Good morning, Team! It’s Friday!

I attended a conference earlier this week where I heard one speaker, an engineer, say “You’ve heard me say this before…I don’t even like people, let alone getting up and talking to them.” That’s how he opened the talk. The number of people who laughed, and the way they laughed, was the best part. It was an awkward chuckle but not loud enough to demonstrate that anyone had a recognizable sense of humor. Such is the life of a bunch of numbers oriented folks; ultra-conservative, ultra-literal, conflict avoidant, introverted and awkward.

During a break I learned one friend introduced another friend to an acquaintance in the industry who started describing his wife’s colonoscopy procedure. Now I understand why this group is normally so introverted. When they do open up, it’s highly inappropriate.

I was able to catch up with a number of colleagues in the industry.
•coworkers
•competitors
•clients
•former coworkers
•former coworkers turned coworkers
•former coworkers turned competitors
•former coworkers turned clients
•former coworker turned supplier turned coworker turned client turned coworker turned client who now wants to be a competitor
(It’s a small world…and I’m getting old)
all trying to be more social than their natural inclination.

One conversation in particular was very reflective between three of us who have held at least 14 significant, career path altering and life changing transitions in the electric power industry since college. The stories of experience, potential and lost opportunities, economic impact, project failures, growth and leadership demonstrated we have seen some of the world. There was little mention of compensation or lifestyle affected. It was genuinely about the variety of life experiences gained on the journey. Jim said “Eric, I remember you told me, ‘You have to get past the stigma attached to changing jobs.’”
Gary said ”I never expected to change jobs half as many times as I have already.”
I stated that I reached the point of understanding I won’t be able to control my career path if it requires I keep my opinion to myself. I want to work where I am provided the opportunity to learn and gain wisdom then the ability to share it with others who value what I have to say.

Have a blessed weekend.