Who remembers being a carefree child and always having an idea of what you wanted to be when you grew up? Some of us wanted to be actors, teachers, firemen, doctors, serve in the military, etc. For me, my family and I always knew that I would be a lawyer or pursue some form of career in the legal field. Our family and society may have inspired or influenced which path we ultimately took but without our own dedication and perseverance, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Dedication: “Your self-sacrificing devotion to your purpose in life and your unwavering …
Being the “senior” in my department, I feel like I have learned a number of things over my many, many (the second “many” is for you, Barrett) years. I learned manners (I still hold the door open for others), I learned patience (sometimes the bubble over my head stays intact), and I learned the importance of exercise and flexibility. Flexibility is very important and is something we all need to consider, but especially the guys. And let’s be honest, it’s very hard to get an idea like stretching in a man’s head unless there is an immediate need. I never …
Male suicide is rising at such an alarming rate. It’s been referred to as a “silent epidemic”. Suicide is the seventh leading cause of death for males according to the US Movember website, https://us.movember.com/. Mental illness is literally killing us and it’s time to bring more awareness to the topic. In ancient times, the survival of tribes depended upon all men fulfilling the imperatives to protect, provide, and procreate. Young boys and men were expected to hunt and fight. In that harsh environment, a man could not survive alone, and therefore could not afford to become an outcast. Beyond physical …
In 1981, at just 17 years old, I decided I wanted to go into the Army National Guard Military Police Unit located in my hometown. I remember going to my parents and telling them I wanted to join and serve my country. My father, a Korean War veteran, was very proud I decided to take control of my life and was honored that I wanted to follow in his footsteps and join the Army. Both of my parents had to sign for me to go because I had not turned 18 years old yet. The training and discipline instilled in me at …
Submitted by: Kevin Godwin, District Director of Operations As a seasoned operator and proven leader with our company for going on 15 years there is one evident truth in the dynamics of our business as well as the role of leadership…IRON SHARPENS IRON! I was reminded of this during my current mentorship, when paired with one of the most energized and passionate mentees I have had in some time, GM Shaunna Harris! Our partnership convicted me on a personal level, and reminded me why the TeamUp Program is vital to not only developing our future leaders but is a place …
Submitted by: Jerald Horner, Chief Information Officer This year is my first experience with the TEAM Up Mentor Program. At first I was reluctant to sign up as a mentor because it felt a bit egotistical that I could have something to offer. If anything, I should be a mentee! As it turns out, as a mentor you become a mentee as well. The interactions are to help the mentee, but the mentor learns a lot about themselves and others through those conversations. The program also doesn’t have to be an exclusive one-on-one experience. I shaped it into a broader …
Submitted by: Victoria Newman, General Counsel Through the mentoring program, you get the opportunity to share your experiences. I’ve found that people assume others always “have it together” when that is often far from the truth. We all battle our own internal demons and self-doubt, and it’s nice to break down those presumptions of perfection. You also you have the opportunity to expand your knowledge of other departments’ struggles, workload, processes, pressures, structure, and other nuances. This knowledge allows you to work more effectively with those departments and makes you a better business partner. I have personally benefited from my mentor’s …
Submitted by: Shannon Beasley, Director of Corporate Recruiting To me, the word “mentor” means growth; both personally and professionally! I have had the opportunity to participate in our Company mentor program as a mentor and now as a mentee. As a mentor, I enjoyed being a part of someone’s career development and helping them to grow through gaining more knowledge in a particular area of the Company. And now, my mentor is doing the same for me. As part of our Talent Acquisition team, my focus has been solely on identifying top talent to join our Company and through the mentorship program, …
Submitted by: Gilbert Garcia, ACV Supervisor Level III Being a participant in the TEAM Up program has helped me grow my career in more ways than one. It has given me so many opportunities to gain exposure in different departments within our Company. As a mentee, I was able to partner with top talent to help me in areas that I may have been struggling with in my position, and I was given best practices, training, and development to help me be more efficient in my day-to-day operations. As a mentor, I really try to inspire, coach, and pass on all the …
Submitted by: Victor Johnson, Director of Contact Center I have had the honor of being a mentor in the TEAM UP Program for three different mentees in the past nine months. TEAM Up is special to me because I have been mentored by a few very important people at critical stages of my life and career, so I can appreciate the value in such a program. My first mentee has grown quite a bit since we were connected back in November 2017. She was not very outspoken and was not sure how to get motivated about advancing her career. Now, she is …
