The Last Question: Recent Episodes
Arun Chittur
For leaders in uniform, or not. Doesn't matter where you work or what you do...if you want to "succeed" in an uncertain future...or, you might say, win the future war no one's imagined yet, think about these three things: devolve, flex, and fail.
Thanks, as always, for your support and listening. I'm expanding my work on this podcast and through Decoherence, my platform on Substack. Check it out and consider supporting through a subscription if you like the conversations we're having and value asking tough questions, no matter how hard the answers might be.
Concluding the two-parter, back to talk about our subconscious narratives and how I fell afoul of mine and into the trap of "personal branding," "social media," and the performance art of today's digital discourse.
Click here to listen to Bari Weiss interviewing Jonathan Haidt on her podcast, "Honestly." Referenced this week.
Full link:
https://www.honestlypod.com/podcast/episode/1f94f74c/why-the-past-10-years-of-american-life-have-been-uniquely-stupid
You and me this week, talking about career transition...and the story embedded deep within us. Does it drive our decisions, or do our decisions fulfill its outcomes? Aren't those the same question?
Didn't plan a two-part episode, but we went farther down the rabbit hole that I thought. That's what makes it fun, after all...stay tuned for Part II coming next week!
Click here to watch Jordan Peterson's interview of OSU professor Angus Fletcher. Full URL below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ytoU1ZXjJw&t=3s
It's you and me this week! Missed recording for last week, back today talking about where I was and what's coming up for 2022.
This week, Jim Warner joins me on the podcast. An ICBM and GLCM veteran, Mr. Warner today serves as the Executive Director of the Association of Air Force Missileers. It was through his letter to members that I found Cole Smith's Guardian editorial.
We cover his career spanning more than 40 years, experience in leadership as the Cold War gave way to the 1990s, and responds to questions raised by Cole's piece. We end with some foundational questions--why nuclear weapons today, why the ICBM in particular, and is Global Zero possible?
That's how we can have mature conversations, in my opinion. This week on TLQ, a solo episode--why I think it's critical we have a conversation about what the world can look like in the future. And why we should start talking about it now.
Humans are naturally irrational and can hold two seemingly opposite views at once. So let's stop oversimplifying our problems and get down to real business. Then we can put our rational brains to work and get something more done than grabbing clicks and media time.
I'm excited to share this week's episode, a conversation with writer, filmmaker, and nuclear ops veteran Cole Smith.
Though we were stationed together, I don't know Cole well...but knew I should talk with him after coming across an article he wrote recently for The Guardian based on his experience as a U.S. nuclear operator. No matter how you feel about his article, or the subject of nuclear weapons, the argument he makes is reason enough to give this one a listen.
Cole is a filmmaker with several projects in the works, including a feature film on the "Damascus Incident" of 1980--popularized in Eric Schlosser's 2013 book, Command and Control. To learn more about Cole and his work, find him at colesmithfilm.com.
It's been a rough-and-tumble couple weeks. High stress, a lot of change, tons of questions. We've emerged looking skyward and genuinely excited about what's to come, and I've emerged determined to keep this train on the tracks and rolling forward.
I missed the boat on last week's episode, which will now be Episode 3. For now, enjoy Season 2, Episode 2, with my friend and fellow airman Matthew "Omaha" Ditson.
Matthew and I were qualification training classmates and stationed together twice. I'm excited to talk with him and get his take on a variety of topics, and ask him about the genesis behind his book on leadership and the parenting podcast he and his wife, Kathryn, twice per month.
Enjoy the episode and, as always, let me know what you think!
Enough with the "Arun talks with" third-person thing. It's me and just me...so I'm back, with "Season 2" of The Last Question. I've been putting off this project and don't know why.
But I know I want (and perhaps need) to return.
So that's what I'm doing. Here.
Now.
As me.
And only me.
Season 2, Episode 1.
We continue the COVID-19 mini-series this week, asking a critical question: What Positive(s) Did COVID-19 Give Me? Ask this question for yourself to find key lessons you can leverage as the world wrestles with the "Delta" variant. This week, an important idea that helps break down the otherwise restrictive dichotomy we perceive between conventional work environments and working "from home."
Email us at ask@thelastquestion.blog.
Core values matter. If you don't have an anchor or guidepost against which to judge your actions, how do you know if you're the best version of yourself you can be? Arun shares his three core values, three words he's focused on for the better part of 20 years. What are YOURS?
Email us at ask@thelastquestion.blog.
This week, a critical reminder in how hard ... rather, IMPOSSIBLE ... it is to control what anyone else thinks or does. We can attempt to influence others, but it all starts with understanding where the other's starting point is and what concerns them. "It's not about thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."
Email us at ask@thelastquestion.blog.
Stop wasting time. We don't have enough to be playing around with this gift.
Email us at ask@thelastquestion.blog.
We overcome struggle only after we can see the good in them. Arun continues his mini-series on what good he received from COVID-19. This week, a discussion about what he found "important" and not in the work environment and how the pandemic oriented his mind different toward those tasks that truly matter in the long-run.
Send your questions, comments, feedback to: ask@thelastquestion.blog.
Arun pulls out a couple key lessons from Tim Grover's book "Relentless." Grover was a long-time coach and confidant to the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Dwayne Wade (and many more). The book's description of "Coolers, Closers, and Cleaners" provides a backdrop to how we should think about where and how we focus our efforts in daily life.
Send your questions, comments, and feedback to: ask@thelastquestion.blog.
There must be positive lessons from our worst tragedies. If there is no positive impact, no "silver lining," then all of our effort to build a better future is for naught. This week, Part II of Arun's series that asks, What Did COVID-19 Give You? His answer this week focuses on his own development and what he was able to do for himself with the time and space only a worldwide emergency could provide.
Email us your questions, comments, and feedback at ask@thelastquestion.blog.
Arun welcomes fellow veteran, colleague, and friend Joey Utah to TLQ. Joey served on active duty as a security forces member at several locations in North America and Korea. Listen and learn as they exchange stories, experiences, and ideas about what leadership is and isn't.
Email us your questions, feedback, and requests at: ask@thelastquestion.blog.
We push our crises into history books too quickly. We don't talk enough about what we've learned, what we've gained, what good has come ... from crisis. From disaster. From the worst tragedies in our lives. This mini-series asks, "What Did COVID-19 Give You?" To start the conversation, Arun answers the question for himself. He has several answers he'll share over the coming weeks, starting with the most important one this morning.
Email us with questions, comments, feedback, ideas: ask@thelastquestion.blog.
I used to hate this question, but no matter how you phrase it, asking it matters. Interrogating your response matters, too, if you're serious about evolving as a leader and getting better. This week, ponder what your leadership philosophy is ... what matters most to you in terms of HOW and WHY you lead.
Email us! ask@thelastquestion.blog.
Are you doing "too much?" Worried about too many things, wrangling a never-ending task list, chasing everyone else's expectations? Ask yourself this question and, most importantly, WRITE the answers down. Be honest with yourself to be more honest with the world around you.
Email us! Questions, comments, feedback at:
ask@thelastquestion.blog
This week, Arun welcomes Maggie to the show! We've been trying to make this one happen since the show's launch in March. We spend a few minutes on Maggie's background, then talk about how she leads and what "taking care of your people" really means.
Question, comments, feedback--please send it all! Email us at:
ask@thelastquestion.blog
Consider the gifts--the opportunities--you've received. What are you doing with them? What positive impact can you have with them? We're each endowed with a unique set of gifts, and the opportunity to live every morning we wake up ... so ... what are you gonna do about it?
ask@thelastquestion.blog
Have you inherited a problem or two at work? Replaced someone who wasn't a good supervisor, manager, technician, leader? Leaders don't walk away from the problems they find; they take ownership of those problems as if they were of their own making. Inherited problems are your problems. Own them to serve and move the team forward.
Check out our new website:
www.thelastquestion.blog
Email us at: ask@thelastquestion.blog
Arun welcomes his dad to the show. Krishnan Chittur retired from academia after nearly 30 years as a professor of chemical engineering and has been Chief Technology Officer of GeneCapture, Inc. since 2010. Krishnan's story starts thousands of miles away in India, a boy strong in school with an early love of teaching. Today that same man works with a team of scientists and engineers to revolutionize how we diagnose and treat infection.
Have feedback or questions? Send them all our way!
arun@enabledword.com
Memorial Day 2021, ask yourself: Are you the best version of YOU? It's okay if the answer is 'no,' but then ask ... are you working toward that best self? You ARE capable of taking the next step forward and ARE able to make that choice today. Becoming our best selves is the best way to honor not just those service members who have died for this country, but all of those men and women who raised their right hands, signed on the dotted line, and deployed to the four corners of the Earth.
With Memorial Day on the horizon, Arun offers an alternative to the easy "Thank You" and 10% off. Invest in a relationship with a service member--ask them why they joined, and why they stayed. You'll learn a ton and connect in a meaningful way.
Leadership requires individual effort and learning. But we're missing a key component in our own development if we're not looking at the leaders who came before us. For better and for worse.
This week, picture that leader ... that person you worked with, studied with, traveled with, confided in ... who you would follow, unquestionably, to Hell and back. We often learn a lot from the folks who did it wrong. This time around, focus on the ones who did it right. What can you learn from them, what can you apply in your own way, how can you adapt and become a better version of the leader they were?
Consistency matters. After telling students and young airmen, "Never let your people see you have a bad day," Arun tackles the flaw in his own advice. Showing up every day, in the good and bad, not only demonstrates your humanity, it gives permission to your team to show up too--even on their bad days. Being honest with each other and supporting each other on those bad days leads to much stronger ties than masking our struggles to try and achieve the 'perfect' presence.
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arun@enabledword.com
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This week's meditation digs into your ONE job as a leader: to build your replacement and develop them into a better version of you, someone better prepared for your job than you were.
Building better futures starts with building better leaders. One person at a time. People matter, their families matter, never forget it. The mark of a great leader isn't how critical they are in the moment, it's how capable their teams is without them
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arun@enabledword.com
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TLQ's back this week and we're talking about ... fire extinguishers? Arun's talking about prioritizing and providing our teammates the freedom to operate and make the best decisions they can.
Plus! Learn more about EW's first digital product, an e-book titled, "Our Team's Essential Skills," on sale soon. This first in EW's library of resources is designed for front-line supervisors and first-time managers looking to focus their team's efforts. Cut the BS, clear out the noise, and get back on track with this new e-book. To be first in line when it releases AND for a 20% discount, go to www.enabledword.com and subscribe to our newsletter!
And if you're interested in winning a free copy for you AND every person on your team, listen to the full episode!
We'd love to know what you think of the show. Rate and review or email Arun direct at: arun@enabledword.com.
To learn more about EW's signature coaching program, "Enabled Leader," visit coaching.enabledlead.com.
After a week off working on other projects, Arun's back with a question important not only to you, but your family and your teams. What would it look like for YOU to lead, serve, and live in a manner that's consistent with your values? To lead in a manner consistent with what you say is most important? Arun's been asking (and answering) this question for himself the last couple weeks, and is excited to share what he's learned about himself and others in the coming days.
This week, consider all the effort you've put into answering this question: "Who Am I?" In the last few days, Arun has been reading the story of NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman and learning more about those who have eschewed society's pressure to define ourselves by one label, or a single category, or a singular "passion." The meditation for this week strings together themes from Tillman's story, a podcast interview with Glennon Doyle, and an old blog post from author Mark Manson.
Everyone should ask themselves this one, but especially relevant for anyone in transition--military or not, professional or personal. Maybe all the work we've been doing to assign ourselves a label isn't worth the stress after all?
Today is Day One ... after 12 years, 11 months, and however many hours and minutes, Arun is a civilian. While that creates both feelings of excitement and confusion, no experience is worthwhile if we haven't gotten something out of it. So follow Arun this week as he outlines five lessons from his time in the Air Force. Despite the military-heavy nature of the conversation, they're all lessons that apply just about anywhere.
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Enjoy the rest of your week and remember, no matter how stressful the day, take a breath of fresh air, hug a loved one, and strive to lead well.
leadership #peoplemattermost
LeadersCoach & #CoachesLead
This week, ask yourself: How Do I Feel When Others Succeed? Leadership is about investing in others, and building our replacements. Doing so requires an investment in others that ensures their success ahead of our own. But if you struggle to find fulfillment in others' wins, ask yourself why.
Chelsea Ragland is an Air Force intelligence officer who started her career as an ICBM crewmember. Rising to become a mission commander and senior instructor for a team of 65 operators, Chelsea developed multiple programs--including a comprehensive upgrade program for crew commanders--and was a key force who helped transform the unit into a lethal, tight-knit fighting force.
Assigned together 2014-2016, Arun and Chelsea experienced the gamut of leadership challenges. On this week's podcast, they talk about Chelsea's background and path into military service, how her approach to leadership has evolved, and whether you can train someone to act in an ethical manner.
DISCLAIMER: Opinions discussed in this podcast are exclusively the speaker's and do not represent positions or policies held by the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.
Enabled Word exists to build better leaders. So together we can build a better future. For more, visit:
www.enabledword.com
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coaching.enabledlead.com
If you like this episode, please share it with a friend! Rate, review, or send us your feedback too. You're welcome to let us know your thoughts directly in the app or by emailing us at:
arun@enabledword.com
Two weeks ago, Arun asked himself: How Will I Take Responsibility? This week, push your answer forward by considering these 5 Steps. No matter where you're coming from, no matter where you're going, to take responsibility is to contribute to a better future for all of us.
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Dr. Allie Butler is an Air Force veteran and former meteorologist now serving patients as a practicing pharmacist and owner of a diabetes consultancy in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area. This week, Arun welcomes Allies to TLQ to discuss her path from the military to healthcare, how she's created her own path to service after the military, and the challenge of leading yourself, your family, and your community at the same time.
If you or someone you know need support after being diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic, invite them to visit Diabetes Battle Buddy or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Connect with Allie directly here on LinkedIn.
Enabled Word and its family of programs exists for one reason: to develop the dynamic, adaptive leaders we need to build a better future for all. Visit Enabled Leader to learn more about our signature, 1-on-1 coaching program. Book a call to enroll or ask about our Leaders of Influence group program. Become the Leader You Want to Be.
If you like this episode, check out the others in our library! Leave a rating and review to let us know what you think and click here to subscribe to the Enabled Word newsletter to be first to learn about our programs, what we're working on next, and the chance to get involved in our mission to build better futures through better leadership.
Some days, a leader's only task is to take the "bullets" on their team's behalf. If you're responsible for the performance of other people, or are soon stepping into such a role, are you prepared to take ownership of their performance? Are you prepared to tell anyone who asks--especially your boss--that you are the one responsible when things go wrong? This week, ask yourself: Am I Prepared to Take the "Bullet"?
This week, Arun explores difficult conversations. Why do we avoid them? Why do we avoid asking tough questions? Even if it's the most important way to prepare for the future?
It's easy to act off emotion, to say or share the first thing that comes to mind. What's better? Taking responsibility for your response AND what you can do that provides value to others around you. This week, ask yourself: How Will I Take Responsibility?
This week, Arun walks through the genesis of our new coaching programs--Enabled Leader and Leaders of Influence. Both open for enrollment April 1, 2021!
Welcome to our first Monday "Meditation," a question to lead your week and get you thinking about what matters most. This week, asking "why" is one of the most powerful things you can do to focus on what's important and shine light on the tasks, ideas, and assumptions holding you and your team back from having a positive impact on the world.
Arun talks to friend and former squadron mate, Lucas Rider, about what led to his joining the Air Force at age 24 and how he's stayed connected with his pre-military self.
Thank you for joining us for our first episode! Arun talks about Enabled Word's history ... and his own evolution ... from 2018 until now. Then digs into perfection, cynicism, and the all-powerful, quite evil, RESISTANCE.