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Mike Black | BIA Director
“I like to tell [students] you’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try.”
“The future is whatever they want it to be. And there is nothing that should stop them from getting there.”
--Mike Black
Mike Black, Oglala Sioux, is the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Mike’s story is a great example of what happens when you combine experience, skills, and mentorship. On their own, each is a valuable asset. But they may not be enough individually to propel your career to the highest level. Combined, they are powerful.
Mike Black was born in Flandreau, South Dakota and grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota. As a kid, Mike enjoyed school and sports. Math came easy to him, so it’s no surprise that he attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Several friends from Aberdeen also attended the school, providing a critical peer support group.
After college, Mike wanted to return to Aberdeen. The BIA was hiring a mechanical engineer so it worked out well for him to take this position. But Mike’s path wasn’t a straight line to the Director’s chair. He started as a “GS-5.” The “GS” scale is how the government determines pay for employees. To provide perspective, the GS schedule goes to 15. So Mike started in the bottom third of pay. Maybe, despite the pay, Mike had some amazing work, right? Wrong. Mike spent the first several months printing blueprints. Mike learned the lesson that even though he was full of energy and had a degree, he had to learn the ropes before getting to work.
But along the way, the same supervisor who put him on the printer also allowed Mike to ask questions. He was able to learn about the more substantive hands-on work. He learned not only the nuance of the trade but how to operate within BIA. He also learned humility. Mike embraced those lessons and kept them close as he rose through the BIA. To hear how he did it, listen to part 1 of Lakota Voices.
In this episode we discuss:
This is part 1 of a series called Lakota Voices.
For more episodes, subscribe to iTunes or Stitcher or visit NextGen Native to get all previous episodes.
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By Dennis Worden chats with young Native Americans making a difference for the
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“I like to tell [students] you’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try.”
“The future is whatever they want it to be. And there is nothing that should stop them from getting there.”
--Mike Black
Mike Black, Oglala Sioux, is the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Mike’s story is a great example of what happens when you combine experience, skills, and mentorship. On their own, each is a valuable asset. But they may not be enough individually to propel your career to the highest level. Combined, they are powerful.
Mike Black was born in Flandreau, South Dakota and grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota. As a kid, Mike enjoyed school and sports. Math came easy to him, so it’s no surprise that he attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Several friends from Aberdeen also attended the school, providing a critical peer support group.
After college, Mike wanted to return to Aberdeen. The BIA was hiring a mechanical engineer so it worked out well for him to take this position. But Mike’s path wasn’t a straight line to the Director’s chair. He started as a “GS-5.” The “GS” scale is how the government determines pay for employees. To provide perspective, the GS schedule goes to 15. So Mike started in the bottom third of pay. Maybe, despite the pay, Mike had some amazing work, right? Wrong. Mike spent the first several months printing blueprints. Mike learned the lesson that even though he was full of energy and had a degree, he had to learn the ropes before getting to work.
But along the way, the same supervisor who put him on the printer also allowed Mike to ask questions. He was able to learn about the more substantive hands-on work. He learned not only the nuance of the trade but how to operate within BIA. He also learned humility. Mike embraced those lessons and kept them close as he rose through the BIA. To hear how he did it, listen to part 1 of Lakota Voices.
In this episode we discuss:
This is part 1 of a series called Lakota Voices.
For more episodes, subscribe to iTunes or Stitcher or visit NextGen Native to get all previous episodes.