As a temp worker, Duane Grischow had what every job applicant wanted: a chance to talk to the boss.

He worked at a financial company in Boston, and his boss had stacks of resumes from nearby college students. After four months on the job, the boss called him into his office and offered Grischow a job. He about ran out of the boss's office to grab his resume.

"I'm a college graduate and I was told Ineed a resume," Grischow told University of Mary students Thursday morning. "It's true, but when you show up in life and show that you can do, jobs show up for you."

Grischow, a motivational speaker, gave students lessons from his life on how to find success by doing what they love and by using people skills. Those are the skills that helped him relate to the gruff accountant who was more concerned with retirement than a financial report. Asking a question about a scuba diving photo in the man's office changed the man's demeanor when he saw Grischow.

The talk was part of Leadership Week activities at the university. Earlier in the week, Steve Scheel was awarded the Schafer Excellence in Enterprise Award, and there was a luncheon with major league baseball player Maury Wills and a panel discussion with area energy experts.

Prior to Grischow's talk, two students were given servant leadership awards. The awards went to senior Kayla Block and junior Blaze Culliton.

Block is a mathematics major from Sidney, Mont. She is a resident assistant and student ambassador. She also is involved in Community Restorative Justice Council, Confirmation Group Leader, Activate Bismarck-Mandan, Day of Caring and orientation team.

Culliton is a business communication major from Great Falls, Mont. He also is a resident assistant, and volunteers for Special Olympics. He is a member of the student senate.

"It's a big honor," Culliton said. "We're nominated by faculty and staff. What you're doing and trying to accomplish, is also attributed to the faculty and staff. They taught us to be servant leaders."

Grischow talked about servant leadership. It's one way to be successful because it lets people do things they're passionate about.

He volunteers his time to run a summer leadership program for high school students in Denver. When a friend approached him about it, he knew he wanted to do it, even when his friend told him he couldn't pay him, he said.

Some students appreciated his message.

"I thought he was a good speaker," Block said. "It was not the same message (as other speakers). I liked the personal anecdotes."

She liked his message of a person's personality affecting their career, she said.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune. com.)