Day 44: Change Is Immediate. Results Take Time.
This morning started at 5:00 a.m.
First order of business? Checking my fraternity's Powerball pool tickets.
The result?
We won $8...
...on a $130 buy-in.
Let's say the return on investment wasn't exactly Wall Street material.
While I was scanning the tickets with the South Carolina Education Lottery app, I had to laugh. I remember the days when checking lottery tickets meant comparing every number by hand, trying to memorize the winning combinations. Technology really can be a wonderful thing.
I also had another thought.
Before I scanned the tickets, I checked my email.
Part of me hoped I'd wake up to a message from Jacob Chavis.
I didn't.
Today marks another day without receiving the study or even an acknowledgment.
As I thought about that, my mind wandered to a conversation that may have taken place somewhere within Nextdoor.
I don't know who was involved.
Maybe it was between Nirav Tolia and Jacob Chavis.
It may have involved someone else in the leadership chain.
Maybe no such conversation happened at all.
But I couldn't help wondering whether someone, somewhere, said:
"Don't engage."
Or...
"Don't respond."
Or...
"Let's wait."
I don't know.
What I do know is that, from the outside looking in, continued silence raises questions.
Am I the only person who thinks something feels off about that?
I don't believe I am.
One of the most encouraging parts of this journey has been the people who've taken the time to react to my posts, leave thoughtful comments, challenge my perspective, or click the thumbs-up or heart button.
Those interactions matter.
They remind me that people are reading.
People are thinking.
People care.
They remind me that this effort isn't for nothing.
Recently, I heard a short video that said:
"Change is immediate. Results take time."
That line stuck with me.
Real change often begins the moment someone decides to speak up.
The visible results usually come much later.
Whether it's improving communication, questioning corporate culture, or encouraging accountability, meaningful progress rarely happens overnight.
So I'll keep asking respectful questions.
I'll keep listening to different viewpoints.
And I'll keep running the race.
Because while results take time...
The decision to pursue change happens today.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I'd love to hear from you.
Whistleblowers Welcome: Help Shine a Light on Leadership and Workplace Culture
Every organization has room to improve. Some embrace feedback. Others silence it.
If you are a current or former employee who is concerned about workplace culture, leadership, management practices, accountability, or organizational performance, I’d like to hear your perspective.
If you choose to reach out, I will take reasonable steps to redact identifying information before discussing your experience publicly. Please do not send confidential, proprietary, or legally protected information. I’m interested in your experiences, observations, and opinions—not trade secrets.
Poor performance should not be rewarded.
Ineffective leadership should be examined, not ignored.
A toxic culture rarely appears overnight. It often starts at the top and spreads throughout an organization until someone has the courage to confront it.
One of my favorite leadership principles is simple:
You tolerate what you allow.
If leaders allow dysfunction, it becomes the culture.
If employees remain silent out of fear, meaningful change becomes even more difficult.
Constructive transparency and accountability make organizations stronger—not weaker.
If there are stories that deserve to be heard, let’s have that conversation.