“The good Lord doesn’t even wake up that early"; Albuquerque to Flagstaff

In order to make it to a group breakfast at 6:00, alarm clocks starting ringing at 5:00 sharp. It’s our second to last day, and the schedule is starting to wear on us a little bit. No matter, the kindness and good humor of our Albuquerque hosts had us out of bed and at the breakfast table before we could grumble about it. We enjoyed some good food, good stories, and laughter before piling back in the van (we can get everything packed and loaded in under five minutes now) and headed to the Menaul School on the other side of town.

The school was built in the late 1800s and the architecture was beautiful. We certainly found a different crowd at this place than at the other schools we’ve seen. This is a private school with about two hundred students. Even though our audience was pretty different, we found that our message “Choose to Lead” was still relevant in this setting. We also had the chance to attend chapel where we learned about St. Patrick in anticipation of the 17th.

After our morning at the Menaul School, we headed down the street for a good New Mexican lunch. After learning all about the rivalry between green and red chili (it’s a big question around here), we enjoyed some quality food before jumping in the van to race to the Sandia National Laboratory.

This was a really neat stop. We were able to meet with a high-ranking member of the facility who generously and eloquently shared her vast knowledge with us. This interview was different from the others we have held on this trip. With the exception of the Scott Air Force Base interview, our other interviews have involved leaders with a somewhat “small” circle of influence that didn’t extend much further than their own town. This PhD at Sandia had worked very hard to climb to her current position, and she was well acquainted with the qualities necessary for strong leadership.

She told us about Sandia’s several national security missions. The lab currently works to ensure a safe nuclear weapons deterrent, reduce proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and threat of accidents, ensure clean and abundant energy and water, maintain U.S. military weapon-systems superiority, and develop technology to support all national security missions. They also help protect our nation against terrorism through advanced technology. She answered many of our questions about these issues, especially in the current political and economic climate. We were struck by her optimism as she spoke about our current state – she had no doubt that all would swing back in the other direction in a matter of time, and she expressed little or no concern for our current situation. Her confidence was very encouraging. She does not anticipate that her work will be significantly affected by the change of administration in the White House.

In addition to questions about her particular field, she also addressed many of our questions about leadership. She emphasized repeatedly the importance of working on a team; she believes good leaders don’t work to create their own legacy, but rather for the common good. The value of self-sacrifice was implicit in her comments.

This leader did not dive into our questions about morals, ethics, and character the way some of our other interviewees have done. I do not think this was due to lack of interest, however; I simply cannot imagine this woman would ever make a choice that was not honest, thoroughly considered, and careful, so it is not an area that seems to require much deliberation on her part. I had a great deal of admiration for her dedication, her efficiency, and her intelligence; it makes me feel good to know that people like her are leading this essential part of our nation’s department of defense.

After our time with her, we were taken on a tour of Sandia’s visitor center. Our guide fastidiously led us through models of secure facilities, showed us how volatile materials are packaged and “booby-trapped”, demonstrated how radioactive materials are contained and stored, and even let us wave hello to Russia on a webcam. It was fascinating.

We piled into the van in a state of exhaustion and headed toward Flagstaff. Thanks to some on-board Blackberries and quick telephone calls to 411, we found a place to stay for our final night. The drive through the desert was breathtaking. The rocks, the mountains, the lighting, the small towns – this is how we’d pictured Route 66. Another wonderful day. All of us sad to see it ending.