#COURAGEOUS
‘Core values,’ ‘leadership traits,’ ‘pillars of success’-words companies name their ‘governing principles’ for their employees. Each company has their own version, & my experience has been that they sound good on paper, but no one really believes them. It’s more a “we have to” mentality, rather than a “let’s embrace them-even if they put us outside our comfort zone.”
Recently, I attended Windsor Communities’ annual #OpsCon. The theme? Shark Week-& I took it to heart! This was my 2nd OpsCon, & in the year that has passed, a lot has changed personally and professionally.
Last year I knew very few people. I had been at Windsor for 6 months & focused most of my ‘work’ energy in stabilizing the community I was hired to manage rather than making those oh-so-important work connections. I didn’t know at the time, but I was suffering from severe social anxiety & had not yet utilized the amazing coaching resource provided by our company: BetterUp. The conference was fun, & I really enjoyed learning about the exciting changes coming to our company. But I was detached from social events, often hiding in the corner or watching everything from afar. At times I even got so overwhelmed that I completely shut down.
Fast forward to this year. I have figured out & continue to work on my mental health (pro tip: if you are scared to face the challenges that may come out of working on it-DO IT!) I have continued to grow & build relationships with others. I have found my long-lost courage & I made a name for myself. Add in that I am now someone that my peers reach out to for my knowledge & expertise, I can honestly say that I feel COURAGEOUS.
Remember those ‘governing principles’ I mentioned? Windsor has 4 Values & Leadership Traits that go hand in hand with our #OneTeam mentality.
They are:
ACCOUNTABLE–GET IT DONE
INCLUSIVE–ONE TEAM
ENERGIZING–GO ALL IN
COURAGEOUS–TAKE A RISK
So why did I start this post with #COURAGEOUS ? The answer is simple: the Values & Leadership Traits that we have were already at my core-I just didn’t know it.
At this year’s conference, attendees at some point met “that crazy guy in the inflatable shark suit.” That crazy guy? Yeah…me. Mr. Socially Awkward, hides in the corner, doesn’t talk to anyone. I stepped WAAY out of my comfort zone, making connections with people from all over the country & every level of our organization. I made it a point to seek out those who were alone & talk to them. I took a risk & I am glad I did.
I’m entering my 9th year in property management & my 2nd year at Windsor. I have been at 20+ communities in the greater Portland area, & I’ve had numerous corporate governing principles thrust upon me. I can say, without a doubt, that Windsor not only believes in their values, but they also embrace them-even if it puts us outside our comfort zone.
Be #COURAGEOUS
For your viewing pleasure: “That crazy guy in the inflatable shark suit.” https://bit.ly/TAShark
#WorkAtWindsor #OneTeam #OpsCon2024
Former CEO at Vital Proteins | Brand Builder | Investor | Advisor | Board Member
5moSo many familiar and talented faces!! ☺️