I have been
a member of the State Chamber of Commerce for the last nine years. In May of
2016, I will be assuming the Chair of the State Chamber – the first person ever
from a non-profit organization and the second woman to serve. Deep breath.
Every year the
organization rents an Amtrak train, yes an entire train, where business leaders
and elected officials travel to Washington, DC together and then attend a huge
dinner. It’s kind of a to-do in New
Jersey politics and business leaders.
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| Myself with Governor Chris Christie |
Beth Anne
Dobosh (Dir. of Corporate Foundation Relations, Foundation) joined me this year
for her first trip. I am very proud (and impressed) of her for walking all 13
cars of the train to introduce herself and talk about the amazing work we do at
Children’s Specialized Hospital and the Foundation. As I made my way through
the train, everyone kept saying to me “I just met your colleague.” It was great
that she was working so hard to make the most out of the trip.
One funny
thing Beth Anne said to me was, “I had no idea that so many people outside of
your Children’s Specialized world feel the same way we do about you.” It is
funny right – you are only seen in the world that people know or knew you.
The people
you grow up with from a young child will always see you as that kid or
teenager. The people you worked with early in your career still see you as a
young staffer.
I always
say that since I worked for Governor James Florio at the age of 20, he stills
see me as the 20-year-old who worked for him in Washington, DC.
You may no
longer be at those points in your life, but it is your entire life that brings
you to where you are today – good, bad, or indifferent. Who you are today is a
compilation of your experiences. They may not define you, but you will continue
to take lessons from every experience you’ve had and change ever so slightly.
On the
train trip I did a TV interview. Steve
Adubato asked me about the lessons I learned throughout my career.
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| Myself and Steve Adubato on the train. |
I told
him, “Never burn a bridge – you never know when your path will cross that
individual again.” And it’s true; you just never know when you will need to
have that relationship.
So what
about you – are there lessons you learned from you work experience at
Children’s Specialized or other places that you worked that you bring with you?
10 comments:
“Never burn a bridge – you never know when your path will cross that individual again.”
very good advice, it has worked for me
I agree, one of the biggest things I've learned so far is to never burn bridges. Another important thing is to remember is to treat people the way you want to be treated. Always have respect and understanding for everyone you work with. We all come from different backgrounds and work in different positions; but we all want to be acknowledged and respected.
Always treat people with respect
I'm afraid there are some that have burnt their bridges with me at CSH but I think its even more important to forgive those who have and remain a team player. The goal is the same, it doesn't change--empower families, have each child reach their full potential, respect everyone and truely follow the Service Excellence Standards. Maybe then,there would be less bridges burnt...
My life lesson, not just from working here but also from life events over the last few years, is to cherish life and don’t take things for granted. Life is too valuable to waste on nonsense. With that life lesson, I also try as much as possible to be mindful and considerate of other people’s time and efforts. The world does not revolve around one person. Flexible thinking is an art that should be practiced on a daily basis especially in an ever changing environment. Lastly, and most importantly, be humble. Have humility, or your hubris will have you.
Thanks for bringing me along, Amy! It was a great trip!
My advice is to find a way to connect with those that you interact with at work. It can be a shared passion for cooking, or the fact that you are both care givers to aging parents. Connections help you build lasting relationships.
I believe one of the greatest things I've learned is to Always keep an open mind and be willing to learn from anyone.
This is one of my favorite blog posts you've written, Amy. And absolutely true.
Never burn a bridge is a good one. It's a very small world, and you never know when you may meet someone again. Also, be open to feedback, and be willing to consider that there are other points of view. Even when we think we've done something perfectly, there may be other perspectives that are worth considering.
Congratulations! Be thankful for everything you have a chance to do and every lesson learned from in. Never burn as bridge as you never know when paths will cross again.
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