(Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Cracking the Code with Greg Kozera)

Lynnda and I were at the reception prior to the Speaker Hall of Fame Banquet at this year’s Influence, the National Speakers Association’s annual conference in Phoenix. We met Neerja from India. She is a generational diversity speaker helping companies to better understand employees from different generations so they can have a more effective workforce.

Our conversation turned to marriage. Neerja had an arranged marriage. Since she was a child, both families agreed on the marriage. She accepted her role, eventually falling in love with her husband. He was a military pilot who sadly died recently.

Arranged marriage is common in India. It is based on logic, not emotion. Couples start with the blessing of both families.

Neerja’s daughter is in her mid-30s and is an attractive professional woman. Originally, she wanted to find her own mate and finally turned to her mother. Neerja said, “She wants me to find her a husband who will treat her as an equal.” I quickly responded, “That shouldn’t be a problem.” Neerja immediately broke into laughter. She laughed hard for probably two minutes and was in tears. “That’s a good joke.” Puzzled, I asked, “Is it really that hard?” Apparently, it is in India. The discussion moved on before I could ask about American men.

Women are treated harshly in some cultures. A friend from our church originally from the Middle East said she avoided an arranged marriage because her father died after he arranged her sister’s marriage. She said her sister had to sleep at the foot of her husband’s bed and rub his feet at night. I smiled at Lynnda. Her response was about kissing something other than her face.

Lynnda is my life partner and business partner. We work together as equals. When the kids were growing up, we both worked and shared household responsibilities. Her skills compliment mine and bring so much more to our business. She understands people and the need to first develop heart connections before developing head or fact connections. Her skills as a businesswoman continue to develop. I can’t imagine not treating her as an equal. It didn’t occur to me this may be unusual in some cultures.

In science and engineering there are fact-based answers. Not so with people. I ask questions because things aren’t always what I think they are.

Every day in Phoenix was over 100 degrees. It was 110 degrees the day we flew home. Even at 10% humidity, 110 degrees is hot, especially if you touch metal. If you don’t leave your sandals near the pool you can burn the bottoms of your feet on the concrete running from the pool to the grass.

The sun shines in Phoenix a lot. The sky was blue while we were there with very few clouds. Rain is rare. The locals we talked to couldn’t recall the last time it rained. We have been hearing about the benefits of solar power since the 1980s. Phoenix should be a perfect place to produce electricity close to demand. Arizona has more than 300 sunny days annually compared to an average of around 70 sunny days in our region. Pittsburgh, where I grew up, gets 59. We didn’t spot any solar farms from the air, although there probably are some outside of Phoenix

To my surprise, few buildings and homes had rooftop solar. I was perplexed and called my cousin’s husband, Ron. They have lived in the Phoenix area for over 20 years and love living there.

Ron explained his power bills are highest in the summer for cooling. Winters are mild with low heating demand. Our homes are similar in size. Ron’s electric bills could be as high as $400 in summer compared to my $200. In winter, his typical bill is $120 compared to my $1,000-plus in January and February.

He explained rooftop solar must be installed when the house is built or the roof is replaced. Most residential roofs are clay tile. They have been in their current home for less than four years. Ron considered rooftop solar at a cost of $20,000. He found it would never pay for itself. He said about one-third of the homes in their new subdivision did have solar power.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2024, 45% of Arizona’s electricity came from natural gas, 27% was produced by nuclear power and 13% by solar. People make decisions based on their own economics. Arizona is adding more solar power. Like other parts of the U.S., Arizona is seeing increased power demand. Ron loves winters in Phoenix. Summer is like our winters where people spend a lot of time inside. Low humidity makes their summer weather more tolerable than a place like Houston.

Rather than assume or listen to what we typically see online or in the media I asked a local expert a question and got an unexpected but factual answer. At the hotel, we watched two women put their own luggage in the back of a car and get in the backseat. I couldn’t see a driver. Lynnda asked the hotel valets if those were driverless cars. They told her Phoenix is one of several U.S. cites where they are being tested. While waiting for our Lyft we saw a couple other driverless cars pick up passengers who got in the back and left without anyone in the front seat. It is a 30-minute drive to the airport through busy city streets and freeways. Apparently, driverless vehicles are working well so far in Phoenix. Lynnda and I aren’t ready for that experience.

I assumed most data centers have a consistent but high power demand. At a conference this week, I learned data centers’ power demand can vary significantly. Electricity produced by natural gas in the Shale Crescent USA region is ideal for dealing with these variations.

Always seek truth. Don’t assume. Things aren’t always the way we think or have been told.

Ask questions.

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Greg Kozera, gkozera@shalecrescentusa.com, is the director of marketing for Shale Crescent USA. He is a professional engineer with a master’s in environmental engineering and more than 40 years of experience in the energy industry. Greg is a leadership expert, high school soccer coach, professional speaker and author of four books and many published articles.