10 Jul sent from MGM, AL

The Note is an email to share MY reflective practice with YOU... Please do share your reflections with me!

2022 - Y(ear).4 N(ote).8 "Here...but not there."

Hi ,

I wrote a question in my Moleskine a while back that keep answering. 

I thought about it while I was celebrating the 4th of July, while completing the first section of my IDEO storytelling course, while working for a group of friends in DC, and while watching "The Terminal List." 

I invite you to copy this question at the top of a page in your journal or on the whiteboard in your office. (As you write it, you may start to feel why it's got so much energy for me...) Over the next few weeks, write YOUR answers, ok?

"What can you do here that you can't do anywhere else?"

Let me type it differently:

(1) What 

(2) can you do 

(3) here 

(4) that you can't 

(5) do 

(6) anywhere else?

I'm sitting here, having just ridden 26 miles on the open roads of East Montgomery, thinking two things: (A) It's a bold question, and (B) it assumes ignorance.

Of those two, I think the second frightens me the most; I don't LOVE admitting I don't know something. But, I know this much is true: 

"When I step into the unknown, I learn."

As you continue reading, I invite you to journey along with me...please wonder how the other parts of that question land in YOUR mind and heart. As you saw above, I'll divide the question into six (6) parts.

Let's start at the end because this is where ignorance is most present/prevalent. 

"Anywhere else..." assumes that I know EVERYwhere else. And, I don't. I'll admit that.

"Anywhere else" is an essential part of the question because it sets our brains on alert. For me to say that something happens - or doesn't - happen here requires a healthy dose of confidence AND ignorance. (Or, is it arrogance?)

While I focus on what does or doesn't happen here, I need to act as if THIS is the best place those here could choose to be...for now.

Ok, now I'll jump to the beginning of the question:

(1) What... Here we go with context again... the question would have to be re-written and re-crafted if I placed a different "W-" question at the beginning.

As I reflect on the current situation many people are in - the economy, national security, politics, education, legal precedents being written, etc. - I am bearish on other W- questions.

I think "Why" has been played. I think "When" is OBE (overcome by events) too much. I think "Who" is essential, but it's too "contextually dependent" on the #1 question people are asking about work and life these days:

What is it like around here?

Let's move to part 2 of that question: ...(2) can you do... implies that "you" (whoever "you" is in this case) has some agency and/or participation in the effort and outcome of what's happening.

Notice the first word of that part isn't "do," it's "can." Look around, wherever you're reading this, and let yourself wonder, "what CAN I do...?" If you were to write a list, it would be close to infinite. I say "close to" because there would ULTIMATELY be a limit, but trust me, no matter how many you write, you'll still be far away from that limitation.

Here's that question again...

"What can you do here that you can't do anywhere else?"

Ok, let's go to part 3; pay attention it's a small part (just one word).

I invite you to wonder, "What does (3) here mean to me?" Is it place? Or is it time? Is it people? Or is it the opportunity? Look around you and wonder, "how would I define what my 'here' is right now?" Last Friday, I spent half a day with my friend (and mentor) and her leadership team outside Washington DC.

Together, they spent time in a room exploring several different "heres" that they move between in their roles. Thinking, "what can we do here...?" is a great way to start planning for the next week. If you're up for it, take out a blank piece of paper and your calendar.

Make a list, and see what shows up!

Part 4... full transparency, I almost divided the question differently. I thought for a minute it was "that you can't do" but decided instead to cut it at "can't" because I wanted "do" by itself in part 5.

(1) What 

(2) can you do 

(3) here 

(4) that you can't do 

(5) anywhere else?

But, instead, I went with

(1) What 

(2) can you do 

(3) here 

(4) that you can't 

(5) do 

(6) anywhere else?

Let me explain.

When I see the three words (4) that you can't altogether, my amygdala fires off, and I move toward that fight or flight position that I've been in before. Those who know me understand that one sure way of making me pay attention is to tell me that something can't be done; worse, that I can't do something.

"Hmmm, can't," I always ask, "as in shouldn't? Or not possible? Or isn't a good idea? What exactly do you mean by 'can't'?"

Again, these are just three (or four) words of an 11-word (or 12 if you're that way) question:

"What can you do here that you can't/can not do anywhere else?"

No matter how you interpret it, I believe it requires/deserves a little thought. You're here... and there is a "there" over there. Maybe flip it around if you wanna run a thought experiment:

"What doesn't (or can't) happen there that is happening here." Define THAT, and you'll start to see options...more openings.

...(5) do...

Of course, when I see the word "do," my mind immediately fills in blanks and two other words show up: "be...do...have..."

But, for the sake of brevity, I'll stick with "do" here. For kicks, I opened up my thesaurus. We could use other words: "undertake, discharge, execute, perpetrate, perform, accomplish, implement, achieve, complete, finish, conclude; bring about, engineer, effect, realize." Of course, there are more you might think of, and some of those may not fit, but you get the gist.

There are SO MANY filters/limits to what you can or can not do; where you are, where you live, what you do for work, who's around you, the time of year it is, and more. But, take the first five parts of that 6-part question:

What can you do here that you can't do...

Everything about that question hinges on the following words, right? Just for the fun of it, I did the thought experiment. I opened Grammarly and pasted that phrase ten times. Then, I typed out nine different endings. The truth is, the power of the question changed time and time again!

Let's revisit the two words I wrote about earlier to end the question: "...anywhere else?"

When you end that question with those words, it went out of control pretty fast, huh? I mean, it'd be easier if it was more limited, right? You know, something something like:

What can you do here that you can't do...

"...while driving?"

"...on vacation?"

"...with employees?"

"...without money?"

...you get it. 

By ending the question with ...(6) anywhere else? it is necessary to stop and go back to the beginning of the question and gain (or regain) clarity around context. Also, BECAUSE it's such a big question, I must practice that leadership skill that's so hard sometimes.

I need to listen to you.

Because the end of that question is SO big, I need to back up and frame the question in a way that would get you to tell me your answers to THIS question:

"What do you want to do here?"

And, really, it's:

1. How do you want things to BE here?
2. What do you want us to DO together here?
3. What do you want to HAVE as a result of working together?

Today's "The Note" took nearly 1,400 words to get me to a place I have been before and know I will be again: I gotta be quiet long enough to hear you.

If we embark on a conversation, and you're willing share enough, we're going to eventually get to "that thing you want to do." Once I learn THAT, I'll do everything in my power to get you doing it...more...

This coming week I'll be speaking at ACSC on Tuesday, Tinker AFB on Wednesday, and back at SNCOA on Friday. If I see you, we're getting a picture together...be ready!

Much love,

Dr. JW

How did The Note* from MGM (Montgomery, AL) begin?

Jodi and I moved to Alabama in 2019. After being here for just less than a week, I opened up my email to send a note to my family in friends in California and beyond. Jodi was on her way to join me here, so I took some time to reflect on this significant life decision/change I had initiated. That Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019, I sent an email at 9:38 pm (or, as I was beginning to learn: 2138). Here's how it started:

Today was my first day as an employee of the United States Air Force. And, I am bold enough to say I've never been prouder or more excited to serve a community.

Though I "moved" to Alabama last Wednesday [Jodi plans to be here Monday], I went to my New Employee Orientation just today. The 90-minute briefing culminated in me taking the Oath:

"I, Jason Womack, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well; and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

All at the same time, I felt pride, Honor, and a hefty dose of responsibility. I'm helping leaders on a grand scale.

*The following Sunday, and many subsequent Sundays!, I've sent a note to my family and friends. Thanks for reading, and gratitude (more!) for clicking reply and letting me know what YOU'RE reflecting on!