Eating a banana

Great session this morning, ECM Training, since you asked. Everyone: over 25 campaign managers, several agency workers, and a handful of united way staff, including my SRVP, my bosses boss, all came ready to learn, happy to work, their energy supported me and we all left fulfilled - i hope!

I have come to respect and enjoy my SRVP, who came this morning to deliver the opening presentation. She is positive, very smart, a smooth talker and knows what it takes to make people feel appreciated - at least she does for me and my respect leads me to think she does for others. And, after today, I like her even more!

So, at our training today, only five of my department were present and, except for one, left as soon as their brief role was completed; despite the fact that almost our entire team of ten had campaign managers at the training. To my surprise, this afternoon, my SRVP sent an email to the whole team with her admonishments, expressing her disappointment that each staff person wasn't there to personally meet and greet their account representatives - she was pretty disappointed, and said so.

It didn't make much of a difference to me, that my team mates weren't there, I guess because I didn't expect them. It is obvious now what exactly are her expectations. In a professional, well written email she laid out, in a way that gently expressed her frustration, what she will look for in the future. But even though not having staff show up didn't bother me, I appreciated her elevating the importance of the training. Although I know the email was meant to support the program and encourage staff to build relationships with their clients, which should be a no-brainer, I also felt, through what she did, support for me.

It doesn't happen often, her "putting her foot down", if that is not too strong. More often she is full of praise. Our department runs pretty laissez faire, primarily because she trusts and respects us to do our jobs. She has no need to micromanage and we are empowered to manage our accounts and our relationships in the ways we see fit. Obviously she thought staff missed a key opportunity and told them so. And, because it doesn't happen often I think staff will respect it, with an expected murmur of course.

It felt good, I feel good. It has been a tiring week, and like Tuesday I am taking care of myself today, taking the afternoon off to blog this quick post then take a nap - and oh yeah, I listened to a wonderful interview of Robin Williams on NPR while I was checking my work email from home; happened to be when I read the email. Sort of like the universe taking care of you when you decide you need it. I also realize that the email wasn't about me as much as it was about me, and I appreciate both.

I will be signing off in a few, heading to bed for a couple hour nap before I make my spin mix for class tomorrow; I am subbing for Beth. I just finished a very yummalicious banana and wondered if my fatigue this week is due to a change in diet while in Chicago and the last couple days back home. Not as much fruit and veggies, not nearly as much water, a lot of sugar, well a lot by my current standards, and inconsistent eating times - and oh yeah - I switched back to regular coffee...

Well, the banana was a start!