Dedication to Work is Great, But...

I love to meet people, so interviewing the twenty-one support employees selected for our book was an absolute delight! The contributions of these custodians, secretaries, maintenance workers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, classroom assistants, and clinic staff are what make Building Better Schools by Engaging Support Staff so special! Each of these support employees is an Engaged Ambassador, a bridge of goodwill between the school and the community.

One of these ambassadors is Belva Sarten, the health aide for the Oroville School District in California. Check out this link to a newspaper article about her:

http://www.orovillemr.com/news/ci_8700136

In addition to the information you may read about Belva in the newspaper article and the book, she has some other passions in life! She is an absolute Elvis fan and she adores her little dachshund, Jodee Jean, which was a gift from her daughter.

It is great to be dedicated to your job, but remember that your family is the most precious “job” you will ever have. Spend time with your loved ones, and be sure to carve out time for those things that you enjoy the most.

Go to Graceland! Join a bowling league! Read a book for pleasure! Paint a picture! Join a band! Write a poem! Play golf! Ride a horse! (You can join Sam on the farm or me on the hobbyhorse at Wal-Mart.)

Vie

What if schools treated visitors like this?

Last week I attended a conference in South Carolina with eleven members from the church I attend. It was a one-day conference where we learned how this church successfully engaged their community.

Even more than the good content of the conference, I was blown away by how we were greeted and served by over 400 volunteers. Somehow, this church managed to motivate these volunteers to serve participants as if we were royalty. Several volunteers were in the parking lot and waived at us with a big smile while directing us to a parking place. After exiting our vehicles, we were greeted and asked, “Where are you from?”

The magic continued. When we entered the church and picked up our registration packets someone yelled out over a loud speaker “Galax, Virginia,” our hometown, and hundreds cheered. Unbeknownst to us the person who greeted us in the parking lot radioed the registration table, telling them where we were from. Inside we were escorted, not given verbal directions, to our breakout sessions and were pampered with enthusiastic attention.

Treat guests to your school with this kind of enthusiastic service and watch what happens. Why not stimulate some positive gossip in your community? Heck, some might even accuse you of truly believing that parents and community members are valuable partners and critical to school success.

Staying on Track with a Professional Compass

Several years ago, a friend mentioned applying his professional compass to everything that he did at work. When I asked him what he meant, he explained:

My compass has three points—competency, confidence, and character—and when I apply those to my actions at work, I know that I am doing my best for my boss, my co-workers, and our clients.

I also choose to use those compass points in my life and my work. No matter what goals I am aiming for, using the compass keeps me on track. Here is how I interpret the compass and try to apply it in my interactions with others:

• First, am I competent in my work? Do I have the skills and the knowledge to meet my responsibilities? If not, what can I do to gain those skills? Do I need to take a class? Is there a co-worker who can share their knowledge with me?

• Second, do I have self-confidence enough to share my skills and knowledge with co-workers? Am I secure enough to grasp someone else’s hand and pull them up the ladder of success? What can I do to help others be successful?
  

• Third, does my character reflect my desire to have a servant’s attitude? Do I graciously serve those around me? Do I see my bosses, co-workers, and clients as my customers? In a school setting, do I provide the staff, students, and parents with sizzling customer service?
  

No matter what your career goals, if you stay true to your compass, you will reach your destination and may blaze a trail for others along the way.