About Me

Roxolana Buckle

I became an American citizen and enrolled in the journalism program at Colorado State University during the spring of 2021.

My goal is to combine principles of excellent journalism with technical ability and life experience to report stories that encourage civil and meaningful conversations.

Work Philosophy – Why I Lighten Up at Work

I first graduated from university 3 decades ago and have been employed for all but four years since. I marvel at that statement and struggle to convey how disorienting it is to consider that I am over half a century old.

I have worked primarily at large companies in technical roles but also was self-employed as a bookkeeper for a few years when my children were very young. The technical problems I have faced, and physical locations of my work changed through the years, but one factor has remained constant: I thrive when given the opportunity to learn something new. I have maintained an appetite for facing professional challenges and over the years have concluded that to be successful at work I must remain comfortable with feeling silly.

Rest assured that I have a high personal standard and take my work seriously. I am not silly at work. I am quick to crack a joke and use humor to engage my audience. Gina Barreca has written extensively about humor in the workplace and recommends cultivating a sense of humor intentionally. She writes, “A sense of humor is not hardwired into our systems once we get past the peekaboo stage; if you’ve ever commuted to work by bus you know this is for a fact” (Barreca, 2016.)

Feeling silly may sound like a strange component of a work philosophy, but I have found that the ability to laugh at myself is necessary to persevere through the twists, turns and stumbles of my journey along any steep learning curve.

An article published in the Harvard Business Review in December 2023 described a ‘limiting mindset’ as one of five primary barriers to identifying new opportunities when changing careers because it results in inaction and low self-confidence. The author said that being mentally prepared for change at work was essential and cited a McKinsey study that predicted that generative AI may cause 12 million workers to change jobs by 2030 (2023.)

I accept that missteps are often part of the process of acquiring a new skill and believe that the payoff is well-worth the potential embarrassment of getting something wrong in front of my colleagues. I have plenty of potential to realize, opportunities to embrace, and people to learn from.

Although many attempt to appear all-knowing at work, Harvard Business School Professor, Clayton Christensen found that humility is a sign of high self-esteem and regard for others. He believed that humble people feel confident in themselves and good about who they are. At the end of each term he delivered a lecture to high-achieving MBA students that included a warning, “If your attitude is that only smarter people have something to teach you, your learning opportunities will be very limited.”

I am embarking on a new chapter in my career by becoming a journalist to serve my community. I am confident in my ability to learn, listen, write, and create multi-media stories. I am certain that I will slip, trip, and feel silly along the way.

Let the adventure begin!

References

5 barriers to career change – and how to overcome them. Harvard Business Review. (2023, December 7). https://hbr.org/2023/12/5-barriers-to-career-change-and-how-to-overcome-them 

Barreca, G. (2016). “if you lean in, will men just look down your blouse?”: Questions and thoughts for loud, smart women in turbulent times. St. Martin’s Press.

Christensen, C. M. (2010). How Will You Measure Your Life? Harvard Business Review, 88 (7/8), 46–51.

Lip-Smacks and Vocal Fry

Learning about sounds my mouth should not make on the radio

In February 2024 I completed a month-long internship at WFAE 90.7 – Charlotte’s NPR affiliate. Play the clip below to hear me practicing my radio voice.