@kaidegner
SimplerLeadership.com Localsummits.org Leadership coach | Doctoral student, dissertation underway re: listening + leadership Former elected mayor & councilmember in Harrisonburg VA | 2016 Congressional Candidate VA6 Dad, husband, Ravens/Orioles fan
"If I want to help a man reduce his defensiveness and become more adaptive, I must try to remove the threat of myself as his potential changer."
Rogers, Carl, R.; Farson, Richard, Evans. Active Listening (p. 6). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Any Celsius-Fahrenheit split households?
I just created this to print and hang in the kitchen.
Thoughts on improvement? Utility?
During a press conference, Kristi Noem claimed that ICE has not detained or arrested any US citizens. This isn't true.
The reality is that at least 170 citizens have been held by immigration agents, including two kids with cancer.
After this, 150 people came together from 1-5:30 for a L.O.C.A.L. Summit on Strengthening Democracy and Supporting Vulnerable Neighbors.
We created the agenda together at the beginning, and had 18 sessions on a range of organizing topics.
Info about the model at www.localsummits.org
#openspace
NEW: A federal judge rules that the DOJ’s criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia may be a form of punishment against him for legally challenging his removal to El Salvador, and said he is entitled to discovery against the administration.
A young child playing with red solo cups, with a scooter in the foreground.
College prep for 5 yrs old.
You can never start too early.
Brutal way to mess up my bell curve.
Wordle 1,535 6/6
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Factor in the math on nukes and proximity to Russia…
I was just informed the person who played the president in the skit to blow up the moon was arrested for storming the Capitol (irl).
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Motherfucking wind farms…
His hypotheses were traffic and red lights.
We discussed possibility vs probability. It’s possible there could be escaped elephants from a zoo up ahead, but it’s not very probable.
So what’s the experiment to test our hypotheses? “Just drive and see.”
We hit traffic and lights. No elephants.
Then we discussed the mile markers and our speed. I said we are going about one mile per minute and we are 80 miles away. He understood it should take 80 minutes. But I said the map says it will take 100 minutes, so something up ahead must make us go slower. My hypothesis is elephants in road.
We then discussed how we can test ideas to solve problems. He imagined a scenario where a bow and arrow shot a grappling hook but it didn’t go far enough to reach a wall. The hypothesis for what went wrong is not pulling the string back far enough. The experiment is “Just pull it back further.”
Why fund #PBS #NPR #CPN:
5 yo on long car ride today:
“Daddy, can you tell me about the scientific med dod?”
“The scientific method?”
“Yes. The scientific method. Can you teach me it?”
“Umm, sure. What has you thinking about that?”
“The superhero show on PBS. They use it to solve problems.”
I credit Mehdi for doing this.
Agreed! (Healthcare, too!)
Definitely tempted to see what’s going on over on X tonight…
Video: Speaking to a Fired-Up Opening Night of the 2025 VA Women’s Summit, Sen. Kaine Rips Youngkin – “If you won’t stand up for [UVA], will you stand up for ANYTHING?!?”; "I sent [a text to Youngkin asking for him to help] at 6:58 am and I have not gotten a response" bluevirginia.us/2025/06/vide...
The circumstances driving the resignation of UVA President Jim Ryan are sad, infuriating, and dangerous.
He himself had no choice, given his integrity, as demonstrated in today’s email to the University community.
When the word “peace” is being coopted & used as a mechanism of coercion to justify violence & war, is when, those who can & have the privilege to, should pause, breathe, stay grounded, find our center, & continue creating spaces where true peace can be generated.
Pfff I’m trying to stand up a dissertation w a job and two kids <6. Deep work seems impossible!
Self-regulation supported by social science research as a predictor of leader effectiveness and emergence.
Interesting…
www.talktothe.city
About
An open-source AI tool …. Talk to the City bridges this gap with an open-source AI platform that turns large-scale conversations into actionable insights while preserving individual perspectives—from local town halls to national policy discussions.
Could this exercise be the secret to creating a listening culture?
More from Carl Rogers - getting back to the foundational texts of active listening is useful
From Carl Rogers' intro to Active Listening - rather on the nose about fighting authoritarianism tendencies: "People who have been listened to in this new and special way become more emotionally mature, more open to their experiences, less defensive, more democratic, and less authoritarian."
Who’s going to mess this up?
Me: “Mom can do the bath tomorrow. There’s always another day.”
5yo: “Not when the sun explodes.”
Reminder: the device you’re on right now probably has a feature called “Phone.”
It unlocks live, interactive discussions with human beings that have potential for efficient and effective communication.
My bell curve is strong
