Bloom where you are planted

Workout day 52: a lunch-time walk; @postaday 33; #postaday2011

Yesterday someone at work (HMSA) complimented me on my outfit. It was a very nice thing for her to say. She was correct in theorizing that when I worked several floors below, tucked away in another department, I didn’t feel compelled to get dolled up much, or bloom, if you will. But five months ago I got a promotion and I got to join the Marketing and Communications department.

I still stumble with the work flow a little bit, but when I first moved up, I was worried about the scary people I was now working with. I had heard stories about this one and that one, and I had been told who to watch out for. It’s been five months and I am still wondering which one is the boogie man and which one is the dragon lady. I still ask my share of dumb questions, and I forget to close out my stage of a job on time, but I’ve promised myself that won’t happen anymore. Well, I hope not.

My perspective and my experience is valued, my input is sought, my talent is appreciated, and I’ve got a work load that challenges me. I’ve got a few jobs now that will stretch me personally and professionally. I’ll have to reach out to people all over the organization to help streamline a process that will eliminate redundancies and assure that all consequences are considered before a communication is executed. The distant deadline is also a challenge. In the other department, too often I’d see a colleague blow off a project because they couldn’t figure out how to manage themselves. You don’t last if you can’t.

Long ago when I worked in newspaper newsrooms, I got into the habit of returning from an assignment and downloading with my editor what the story would be. It’s ingrained in me, it is something I always will need to do. Maybe that’s why I married an editor, LOL! Fortunately, my managers see that and they always, always, always let me download when I’m having a eureka moment or I’ve got a hurdle to get passed. The nice thing about Comm is that there almost always is a manager handy, despite all of their meetings!

When we gather for our department meetings, I look around and I see all these people who don’t say the word “can’t” when it comes to their assignments. It’s an “I can ohana.” Everyone is different, each is a good soul, and vital to the whole. From what I’ve been told, our department has launched a lot of fascinating people who have become quite successful. It’s always interesting to hear the senior staffers talk about those who have moved on. This week we’ll send off another colleague and eventually a new person will be brought in to bloom with the rest of us.