A Key Aspect of a Great Team

7/10/17 A Key Aspect of a Great Team

Among so many, I’d like to highlight one key aspect of this team that make this such a great place to work. I’ve observed that we are best when we start with the assumption that each of our actions and utterings come from a place of helping and student/customer focus… that is- positivity. 

We are an inherently positive group who seeks the best for our customers and colleagues. We seem to live the following quote and to reap the reward of which Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo writes. She says, “Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” Many have commented on how affirming, forward thinking, action oriented, and helpful this office is. 

I credit this natural ethos of assuming positive intent.

Putting on Our Best Selves

5/24/17 Putting on Our Best Selves

Every day, we don a set of clothes of our choosing. People close to us notice. Are our clothes nice? Are they well put together? Do they match the season, and are they appropriate for the social context?  Our outward appearance is a form of our non-verbal communication. What are we projecting- communicating- with our outfit? What do our clothes say about us? 

But... Is our attitude a part of that outfit? Do we “put-on” a certain emotional outlook in the same way we put on clothes? Are we that intentional about our attitude? Should we be more so?

Certainly, there are times when an uncontrolled reaction to a significant event are equally warranted and appropriate (fire, attack, injustice). Most times, though, the world turns more smoothly when we control our reactions and maintain a positive attitude. Because, who benefits when we have a dramatic or unprofessional reaction to an event- especially in the workplace? 

This has been one of my professional growth challenges- to remain professional even if a situation is bad- maybe especially when it is so. Sometimes our coworkers and students find themselves out of control emotionally. Our controlled and solution-oriented response that starts with listening to and assessing a situation may be the first step in reducing the impact of an exigent circumstance. Even if we are feeling out of control, practicing “fake it ‘til you make it” may be the most prudent response.

This is me putting the clothes, face and attitude of my best self. 

Control

5/15/17 Control

You’ll often hear me say, “…Because… there is no one else in the Universe we can control but ourselves.” The main reason I say this so often is because I regularly need to remind myself of this fact- that I must respond to difficult situations with emotions in check.  I need to tell myself to take a deep breath and say the right thing and be the right person. As a professional- colleague and customer service provider- my imperative is to avoid getting drawn in to someone else’s emotional drama. I must remember to “take the high road” when being attacked because the greater good, along with the institution’s and my own reputation are at stake. Having a person to occasionally share venting sessions with is a very helpful way to release some of the emotional pressure that can build up. 

But, ultimately, isn't it up to each of us in each situation to control the only person in the world we can? All the fingers point to… Me. 

We’ve got a Mission and Value for That

5/20/13 We’ve got a Mission and Value for That

Like every other company, we have an app for our organization. Our customers can log-in quickly from a smart phone or tablet to access our app. Got a problem? Yeah, we’ve got an app for that. But what about when the problem is ethical or outside the normal scope of our everyday considerations? We may not have an app for that, but we do have an institutional mission, values, guiding principles, code of professional ethics, laws and regulations, etc. Our organization has decided corporately to adopt a core focus and the philosophy under which literally all of our activities should fall. When any one member of the community strays from the company mission or values, the whole organization could suffer greatly. Jim Collins in Good to Great talked about having the “right people on the bus.” 

To extend the analogy further, I would also make the case that everyone in the organization should know where the bus is going, their role on the bus and what the edges of the road look like that it is supposed to be driving on. So, if the bus begins to veer off the road or turn off on the wrong road, any number of people in the organization can raise an alarm and hold others accountable before the bus goes careening over a cliff. 

Our mission, values and guiding principles delineate the parameters for solving problems, innovating and planning for the future. Got a problem? Yeah, we’ve got a mission and value for that.

Here is the page for the Delta College Mission, Values, Guiding Principles and Vision. http://www.delta.edu/aboutdelta/missionvalues.aspx

Do you know what your company's mission, vision and values are? If you are applying for a job, do you know what that company cares about? If not, make sure you do.