June 24, 2026
On the flight from LA to San Francisco, I witnessed the Space X Falcon 9 Rocket Launch. At first glance, I did not know what it was, but I could see fire coming out the bottom of the rocket, and then it became obvious when it disappeared into outer space.
Big smiles and a beautiful office space welcomed me when I arrived at EKI Environment & Water to set up for the day long training, TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT OF THE SUBSURFACE.
The day was glorious. Engaging and super thoughtful discussions peppered the day. What I appreciated - may be the most - was how soils logging is managed from a Project Management perspective.
History has shown that project managers each have their own style and philosophy for leading people and managing projects. The keen insights at EKI Environment & Water see the relationship between the soils logging, field operations, and overall project execution (Awesome!!!!). They recognize the importance of HOW we do our work is just as important as WHAT we do. Motives are many: fulfilling the purpose of creating meaningful soil borings, being responsible stewards of this precious planet, creating efficiencies for business sake and getting it done right the first time.
I tip my hat to the participants in Irvine, well done.
The other aspect that struck me was gathering seasoned professionals whom had past training for logging soils, and discussing the procedures that they learned in those past trainings. It can be delicate moment when someone realizes that their past training didn't follow standard procedures. It's something that I can relate to because I've received lots of guidance over the years - and sometimes recognized experts - don't actually follow common methods or standard procedures.
In the end, we were all singing from the same songbook, and mastering it.
The positive outcome is when a group is aligned with the same mindset, procedures, and strategies, then two big challenges can be met: (1) consistency between people is possible and (2) personal and team efficiencies manifest automatically. The outcome is the true meaning of teamwork. Everyone has a stake in the operation (everyone has a dog in the fight so to speak) and the courage to raise their hand recommending adjustments for the group instead of just deviating on their own because they might personally not prefer a certain step or procedure.
You can find a talented and thoughtful group of professionals in Irvine. :-)
