Deep Bench Profile 4: David Wallace

Like many people in my social media circle I knew David from online connections long before I met him in person and I can't quite remember whether it was a Social Media Breakfast or Tweetup or Media Chowder event where I first met him. Regardless, he and I share a passion for communications, innovation, and collaboration particularly from the perspective of managing those things in complex organizations.  David has a rich background in journalism and teaches in his 'spare' time trying to bring some clarity to young minds around the issues of content creation and distribution. He is also actively involved in Boston's KMForum and if you want an engaging conversation, invite him out for a bowl of noodles in Chinatown!

Here are David's answers to my questions:

What are you passionate about and what motivates that passion?

Problem-solving and sharing multiple (sometimes competing) views of the same situation. Often people see issues through their own lens of finance, marketing, operations, but getting another view often leads to more creative options than anyone expected. The passion for this comes from the split personality that emerged from working in complex high-tech companies AND in nimble, creative small ones. 

If you could construct your own job who would you be working with? For whom? On what problems?

Perhaps a consulting group or think-tank is looking at new policy initiatives that deliver more than just tax payments for local government based on antiquated maps. More complex programs to fund government services have to come from economic activity and consumption – not just the zoning of a particular patch of ground. You can take the Urban Studies minor out of the city, but not vice versa.   

Since you can't always make up a job that will support you - what are you looking for next?

Another chance to work with smart people on a venture that values creative thinking, social collaboration across departments and a chance to offer a product or service to solve a longstanding need. Innovative, multi-disciplinary approaches such as Zipcar or Bright Horizons fit the bill. 

What project/activity from past jobs gave you the most joy?

Not sure I’ve experienced workplace joy since the tech crash bubble and explaining why Enron and some other companies couldn’t just go on forever. Every story has an ending – not all of them end well. 

What non-work related activities make you the happiest?

My family, a long bike ride, a relentless interest in travel and the never-ending quest for the perfect fried clam. 

What's your most amusing work-related story?

Shortly after “Caddyshack” gained huge popularity I met Robert Trent Jones, famous golf course designer. A pump station failed and dumped sewage all over a posh South Florida country club. “All just sounds like a lot of crap” he said to me, in what passed for a one-sentence interview. 

What are your thoughts about the US economy and what is going on?

Larger brains than mine are trying to comprehend billions and trillions of dollars. But perhaps this will finally dim the lights on the “Don’t Worry Be Happy” approach to blind consumerism and the hero worship of Ayn Rand as a model for runamuck commerce at all costs. 

Interested in following David? Visit his website or follow him on Twitter

Want to help? Repost this interview on your blog or RT.

Want to know more about the #deepbench series, see my original post on The Deep Bench of Social Organization Management

.