Jim’s philosophy regarding personal and work-life: In my experience, the idea that we have a work life that can be kept entirely separate from our personal life, is outdated and really never was valid. Having said this, I also believe that employer's and employee's must establish and maintain healthy boundary's between personal and work lives.
I have always applied the LEAN manufacturing theory of “continuous improvement” to myself and my employees. We should each be a “learning and implementation machine”, and therefore our personal activities can and should contribute to improving our “personal systems”, which we then bring into the workplace every morning to add value to the organization we work for.
In this light, here are some of the personal activities I have taken up over the years, which I believe have improved and increased the value of the “Jim Fowler learning machine”.
COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:
President and Treasurer of the Whidbey Island Waldorf School Board of Trustees - my 6 year tenure as a member of the Board of Trustees of this 501c3 corporation was fascinating, challenging and extremely educational. The school organization was totally flat, i.e. no one was in charge, decisions were made by consensus, and there was significant conflict between the faculty and the board. I spearheaded the recruitment of a Development Director, resulting in a 300% increase in charitable giving, restructured and reduced the number of volunteer committees by 40% while improving their efficiency and reducing the number of volunteer hours required. Also initiated a conscious effort to articulate and enforce the core values and practices of the organization, eliminating the paralyzing tension and acrimony between faculty and board. Result was significant increase in harmony and cooperation and reduction in student, faculty and board turnover.
Head Instructor, therapeutic wilderness survival program for youth at risk - for a year I worked with so called juvenile delinquents. We would spend 3 weeks in the desert of southern Idaho with a blanket, knife and enough food to last for 4 days at a time. I found the management of staff and employees to be fairly easy after managing 6 teenagers with no respect for authority and no ownership or responsibility for their own actions! “Walk my talk” and “respect is earned, not granted” were my operating principles. Consistent practice of these principles resulted in the kids following me of their own accord, opening themselves up, and created an atmosphere where they demonstrated a willingness to learn and grow.
These same principles continue to serve me today in my business and personal life.
Member, King County court juvenile diversion committee - as a 22 year old neophyte engineer, it was a broadening, disturbing and enlightening experience to see child after child come into the room, having been arrested for shoplifting, vandalism or some other misdemeanor. After hearing hundreds of their stories, and probing more deeply into their lives, it became clear that in many of their cases, they were manifesting dysfunction that existed in their families, in one of the few ways they could, by shouting for help – trying to get their parent's attention...if they had parents.
This experience showed me the interconnected-ness of people in all human systems - whether family, community or business. We fall into roles and patterns, and if a manager can’t see the whole pattern, the whole system – and look deeper than the behavior of the individual in question, they will be ineffective in solving the whole problem and creating a top caliber team.
Hobbies and recreational activities: Running, boating, camping, building and sitting around the firepit on a cool summer evening with good wine and a great friends.
Professional certifications: Professional Mechanical Engineering license number 22233 – Washington State Professional Mechanical Engineering license ME13863 - Alaska Certified Energy Auditor - Association of Energy Engineers Certified Building Commissioning Professional - Association of Energy Engineers
