Kingsport Spirit

The use of technology and social media is a two-edged sword.

Sometimes we become disheartened by the seemingly perpetual barrage of negative comments on just about everything. On the bad days, it’s enough to make you want to stop trying.

Then out of the blue something happens that restores your faith.

Lately, I’ve been sharing some deep-dive nerdy stuff about population trends, local history, and the like. That’s not unusual and I’m accustomed to sharing the information with in-person audiences. If you happen to be in attendance that day (and paying attention), you might glean a few tidbits. Then we go our separate ways. That’s a lot of work for a 30-minute presentation with limited reach.

Only recently have I begun to share these presentations more broadly using technology and social media. The work lives on and people can view or read at their leisure. They can pause, fast forward, or do whatever it takes to manage their time. And they can do it all in their pajamas in the comfort of their home if they wish.

I woke up this morning to a comment on one of my posts. Not surprisingly, it came from an expatriate who has seen the broader world and gained an appreciation for his hometown. It’s a pattern. Those who moved away seem to appreciate Kingsport so much more than the ones who never left and have nothing to compare it to.

Two old adages come to mind, “familiarity breeds contempt” and “absence makes the heart grow fonder”.

His comment?

“Love the presentation & also love what the city is working so hard to do in the downtown area. I’d love to move back home and am hoping Kingsport is working hard to attract new industry expansion.”

Who is he?

His LinkedIn profile: I am responsible for ensuring the Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center functions as the primary national-level hub for domestic situational awareness, information fusion, and operations coordination pertaining to the prevention of terrorist attacks and domestic incident management. My mission is to ensure policymakers have the right situational knowledge at the right time to make informed, risk-mitigated decisions.

In one of his recent posts, he said, “I just declined an unsolicited job offer making 65k more than my current salary that also came with the latitude to hire my own team. The offer was to work an emerging issue that I am passionate about. Why did I turn it down? A year ago my current supervisor responded to a request I made with: “Take all the time you need” and he meant it. Culture and leadership matter.

His one “attaboy” made my day. It caused me to recognize that we’re still doing important work that is recognized by highly credentialed people who have seen the rest of the world and realize how special Kingsport is.

And he’s right. Culture and leadership do matter. They matter a lot.

Thanks to those who are still “in the arena”. I hope you know how far your ripples will spread.