I received another one. Every week since I started working with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), we received an inspiring message from the acting Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), Thomas B. Modly on the Navy’s public blog site where he posts communication to the Sailors, Marines and civilians working for the Navy. These messages were called “Vectors”. The name struck me for some reason, so much so that I wanted to find out why he called it this.
I wrote a blog a while ago called "Watch & Listen: That's Leading?!" about how impactful just watching and then listening can be for a leader. I also stated that I was not very good at it. I recently had a performance evaluation and one of the blind spots I have is that I am not a very good listener. I think I knew this, but this definitely became reality as I listened to my evaluators share examples of when I wasn't truly listening. I really took this to heart and want to get better so I have begun a journey to improve my listening skills.
A jack-of-all-trades, Benjamin Franklin was famous for his scheme to achieve "moral perfection," a goal that often eluded him due to his busy schedule. But every evening, before retiring at midnight, he would reflect on his day and ask himself: "What good have I done today?"
This has been an amazing year of growth for me. I mistakenly thought to myself the other day, "Paul, you are forty-four years old. I think you are done growing!" I would have to say that I'm not even close to being done growing. And I won't be done until my heart stops beating and mind stops processing. This is what it means to be a lifelong learner. Yep, that's me.
Learning Leader, LLC | Paul M. Perrin
