Start with "Why?"

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I’m re-reading Simon Sinek’s "Start with Why” (for a quick overview read www.startwithwhy.com ) because I'm trying to ground myself as I move forward as a Director in Radio Amateurs of Canada.

As I see it, I better have what I believe sorted out to be an effective Director and that has taken me on a journey to define priorities and engage with other hams to ensure that those priorities are shared (more on the priorities in a later post)

Sinek’s “Golden Circle” is a naturally occurring pattern, grounded in the biology of human decision making, that explains why we are inspired by some people, leaders, messages and organizations over others.

(Take 18 minutes and watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4 )

 As a Director, I need to define my priorities and these need to be consistent with my constituency here in Southern Ontario if I am to represent them, but there's a bigger, national requirement - RAC needs to define and communicate it’s purpose. 
It seems so simple, but until we do a better job of this, we cannot expect Canada’s Amateurs to support, let alone volunteer, with the organization and thereby make RAC the vibrant organization it needs to be.

The Hour of Code

Some pretty interesting folks in the US got together last year and planned out a national event in December that I'm sorry I only discovered in January.

The Hour of Code was a coordinated effort to get students to take a hour to try coding for the first time. It's not as intimidating as it sounds. There are a number of organizations that stepped up to support this by writing or adapting applications to introduce coding concepts to a variety of age levels, no previous experience required. My 10 year old daughter tried it out and I believe she's hooked on the idea on "making the computer do What I want to do".

It occurs to me that, as Hams, we should be stepping up in a broader way to support this kind of effort. Schools in North America have limited (and in some cases no) computer science curriculum - and in an age of software defined radio, this does not bode well for our hobby. We need to get involved.

Mobile Life on the GO Train

In the past year I'm spending more time on the GO Train, at the mercy of the good folks of Metrolinx. It is a great way to travel and with the exception of the occasional washed out track during a blackout, it works pretty well.

That said, it's pretty much impossible to conduct a conversation on the radio, despite the miracles of D-STAR. Its a social thing, and recently its become Metrolinx law.  

Beyond the Quietzone restrictions, the GO Train has some other interesting quirks. At least on the Lakeshore West line, mobile electronics appear to be compulsory, with iPhones being the dominant species and androids, iPads and eReaders all well represented. (I'm proud to say my Kobo Touch is still alive and well on the transit lines)

All this technology serves to further enforce the silence. It the last year I rarely witness an actually conversation and I often wonder how many folks are actually TXTing their seat mates  rather than speak with them, thus avoiding the long arm of the Metrolinx secret police. 

What's this Blog all about

Beginnings

This blog is a fusion of a number of my interests:

  • Amateur Radio
  • Productivity
  • The fact I dont record / post what I've learned as often as I'd like to...

So with this site I'd like to to more of the above, more often.

It is also where I'm going to comment about my new role as Director of Ontario South for Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC).

This last bit is going to become challenging as what I write here is not guaranteed to synch with the official position of RAC. so be forewarned:

The views expressed on this site are my own and do not reflect those of my employer or its clients, or Radio Amateurs of Canada, or all Amateurs, or lefthanded bagpipers in Meaford. The content here belongs to the The Canadian Radio Research Lab (CRRL) and it’s contributors.
Views and opinions expressed by all contributors belong to them and not the CRRL, or the blog owner (Me), Rod Hardman VE3RHF.

All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. CRRL makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. your milage may vary. A Sense of Humour is essential.

If you want to use content on your own site, you must ask permission first before you do so under these restrictions. It's just polite.

So with that, lets go forward. This might be fun.