Shall I speak of energy management?  Perhaps the tenuous state of institutionalized environmentalism?  Social justice?  Mr. “T”? Ah, the opportunities are endless…

I was told to blog, yet again, on my “journey.”  Anyone who knows me would know that I am, at this very moment, writhing in my seat at the word, eliciting a visceral reaction akin to hearing nails on a chalkboard.  Journey?  Reflection?  Should I have herbal tea while I write this?

What happened to, “how’s it going?  what are you doing these days? How is XXX working out for you?”

“Let me tell you…”

My colleague is much the same: still convinced she has energy management “covered” by reporting utility usage.  Secure in her ignorance, and despite multiple explanations about the fact that reporting utility usage to headquarters involves reporting ALL of the energy used– not just the amount we bill our customers for– she remains entrenched.  I have reached out to her to teach her what to monitor, what systems need updating and how to measure lighting output.  Nada. Zip. Zilch.

I give up.

I am not giving up solely because she is foolish.  My hands are in the air and my head is shaking because middle management does not know or care about energy management, never mind energy conservation.

That’s right: even in government, leadership buy-in is key to success.

So, since apparently, the higher your pay grade the less you need to listen, I am on the wrong end of this informational transaction at my current position.

Thankfully, I have been offered a position where energy management does matter, and innovation is the way they do business.  And, yes, it is still with government.

“Ok,” you think, “why does energy management matter in some places, and not others?  You will be working for the same government you work for now.”

That is a good question.

The answer is still ‘leadership buy-in.”  My new position will expect me to investigate innovative solutions, to understand the underlying engineering and to continue the good work already established through Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

This is great news for me.  Not only will my skills as an engineer be used daily, but my passion for doing creative things, and working in service to others will be part and parcel of it as well.  Could you ask for anything more? Oh yes, I did get a promotion, too.

Maybe “saving the whales” or “hugging a tree” are a little over the top for my taste.  Those elephants are big, and take many, many bites to eat.  For me, these new challenges are more practical, and within my comfort zone.

That’s right- I said it- COMFORT ZONE.  (did you like the energy themed play on words? )

Often, the business guru’s of the world talk about stepping outside your comfort zone to grow (I am pointing at you, your silly organizational behaviorists).  I have news for them: that works on a personal level, not when you are trying to create institutional change.  You want to KNOW how the organization works, and how people think, before you try institutionalizing change.  Especially when you are leading from the middle.

Why?  (stand back, I am going to throw a little Sun Tzu at you)

Because you need to know the enemy: whether it is ignorance, entrenchment, limited money, or no pay-back.  What ever it is that currently makes your organization tick, you need to be all over it, like white on rice (or brown on rice, for those with a penchant for it).

There are only two things that will really make a difference when it comes down to it: knowing my strengths, and knowing how my organization works,  so that I can create change from within my organization.

So, I will rock the energy management world in the way I know best: hard work, understanding how details illuminate possibilities, lots of engineering madness, and changing my organization from within.

Ta!

Now PLEASE: NO MORE “JOURNEYS”….