Loud and Clear

One of the things I enjoyed the most about my job in the Air Force is that I had the opportunity to meet so many people. People fascinate me. Especially their stories. And as a maintenance technician fixing military aircraft, I came to meet countless numbers of personalities over a twenty year career.

My interest in people and how they tick would not only prove to be an asset in getting the mission done, but would also help me realize that I really enjoyed being someone that people could count on for advice and assistance. Not only that, it came to be the kind of rewarding experience I looked forward to and wanted to be good at.

I decided to make it a priority to polish my communication and interpersonal skills. Through the mentor ship training provided by the military, and my own independent research, I came to learn that the best communicators were those who could perform under pressure, did not shy away from difficult conversations, and more importantly someone who was aware that the world consisted of a diverse population. That awareness enabled me to be flexible with how I communicated a message, and was more likely to be successful in getting my message across. As my ability to convey ideas got stronger, it became easier to earn the trust of people I had only just met, which in turn made it easier to solve problems. So in the end, the lesson was, the better I got at communication, the better problem solver I became.

So how does all of this apply to this blog and its purpose? The answer lies in how open one is to communicating, and their ability and desire to do it well. The way forward in our world rests in whether, or not, we are willing to listen, to learn, and communicate ideas clearly and from a place a reason. The solution to the problems of the world rest in the hands of us, the individuals, and our willingness to talk and learn from each other.

In reality, whether or not we talk to one another may not solve all the world's problems. But. In my experience, it's the best place to start.