"The Note"…sharin' what I'm thinkin' AND feelin' about with you

14 May 2023, sent from Montgomery

Y.5 N.6 - "What do I say?"

Good mornin', ,

The last week was full of new things...some highlights:

Monday: I started my new career. Yup, at age 51, I've "kind of" changed things up again. I say "kind of" 'cause I will always - in all ways - be in the world/field of learning; from the time I can remember, learning and teaching have been my things. Now, I serve a team in the Learning Programs Branch of the United States Space Force (USSF). When you get a chance, go to the web and just search for what the Space Force does. My favorite line from this site is, "There's no such thing as a day without space operations."

Hint: It's a lot!

We walked to get the mail, and I had two packages in the box. Jodi asked, "What did you order?" I thought and said, "I don't remember ordering anything to be shipped home." Well, opening the two packages, my new boss sent me a USSF flag and USSF socks.

Come on, how's THAT for a warm welcome?

Tuesday: I joined Jodi for the first time at "Vegan Night" in Montgomery at the EatSouth Farm. Yes, you read that night: Vegan Night...in the Deep South! About 15 of us gathered around an amazing picnic table of 'potluck' dishes. I'm telling you, it was one of the best meals I've had outside of my home since moving to Alabama!

Oh, and bonus: I met people I would never have talked with otherwise!

Wednesday: Ok, this was an awesome day... First, we met for a #CoffeeChat (some of you reading this will go WAY back as you remember Jodi and I hosting those around the world!) with a group of students from LDC. Of course, I am no longer "teaching" there... you take me out of LDC, but you can't take the LDC out of me! One of the students is a friend of mine from way back who ALSO happens to be at Mildenhall right now, a part of the unit where ALL of this started!

After coffee at Prevail, Jodi and I went to base for her first "aerial demonstration" of an F-22. For about 20 minutes, we watched (and felt) the plane fly above us. When the jet did a low-level flyby, several of the car alarms parked in the lot sounded off.

That's airpower right there!

Thursday: I met with a friend, and we've committed to taking the next step on our "podcast idea." Stay tuned, it could be the first time I co-create a podcast with someone THAT smart! Get ready for me to ask you for "guest recommendations" in the world of Open AI, Large Language Models, and Machine Learning. When people ask if I'm excited or scared about tools like ChatGPT, I simply answer:

Yes.

Friday: I got a new Military ID... it's official, I'm "Space Force;" It says so on my card! In all seriousness, I'm very proud to serve in our nation's newest service. Every now and then I wonder, "What was it like for the first 10 years after the Air Force split off from the Army?"

Oh, one more thing: I did download a video of the messages you sent. Wow... and THANK YOU for sending me off to Space with your love. If you want to see the video (it's long!) take a look, here is a link!

From now on, this is what I'm doing for the friends I have that move on to their next thing!

Saturday: Ok, remember I said that on Tuesday I met people at the potluck? Well, one of the older guys' name was "Jim." Turns out, he live on a farm out along the road that I ride on weekends. He said, "Hey, you know that Volunteer Firehouse off of Wallahatchie?" I said yes... and he invited me to Saturday morning coffee and donuts with the guys.

So, of course, I rode my bike out there! I got to learn a little more about how the local economy (and politics) work, and I got to share a little about sharing the road with us cyclists!

BONUS: Jodi got us tickets to see the play "Clyde's" written by Lynn Nottage. How is it that we get so lucky here in Montgomery to get THE most staged play the last season...here? I'm telling you, there is something so exciting, inspiring, raw, and meaningful about live theater. If you want, read this article about the play.

Going All In On My New Job

Ok, so I've been reflecting and journaling a lot about how I bring myself 100% to my new job. As such, I'm reading as different books as I can. Four that I read this week are:

Coachability, by Kevin Wilde (I wrote a review on Amazon)

Courage is Calling, by Ryan Holiday

The Persuaders, by Anand Giridharadas

Your Invisible Network, by Michael Melcher (published by my friend, Matt Holt!)

As I hit the pause button and reflect on the ideas I've put INTO my mind, I am highly aware of the thoughts coming OUT of my mouth.

So far, I've drafted them into three distinct factors:

Tetula Spati: Guardianship of Space

Discendum Dictus: Guidance of Learning

Via Accessus: The Path of Access

Of course, everybody I talk with asks, "What do you do in your new job?" With my first 40 hours behind me, I can confidently answer the following:

"I support people as they wonder, 'What do Guardians need so that they can be the best versions of themselves? At work, with their friends and family, and out in their community?'"

What that looks like in action?

Well, I have some time - albeit not a lot - to craft that vision.

I know this: I've been working on this for much longer than I realized! In fact, I re-read a paper I wrote during the second semester of my doctoral work and found that this idea of lookin' across the spectrum of a path of learning for a large organization...in my case, several thousand people!

From the books I read this week:

Courage is Calling (link): Pg 34: "It could be said that fear is the one thing we all have in common."

It will be easy to slow down, to hit the pause button, and think that I should have more figured out than I do. What will be more challenging will be to lean in (that is what I learned from serving the team at LDC!) and focus on the needs of those we serve. Having studied "emotions" for as long as I have, it's obvious that even the "hardened" leader will experience an emotion that changes their focus.

I will stay VERY aware of when fear comes in so that I can acknowledge it, face it, embrace it, and move on from it.

The Persuaders (link): Pg 146: "It starts with actual mutual respect. I think that that lack of respect is usually the first place where things fall apart."

I hear "mutual respect" used a lot in my line of work, it was the word "actual" that the person being quoted used that made me sit up in my chair. Think about it, if I actually respect you, what does that mean? What does it require I have done?

If I actually see the beauty in you, what will I have to accept as beautiful about what you do, who you are, and how you act? I'm sitting here thinking, can I expect mutual respect if I don't actually respect it?

Coachability (link): Pg 73: “When the director gives you notes, pay attention, and write them down. Respond to the note with a ‘thank you.’ If you need clarity, as for greater detail but do not argue with the note.”

Ok, this is HUGE. I know that I'll be ALL kinds of situations to receive feedback AND feedforward (thanks, Marshall Goldsmith!). My goal is to be even more open to hearing how what I'm doing comes across, and how I can work better together with the people I serve.

I've set up three Google forms I can fill out after meetings, after 1:1s, and at the end of each day. I figure within a month, I should have some solid habits down!

Your Invisible Network (link): Pg 124: "The Zone of Learning is where you are willing to face discomfort and you take a minor risk to see what happens."

Woah did I need this one, this week.

On Saturday, Jodi and I went to the Alabama Shakespeare Theater and saw the play "Clyde's." I learned it was originally called Floyd's, yet as it came out the playwright Lynn Nottage changed it. As the recipient of a MacArthur "Genius Fellowship and one of Time magazine's 2019 list of 100 most influential people, I got to spend time in receive mode, learning about challenges that convicted felons face when they are released.

Throughout the play, I wondered,

"How do 'moments' in time become lifetime 'soundtracks,' experiences we have because such-or-such happened?"

As I head into a new week - my second week on the job - I am hyper-aware of walking up to and standing at the edge of my own learning zone.

When I put those altogether along with the Latin that I've been pushing through ChatGPT and other online resources, I stand a little taller, and a little more proud:

Tetula Spati, Discendum Dictgurs, Via Accessus

We are building something, will are helping people, we are achieving more than people thought possible, faster than they could imagine. What it will look like in a year is still forming; what it looks like today is a group of people working together to make things better.

Sending love and light from MGM,

JW

Tetula Spati: Guardianship of Space

Discendum Dictus: Guidance of Learning

Via Accessus: The Path of Access