The Gift of Millennials

By: Marisa Geitner, President and C.E.O.

Many often hear me repeat a quote born out of research based on the Pygmalion Effect. It goes something like this, "Treat a person as they could be and should be and they will become as they could be and should be, treat them as they are and they will remain as they are."

It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the seemingly nonstop criticism of the Millennial generation, which by the way is the largest and most researched cohort to date. I'm referencing those born between 1980 and 1999. Those who represent, according to the US Census Bureau, more than 80 million people in today’s workforce across this country. They represent 1,110 members of our Heritage Christian Services workforce. That's 62 percent of our total workforce today! In terms of those we support, 50 percent are Millennials.

I'd like to share some general facts that keep me encouraged about our present and future workforce. Despite the national tragedies that have filled their upbringing, they are largely known as optimists. As a widely diverse generation, they demonstrate tolerance of race and they demand equality. They can be masters of self-expression. Nurtured right, this can be a method of developing awareness at a young age. They know themselves and that helps them plot their own opportunities and development. They have demonstrated care for others in need, and they get involved. Their self esteem allows them to be assertive and they have high expectations. It's not a corporation that earns their loyalty, but a good supervisor and team. They value relationships. Did you know they will often rely more on the feedback of those they trust than on the plethora of research they have at the tip of their fingers? They watch and listen to learn.

Is it any wonder Millennials have such an impact at Heritage Christian Services?  It’s a value match right from the get-go. Our culture fuels the entrepreneurial spirit in them, and they appreciate the freedom to develop strong relationships with those they support and those they work with. They are encouraged by the ability to share experiences that help others (and themselves) navigate what matters most. They appreciate diversity in their work sometimes even more than advancement. They want to have an impact when they invest time. They appreciate life as a journey and they don't mind a wild ride.

I’m thankful for people of all ages who work here because all those generations are making sure we’re able to serve future generations.

The importance of wisdom

By: Marisa Geitner, President and C.E.O. 

"Practical wisdom is the combination of moral will and moral skill."- Aristotle 

I would imagine every business would suggest it aims to hire employees who demonstrate moral will,  that is, those who demonstrate a consistent desire to do what is right.  I'm also certain that companies would admit that those same employees don't always demonstrate the day to day ability to use that desire to do what's right to navigate very colorful and unpredictable workplace scenarios, otherwise known as moral skill.  Aristotle suggests the disconnect is due to the lack of practical wisdom.

What does practical wisdom look like at work? At Heritage Christian Services, wise people navigate and prioritize assigned job responsibilities in a manner that ensures service to others is always the top priority.  Wise people master improvisation, they know how to meet the expected outcomes of the work while creating an experience that ebbs and flows with the dynamics of the day.  A wise person knows how to use his or her moral skills to support the true intention of the work they are there to do. Not just the tasks they are assigned to do. Wisdom is an earned gift, it takes time.  Wisdom isn't born, it's gained.

Wisdom doesn't come with age alone or just any old experience. It takes time with the right experience.  We each need time to understand the result that our work can have. Time to understand those who we are supporting and what it is that they truly want from their experience with us.  We need to learn in an environment that allows us to improvise, to try new things and yes- occasionally "come up short" and learn from our mistakes.  We also need to seek and learn from mentors who are wise teachers.  

Who in your work environment do you consider practically wise?  Watch them, ask them questions and thank them for the model they set for service to others.

Passive consumers versus active customers

 

By: Marisa Geitner, President and C.E.O. 

It was the early 2000s when I first remember the use of the term "consumer" being confronted in the human service arena. Dr. Tom Pomeranz, a nationally known advocate for Universal Enhancement, shared that the word has had spotted past – a past associated with terms like squander and waste. From that day forward that word was not used to describe those who chose the supports and services of Heritage Christian Services. Like other misused or antiquated language, hearing that word was like nails on a chalkboard.

While the word is used less and less, I wonder whether the human service industry has truly made the transition. Do we respect those who choose our services knowing they have authority over their decision making? Authority in the investment of their resources? Are we accountable to meeting their individual outcomes? Do we fear that without innovative, broader support options, we may no longer offer what individuals want? Will they therefore take their business elsewhere?

I believe human service, of any kind, shifts when we see active customers versus passive consumers. Far too often, particularly with those with intellectual disabilities, we believe we know best.

Let’s be sure we are active along with our customers.  Let’s be sure we are bringing our expertise to meet them where they are, not where we believe they should be, and offering the support for them to direct and achieve what matters most to them.

Create the job you love, in a system you can influence

By: Marisa Geitner, president and C.E.O. at Heritage Christian Services

Create the job you love, in a system you know you can influence.

That's what I heard the day I offered my resignation from Heritage Christian in 1996. It got my attention!

When I began working relief at Heritage Christian, it had never been my plan to remain beyond my degree. You see, I specialized in my graduate studies with the goal of working in healthcare. When that first offer came from an area hospital, I knew I would love the job because I had been doing it part-time and it was all I'd hoped for. It was time to move on, even though I loved the work I was doing at Heritage Christian. I knew I would always serve the agency in some way, even if not a paid employee.

But the "system you know you can influence" kept me thinking – and kept me here. It was a challenge that was hard to ignore.

Now I find myself serving in my third year as president and C.E.O. I'm quite confident I have held more unique job titles than anyone else in the history of the company to date (although there is plenty of time for someone to beat me). What a ride it has been. As to my influence, I'll leave that to my Maker to decide someday, but no one can argue that I was given the opportunity to influence.

It's that promise I believe we seek to offer each and every employee to this day. Opportunity to influence. To make this the job and the heartfelt work you need it to be. A chance to find fulfillment – maybe not every single day because we all have our ups and downs, but fulfillment collectively. It's the heart of our FutureYou commitment and it is mission right: Respectful experiences. Opportunity to learn, to mature and to grow. A life of dignity, worth and expression to which all are entitled. 

Embrace the challenge!  What's holding you back? How are you being called to serve? Who do you trust to support you along the way? 

Here are a few tips to get you started: 

·         Be open to honest feedback – Ask for it. Brace yourself and listen. It's a hard thing to do but it gets easier with experience.

·         Differentiate yourself by excelling at something others seem to shy away from – Set yourself apart through service. 

·         Have fun – Suggest a new job title that reflects what you believe you bring to your work. The more creative the better!

You are working within a company you can influence. Enjoy it!

The importance of thoughtful ambassadors

When passion for an injustice, a cause or a principle burns in our belly what do we do with it?  

Like any fire, our passion must be tended very carefully.  Locked within us, it may eventually starve and wither away, forgotten.  Overfed, it pours from us in a way far too intense, something that people back away from.  For those of us at Heritage Christian, our passion can overshadow the very intention of the people we are here to support.  It takes thoughtful balance to ensure the voices of the people we serve are heard.

When our thoughtful passion aligns with the most important needs of the people who use our services, it defines our advocacy.  When we have listened closely enough, their stories and what they want for their lives shape us as ambassadors, allowing us to speak in a way that excites others.  We fuel others with opportunities and solutions.  We have a clear way to move forward.

Heritage Christian ambassadors aim to be faithful and positive.  We speak always of the person first.  We work diligently to eliminate the barriers to access and opportunity that are often caused by a perception of disability, and we instead focus on similarities.  

We need a mighty force of diverse ambassadors.  Ambassadors who represent our passion for better outcomes for those we walk along side.  Ambassadors who find ways to stretch and serve the many in need of the right support.  Ambassadors who improve access by welcoming others into new opportunities.

This week challenge yourself.  Who can you welcome in?  Make an introduction. Model person first language. Share a story that connects us through similarities. Highlight a powerful support relationship.  

Lead as an ambassador, share your story, focus your advocacy – and watch the impact you'll have. 

An Opportunity for Renewal

By: Marisa Geitner, president & C.E.O. of Heritage Christian Services

Welcome 2015 -- and welcome to an opportunity for renewal!  Why?  Because there is no more important time to serve and this kind of work requires renewal.

If you, like me, struggle to find your inner 'umph' from time to time, let me remind you the need for support continues to grow, not only among those with developmental disabilities but among all- our youth and elders alike.

The support each person wants continues to broaden.  Parents are no longer accepting the short comings of school age educational plans, adults no longer accepting "one size fits all" program solutions and elders demanding respectful care in their home rather than placement into a home.

The systems that must be established to ensure that care industries achieve better individual outcome with better health and lifestyle options, must also be rebuilt in a manner that allows us to serve the number in need- not just the number who have made it inside the front door. 

We have to look forward and plan for solutions that will serve us well for years to come.  That’s why we are collaborating differently and working actively with our Health Care providers to break down redundant systems and achieve better support for those with chronic care needs.

I am reminded of a Maya Angelou quote that I keep nearby, "Strong women and strong men... protect the children, tend the ailing, care for the aged, and in fact, reassure the entire world."

When faced with a challenge, it sometimes comes down to two questions- "If not us, then who?" "If not now, then when?" 

Then we take a deep breath and take a step.