Erskine Bowles

God.

But I used to work for Erskine Bowles, who was Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff.

Yes, I was gonna ask you about that.

Yeah.

And I, I'd asked an intern, "Let's do a little analysis about what percent is fan mail." And there was one letter she brought up to me 'cause she wasn't sure how to categorize it.

[laughs]

And it said something like, you know, "Dear Erskine Bowles and Al Simpson, I'm a 60-some-year-old on Social Security, and I have to say I hate," in all caps, "I hate the things you've recommended.

But I also understand," also in all caps, "that we need," also in all caps, "these things to happen to save my country for my kids and my grandkids."

Dude, I love that a bunch of genetics came together and go, "Let's go bald this way."

"I look like a bootleg Erskine Bowles, and you, you're there with that perfect hairline." Ugh.

Let's just go bald in the, the weirdest way possible.

So we're-

Uh, uh, the, the ability to, to take something that could be super serious or create, you know, a bunch of tension and, and to be able to, to calm that down with a little bit of humor and deflect, I think is a, is an important, you know, skill set and, and talent to have for, for sure.

As I understand it, DeVon, your, your first job out of college, you worked for Erskine Bowles, who, who I know and is a great, great person.

And he went...

You know, obviously, he became the, the President Clinton's White House Chief of Staff.

Some people don't respond well to feedback that's not positive anyway.

But I think, uh, anyone that I've mentored over the years, um, they've, they've grown to, to love that honesty because it, it comes, it, it's, um, it's, it's, it's with dignity, it's with respect, but it's, it's honesty with, with love.

You know, what advice, DeVon, do you give to aspiring leaders who are trying to earn opportunities? Um, you mentioned how you got to be, you know, work with Erskine Bowles.

You asked for it, but, you know, well, that seems pretty simple.