Dear Friends:

Welcome to the Max Fab newsletter where I discuss the less comfortable things we face in life and leadership. Here, I will touch on strategies to close the gaps in uncomfortable growth that will lead us to become who we want to be. I will also take you on a journey into Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and mental health—specifically conversations around suicide and substance abuse. Together we will explore the pain and fear that stunts our growth and how to overcome it in a healthy, growth-mindset way.

I have had some tremendous opportunities lately. I recently spoke to a communications class at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, on leadership and growth. I also shared my 39-year DEIB journey with over 200 of my brothers and sisters at the Detroit Arsenal Army Contracting Command, which was the highlight of the event. I received a lot of positive feedback from that presentation, which reaffirms that I am doing what I am meant to be doing.

Here is what one individual said about my keynote presentation: “I sincerely appreciate hearing from Chief Dave Nordel in today’s presentation on Closing the Gap. What a great wealth of knowledge. It was great to hear not just about gender, but about cultural and religious differences and experiences. What I walk away with today is far more than empathy for inclusion, but an awareness lesson for all and not just leadership. I truly enjoyed the presentation.”

I look forward to continuing my coaching and strategy development with three local businesses and will also be speaking to the veterans and employees at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, in a couple of weeks—we are spreading Max Fab in a way that makes a difference!

In addition to my upcoming presentation on military transition, suicide awareness, and substance abuse at Weber State University, I have teamed up with my peers to build better leaders through upcoming and recent podcasts. I also have the honor to share my perspective at the upcoming Montana Big Sky Substance Abuse and DUI Prevention Conference, May 4-5, as their keynote speaker to share ideas on improving our local communities to better address critical issues across the entire continuum of care. 

Time and again, as I work with individuals and groups, the power of just one individual and the significant impact each of us can make is incredible. Through my work, I am closing the gap one individual at a time. I also see many opportunities for leaders across our state, and nation to make significant strides toward addressing mental health and wellness in a way that gets us all involved.

Stay tuned for my next newsletter for ideas on how you can help and grow as a leader.