 Hello, I'm Michael North, and this is The Art of Thinking Smart, where we consider the experience of some of Hawaii's best leaders of what it takes to be successful. From the beginning, middle, and end, how you carry through with your career and your personal life, your social, your family life, and how you mold all that into a formula that makes for success and productivity, and something that is sustainable, and we have a gentleman with us here today who is a very good model of what I just said. For 40 years, how many people do you know who do something consistently for 40 years? Well, for 40 years he's been a member of the Hawaii State Legislature, and for 13 of those years he was at the very top of that institution as the Speaker of the House. And he's been called the Speaker Emeritus, so that means he's always the Speaker. One way or another, Calvin is always talking. Thank you very much, Mike, and I've really enjoyed the privilege of being a member of the State House and a Speaker of the House, which I've, how would you say, enjoyed throughout my career. And even today being the Speaker Emeritus, I'm enjoying it so much as the public service that we do. Yeah, I wanted to ask you a question about current events of the day. Yes. Now, in Washington, D.C. today, on this day, we saw the Health Care Act be either canceled or postponed. We don't know quite what yet, but we know that the Speaker of the House there, who holds your job in the federal area, was unable to bring a bill that could pass. Did you ever do anything like that in your many experience, and probably the scores or even hundreds of bills that you've been associated with, can you appreciate the situation that Speaker Ryan is in today, and did you ever do anything similar? Let me start off by saying this. I think Speaker Ryan is trying his best in hurting what we call our cats. Cats meaning the members of the House. And they, as far as members of the House, come from all different parts of the United States, like Hawaii. We have 51 House districts. He has that 400 something House members that he has to deal with. So he has to maneuver himself or guide himself to be really grounded of what he would like to achieve with the replacement of the Obamacare. And that's where he's getting the big pushback. Hey, I've got it now. Why are you taking it away from the residents or people from the rural areas? And these are going to be impacting his supporters. Yeah. He's got cats and dogs and all kinds of barnyard animals. That's true, Michael. And I think he's trying his best on behalf of the president that wants to do the change in Obamacare. Have you ever brought a bill to the legislature that you knew wasn't going to pass, but you brought it anyways? There's a lot that I've done in the past. And one of the most controversial ones was the civil unions. Members of the House, you know, who were very lukewarm at the beginning. At the end of the session, we were able to garner the 31 votes that was needed to pass it in the House, where the Senate had already passed it. So that was very controversial because it was so emotional, so socially involved with the emotions of our populace. And it was dividing the community, too. So that was one. The other one that really took me by surprise that, yes, it was a difficult vote, but we did get it passed, was a super ferry, mind you, of all things. I looked at the super ferry very simplistically. It was another ocean transportation alternative for the general public at large because we were not contiguous as four counties. Yes, today we do have young brothers and yes, today we do have Madsen and Pacha providing the service, but this inter-ion super ferry would have been a tremendous boost for the overall economy from the farmers to the general contractors who are shipping their construction equipment and supplies to all other businesses that we have here in the state of Hawaii. Right. Maybe it'll be reincarnated again one day. We never know. Well, I hope it does. Life is long. You know the best. In 40 years you've seen a lot of tides come in and ebb, right? A lot of times, yes. The 40 years has really given me the better appreciation of the Allah Spirit. And that's where sometimes we're losing it. A good case of example now is for the past two, three years we've been trying to address the vacation rentals, the hope, you know, B&Bs, bread and breakfast, etc. whereby I do support the concept, but it puts a lot of stress in our communities because of the flow of traffic that occurs, this one. And secondly, family's not knowing if your neighbors are family. Growing up in Palo Alto it was all the Takashima family, the Takahashi family, the Sato family, da da da da. Today we're seeing more and more renters which I can respect because of the high cost of housing in the state of Hawaii and the very difficult time that some of these young millionaires will have as far as coming up with a down payment for a home or a condominium. So what would you say is one single key that comes to mind to your success? I'm not flattering you. You have been extremely successful. What has made you able to endure and be effective and be regarded with respect and an affection by a great many of the people that you represent and even people who oppose you? What is the key, Mr. Speaker? Well, growing up in an agrarian society, poor farmers, people don't realize, Calvin C, worked in the taro patch, the lohe. People don't realize that it took four buckets of paint buckets equated to one burlap bag and the quota was for us for my grandfather, my uncle and I, 25 bags a day, 125 bags a week that a trucker from Lihui would pick it up. The grounding of being able to appreciate mother nature, whatever you put in is what you get out. You know, people don't realize that in the lohe, in the taro fields, you have a mama taro and the baby taro. I always look forward when I do the hui for the mother taro because it takes a lot of space in the paint bucket. But more importantly, the thought of my grandparents fostering me in the values, sustainability, resilience, every morning before going to the taro patch, Popo used to tell me, Calvin, can you go to the Nilemoto house? Can you go to the Takka family house? And so forth. Guess what? To pick up slump because we had a pink pen and Popo used to feed the ducks and the chickens and we used to have our own watercress field. We used to have our own own choi field. All of this is what brought the family together about the value of life. So it's the great circle. It's the Aho Poha. Yes. And it's putting in actually more than you take back. Correct, Michael. And another example would be twice in a year. We had to go to the intake. What is the intake? Is that ditch way up in the mountain where the water would flow down into the Hanalei Valley? Right? Where does the water come from? It has to come from a ditch with the intake to the source of where the water came from. And we used to go and clean both sides so that the flow of the water would flow faster rather than having, you know, all kinds of plants on both sides dragging the flow of the water down. So now the lo'i and the water and the mountains that you work with are the people of Hawaii. Yes. The legislature, I think Zuri can show us a picture of the Hawaii State Legislature while we're talking. One of the most beautiful state capitals of all the 50 states. But this is the tarot patch that you're cultivating now. And I sense that you're bringing what you learned as a young boy that sensitivity to your work as a politician as well. That's absolutely correct. The humility, the sharing, like how we shared in old days. There he is. Is that me? Boy, that's my high school graduation picture. I used to have a lot of hair, but in today's world, after 40 years being in the legislature, I've lost a lot. But hey, I can say this very honestly. Both Governor Kayetal and I were called Prince Valiants because we had those hair, those type of hairs in the past. Do you still have the same sense of idealism and energy that that young boy had that we looked in that photo? I'm very excited. And that's where I've always challenged the millennials to be a part of the, you know, baby boomers. Maybe my role here today was to say this, Mike, can I be the bridge between the full 42nd hundred to the millennia, the X and Y generation? Just getting them to understand what it was in the 70s when I first got elected to what it is today. It has changed tremendously where I am a little worried and concerned about the Aloha spirit. When I first got elected, did you hear the stories that they would bus in tourists to the opening day sessions? And it was so much of warmth and Aloha in those days. The food that was prepared for every elected official's office, the Hawaiian music and so on. But in today's world today, we've really formalized our opening day. Very, very close, very small, very quiet. And that's some of the concerns I have as far as where we're heading. Well, I think our youth are coming back to some of those old ways, too. But in a new sense with new tools. And it can happen on the screen of an iPhone. There are connections, there are rich interconnections that we have now that we didn't have then. Correct. But that has hit us globally, right? Information today is just instantaneous, which is just fascinating. But I also worry about our millennia generation and the next generations after. That are we going to just depend on the smartphone or the tablet as a mode of communication? Or is it the personal touch that I can shake Michael's hand? I hope I can give Sheifan a hug because today all of these kind of lawsuits that we have also is tough. Go ahead, you can hug her anytime she will welcome. Xiaofang is my wife. Right. We have met speakers say on a number of occasions. But we have to be very careful because of the opposite sex. They think it differently. Let's talk about leadership for just a moment. Because it's one thing to be a servant. One thing to express ideas well, which you clearly do. But then the next level up is to be able to lead and persuade and cause people to want to come with you on a journey. What is the key to being an effective leader? I would say there are so many different intangible values that we have. But the most important value I see as what a leader is is the person that would be able to back up his or her supporters. That's one. Secondly, Michael. Say that again. A leader. To back up his supporters. Yes. What do you mean? Sometimes chairs are afraid of making some tough decisions. And I have to make the tough decisions for them. And I'm the one that's going to get the brunt of the criticism. But that's part of the role of being a leader. Not being afraid of taking the hits for your soldiers. So you have to be willing to be unpopular temporarily. Yes, and you'll always be. Because there's no right, there's no wrong. There is no, you know, how would you say the, as far as the other phrase I use? There's nothing that is different from what it is. Meaning, you know, whatever we do, it's all relative to this point in time. And it will evolve to that point. So when I share with the members of the House, one of the other values I really try to instill in them is this. Try to educate yourself on all the proposed legislation. Calvin say will not take you to the legislation, but you have to. And then look into the chapters, which is our laws. From there, you begin to have to cultivate their satisfaction that they are educated enough to make a decision. So you're treating them with respect? Respect, yes. Okay, we're going to take a break for just one moment. And we'll be right back with Speaker Calvin say Aloha. I'm Kawe Lucas, host of Hawaii is my mainland here on think tech Hawaii every Friday at 3pm. We address issues and importance for those of us who live here on the most isolated land mass on the planet. Please come join me Fridays at 3pm. Mahalo. Hey everybody, it's me and Davidson host of a new show here at think tech called on the go. What are you going to get during that show? I can't tell you I can only tell you that it's going to be fun. And it's going to be sometimes and I'm going to have a good time. And I hope that you do too. There's a bunch of stuff here think tech. This is just another one. Take a chance on it. See how you like it. Thanks for watching. Hi, I'm Cheryl Crozier Garcia, the host of working together on think tech Hawaii. Join us every other Tuesday from 4pm to 4.30 when we discuss the impact of change on employees, employers and the economy. We're back now. Thank you. Speaker emeritus Calvin say. We were just talking about leadership and how what you ask as a leader is not obedience, not loyalty, but what you ask is attention and mutual respect. That's absolutely correct. And that's where I've always tried to instill in the members, learn the budget as one factor, learn bills that you are interested in. And they would have to go back to their Hawaii revised statutes, which is our laws and make the comparison to the bill that is before us. Sometimes as an example, which I did as a former speaker, as part of the referral process, which is basically leadership, I had all freshmen as part of the referral committee. And the reason why might be very simple. I wanted them to read all the bills that were introduced. And when they read the bills that are introduced as part of the legislative process, they get a chance to make the referrals to what committees is going to be referred to. So you like the freshmen. Everybody that I could invite to be a part. And you're kind of a mentor, especially to the new people. Mentor, but more importantly today, a mentor that will just have to gradually learn the legislative process. The values today too are changing rapidly. There was a discussion in the past about Hawaiian values, ho'oponopono, tanamoshi, et cetera. I don't believe the millennials understand those two words of coming together as the Ohana in helping one another. And these are things that I try to share with the members. At another event or function that I was there, they asked what values Calvin, do you would like to see? Well, this is my response. I would like to take the best of all values from Confucius to Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Cho and Lai, Miyamoto Musashi, Queen Lilio Kulani, Pilahi Paaki with the Aloha, all of this. You take the best. Sometimes you function as an ambassador of Aloha when delegations come here from around the world. And I want to just show a little video of the Hawaii State Capitol, which is unique. Walk us through that as if you're our tour guide, Mr. Speaker. Well, let me start off, Mike. This is our state capital, which is very symbolic of the Aloha spirit, the openness. But it's also very symbolic of the islands, meaning that capital is a volcanic, okay, a volcano. And in the middle of the rotunda is the Aquarius, where we have all these different tiles, small tiles, that have all the different colors of blue, of the Aquarius. And that was representational of the sea. And there we see when the capital was being built. Right. I guess in the in the 70s, right? Yes. In the 60s, early 70s. 70s. And on both chambers, we were symbolic that the house represented the Aina. Yeah, right. And the Senate represented the ocean. It must have been exciting to see this rise up from the dust and become real. Oh, yeah. Because most of the territorial government was in the Aelani Palace basement until we, the forefathers. There's your chamber. This is the house of representatives. Yes. And this is the state Senate, where you see the Nautilus shells. Yes. That is symbolic of the moon. Yes. You can see the blue, which represents the ocean and the sky. Everything is deliberate. Nothing is by chance. There's the Aquarius. Yeah. There's those millions of little tiles. Tiles, right. In the center of the rotunda. Correct. Yeah. Symbolizes the ocean. So it's wonderful to have this as a symbol of, there's a story of aloha. You know, it's not just a reproduction of a dome of the capitol in Washington, D.C. It's something that's unique to Hawaii. Yes. It's very unique. Because we are the most accessible and open state government in the country. There is no metal detector machine. Not yet. There is security, but security is only on the fit floor for the governor and lieutenant governor. Calvin State and others in the legislative branch don't have any security, but we do have a sergeant at arms that maintains the facility for us at the state capitol. Now, you are originally, your family origin is originally from China. Yes. So I know you're very active in the Chinese community, the American Chinese community here as a leader. And I know you've been back and forth to China a number of times. There was recently an event at the state capitol where a number of high ranking delegates from different organizations in the Chinese government came. Talk to us a little bit about the importance of that relationship of peace with China. Throughout man's history, that's been the goal or the vision and the idea of peace. My participation, my involvement is to see that Hawaii is the Geneva of the Pacific, the area of peace where all countries can come together in deliberating international policy. But for me, as a Chinese American, I'm just so proud, proud that one, first and foremost, whoever thought a Chinese American would become a speaker of the House in the state legislature. And what makes it so beautiful is that this country that I love so dearly, the United States, have given me that opportunity of trying to bridge the gap between China where my great grandparents originally were from, with the American citizens that we have. And that's what I've really enjoyed getting involved in different cultural activities, performing arts, vocal linguistics, et cetera. Fantastic. Those are the things that tie people together beyond words. They don't require persuasion, they just require enjoyment. And bringing them all together, yeah, bridging that bridge. So that's part of leadership too. You're a host, you're an entertainer, you're someone who puts people at their ease. You know, what I'm reaching for here, Mr. Speaker, is lessons that anyone who is watching this program, whether they're in politics or business or nonprofit or their work in a university or in a hospital, everybody is confronted with these types of choices about how they conduct themselves. So, and everyone comes to a point of leadership ultimately. So we're extracting lessons from your experience that everyone can experience and benefit from. And I was very privileged also to have met a lot of the living treasures of Hawai'i Ana ancestry. I forget who told me the story that, you know, representatives say, don't look at Mike on his physical appearance. You look at him in his spiritual appearance. The story about this person that goes to a Hawaiian home, you know, not begging or anything, coming to say hi and et cetera, and the Hawaiian family would invite that person. And when the granddaughter told the grandma, we don't even know that person. So why did you invite that person in? Then the grandma told the granddaughter, honey, it was because of the spirit. It is the spirit that brings us all together. It is not your physical complexion. It is not that, but the spirit that we have in ourselves in respecting one another. You know, back to the Chinese connection, it was so interesting to see in the past couple of weeks when Hawai'i has been in the front page news nationally. And one of the people who put Hawai'i there was our attorney general, who also has a Chinese ancestry. And I got the sense that the action that he took in trying to open up the whole question of immigration and provide fairness for people was nurtured from beneath by this well of aloha. I mean, he never had to say it. He never would say it. And people outside of Hawai'i would have no idea what he was talking about if he did. But he expressed that spirit in a legal way and a very effective way in the emotions that he put before the court. Were you partied to that? Did you hear of that? Did you talk to attorney general Chin? No, I was just privileged to have read what he has stated. How the family has been invited to America to live. And the sacrifice that his parents went through. It's the same social mobility, the social goals of where we want to have our children become. But more importantly that what the message was was very simple. We are all human beings. We are always one. And not because of race or nationality, but what he said is true. Like we're talking about the spirit of the aloha. And that's where I think the general public may not get a feel of it if they have an experience growing up in that kind of an environment. And that's the kind of stuff I enjoy. Always tell yourself this, if you're upset about something, go back, take a deep breath and reflect. Or if you're angry, write it on a piece of paper and then throw it away. Or if you're so angry, could you find a plastic bat and hit something to get that frustrations out of you? Because in the end, if we can have that respect and humility with one another, filial piety of your respect for your grandparents, parents, that's the kind of values we have to in store in our future generations. So that's the essence of aloha. It's not grass skirts and ukulele. No, no, no, no. We love grass skirts and ukulele. That's not commercialized. It's an effective marketing branding tool sometimes. But when you talk to Calvin, say he's not talking about aloha in that sense. Because Michael, at the end of the day, if you can bridge two parties together, that's the best. And I don't want anything in return. Always tell yourself this as another philosophy for myself. Anytime you ask for something in return, and I cannot provide you that service, you get hurt. Right? Because I had promised you that I would do it in return for something. No, you do it because you want to do it. So these are traditional Hawaiian values that we have something very valuable to share with all of America. Yes. And with all of the world. Yes. And another player in that drama in the past couple of weeks was Judge Watson. Yes. Who also very fascinating. Most people will not know that he is of Hawaiian ancestry, direct Hawaiian ancestry, and a Kamehameha Schools graduate. He sat as a judge and applied the law in a very neutral and intelligent way. But also his sensitivity was nourished by the same wellsprings that you're talking about in the Tarot fields, right? Thank you. Yes. And that's now what we can share with all of the general public at large. That's the profession they chose. The legal profession, Doug and Judge Watson. Well, Calvin State took the other path or journey, which was the legislative process or the government process. And that's why it's so fascinating that we're so proud of all these individuals. They exemplify the Aloha spirit in a small way that being a big role as far as what Doug and Judge Watson has done. Well, we're sending out the Aloha spirit to everyone now through this video, through this think tech, whatever the time or space you could be watching live or you could be watching this two years from now. We've been so pleased and privileged to be with Speaker Emeritus Calvin Say of the Hawaii State Legislature. And we thank you so much for your time today. Thank you very much because I've been so blessed to know you, Judge Obama. All right. Aloha.