Very excited to share this one with you all!

It was both a shock & an honor to get an email from the editors at Current Directions asking for a paper on this topic, and I'm glad to see it out in print.

Feel free to share/RT widely (please!)

In the shadowy corners of the shortwave spectrum lurk the Numbers Stations: strange radio broadcasts of mysterious blocks of numbers in creepy monotone voices!

It's actually an old form of spycraft which is still in use today. And as it's #WorldRadioDay let's take a listen...

A Numbers Station is a type of one-way voice link for sending information to spies in foreign countries.

Operating on Short Wave radio bands they transmit a secret code of spoken numbers. Use of Numbers Stations peaked during the Cold War, but some are still operating today.

Numbers Stations are operated by various national intelligence agencies. At set times on a pre-arranged frequency a musical tone is played, followed by a speech synthesised voice reading out blocks of numbers. To most listeners it sounds both creepy and meaningless.

However to spies it can be vital. The numbers can be decoded to reveal a message, provided the spy has the right One Time Pad (OTP) - a random number key that is only used once before it is destroyed. OTP encryption is impossible to break if done correctly.

Why broadcast your secret message on Short Wave? Because it can be picked up across the globe. All a spy needs is a shop bought SW radio, a pencil, and the correct One Time Pad and they - and only they - can decipher the message. No complex kit is required.

The best way to honour Toni Morrison is to continue her legacy by celebrating and supporting Black female writers. So here’s a thread of fantastic women whose work you should read.

.@yomiadegoke is one of the most interesting and exciting writers I know. Her commentary is always spot on, and has a way of getting you to think deeply about things we’re encouraged to take for granted. She co-authored Slay in Your Lane with the phenomenal @lizuvie.

.@salenagodden’s poetry nourishes the soul. She’s brilliant at recognising inequalities without ever being defeatist. There is so much joy in her words. And Salena’s autobiography is luminous from start to finish.

.@LawrencePatrice has written some of the most gripping YA fiction going in modern day Britain. Her characters are compelling and full of complications - their stories remind readers of how important compassion is.

I always recommend @JackieKayPoet - not just because she gave a blueprint for life as a Black Scottish lesbian, but because there is so much delight and generosity of spirit in her work. Every word counts. She’s also really funny. Proud that Jackie is our Poet Makar.

At age 24 Amazon let me manage 2500 employees and a $50,000,000 business unit

I learned that leadership at scale is simply about following this one framework

This is going to make you and I hundreds of millions of dollars

Culture is what your people say and do when you are not around

Becoming a master of influencing the behavior of others = becoming a master of culture

There are 3 pillars every leader should use in their language to crush influence

Values
MVP
Heuristics

values are the 5-10 things your company prioritizes as ‘must haves’

They are non negotiables

Individually, they aren’t unique

Together, they create a unique DNA called ‘your

Heuristics are a simple set of rules that drive complex behaviors

In nature, heuristics are what enable ants to build massive ant farms or bees to build huge bee hives

We want to create these in our agency to build something well beyond ourselves

MVP= mission, vision, purpose

The why behind the organization

Everyone, especially now, wants to strive for something more than a paycheck

Not having this in your business will make you obsolete real quick

I'm feeling very thankful and slightly sentimental today.

While I take a small break from editing I want to make a thread thanking all the content creators that have inspired me and how they have inspired me.


One of my biggest inspirations in the content creation game.

Lessons Learned:
The sky is the limit, if you set your expectations low then you'll get low results. If you set your expectations at infinite and work towards that you'll reach heights.


The creator I probably resonate the most with emotionally.

Lesson Learned:
There's no stop. If you mess up or something doesn't work out, just take a break then come back stronger.
Content creation is a big thing and lessons learned is better than perfection.


The creator that just feels like he's having the most fun with his content.

Lesson Learned:
Have fun, make your content "you". You might have quirks and things that you might find weird about yourself but it's all good!
Allow yourself to be you! Even a potato!


The creator I feel like is always happy and it makes me also feel happy!

Lesson Learned:
Help me Help you. Content creation isn't a competition and it's actually if anything more a group effort!
If you improve the person next to you also improves. Be inspiring!