This week I got more information about my summer voyage. It is definitely going to be packed. The most exciting news: We are staying at 10 Buick. It looks like a really nice spot. But what does "light cleaning" mean? How far are we away from classes? Oh yeah. Business casual attire. That's GREAT news. The most disappointing news: No WIFI in the rooms. How do you build a new building w/o WIFI? Still wondering if I can "get by" with just an iPad. Would I be able to create documents and presentations with it? Or will I need to buy and bring a laptop, too? I am wondering if I could hook up a wireless router in the room...
As far as hearing official confirmation...Well, we got our new mayor and his people in place. Interesting to see the police still parked on Indiana watching Da Mayor's house. Maybe its like secret service benefits?
I was told this week that I have been "changing". I don't see it, but... I am much more relaxed and at ease knowing that I have a job for next year. Maybe that's what they mean. Being in limbo is rather stressful, especially when your position is being cut and all you hear about is how much debt our system is in.
On another note, I need to do some self reflecting. I had an interesting conversation this week. I have been told by several people at different times in my career that I "get" people to "follow" me. I am really confused by this recurring comment. I have never been in a position where I have people reporting to me. I have never been a "boss". I have never organized people to follow my lead. So HOW could I "get" people to "follow" me? I feel that people make their own choices. However, I am willing to voice my opinions and will challenge the status quo. Sometimes I play devil's advocate to make sure that all the issues are addressed. I did an internship at Intel Corporation. They have a motto - disagree and commit. Here is a blog posting describing the practice. Basically, when its time to make a decision, behind closed doors, it is encouraged to challenge ideas. In order to move forward with the decision, and knowing that there might not be consensus, we must agree to disagree. While I might not agree with the decision, I will commit to it and work diligently to make that decision successful. Publicly, I will support the organization and the decision. I see where this philosophy can make some people uncomfortable. I also see where people might misinterpret your "private" challenges and assume that you will continue to challenge the decision publicly. Maybe I need to make sure that I explicitly state that while I may disagree with decisions, I will fully support and commit to them.
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