Crosswinds - Introduction
The beginning
A new post format is coming to The Updraft.
Tomorrow morning, Crosswinds episode one will be published. This is a written interview of a leader who has graciously accepted the invitation.
Anemomorphogenesis
Trees grown in tunnels, biospheres, and indoors grow differently than those grown outdoors. They often die.
Stagnent air creates high-moisture environments leading to root rot and fungal decay.
Gases linger and choke the trees from the fresh air required for photosynthesis and respiration.
Chiefly, there’s no wind.
Swaying in the breeze triggers a signal in trees to grow thicker wood and deeper roots.
Without the wind trees grow to collapse under their own weight.
Resistance is vital to building strength.
On buying time
The things money can’t buy funnily enough end up being the most valuable in life. A belly laugh or a hug with a close friend.
Rue the day when we can buy time directly with money.
Though, we can save the time we have left by learning from others.
Touch the stove yourself, or listen to the person who got burnt first.
Others can distill decades of trial, effort, and success into a few short sentences.
Why burn your own hand when you could listen instead?
Why search blindly when you could use a treasure map?
To grow
Crosswinds is meant to fill our cups. I’ve heard many interviews about people’s successes, their triumphs, and their ascensions into corporate glory.
And I learn nothing from those interviews.
Boring! Banal and archatypal of the lies we spin about the self-made CEO. No rough edges.
Crosswinds aims to scavenge, collect, and share leadership knowledge. There’s a focus on emotional intelligence and on the journey.
Through this we can cross examine ourselves.
Our skin harder, roots deeper, flying higher, and time on our side. Even if just a little.
Up first, Jennifer Houle
Jennifer’s interview publishes tomorrow. She writes “for people who believe better workplaces begin with better thinking.”
She believe in scrutinizing structure before pointing a finger at people and that understanding the systems is the first step to improving culture, equity, and the invisible currents of power flowing in the workplace.
She’s spent decades in HR, leadership and the spaces in-between. Currently, Jennifer is rocking it as an HR executive at a North American VC firm.
Jennifer writes Uncompliant and is a contributor in the written HR and executive spaces, she delivers talks and workshops, and she co-hosts Roast the Post. Roast the Post is podcast that reviews current job postings. It’s worth the listen.
She also serves on different boards and various organizations as a leader.
If it’s not obvious already, Jennifer is someone who cares. She pours herself into the communities around her not because she expects anything back, but because she’s good at it and she wants systems to serve people.
Jennifer knows there is a better way. She’s a leader who works hard to bring us that much closer.
Her interview is wonderful. Raw, honest, and very funny. Keep an eye out for it and be ready to sit back with a warm drink, a notebook, and a few minutes to take a breath and learn from Jennifer Houle.
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Interesting read, notably the factoid that trees need wind to grow deep roots and thrive. This is a great cross reference to your new project, for starters, but also corroboration for evidence in multiple disciplines that prove conclusively that living creatures, including humans, adapt in real time and genetically to environmental conditions. Great start.
Jhoule is hilarious. This sounds like a great series, and you couldn't have picked a better person to interview first. 🥰