About Me

I have nearly 20 years experience in operational management and technology consulting. I have created several departments for educational institutions, oversaw the launching of multiple services brought to market, and shepherded a number of operational initiatives. I have worked with a number of clients from higher education, non-profit, A&E firms, contractors, preforming arts, and small business owners as a technology consultant.

While my educational background is in philosophy and history, I have used the assets of critical thinking and research skills in my career in technology and construction. I have broad interests and I use that to my advantage in helping my clients.

Nathan Castillo CV

My Style

I am fascinated by abstract ideas and turning them into elegantly simple and communicable concepts. I am energized by finding connections that others don’t see. I consume a lot of information in search of new ideas and I often process that information by “thinking out loud.”

I am hard-wired to be a strategist. I see the world as infinite possibilities and full of observable patterns. I am incapable of not seeing situations as opportunities to develop a plan, and subsequent contingency plans. I make decisions by articulating a path forward from those plans and am unafraid to pivot or change course. I ask a lot of “what ifs,” select a path, and move forward.

I believe people are capable of much more than they may be given credit for, by others’ and by themselves. That given the right context, direction, or assistance, they can and will rise to the occasion. I observe intently and actively seek for each person's set of skills and strengths. I then devise ways for them to practice those skills and strengths

What I Value

I value initiative and a willingness to think outside the box. I expect people I work with to be open to new ideas from others and to be unafraid to share their own. I also expect those new ideas to come with sound arguments.

I value people who can stake a claim and make their case, but know their propositions are not the only valid ones and are OK when theirs are not adopted.

I value patience and understanding. I am inclined to listen to proposals or suggestions from people who practice these two values. I do not respond favorably to forcefulness and impatience.

I value “Givers.” People who ask themselves “what can I do to help others, or how can I make this situation better for everyone.” I value people who look around, find the gaps, and attempt to address them.

How I Communicate

I prefer emails or messaging for most daily communications, but complex matters I prefer to discuss in person.

I respond well when someone comes to me with a new initiative or solution having done their research. Have a plan and as much information as you can collect and I am likely to digest your proposal more thoroughly. Better still, if you can present it in a .ppt or .doc file to me with estimated costs, timeline, and needed personnel I will definitely respond constructively.

Contextualize your statements. Making sweeping or overly simple decelerations in emails, text, or in person are confusing to me and only lead to more questions. I need to understand how you got to that conclusion in order to act on it appropriately. I am inclined to dismiss sweeping statements.

What I don't Have Tolerance For

We are faced with complex issues everyday that have complex solutions. Mistakes will be made, and I expect that. What frustrates me is indecision when it is a person's responsibility to make a choice. If you have difficulty making a decision, I will help, but tell me sooner rather than later. If you remain silent and indecisive, unable to act, I will make the decision for you. I am less likely to entrust you to make critical decisions in the future if this is the case.

I am turned off by someone taking credit for other peoples’ work. We work as a team, and though some stand out for certain achievements, those achievements are only possible through the support of the team they work with. Give credit where credit is due.

I can get irritable when I have to continually follow up assigned tasks that remain incomplete. When I ask for something to be done, I assume it will be taken care of without need for followup. I trust the people I work to perform their duties as assigned, but ignoring a task is the quickest way to lose my trust. We all get overwhelmed and need reminding from time to time, but too much reminding can exasperate me. By the way, that irritability extends not only to others, but myself.

What People Misunderstand About Me

I spend a lot of time processing things internally and my resulting silence can often be interpreted that I don’t care or that I have forgotten about your questions and concerns. I assure you that I have not forgotten. I must examine something from multiple angles until a path becomes clear. Sometimes a path cannot become clear until other conditions are met, and so I will divert energy to addressing those items first.

I am deliberate in my actions and in my words, even when they seem less formal and more casual. As a result, sometimes I can come across as dismissive or flippant. The reality is that I have probably worked through many drafts in my head or on paper to come to the end result, so I appreciate when people confront me when they feel I am being dismissive. It is an opportunity for me to explain my thinking.

I thrive in developing systems and processes to address large and small scale vexations. In turn, since I may have developed those mechanisms for addressing a particular situation, people assume that I must love performing that task or working within the system I devised. In reality, after I have developed a system I in turn want to hand it over to someone else to manage so that I can move on to the next vexation.