The Golden Nugget October 2024
I was recently mowing the grass at the end of my driveway when I over-ambitiously attempted to mow in the ditch and got stuck. I worked and worked trying to free the mower, but the more I tried, the more I got stuck. Dangit (I said something else, but this is a professional article). I was home alone. The neighbors weren’t around. I walked back to my house, and as I walked back into my yard (I have a long driveway), I saw my husband’s truck. That’s it! I looked in the back seat—there was the rope I needed. I ran into the house, grabbed the truck keys, and headed back down the lane to the stranded mower. After carefully tying the mower and the truck together, I got back behind the wheel of the truck and slowly backed up, praying that the knots I tied in the rope would hold. The mower moved out of the ditch like a hot knife through butter, and suddenly was back in my driveway, no longer stuck! I let out a celebratory YES! and pumped my fist in the air. I had never had to do that before, and was really happy it worked. I untied the rope, took the truck back to the house, and finished one last little bit of mowing before it began to rain. Whew! Made it. I took a selfie with the freed mower and proudly texted my daughters and my parents so they could also enjoy my success. Seems silly, but I was really proud of myself! I needed to celebrate what I had done!
We really owe it to ourselves to celebrate our accomplishments and the good things in life, no matter how big or small. Finishing a project, reaching a work milestone, getting out of the house two minutes early and beating school bus traffic, new carpet in the office—all of those things should be celebrated. I think all too often we just go about our busy lives, getting things done without taking time to reflect on the good. Taking time to celebrate, even the simplest of things, makes us feel good: it activates the brain’s reward system, it helps to build connections and relationships, it motivates us to go on to the next thing, and it keeps us grounded in the present—all things important for making us resilient and living a reasonably happy life (finding the joy, remember?).
Like everything else, though, taking time to appreciate successes and the good things in life requires intention. If there is something to be celebrated, don’t wait for someone else to take notice. Call it out, and do something to mark the occasion. Buy lunch or bring coffee and donuts to the office so that everyone can take part. My assistant and I recently reached a ten-year milestone here at work. I brought cupcakes to the office so we and others on our staff could celebrate. It wasn’t much, but it gave all of us in our suite a chance to appreciate our hard work and dedication while enjoying some time together.
A lot of you do a really good job of celebrating successes, milestones, and life in general—that in itself is worth celebrating. Here are just a few tried and true ideas to pass along:
Take your team to lunch after a successful project presentation or other meaningful work event.
Set up a calendar of staff birthdays and work anniversaries so that everyone is recognized on their special day. Include events like Administrative Professionals Day (4th Wednesday in April) and Boss’s Day (October 16th).
Set up a program for selecting an employee of the month, using your preferred social media platforms to get out the word about their accomplishment.
Set up a “Caught-in-the-Act” recognition program to celebrate employees who are doing great things on a daily basis.
The world seems upside down these days, making finding joy through celebration of the good harder to do, but all the more important. Pick some things that will work where you are, and try them. I guarantee you as a person, and the people around you, will be better for it.
Speaking of work milestones and accomplishments, several of our Virginia colleagues were recently recognized at the ICMA conference in Pittsburgh for their dedication and years of service to the local government management profession. Please join me in congratulating:
Ron Carlee – Distinguished Service Award
Tony Gardner – Distinguished Service Award
Gary O’Connell – Service Award – 50 years
Mark Lauzier – Service Award – 35 years
Deborah Kendall – Service Award – 30 years
Valmarie Turner – Service Award – 30 years
Tim Hemstreet – Service Award – 30 years
India Adams-Jacobs – Service Award – 10 years
Tangela Innis – Service Award – 10 years
There are many other ICMA Local Government Service Award recipients from Virginia, but who were not present to be recognized at the conference. These are:
45 years
E. Jay Ellington
40 years
Brian Fuller
Randy Keaton
Carol Steele
35 years
Glenda Bradley
30 years
Rebecca Owens
Patrick Roberts
Doug Stanley
Marc Verniel
Bart Warner
25 years
Victor Carpenter
Donna Krauss
Ken Larking
Richard Peters
Scott Stevens
20 years
Steven Bond
Garrey Curry
Michael Morris
Michael Watson
10 years
Chris Davis
Lazlo Palko
Jason Stroud
Please join me in congratulating these colleagues, and all our Virginia local government employees celebrating work milestones, for their dedication to public service in our communities.
Until next time,
Debbie
Welcome to new members:
Jenny Carroll, Deputy City Manager for Internal Operations, City of Falls Church
Kiley Kesecker, Clerk of Council, City of Staunton
James Knighton, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Tappahannock
Francine Taylor, Town Manager, Town of Montross
Andrew Warren, Planning & Building Director, Town of Blacksburg
Andy Young, Deputy City Manager for External Operations, City of Falls Church
Save the date(s):
Retirees' Luncheon: October 10th
VML Conference: October 13- October 15th
Fall Executive Board Meeting: October 29th
Deputies, Assistants, and Others Fall Meeting (DAO): October 4th
Winter Conference: February 19-February 21st