Climb your own Mountain.

I will admit, I am the quintessential Gen Xer. I grew up without the internet, without social media, having to think for myself, and paid my student loans. I figured out what worked through the try – fail- try again method, I accepted responsibility for my own decisions and I managed the consequences. Do I think I am tougher than others – not necessarily, but do I think I am more resilient – 100%.

There is so much criticism of my generation – a 33 year old just last week, out of no where, accused my generation of ruining the world. OK. Pretty sure you are a working woman allowed to set her own hours and work location, make more money than I ever thought possible at your age, have access to healthcare for yourself and your family, and benefit on a daily basis from the work of my generation, but ok, I will carry the burden of your horrible, difficult life for you as I continue to climb my own mountains and blaze a trail that you will follow.

I am not saying there shouldn’t be improvements, but I would ask that these under 45 year olds recognize what has been accomplished and understand that it is not a finished project, but a foundation. Stop blaming prior generations for not having a perfect world to inherit and pick up where we left off. It takes grit and commitment to hard work, a willingness to fail, and persistence to keep building. Your children will complain about the world they inherit from you too.

screen time

I find it ironic that my doctor thinks I should try to limit screen time because I am on the computer 10-11 hours a day for work now that everyone wants to meet virtually, no one wants to leave their home, email, google, power points, and on and on. And at the same time, I get recommendations for tracking apps, work out apps, virtual appts, tele med. from these same health professionals. I literally spend 2/3rds of my life on technology. Think I will go sew on my old mechanical machine and create something real now. Bye.

Characteristics of Effective Leaders in Public Service

As the new legislative sessions start on the local, state, and national stages, this question becomes central. A good leader is less concerned with their own self promotion and political aspirations and more concerned with understanding their business, educating those making decisions, and exercising influence in those decisions. And most of all, good leaders holds themselves responsible for knowing their business, for leading that business/agency, and for ensuring those in positions of leadership and influence within and without understand the purpose, mission, and client. Keep in mind that I speak from the perspective of a 26 year career in a state agency.

Good leaders do understand the business they are leading at all levels. This includes understanding who is served, what the objectives are, and how to influence funders and decision makers when that organization is a public entity at the mercy of the voting public and legislature. Good leaders are committed to everyone’s promotion, not just their own next political move. Good leaders in public strive to ensure that those making the funding decisions actually understand the struggles, the clientele served, and the purpose of the agency. Good leaders investigate before making decisions and when they speak to funders like legislature, they speak raw truth, they ditch their egos, they educate, and they set aside their own political aspirations for good of the agency and the people (employees, public, and clientele) they serve.

Daily writing prompt
What makes a good leader?
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