• Tag Archives uss_archerfish

  • How To Figure Out What To Be

    Posted on by Tim

    “What do you want to be, when you grow up?”

    Seriously, this is a question I struggle with almost daily. Yeah, about that question. I’ll let you know once I’ve figured it out.

    Given that I don’t have an answer, here’s what I’ve discovered for myself. Mostly, it’s about attributes (and adjectives) in life. I enjoy:

    • Being on high performing teams
    • Contributing to problem solving
    • Laughing at work
    • Connecting with fellow humans being
    • Getting to geek out at work
    • Telling story that relate different topics
    • Writing witty content for the internet!

    The list could be longer, but I don’t want to bore you (or me for that matter).

    What I don’t want to be

    I figured out that I don’t want to be a “forever child”. I joined the Navy at 19 years old and I never looked back. As well, I never went back home.

    USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678) patch
    USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678) ship seal

    I didn’t want to go back home, so I don’t want to feel trapped by my past. Can you relate?

    I don’t want to be taken too seriously. I’m serious, but not so serious that I would ask the question to a child or young person, “What do you want to be, when you grow up?”

    I don’t want to be insincere.

    I think this list is long enough to get my point across. There is too much pressure to figure out a constantly changing set of preferences in life.

    Life is about preference

    If my high school career counselor could see what happened to me, she would be amazed. I took a career aptitude inventory during my second or third year. It seemed to consign me to hair styling.

    How ironic! I’m partially bald now!

    That inventory challenged me to figure out a different way toward a career. I re-invented myself when I joined the Navy. As a result, I’ve been re-inventing me ever since!

    Most of my pivots are based on preference. Having choices and options is a good thing! I’m glad that I do.

    So, the next time I get asked or you get asked, “What do you want to be, when you grow up?”, consider this answer.

    Once I’ve figured it out, I’ll let you know!

    In the meantime, explore your preferences. See if teamwork is your thing (since you may have to be a team player at some time). Look for ways to geek out and get paid!

    All I would like is that you don’t stay a “forever child”. Find a career path that works for you. Who knows, maybe we can work together in tech?


    📂This entry was posted in Personal 📎and tagged

  • A Journey Results In Transformation And It Requires Endurance

    Posted on by Tim

    I spoke to my Dad over the weekend of October 9th and 10th.  We have insightful conversations, more like friends catching up than Father/Son discussions.

    A point he mentioned took me back, way back.

    High School

    Dad reminded me of high school. My English teacher was concerned about the bullying I was receiving in her class.  So she felt compelled to call my parents at home and talk to them to ask if it was affecting me. Forever my fan, Dad told her, “I would be more concerned about the other students than Tim.”

    Navy Active Duty

    Again, Dad walked me through my early years in the Navy. I was served on board the nuclear, fast attack submarine, the USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678), and would call my parent out of frustration from time to time. As a result, I told them about my struggle to find my place, to fit, in an alien (to me) culture.

    SSN 678 deploying from homeport
    The USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678) heading to sea departing its homeport of Groton, Connecticut, USA

    The Private Sector

    Dad and I continued to talk about more recent rolling hills and deep valleys I navigated professionally in the private sector. As he walked me through pivot after the pivot, change after change, and low point after low point in the journey.

    My Dad traced a thread for me throughout my life and reminded me of what all those knock-down, drag-out seasons created in me.  As a result, he shared one word, a single concept.

    ENDURANCE

    A Challenge For Insightful Conversations

    Because a race is not started at the starting line, preparation is required. Because change does not happen overnight it is a journey. A commitment to move a business, from one way of working to a new way of working, must happen for the journey to begin.

    All these examples and many more require endurance.  Toyota did not earn its reputation for quality in one or two decades.  It was accomplished over many decades, as a result of a relentless pursuit of quality to create value customers pay for.

    A missing ingredient in most business efforts is endurance.  I challenge business leaders to consider this before they embark on a “business transformation” initiative or “digitalization journey”.


    📂This entry was posted in Agile 📎and tagged