QuarterNote Newsletter – First Edition

Hello “Denver IT Executives” Alumni, and welcome to the first edition of the QuarterNote Newsletter

In an effort to improve DITEX outreach to our Alumni, we are working on a few initiatives to provide additional communications on a regular basis.  To that end, we’d like to announce a new quarterly newsletter (or perhaps monthly, depending on feedback):  the first of these appearing below.  We’d ultimately like to include updates on alumni (job changes, achievements, awards, promotions – kindly provided by you to your appreciative editors), and potentially guest editorials or articles by Alums.  And at this point, since this is (in kindest terms) a “work of art in progress”, we want to hear from you—the constructive criticism, as well as the good points (though hopefully more on the positive side of the ledger—we have set up a separate repository for the negative comments—we call it the Circular File). 

The QuarterlyNote Stream of Consciousness—”You’re going to be tapped”

The editors of this Ditex newsletter will, from time to time, opine on various and sundry issues.  Given the current economic conditions and future market uncertainty, it seem timely today to discuss the Pay-It-Forward and Pay-It-Back philosophy which underpins the DITEX organization. 

I believe everyone receiving this letter has heard (on multiple occasions), one version or another of what I call the “Tap on the Shoulder” speech. 

“To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents…….Winston Churchill

There are many iterations of this, especially as it relates to the creepier Godfather quid-pro-quo variation (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTtpWgrhS78 ), but suffice it to say that there is a service element to the DITEX organization which runs deep, and which becomes particularly important during economic downturns.  Put another way, during tough times there are often more requests for help from those in job-seeking mode due to layoffs (some of you have already experienced this yourself in the past two years, if not before).

That is, of course, a fairly logical cause and effect proposition.  Unfortunately, I believe that scenario will accelerate again in 2023 (but would be happy to be proven wrong). 

That being the case, our ask today is simply that each Ditex alum be open to helping those who reach out and request it.  That help could take the form of a LinkedIn or live introduction, a reference, or a phone call to discuss and glean some insight into the culture and/or needs at a particular company….or something else entirely.  We don’t know exactly how it turns out–it’s a mystery.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTQurAEmt64

All of us have been in positions where we can, and have helped others:  we have also been in positions where others have helped us.  They are merely opposite sides to the long-term career fortunes of nearly everyone.   And while I don’t believe karma or the universe is necessarily consistent, or always fair, I do believe that helping others is often its own reward, much in the way of gift-giving to parents, children and significant others.  So on those long days when you’re trying to fend off the Gremlins, Gravelings and Dementors who are trying to suck the life from you…..

…..think of your helping another as the antidote (the sunlight, or the wand that conjures a Patronus spell, if you will) to the difficulty and frustration of fighting one of the uglies.

–Thus endeth today’s SOC compliance (Stream of Consciousness).