"What do former members say about the organization?" - Ken Woodward
"What do former members say about the organization?" - Ken Woodward
Ten years ago today, I asked a question on my daily practice, IOTD365: what do former members say about an organization? I wrote it after my daughter gave up on an internship. One conversation in a hallway with a senior who'd done it was all it took.
In 2016 I read that question as an insider asking leaders to listen. Today I read it as a former member who left federal service after thirty-two years without anyone asking what I knew. I also read it as a founder who can't hear what's said after I leave the room.
In this episode, I reread the original post and question the man who wrote it. I look at where reputation really lives and the courage it takes to tell someone the truth. Then I borrow a habit from my years navigating submarines in and out of port. Taking a fix on an old question shows how far I've moved.
What question did you answer years ago that deserves a second look?
This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.
Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions)
Keep questioning!
Episode Notes
00:00 Hallway Truths
00:38 Subscribe and Dispatch
01:16 Welcome to Curated Questions
01:59 Internship Reality Check
04:11 Four Voices of Reputation
06:12 Surveys vs the Hallway
07:04 Leaving the Navy
07:58 Your Organization Now
09:06 Navigation Fix Metaphor
10:36 Final Questions and Farewell