Lessons in Leadership EMERGING LEADERS HOST ‘LUNCH AND LEARN’ WITH DAVID MORALES

By Katie Lovett The Chamber

Sitting before a group of young professionals, David Morales took the opportunity to share his guiding principle. If there was one message he wanted the group listening intently to hear, it was this: embrace deeply your values; embrace who you are.

Morales, the general manager of UniCare, was a guest speaker at a “Lunch and Learn” with the North Shore Chamber’s Emerging Leaders group in May. During a wide-ranging discussion with Chris Pellegrini, the chair of the Emerging Leaders leadership team, Morales described his childhood and teenage years, and shared the lessons he learned as he navigated his career path.

Born in Puerto Rico, Morales moved to Lynn with his family when he was young. The places where he grew up were depressed and laden with violence, Morales said, and the experiences shaped him. “You have to be very tough to live where we lived,” he said. The traits he formed then - toughness, grit, perserverance, and tenacity - continue to drive him today.

As a youth, Morales saw what those around him owned, how they dressed, and what kind of cars they drove. He was determined to have the same that others had, and to achieve what they did, but to do it better and faster. His sense of competitiveness surged at a young age.

Morales spoke of his early career, and how he resolved obstacles and challenges. He urged the group of Emerging Leaders to remain lifelong learners and to stay curious, critical thinkers.

Also, don’t be afraid of failure.

“Failure is awesome,” Morales said.

“You learn from it. You learn how to do it better the next time.”

As he shared his tips for effective leadership, Morales said he adheres to a work-life balance and never sacrifices his priorities: faith and family. There are three sides of his life: personal, family, and professional, and he gives each the attention they need.

As the session drew to a close,

Morales offered another piece of advice. Money is not the answer in life, he said. Introducing his wife, Samanda, who joined him for the lunch, he told the group to find a life partner that inspires them and makes them better. The relationships we form and the friends we have matters.

“Surround yourself with caring, loving people,” he said. I