Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

10.11.10



We recently conducted an internal survey – trying to rank our own performance during the past summer season. One of the items on the survey was "Name one person in the company you admire and would most like to emulate, and explain why." Here are the responses:

"Schoan is fair with her dealings with people and with customers. She is a great instructor. She is an awesome manager of people. She knows how to motivate. She is respectful. She never expects anyone to do what she herself is unwilling to do."

"Not because he’s my manager, but Mike is great at what he does and really knows how to do things correctly and speak to someone correctly. He is a great person that you can openly talk to about anything without having to worry about consequences of your opinion or input on something. That’s something I think everyone should be like."

"Julie has a way when on the phone to be stern and professional at the same time."

"Alan has matured, grown into his department, taken his new position seriously, and changed to fit his new position."

"Kayla’s efficiency is amazing, and she does it without sacrificing the quality of work. She also exemplifies a very practical and pleasant daily attitude."

"Pure charm and a maturity that exceeds her age: Gauravi. Also possesses a work ethic that is very lacking in her age demographic."

"Another efficiency machine is Kristin! Always pleasant and always happy to assist others."

"The way Ryan has forged an excellent carrier network through competent relationship-building is a great model. Also, tremendous work ethic."

"Taylor has remarkable patience and is very level-headed."

"Julie is very detailed and organized. She truly cares that her job is done right. She speaks her mind and is very matter of fact."

"Cindy is a tough, organized, thrifty, reliable, charismatic lady who works incredibly hard yet doesn’t let work get to her."

"Susan is so smart and she cracks me up! If I need something she is always my go-to person, or if I have a question she knows the answer – and even if she doesn’t, she always helps me find out."

"Cathy is really nice and personable. She is genuine when trying to get to know people she works with."

"There are managers that just try to be your friend and then there are managers like that just want to get the job done and not have any interactions with any of the employees. Brad is the best of both worlds. He cares about what is going on with you, but if there is a work issue, he will be the FIRST to tell you to get it done and taken care of, no questions asked."

"Julie is very good at what she does and she always finds a way to relate to customers to give them the best experience possible. She understands that moving is a very stressful time and our customers might be on edge during the transit of their auto – she takes that into consideration and accommodates to each customer’s specific needs, to a reasonable extent, as if it were standard procedure. I know she has gained this all through experience, but I believe she is always doing a little extra."

"Schoan is patient, giving, forgiving, stands up for what she believes in – no matter the toes she steps on ..."

"I think Alan has worked from being a one-man show up to VP at a relatively young age and in a short time, compared to other companies. I think he was given more of an opportunity by having his own department, but he is still hard working and has earned his spot. He is also very professional and always helps when asked."

"Nate doesn’t complain; always has a good personality; gets his work done with a level head; and keeps things simple and as non-dramatic as possible."

"No matter what happens to her personally or professionally, Jennifer always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face. She always makes my day better."

"I think Schoan really tries to see all sides in a situation (sometimes more customer than driver but ...) and come up with a situation that will fit the needs of all parties involved. She is a get-to-the-point and get-it-done person and Operations needs this more than anyone!"

"Brad takes care of business along with being your friend. I interact with him a lot and he actually listens. He gets the point of business - "Make Customers Happy" – without customers, we don’t exist."

"Alan has taught me a lot. From the first day I took over this job, I would annoy him so I could understand my own job. He is a wealth of information and very easy to talk to. The steps he has gone up within this company equating to running his own department successfully. He has the respect of upper management. They don’t second-guess him; they listen to what he has to say, and respect him. He is successful at most everything he does within this company. I try to learn whatever I can from him."

"Brad is innovative and goal-oriented, focused on growing and developing the company. He puts in his hours and leads by example. A very impressive example!"

I love reading positive feedback. I think it’s fascinating to learn what sticks out in other people’s minds – what impresses, what motivates, what educates ... we are so departmentalized, that sometimes we don’t get to see the positive traits of those in another area or on a different floor. And on the flip-side, sometimes we’ve worked with someone so long and so closely – we no longer really "see" their contributions to making our work both productive and enjoyable.

These survey results are a refreshing reminder that we all have something to contribute, no matter what our role, our level of responsibility, or our years of tenure. If we are truly a team, then we all must truly work together, in rhythm and harmony. And it’s our responsibility to continually take a look in the mirror and ask ourselves "Who is the fairest of them all?" ... and when you hear that answer from within ... challenge yourself to make those very traits your own!

Cheers to all who participated on this question ... and kudos to those whose names made the list. You are all equally deserving of a "High-Five" for being an active-voice in this company.