While I plead a ridiculously busy schedule as my excuse for not having blogged in, oh, forever - I am not whining. Quite the contrary.
Each event on my calendar has been more amazing than the last. I know that I should be writing thoughtful essays about my observations and epiphanies regarding the future of the global community, the biosphere, the business world. And I will.
But not today. Today I just want to share with you why I've been so conscious of just how cool my job is by telling you about a few of the things I've been up to this season.
- In September, I spoke about Sustainability at the Women in Technology International Summit. For two days, I met tons of amazing women. EMC had quite a showing, particularly from the field, which is great because I don't get to spend enough time with the women on the front lines. IBM had a strong presence of very impressive women with whom I hope I'll cross paths again soon. And one of the key speakers was Dr. Ruth - she is a pistol! I think I always thought of her as fundamentally a media phenomenon, but no - she is the real deal.
- In October, I had the honor of participating in EMC's annual Innovation Conference. It was a combined physical-virtual event in 15 cities and cyberspace, which was pretty neat, and I was at its epicenter in Cork, Ireland. But what made it an event I will never forget is the combination of three things. 1: it underscore the human side of innovation. Philip King, Irish poet, musician, and dilettante, gave a wonderful speech, but its highlight for me was his admonition to us that we "temper brilliance with humility and humanity". And Paul Dawson from EMC Consulting gave an absolutely brilliant talk on innovation in experience design that will go down in history for the aplomb with which he handled a few technical glitches that got thrown his way. 2: I was reminded of what a rich sea of talent there is in the company - not just the submitters of the innovations that we were celebrating, but in the passionate and interesting people that I met there from all over Europe, and the glimpses into aspects of the business (e.g., some of what they do at EMC Consulting) of which I had been embarrasingly unaware. And 3: it was completely boundaryless - the teamwork spanned all functions, age groups, nationalities. Oh yeah - lest I forget - we were treated to some memorable meals in great company, too. Bottom line? It was FUN!
- This month started off with my first trip to the desert, to participate in an ITU symposium on ICT (Information & Communication Technology) and Climate Change. I'll definitely be blogging about this separately, because I was on a panel on ICT and Adaptation, and preparing for it made me realize
how much more effort this subject deserves. But putting that aside for the moment - I had two fabulous days. I'd never been in the Middle East before nor on the African continent, and I won't pretend that two days as a pampered guest gives me any true knowledge. But it was spectacular nonetheless, and very hard to wrap one's brain around the sophistication of the culture that existed here five thousand years ago!
One of the greatest benefits of traveling on business to a location with an EMC office is meeting colleagues like Rasha with whom you have EMC in common to serve as a foundation for a deep new friendship.
- My second trip to the desert was barely one week later, when I had the honor of being on a panel session on Clean Tech and Sustainability in California with Bill Ford, Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company. Boy, talk about feeling above my pay grade! But he was charming and down to earth, and it was inspiring to see an industry giant who so fundamentally "gets" the importance of thinking in the long term. I was particularly taken during his earlier keynote when he talked of the growing population and urbanization of the developing world, and how automobiles cannot be the future of transportation in cities.
Those were the most dramatic of the events, but life was not boring in between them. There was a great Net Impact & NAWMBA panel session at U Mass that recharged my hope in the next generation being prepared to do what ours has not. There was a trip to DC with colleagues from The Green Grid to discuss the role of policy in energy efficiency, and another to speak to data center users on the role of The Green Grid. There was a webinar with Ceres and the EPA Climate Leaders program, ironically on the very day that the EPA announced the termination of the program. And somewhere in there, I managed a board meeting for EcoLogic Development Fund, a presentation to and attendance at our Worldwide Legal Summit, a talk on eWaste compliance at a conference in Boston, and a discussion on role of sustainability in recruiting and vice versa at a TopMBA event at Columbia U. I also had eye surgery and an emergency root canal, which shrunk to minor annoyances in the face of all this excitement.
And lest you still think I'm whining about my schedule, let me assure you I am not asking for pity, having just unwound for a week studying Spanish in lovely Costa Rica with my husband.
For you Saturday Night Live fans - this job be very, very good to me.
Comments