Getting to Go First

Many of us are driven to “be first” from the day we step onto a playground as children—who can swing the highest, run the fastest, or kick the ball the farthest. The drive continues into the classroom as well—who can do their math correctly, spell all the words, or even be at the front of the line, leading the way to lunch.

When we were young, it was all about being first. Being first meant something: you were the leader, others would follow you, and they would often learn from you. For adults, especially as water professionals, going first is a completely different concept from being first. It takes a little more thought. We have to assess whether we want to go first when there is uncertainty—after all, we aren’t on the playground anymore.

As a society, we count on leaders who are willing to go first, just like we did in school. We need someone to solve the problems and lead the way to the future so we can learn from them. In short, we need people who are willing to take the first step and, importantly, we need people who accept the idea that they are the ones who don’t just go first but instead get to go first.

Lillian is featured throughout AWWA's Water 2050 video titled Metro Vancouver: From Wastewater Treatment to Renewable Fuel Pioneer, which you can find at www.awwa.org. The video highlights how Metro Vancouver is converting its wastewater sludge into fuel through a process called hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL for short). This first-of-its-kind, innovative process provides a new way for wastewater utilities to transform their solids into a valuable fuel resource. It also supports a one-water philosophy and circular economy concept. As Metro Vancouver staff explored the risks of HTL, they got a confidence boost when they worked with The Water Research Foundation, which conducted a bench study to test the idea. The study results indicated that HTL would work.

In the Water 2050 video, Lillian acknowledges what all water professionals experience at some point: “With innovation, everyone is waiting for someone else to go first… .” She pauses for a moment, and then after a deep breath, a wide smile emerges as she proudly ends the sentence, “and in this case, we get to go first.”

It wasn’t just what Lillian said but how she said it that struck me. Her enthusiastic emphasis was on the word “get,” and that changed everything. Suddenly she wasn’t just going first, she was getting to go first. Lillian was fully aware of the privilege her utility had by having the opportunity of being the first to solve this challenge. By getting to go first, Metro Vancouver could create a path for the rest of us and influence the future.

Fortunately, in the history of water there are many Lillians. Take, for example, John Leal. He was an American physician who, in partnership with George Warren Fuller, was responsible in 1908 for the introduction of chlorine into the water of a municipal drinking water system in Jersey City, N.J. Leal's pioneering spirit changed water quality forever.

An important aspect of getting to go first is that it inspires others when they see what seems impossible becoming reality. Simply learning what is possible from those who get to go first allows the rest of us to benefit, engage, and “go first” next. Seeing success and sharing it (a hallmark of the water profession) is powerful, inspiring, and drives change. Being an innovator brings with it risks, but when done right, it also brings new approaches and ways of thinking. In some cases, like Lillian's, it contributes to saving the world.

Ultimately, if you want to be a leader and make a difference, you have to be willing to take risks. You have to embrace the privilege and responsibility that you get to go first.