Staying Focused

Leadership, Faith and Service

Leadership, Faith & Service in Public Power | Scott Owens (Benton County Electric System) | Fishing for AnswersIn this episode of Fishing for Answers, hosts Jaerica and Marlin interview Scott Owens, General Manager of Benton County Electric System, about his journey from IT and next steps into utility leadership and what he believes defines great service in public power. Scott explains how faith shapes his servant-leadership approach, emphasizing empathy, stewardship, customer-focused reliability, and going “the second mile” through strong standards and follow-through. He shares practical ways he develops employees by providing tools, training, and clear expectations, while encouraging better communication beyond email and text. Scott also discusses the importance of community engagement, including school programs, career awareness, and budgeting activities, and offers advice to job seekers: show initiative, drive, troubleshooting ability, and communicate well. #FishingForAnswers #PublicPower #UtilityLeadership #Leadership #ServantLeadership #FaithAndWork #CustomerService #F4A #WorkforceDevelopment00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro00:43 Scott’s Role at Benton County01:36 From IT to Utility Leadership03:12 Career Turns and Family Story05:01 Faith Driven Leadership06:33 Hiring and Developing People08:08 Gratitude and Utility Calling09:25 Community Impact and Schools11:31 Why Public Power Matters13:44 Connection Over Technology14:33 Faith and Disconnection14:47 Customer Service Standards15:33 Going the Second Mile16:13 Tech Distractions and Next Steps17:07 Communication and Meeting Culture18:35 Hiring Advice for Candidates19:07 Initiative Drive Troubleshooting20:59 Talk It Out Not Text22:38 Trying Careers and Music Outlet24:30 Gratitude Leadership and Wrap Up

Setting Your Emotional Thermostat

Set Your Emotional Thermostat: Morning Mindset, Agency, Presence & Self-Compassion Jaerica and Marlin discuss mindful motivation—how to “set your emotional thermostat” before the day begins through grounding and intentionality rather than toxic positivity. They highlight choosing agency by controlling responses to stress , giving yourself permission to be human by valuing progress over perfection, and anchoring in presence with a focus on “right here, right now.” They challenge each other to pick one thing that would make the day a success, emphasize gratitude and speaking affirmations out loud, and explore self-compassion as fuel that reduces fear of failure. The conversation also touches on faith, grace, and compassion, plus practical habits like writing reminders (even “smile”) and encouraging others with kind words, before closing with updates on Marlin’s MLT Communication training travel. #FishingForAnswers #Mindset #Motivation #IntentionalLiving #Gratitude #SelfCompassion #PositiveAffirmations #Presence #Agency #Faith #Compassion 00:00 "Setting Your Emotional Thermostat 01:07 How Do You Set Yourself Up for the Day? 01:36 The Power of Agency: Controlling How You Respond 04:14 Giving Yourself Permission to Be Human 06:41 The Anchor of Presence: Being Right Here, Right Now 08:53 Intentional Focus: What Will Make Today a Success? 11:55 Self-Compassion as Fuel1 9:06 Speaking It Into Reality: Say It Out Loud

Time with a leader

Fishing for Answers: GDE CEO Mark Kimbell on Leadership, Relationships & Succession Planning Marlin and Jaerica welcome special guest Mark Kimbell, CEO of Gallatin Department of Electricity, who shares his background as an electrical engineer and GDE’s growth since 2012. He emphasizes leadership principles of honesty, openness, integrity, and strong relationships, including empowering employees through training and educational opportunities. Mark discusses balancing career and family, his children’s engineering paths, and the influence of faith and values. Looking ahead to his planned retirement in August of 27, he outlines structured succession planning with the board and department-level backups, and personal plans including a long Pacific cruise and more time with grandchildren. He reflects on receiving the TVPPA Distinguished Service Award and APPA’s Mark Crisson Leadership Award, and explains founding the Valley Public Power Leadership Academy to strengthen TVA–local power company relationships. He closes with advice to treat people well and help everyone succeed. #leadership #retirement #fishingforanswers #f4a 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:23 Mark’s GDE Journey 02:33 Growth Awards and Industry Impact 03:46 Leadership Through Relationships 04:23 Core Leadership Principles 06:00 Empowering Teams and Training 07:11 Leadership at Home and Family 08:49 Communication Style and Curiosity 10:38 Retirement Plans and Succession 13:10 Preparing Personally for Transition 13:24 Pacific Cruise Plans 14:06 Family Time and Grandkids 14:32 Faith and Values 15:32 Awards and Recognition 17:00 VPPLA Origin Story 19:59 Relationships Built Through VPPLA 21:21 Community Legacy at GDE 23:10 Leadership Wisdom to Close 24:35 Final Thanks and Sign Off

Friction in the Workplace

Handling Workplace Friction | Fishing for Answers Marlin and Jaerica reunite in Gallatin for an episode of Fishing for Answers focused on navigating friction and difficult people in the workplace, including recognizing when you may be the one causing tension. They share practical strategies such as using a 24-hour cooling-off rule, assuming positive intent (low competence vs. high malice), building a personal “firewall” to prevent negativity from spilling into home life, and using physical transitions after work to shed stress. They discuss reclaiming control by changing the power dynamic through “gray rocking,” documenting patterns when bullying or unfairness is involved, and refocusing on “the third space” (you, them, and the work) by redirecting energy into excellence. They also cover BIFF communication (brief, informative, friendly, firm), avoiding dependency on apologies or validation, and maintaining kindness and professionalism even without reciprocation. 00:00 Welcome Back and Pizza 00:53 Workplace Friction Topic 01:11 Owning Your Part 02:09 24 Hour Cooling Rule 04:31 Assume Positive Intent 06:28 Build a Personal Firewall 07:42 Work Persona Boundaries 09:52 Shed Work Stress 11:26 When Grudges Linger 12:45 Change the Power Dynamic 13:10 Gray Rocking Tactics 14:15 Document the Pattern 14:36 Vent Without Ratting 15:14 Journaling for Clarity 16:02 Focus on the Work 17:40 Sticky Notes for War 18:55 Mental Stretch Routine 20:44 Strategic vs Emotional 22:37 Passive Aggressive Traps 24:47 BIFF Communication Method 25:25 Stop Chasing Apologies 25:56 Kindness and Boundaries 27:44 Closing Thoughts

Redefining Hope

Redefining Hope (Mental Health Month): Micro-Wins, Borrowed Hope & Finding Glimmers | Fishing for Answers Marlin and Jaerica reunite on Fishing for Answers to discuss redefining hope when life feels dim, exhausting, and hopeless for mental health month.They distinguish optimism (believing things will turn out well) from hope (believing life can still be meaningful regardless of outcomes), and encourage “shrinking the horizon” to the next minutes or hour through micro-wins that restore a sense of agency. They emphasize borrowed hope through community, choosing supportive people, and the power of presence—like Job’s friends sitting in silence—rather than forced advice. They discuss narrative hope, radical acceptance of hard realities, and spotting “glimmers” or “God nudges” in small cues of beauty and safety (sunrises, sunsets, songs, fresh air). They close by urging listeners to like, comment, share, and keep doing small things. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #F4A #fishingforanswers #hope #motivation 00:00 Welcome to the Show 01:03 Why Hope Matters 03:16 Hope vs Optimism 05:11 Presence Creates Hope 06:12 Shrink the Horizon 08:27 Micro Wins and Agency 09:09 Borrowed Hope Community 10:49 Narrative Hope and Forgiveness 12:20 Radical Acceptance 13:23 Towel Mirror Trick 13:45 Finding Glimmers 14:28 God Nudges in Nature 16:11 Steal Five Minutes 16:48 Songs and Safe Cues 17:30 Triathlon Dad Story 18:55 Tune Out Negativity 20:00 Crack in the Door 20:44 Tiny Wins Reset 22:01 Helping With Intent 23:38 Hold On to Hope