Being Effective
Being Effective
It's not about being right, or knowing all the answers.
I celebrate life, both memories and dreams, leaning into each day with family and friends. The 2024-2025 first grade class is a special cohort. I’ve realized my ability to influence may be past when this year’s first graders graduate high school.
As such, what I can do, when I can do it, as well as in what order I do things, are imperative to my effectiveness.
“It’s not about being right, it’s about being effective,” shared Tom Gunter during my 19 years at Motorola. We were effective taking an idea, exciting a team and then “effectively” growing the business to hundreds of engineers making hundreds of millions of chips for key customer needs.
I’m excited about our new high schools – what an investment in the most precious resource, our children’s future. Will they be ready for the challenges we left undone?
Students, it’s your future. There are no short cuts.
Be effective, get a college degree. Texas residents are at a disadvantage compared to US peers moving to Texas.
In 2022 only 15.4% of Wichita county residents had college degrees compared to 21.6% of Texans. Meanwhile 28% of those moving to Texas from other states have college degrees. All this data refers to those over 25 years of age as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Nov 29, 2022.
Texas’ continued success requires a capable workforce, well versed in many foundational subjects. Not just a skill, but the knowledge to understand how to exist as the jobs of today become the jobs of tomorrow. If so, Texans continue solving the most exciting and difficult tasks.
What can I do for my community? Call a friend and volunteer. Consider volunteering with Kemp Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release at facebook.com/KempWildlifeRehabilnitatil.l. Their mission, raise and release displaced wildlife in our community, and share their success stories.
Or volunteer with Zavala Hispanic Cultural Initiative empowering the Hispanic community by offering educational, cultural and leadership opportunities at ZavalaWF.com.
For 4,172 more days, till March 2, 2036, I plan, God willing, to effectively leverage my ability and health to influence students to become the leaders, workforce, parents, and volunteers needed in our communities. Will you help?
Published Wichita Falls Times Record News, Trends Section, Sunday September 29, 2024.
Jack Browne is a community volunteer and former technology sales and marketing executive who worked 40 years at Motorola, MIPS Technologies and other companies. How are the children doing?