THE Governor’s bi-weekly Cabinet meeting was missing a distinct voice this past Friday and the Governor began the meeting with a call “for a moment of silence for the late Ross Manglona” who passed away earlier in the week. I didn’t know him well, but he certainly had a captivating voice and a seemingly contagious sense of humor. Very apparent as well was his intellect, he was a smart guy to say the least. My deepest condolences to all who were close to him — I imagine the void he leaves among those closest to him to be vast.
He (like so many who passed on before him) stands as a stark reminder about the fragility (or rather fleeting nature) of life and how quickly the minutiae can fade into a different perspective. It depends on how you look at it. I’ve come to enjoy the view through a lens of mortal light-heartedness, a genuine sense of humility, and a burning desire to be a force for good. Lord knows I fall short more often than not.
The work of the Cabinet continues, of course, and as director of the Office of Indigenous Affairs our late colleague leaves behind a solid handprint on the issue of public benefit from public land leases which should translate to a positive impact in the collective lives of indigenous and other people in our community going forward. Somehow this reminds me of a quote I read recently saying, “The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life” (R. Tagore).
No doubt age has made me nauseatingly introspective and I can’t help but over think (even more than usual) on most issues especially on the meaning or purpose of life in the face of mortality. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I will anyway — the thought (or rather question) crossed my mind during last week’s meeting, as it often does. If I knew that today would be my last, would I want to be doing what it is that I’m doing now? The simple answer is always on the tip of my tongue: ‘I would rather be fishing.’ My more heartfelt response is that I know how privileged I am to get a regular seat with our heads of state and the opportunity to contribute directly to a better, stronger CNMI. And, “With great privilege, comes great responsibility.”
I have the luxury, and I hope all of the Cabinet members can say the same, of having some very conscientious co-workers, some with institutional knowledge that frankly we could not operate without. It would be easy for me to set operations on cruise control and do my time as director for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in status quo; in fact, there is legitimate reason for doing just that…change can be stressful and change simply for the sake of change is often counterproductive. Still, we have identified some clear needs that would improve our services and help us to sustain going forward. And yes, so much of what we need (not to be confused with what we want) requires money — the specifics will be communicated internally — but we know, too, that money is not everything.
Putting aside our monetary needs, so much of what our success as a team requires is an environment of trust, “a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength” of our intentions to do right by each other and by the programs we are entrusted to run. I talk sometimes about the different schools of thought in management. One being the traditional authoritarian with clear lines between the bosses and their subordinates and the other a more blurred-lines approach where mutual respect and friendly exchanges rise to the top. For the most part, it requires those of us in positions of authority to suspend our egos, listen, learn and act decisively when needed. Put another way, I believe the sweet spot is right down the middle — it is not such a fine line — between holding people accountable and being empathetic. For emphasis, the two ends of the spectrum are not mutually exclusive.
I can’t speak for the Governor, the Lt. Governor or anyone else for that matter, but I suspect and will say with some certainty that what they and the rest of us Cabinet members share in common is a burning desire to ensure that when our time comes, we can move on knowing (and have others know) that we left the people, places and things better than we found it. Trust me when I say, I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t believe it and I wouldn’t hesitate to call it out if I thought otherwise.
A final, personal note on things that probably should go unsaid (at least in any public forum): I’m having to rethink a recent decision to stop drinking alcohol for a little while — nearly a month now since my last beer. Perhaps I’m being a little too selfish. It turns out as reported in above referenced Cabinet meeting that there was a noticeable drop in revenue from excise taxes (more specifically due to a dip in alcohol imports). Let’s just say it’s likely no coincidence, but rather cause and effect…for every action, there is a reaction.
What if our markers of success were how easily we laughed?
For more on the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Office / Office of the Governor, please feel free to contact us at (670) 322-6537/8 or online via www.ovrgov.net/.
