Walk Into the Future

Category: Mentoring

  • Five Minute Thursday: Favorite Comedian

    “You know you must be doing something right if old people like you”.

    (Dave Chappelle)

    Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run! 😊

    I created this topic with designs to write about Ali Siddiq who is an amazing storyteller and keeps audiences engaged.  This prompt came to me because I drove up to Daytona Beach last weekend to see Ali at The Peabody for his new tour, In the Shadows.  I started writing this article with the intention of telling my readers how great Ali Siddiq is but decided to take a slight detour to truly highlight the GOAT (Greatest of All Time).

    This Five-Minute Thursday prompt is: My Favorite Comedian.

    Surprise, it’s not Ali Siddiq but Dave Chappelle.  I have been a fan of Dave’s comedy for a while now with my full introduction to his work via The Chappelle Show.  This show only ran for two seasons but the amount of work he put into this show makes every episode a classic.  The level of comedic timing and clever skits made him a household name.  The show was must see TV and never disappointed the viewers. 

    There were a few skits that you really had to pay attention to keep up.  One of these skits was:  The Blind Black White Supremist.  Yes, the skit was just as ridiculous as the title, but he made a point and kept the audience laughing.  Check it out when you get a chance. 😊

    Dave ventures into True Hollywood Stories featuring Charlie Murphy to tell stories about legends, Prince and Rick James.  These are identified as completely true stories as told by Charlie Murphy.  I still watch these clips on YouTube when I want to laugh out loud.

    Dave Chappelle is a true stand-up legend.  His Netflix comedy specials are some of the most watched.  I believe I have seen them all and continue to watch clips on YouTube—his work never gets old to me.  I jump on YouTube when I need a laugh before going to bed and I always search for something from the Chappelle archives.  He just completed his fourth hosting stint on Saturday Night Live.  I’ve watched them multiple times and he continues to bring the funny.

    I highly recommend you jump on YouTube and check out some of his work.  You pick what looks good to you, but The Blind Black White Supremist is worth a shot if you want to laugh at a concept this silly.  The Prince skit is hilarious too. 😊  Challenge him!

    Check out Ali Siddiq while you are browsing.  He is a funny dude too!

    Who is your favorite comedian?

    Calvin Williams

    “I love my jokes”.

    (Dave Chappelle)

  • Boston with NACE

    “I came to Boston because I’m wicked smaht”.

    (Funny Boston Quote, Unknown)

    My Walk into the Future has led me to the Northeast multiple times in the past year. 

    The first adventure was a quick trip via Breeze Airways to explore Hartford, Connecticut.  I was able to hit Springfield, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island over a long weekend in October 2023.  The weather was great, and I got a chance to experience the wonderful colors of the fall season in the Northeast. 

    Providence, Rhode Island was an intriguing place, and I wanted to get back up there to explore more in-depth.  I had never run a race in the northeast and saw the 2024 Rhode Island Half Marathon as an opportunity to get back up there and see the city from a ground level perspective.  This trip saw me make my way up to Cambridge, Massachusetts and walked around Harvard.  This was an outstanding opportunity to soak in the campus history and add content to the Walk into the Future blog. 

    Fast forward and I had an opportunity to explore the northeast again with my volunteer work with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).  I was selected in July to serve on the NACE Sourcing and Nomination Committee.  This is the group of NACE members who review all Board of Director applications and select the next generation of board members.

    Boston was selected as our meeting location based on one of our members providing access to the meeting space within her organization.  This provided us with a great location in downtown Boston with access to sights and great restaurants.

    Most of our committee work was accomplished virtually from our home locations.  We were able to review application packages in a blind format—there were no names associated with the applications, and we scored based on the NACE rubric provided.  The work in Boston was to finalize our scores and discuss candidates as needed.  This was a great experience for me to help NACE select the next wave of leaders.  The experience also helps me understand the process in case I want to launch a future run for a board position.

    Boston experiences:

    • Walking the halls and grounds of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
    • Touring the Novartis Headquarters
    • Walking through the Beacon Hill neighborhood
      • Walking on Acorn Street
    • Italian dinner at the famed Toscano restaurant
      • Our Novartis host got us a reservation 😊

    Not sure when I will get back to the Boston area but enjoyed my latest adventure.

    The results from the NACE selection process will become public in early February.  Excited to watch our new leaders move the organization forward.

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

  • Poetic Flow: Living Life

    bunch of small flowers on a book
    Photo by Wallace Chuck on Pexels.com

    The enemy within causes a majority of problems

    Thoughts provoked by fear

    The anger is near

    Constant give and take

    What type of life to make?

    Pulling one way, then the next

    The pendulum of life continues to swing

    What might tomorrow bring?

    Thanks to my Walk into the Future blog readers for a great 2024! I’m looking forward to 2025 being the best blog year yet. Stay tuned for more travel, fun and training articles. Guest bloggers will make a few appearances in 2025 as well! 😊

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! See you in 2025!

    Irie!

  • 4th Annual Fall Fun Fest

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    “If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team.”

    (Frank Sonenburg)

    Work hard and play hard is an old saying but we are getting a lot of use out of it daily.

    My Walk into the Future provides multiple outlets for me to live life daily. I leverage this blog to record and share these adventures with my readers.

    The newest adventure was the 4th Annual Fall Fun Fest at work. We started this tradition back in October 2021 with an 80’s themed dance party.  I did not think my coworkers would dress the part or even dance at work, but I was wrong. Our folks know how to have fun and are always looking for the next time to party at work.

    It took a while to produce the 2024 theme for our event, but we decided to make this year Dynamic Duos with Karaoke. We never force people to join in, but it helps when Vice Presidents get into the event, dress in costume, and have fun. We also learned that a lot of our colleagues love karaoke and could not wait to sing at work again this year. FYI, participants did not have to sing karaoke as a duo, but several did. We continue to discover talented singers from around campus and this year was no exception.

    My VP (Beth) and I agreed to dress as the Saturday Night Live (SNL) Spartan Cheerleaders this year:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SErOdLSlpkE

    We agreed to become this duo back in June and ordered matching outfits via Amazon. Yes, we take this work party seriously. Beth insisted that we match completely so she purchased matching sneakers for me to ensure we were completely in character. 😊 Our routines did not have a karaoke theme, but we wanted to entertain the audience and get them ready to have fun. We planned to perform as the opening act before the singers got started with karaoke. Most people knew we were up to something but never imagined that I would dress as a Spartan Cheerleader and perform multiple routines in my outfit. Well, Beth continues to convince me to do things out of character and it is fun. 😊

    We started with a little skit to welcome everyone to the 4th Annual Fall Fun Fest. We incorporated memories from the previous 3 Fall Fun Fest activities. This was a fantastic way to break the ice for the group and gave us time to get into character. This skit led us to perform The Perfect Cheer which was made famous by Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri as the Spartan Cheerleaders on SNL (starts at 3:36 mark:  https://www.tiktok.com/@matt.gizmo.yerke/video/7287395646066249002?lang=en)

    The karaoke machine kicked in once the Spartan Cheerleaders were done. Again, we have some talented folks on our staff and the singing was outstanding. Several folks hit the stage multiple times to entertain the crowd. We had to adjust the song format a bit when we kept getting songs from musicals. I have nothing against these types of songs but the energy level in the building went down with slow and dramatic musical songs. I will implement a party anthem only concept in 2025 to help keep the crowd moving.

    I am not sure of the theme we will have next year, but it should be another epic adventure for the team. 😊

    What do you do for fun at work?

    Irie!

    “It is not really work if you are having fun.”

    (Pierre Omidyar)

  • Five Minute Thursday: 51st Student Leadership Conference

    “Learn from yesterday.  Live for today.  Hope for tomorrow.”.

    (Albert Einstein)original_46c05165-dbd9-4075-aff6-9174019f7efe_20241004_103953

    The Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt is back for another run.  My friend Maria likes the concise nature of this writing prompt, so I decided to bring it back. 😊

    I take pride in my Authentic Leadership work and share with anyone who will sit down to listen to me.  I have worked with the Indian River State College Student Government Association (SGA) over the past four years.  My work with these students centers on student development and leadership.  The students are eager to learn, and this inspires me to work with them more.

    My fifth prompt for Five Minute Thursday is: The 51st Student Leadership Conference.

    I was approached by the organizers of the leadership conference to help students with their professional journey.  The theme for this year was: Perseverance Towards Excellence.  The intent was to provide students with foundational information to help them develop skills to move them forward.  I have presented leadership workshops with these students in the past, but the organizers asked me to focus on life after graduation, the world of work.

    I decided to focus on The First 90 Days on the Job for my presentation.  I’ve had this content in my professional speaking library and modernized the content for this conference. 

    Most of the students know me from around campus and I was surprised with the number of students that attended my session.  The students identified learning how to become professionals was an important skill they wanted to learn so that’s why they picked my session.

    Areas we covered during the session:

    • Understand Organizational Culture
      • Communication modes and formalities
      • Dress and appearance expectations
      • Work hours
    • Positive Work Behavior
      • Review employee handbook
      • Maintain professional demeanor (happy hours, social events)
      • Ready to learn and strong work ethic
    • Build Effective Relationships
      • Find a mentor
      • Align with positive colleagues
      • Create goals

    The students were receptive to these points and seemed eager to put these in play.  I’m always excited to help students develop as young adults.  This session will help them as they enter the world of work.

    What points would you share with our students?

    Irie!

  • 2024 Outrun Hunger 5k

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    “Running isn’t about being the best; it’s about pursuing your personal best”.

    (Runkeeper)

    My Walk into the Future allows me to pursue adventures in multiple ways.

    Running is one of the ways I found 12 years ago, and I have not looked back. 

    I started running Orlando Track Shack and Front Running Sports races when I moved to Oviedo, Florida from Warner Robins, Georgia back in October 2010.  I never thought the local 5ks in Orlando would lead me to become a running tourist and multi-time marathoner.  Big things start with small steps.

    I have focused on the half marathon as my preferred distance over the past 4 years but still lace up my running shoes for 5ks.  The Treasure Coast running community is not as large and visible as the Orlando running community.  We have races but they are not as large as the Track Shack productions and most don’t have beer at the finish line.  It seems like a small thing, but true runners are looking for beer and donuts once we cross the finish line.  I still run a few local races but find ways to travel to the Orlando area for Track Shack events.

    The Treasure Coast Food Bank hosts a September 5k and I have run this one for the past three years.  It’s a small race but it is a great way to help stock the local food bank to help our residents with food insecurity needs.  I also leverage this 5k as a speed session to help me prepare for longer races.  This year the 5k fit nicely into the Chicago Marathon training program and allowed me to test my fitness and work to get faster leg turnover. 

    The race starts and ends at Causeway Cove on Hutchingson Island in Fort Pierce.  This location makes it easy to get in and out without a ton of traffic or waiting around when the race is over.  I also park on the mainland side of the Seaway Drive bridge and use the bridge as a warmup before the race.  I get a slow jog in crossing the bridge and then stretch once I make it to Causeway Cove.

    Again, it’s a small race crowd so I normally post up in the middle of the starting pack to avoid undue stress moving through runners.  I didn’t enter with a specific finish time in mind but wanted to go faster than my last 5k back in August (Celebration of Running 5k).  Always surprised I don’t know many people in these races even though I live in Fort Pierce—this is not a tight running community.

    My goal was to run a controlled race without much deviation between each mile split.  I’m happy with my finish time of 28:29 which equals 9:10 per mile.  This was a faster time and splits than my Celebration of Running 5k outing.  I ran the entire 5k with a smile on my face because the pace felt good, and I knew I could maintain this for additional miles.  I didn’t feel the need to push much faster considering this was a 12-mile training day as part of my Chicago Marathon training program.  I was surprised to see that I won my age group for this race.  I have placed in the Top 3 of this race in the past but this was the first time I was the ‘Top Old Dude’. 😊  I decided to stick around the race village to collect my additional award and get some extra pictures taken on the top step of the podium.

    I took my prizes and headed back over the bridge.  I still needed to get in an additional 9 miles to complete my long run training for the day.

    Feeling good about my mental and physical fitness as the 2024 Chicago Marathon draws closer.

    Irie!

  • Playdoh into the Future!

    “If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team”.

    (Pinterest Pin)

    What’s your fondest memory of Playdoh?

    This is not a trick question but one I have been asking people in my orbit lately.  Why?  Great question!

    I purchased a can of Playdoh one day on a trip to Dollar Tree on a whim.  Thought it would be fun to have around the house and to make forms in between laying down tracks for the Walk into the Future blog. Well, after two weeks I had not opened the Playdoh and decided to take it to work as a simple distraction in between meetings. I placed it on my desk with designs to pull it out when needed to have a little extra fun at work.

    The first time the Playdoh came out was an impromptu meeting. My Vice President and another Associate Vice President were in my office catching up on things that happened on campus.  The meeting was sidetracked as soon as they saw I had Playdoh in my office.  We immediately grabbed a handful of Playdoh and started forming shapes.  The funny thing with this process is we had the most productive meeting we’ve had in a long time while forming Playdoh.

    I didn’t know if the Playdoh and productive meeting was a coincidence, so I doubled down and purchased more and brought it to work.  I let people who enter my office select their preferred Playdoh color and take it back to their offices.  I also let them know they have to bring their Playdoh back with them if they need to speak or meet with me.  Yes, I’ve mandated Playdoh play dates at work! 😊

    Again, I have been surprised with the productivity we have been able to get since Playdoh was introduced into the work environment.  I started as something we did in my office, but I started traveling to other meetings with a bag full of Playdoh.  I place the cans on the table and let my colleagues select a color and we form shapes while solving the world’s problems.  The shapes I created were not very artistic, but I quickly discovered I needed to step up my game because my colleagues have Playdoh skills.  I’ve watched folks make some outstanding shapes and characters during our sessions.  The productivity of our meetings remains high, and we are having fun with the process. 

    Here are a few of the shapes created in our sessions:

    So, why do YOU think Playdoh has been such a success in my work environment?

    My take is most of us were introduced to Playdoh at a young age and these happy memories translate directly to how we remember the smell, feel and form of Playdoh as adults.  Simple concept—Playdoh reminds us of a simpler time in our lives and we didn’t have a worry in the world.  These memories all come back to us as soon as we open a can of Playdoh in the work environment.  Happy people = productive people!

    I’m looking to purchase a larger selection of Playdoh colors to bring into the work environment.  It may seem like a small gesture, but our productivity has gone up and we are having fun with the Playdoh!  Not sure how long this phenomenon will last but I’m enjoying it daily! 😊

    What are your memories of Playdoh?

    Irie!

    “Work hard, have fun, and make history”.

    (Jeff Bezos)

  • First Day of School Vibes!

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    “The first day of school is the beginning of a new chapter in life”.

    (Unknown)

    What’s the best that can happen?  This is one of my new mantras for 2024.  I started leveraging this within the work environment and decided to expand to the Walk into the Future blog.

    This is a simple question with the potential for huge returns in daily life and activities.

    I decided to bring this concept to life for the first day of the 2024 – 2025 academic year.  The first day is always filled with excitement and the promise of big things happening with campus partners, students and employers looking to hire talent.

    I made a promise to one of my friends to wear a tuxedo on the first day of classes last year.  We laughed at the concept at the time but agreed we would rock tuxedos and walk around so students could see how great we looked.  This would have been out of character for both of us, so we were sure to get some weird looks and questions from students, faculty and staff.  Why are you wearing tuxedos to work? Well, the first day of school came and went last year but I did not wear my tuxedo as planned.  My friend Frank passed away unexpectedly, and I didn’t feel right wearing my tuxedo.  I didn’t want to have to explain why I was wearing the tuxedo—thought it was too soon to complete the agreement and didn’t want others to feel bad.

    So, fast forward to this year and my mindset has changed.  What’s the best that can happen?  Wearing the tuxedo was a great way to honor the agreement I made with Frank and put a smile on the face of others.  Not many people knew about the agreement so my tuxedo entrance at work caught a few people off guard in a good way.

    The ironic aspect of my first day of school outfit was the impact it had on different generations. 

    People close to my age focused on the tuxedo, my shirt and tie.  They were extremely complimentary of my formal outfit and how it made me stand out. 

    What’s the best that can happen?  The students had a completely different view of my outfit.  I decided to add a little flair to my outfit by rocking blue and white Air Jordan 1’s instead of formal dress shoes.  Wanted to have fun with the outfit and the Air Jordan 1’s gave me a way to enhance my outfit and create conversations at the same time.

    Students that never would have approached me kept coming up to introduce themselves and ask me about my J’s (that’s what young people call Jordan Brand shoes).  Had no idea what they were talking about but played it off since they were interested in talking to me.  The students did not view me as an Associate Vice President but a fellow sneaker head who likes to wear formal clothing while rocking J’s. 😊  The day was filled with smiles, laughter and bonding over my decision to finally wear my tuxedo to work. 

    My colleagues were curious as to why I was wearing a tuxedo to work and were understanding when I told them the true reason why I wore the tuxedo.  I decided it was time to honor an agreement I made, and they fully supported it once I let them in on the secret.

    What’s the best that can happen on the first day of school?  Rocking a tuxedo with J’s is a great way to get multiple generations talking and sharing experiences.  I had the most fun just walking around and saying hello to people—the outfit seemed to disarm folks and made them want to chat.

    The experience was great for me and I’m happy I completed the pledge.  Will I rock a tuxedo again next year?  Yep, I will bring the outfit out again to connect with the next wave of students.  What’s the best that can happen?  You decide!

    Irie!

    “The first day of school is a blank page in the journey of education”.

    (Unknown)

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  • Five Minute Thursday: Favorite teacher

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    “My teacher gave me the best gift of all…believing in me”.

    (Unknown)

    The Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt has been a fun detour with my blog writing. Never thought I would enjoy a scripted prompt this much, but it has become a staple writing exercise for me.

    So, let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run.  Not sure if I shared this in an earlier post but I am a proficient typist.  I signed up for 10th grade Typing 1 class with designs to meet girls in high school.  Turns out the skills I learned in this class as a 15-year-old have propelled my professional life and opened numerous doors for me.  I would not be able to crank out weekly blog posts without the ability to type and put my thoughts down. I type as fast as I think so getting a lot of content completed is an easy task for me.  Never imagined my attempt to meet girls in high school would provide me with a skill that helped me separate from my peers.

    My fifth prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  My Favorite teacher—Mattie Fouraker.

    I officially met Mrs. Fouraker in the 10th grade, and she was my typing teacher.  She took a special interest in me and decided that I would learn how to type well in the year we had together.  She also decided that I was not in her class to meet young ladies and put me on the far end of her class so my interactions would be limited.  She made a point to get onto anyone who distracted me while I was in her class.  This set-up created a typing incubator that allowed me to thrive in her class and taught me a valuable skill that I leverage daily.  I was recognized as the best typist in class with a 65 words per minute with 99% accuracy rating—not bad for someone in class just to meet girls. 😊  Our football coach always made a point to identify I had the best hands on the football team—not bad for a wide receiver.

    Mrs. Fouraker made a point to keep taps on me throughout the rest of my time in high school.  She always made me feel special and provided life advice on the best way forward.  I never took another class with her, but she continued to mentor me daily.  I progressed to Typing 2 the following year but did not enjoy the class as much because I was just another student to the teacher in that class.  My typing skill level remained sharp based on the tools Mrs. Fouraker helped me develop in my time with her.

    Our relationship continued during my time in the Air Force.  We shared cards and letters over the years that helped us stay connected over the decades.  She remains one of my biggest advocates and follows the Walk into the Future blog weekly.  I will visit her when time permits when I return home to Jasper, Florida.  Mrs. Fouraker lives one town over in White Springs, Florida and it puts a smile on my face when I stop by.

    Amazing what a teacher that believes in you can do to propel your life forward!

    Thanks, Mrs. Fouraker for guiding me over the years! 😊

    Who is your favorite teacher?  Do they know that?

    Irie!

    “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery”.

    (Mark Van Doren)

  • IRSC River Talk

    River Talk

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

    My Walk into the Future continues to provide me with opportunities for growth. These growth opportunities are leveraged to create additional tree branches (mentees).

    My latest adventure was a partnership to return to the IRSC River Talk show to share information about my areas of responsibility and to answer questions posed by the host.  I did a spot on River Talk maybe a year and a half ago.  It was still a new show on the IRSC Radio Network, and we covered a lot of ground for that show.

    River Talk has a new host, and she reached out to ask if I wanted to come back on the show to provide an update on my departments for her listeners.  I rarely say no to an opportunity to share information, so I agreed to a return engagement.

    Met the host in the radio studio a few minutes before we started recording.  She identified she had done some extensive research on me (LinkedIn, Blog, Leadership training) and was excited to learn more about me during the interview.  I thought this was going to be a standard interview about my work at IRSC, but it turned out to be that and a lot more.

    The format provided a platform for me to share information about my current role, leadership pursuits, training program, what brought me to IRSC and why I got into higher education.  The interview allowed me to reflect on my WHY and share this information with listeners.

    Areas covered:

    • My current role as Associate Vice President, Advising and Career Services
    • What brought me to IRSC and the Treasure Coast
    • My Air Force background
    • Authentic Leadership
    • Why I joined the Air Force
      • What did I learn about leadership?

    I’m sure I missed a few other topics from the interview. 😊

    Give the full interview a run here:  https://www.wqcs.org/rivertalk-at-indian-river-state-college/2024-08-08/dr-calvin-williams-associate-vice-president-of-advising-career-services-and-chief-retention-officer-at-indian-river-state-college

    Let me know your thoughts!

    Irie!

    “If everyone is moving forward together, then success will take care of itself”.

    (Henry Ford)