Hi Friends,

Yesterday was 100% unscheduled. No pressures. Free to do what I wanted.

I started to write the newsletter. But soon found myself in a modern day version of this painting. So many open browsers.

Over the past months I’ve been paying more attention to what’s happening in space. I know a bit more now. But as I tried to write about it, I concluded I needed to stick closer to what I know.

This week:

1. The elephant at work
2. Lost in space
3. History of beat-boxing
4. How to figure out where to watch that movie or video

The Whole Elephant at Work

I started a consulting project for a large, fast-growing software company.

In simple terms, they want an independent 3rd-party to create a picture of the whole elephant for them.

I’ve developed a niche understanding of how data center software companies sell their products through various types of partners. Over the next month, I will interview ~35 employees and indviduals at partners to surface issues to address.

The people I interview in these projects are smart, experienced, and deep down want what’s best for the organization. But most stakeholders can only see parts of the elephant.

Everyone understands that processes and systems break as companies grow. Emotionally, people are tired and frustrated and have opinions about who or what is to blame.

But there’s a key difference I experience when working with clients at fast-growing companies vs. those at slow-growing or declining companies.

In fast-growing companies, people make changes as soon as they agree on the emerging shape of the elephant. Whatever bad vibes exist between people or teams typically fades. Everyone is too busy and the pie is growing larger. A growth mindset pervades.

In slow-growing or declining companies, the person who hired me is ready to make changes just as fast. However, other stakeholders who are one and two degrees away will often delay or block if their turf is threatened. Sometimes they can’t let go of ingrained beliefs or grudges. They hold a limited mindset.

A few takeaways:

1. Broadly speaking, if you have a growth mindset, you will be happier in a fast-growing team and company.
2. Storytelling skills are underrated in companies. Stories carry the company’s genesis, culture, and values. Stories deliver the mission and vision in a way that people can remember. It's one of the best ways to change the attitudes of those with a limited mindset.
3. The current US political environment has a vibe similar to that of a slow-growing company. People want to talk more about their turf vs. the whole elephant. And those with ingrained beliefs and grudges seem to be doing more of the talking.

Does NASA need better storytellers?

Are you excited about the James Webb telescope? I am not.

On Christmas day, we launched the $10B telescope 1,000,000 miles into space to look at light coming from stars formed right after the Big Bang 13,800,000,000 years ago. Read that again. Big deal, no?

Yesterday, I read articles and spent time on NASA's website. Here's the short version of what the telescope will enable astromers to do:

• search for light from the first stars and galaxies that formed in the universe after the Big Bang
• study galaxy formation and evolution
• understand star formation and planet formation
• study planetary systems and the origins of life

Astromomers have been waiting a generation for this moment.

And yet I still struggle to muster the awe and wonder I intellectually know the telescope deserves.

Do I lack knowledge of physics and astronomy? (yes)
Do other topics capture my attention more readily? (yes)
Is 13.8 billion years ago and one million miles away beyond my comprehension. (yes)

I could now write an article on the history, launch, and current position. But the storyline stops there for me.

I can't see the whole elephant of the James Webb telescope.

But I am excited for the astronomers. I will keep my eye on the subject, and cross my fingers that good storytellers emerge to explain their celebratory moments.

The benefit of sending people to the moon

About 50 years ago we sent people to the moon.

Neil Tyson explains in this 2 min video how the lunar mission delivered to us more than moon rocks.

Tyson is an amazing storyteller. Click on the tweet below to hear.

visa has shipped @introspectVV. It is done!! @visakanv I want to do a thread of video snippets that have moved me deeply over the years This bit from Neil Tyson was at the heart of my motivation to stay alive ~2013 – the idea of expanding human consciousness via space travel pic.twitter.com/B5cc3GWp1M January 12th 2019 96 Retweets 585 Likes

Progressing through 15 years of beatboxing

At some point on my space-out journey, I thought about space-themed movies.

Eventually, I recalled this scene from Men in Black 2 (2002). Will Smith speaks to an alien (Rapper Biz Markie) using beatboxing, a form of vocal percussion.

Naturally, I was curious about the evolution of beatboxing. I am sure you are curious, too.

Here’s a 60-second video of a pro beatboxer’s progression over 15 years.

How to find the movie or video you're looking for

If you ever struggle to find a movie or video, this app will guide you to the best place to watch it.

​JustWatch​

Thanks for reading, and have a great week.

Michael

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