of the challenges you are facing and these people become your cohort of cheerleaders moving forward.?

A final note on YGELP - The Yale SOM CEO Summit - YGELP participants are invited to attend one of these events during their tenure with Yale SOM.??I attended the one hosted in DC in March of 2022.?This summit was held shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was a guest speaker.?What followed was a truly riveting discussion that I will remember for a lifetime.?I would have missed this opportunity had I not been a member of YEGLP.

Visit our website to learn more about the Yale Global Executive Leadership Program (YGELP).