Tonight we celebrated the career of a remarkable person, Adrienne Jugley (Commissioner, Community Services) so here’s a list of things I know to be true about her leadership:
1. She made integrity the foundation of her value system.
2. She saw people and relationships as an enabler to achieving positive outcomes, not a barrier to overcome.
3. She never lost sight of what it meant to poor, vulnerable or marginalized in our community. I don’t think there are many Commissioners who will remind a room of policymakers what a single person is entitled to receive on social assistance (down to the specific dollar amount - yes she has it memorized) - as a way to center their reality in the discussion.
4. She empowered staff - supporting us to take risks, carve our own path and explore our potential.
5. She elevated the conversation in any meeting room - posing brilliant questions to challenge traditional thinking.
6. She was a true public servant - never “too important” or “too busy” to take a resident’s phone call. She made everyone feel that they had value.
7. She didn’t “lose”. Her brilliance and strategy meant that if she was going into the ring, particularly on behalf of staff, you knew she was going to sway even the most stubbornly opposed.
8. She had an unparalleled work ethic. She was frequently one of the first people into the office in the mornings and one of the last to leave.
9. She made time to connect with staff - walking the floor / doing her “rounds” before leaving, asking those remaining about what they were working on and encouraging them to go home to their families.
10. She had a profound sense of self-awareness and humility in spite of these incredible gifts. A rare combination.
She is a powerhouse. And I hope one day to have half the career that she’s had. What does Community Services look like without her? I don’t entirely know, but the culture she built - one based on collaboration, respect, and a sprinkle of dry humour for good measure - will continue. In the meantime, when faced with a challenge I’ll be asking myself WWAD - What Would Adrienne Do. As for the cake? IYKYK 😂
