It should have and possibly would have been an ordinary morning as I arrived to my office. Once I find one of my few choice parking spots in a near empty parking lot, I get out of my car and grab my laptop bag and head towards the entrance. As I get in the elevator, my fellow rider knew I take it to the second floor, even when I say,
“Floor 13, please.”
We exchange our morning greetings with a smile or a good laugh as we both worked together for a good number of years. Once we get off the elevators, we wish each other a good day as she enters her doorway to her office suite and I enter mine through another doorway.
I scan my card to access the locked door and proceed walking into the suite where my office is located. I expected and even can say waited nervously for those few people who know me all too well to jump out of a cubicle or the hallway before my office and scare me into hiding under my desk. I would pull a George Coztanza, of the long running tv series, Seinfeld when he built a somewhat comfortable retreat under his desk. Whenever he sensed the boss or someone, he particularly didn’t like was about to enter his office he was able to retreat there until the footprints were, well unheard until they were heard.
I was able to unlock the door to my office, walked in and unpacked and booted up my laptop, put my lunch bag down and reviewed the prior day’s notes then I thought I almost got by unscathed. Yet, somehow, not any sooner than when I got situated to start my day the monsoon of interruptions began. The desk phone began ringing, then as quick as I ended one call, the next line seemed to start ringing, my computer’s e-mail started pinging endlessly and my cell phone’s emails dinged and my message notification chirped. In between the noise of technology, an occasional friendly smiling face peered into my office, all with the same words to share with me,
“Happy 40th Anniversary!”
All congratulated me on my milestone anniversary of working at the Y. All I could utter out was a mere mumble, under my breath, a sincere,
“Thank you!“
Some greeted me with hugs, others with a hug and a kiss and some with a small token gift of either chocolate (my weakness) or a variety tea pack for my morning indulgence.
As much as I felt humbled and appreciated, I much sooner have them said nothing than making a scene of it. I always feel socially awkward when it comes to knowing how to appropriately respond to compliments, accepting gifts and even worse, I hate being the center of attention. I think by now, my fellow colleagues all know this about me and enjoy watching me squirm. My gut tells me one of my work harems or work wives must have squealed it loud enough for the organization’s new chief financial officer and vice presidents in my department to become aware of a major milestone in my work anniversary. By now I’m certain all ears picked up on it when I wasn’t really paying attention.
Just as I thought I escaped and was almost home free to my office, out of now where I heard a simple exchange,
“Good morning!”
with the chief financial officer in the hall, he, too expressed his best wishes and shared how proud I should be of attaining this incredible feat. As he kept talking, I felt myself turning every shade of red, again my introverted awkwardness prevailed. Again, the best I could do was let a meager mumble, leave my lips,
“Thank you!”
As the morning continued, I received more good wishes and congratulations and an occasional warm embrace. Deep inside my soul, I appreciated how most meant well and said it with sincerity, respect and love, yet I do realize there are some who said it to just be part of the “in” group or to say they first hand they know me personally.
Unlike previous
generations of workers completing a career with one employer is no longer a
part of organizational culture. Nor is
being gifted the reputed gold watch and being recognized in front of your peers
at a lavish at a retirement party. This
final gift of gratitude for giving years of service is no longer something
happening, if at all, to a much lesser scale.
My tenure of forty years, in today’s world of jobs and careers is pretty
much non-existent, or as I like to say, my tenure is extinct just like the
dinosaurs. Using data available to me, I
took look at the census of the association, just as I would have guessed my
tenure outlived the majority of our staff’s chronological age.
Most only have knowledge of my being the
“payroll guy” who has a story to share on something and everything at the Y is
even greater. Many of our current staff
may have heard through others of my past background prior to payroll was in
programs and with the exception of less than a handful are aware of my past
association-wide contributions. Several
of my favorite supervisors and mentors tell me I laid a trail-blazed list of
accomplishments in my path of securing a legacy which I can call my very own.
When I reflect back on my forty-year career within the YMCA, I’ve managed to pivot within the same non-profit organization which navigated through several key high level leadership changes, two mergers to decrease the independent YMCAs in South Florida and create one larger association with a larger unified footprint. Somehow, I managed to be one of the few constants at our YMCA when all around me has changed over the years.
Affectionately, some call me the storyteller or while others call me the historian of the association. Based on tenure, my experiences in various positions and my memories of how things once were. I am often ridiculed when I share a personal experience or as I call it a parable to allow staff to have a personal relatable connection. I often share my stories when the upper executive and leadership suite share their vision and priorities at the mile high level rather than a relatable level by our direct service workers. From sharing stories before two mergers which created a larger footprint in South Florida to various leadership changes during my tenure. I faced many changes and challenges of our evolving and growing organization. I’ve seen more than my fair share as well as seeing the staff come for their moment in time and then go by choice or otherwise. Each of these staff came in with their own leadership styles, and a sense of how things should be done. Each coming in with an attitude of their predecessor didn’t do things right and they are out to fix or repaired the damage done and then train staff to do it the right way. I’ve survived it all, different supervisors, changed jobs/positions and mergers put me on a fast track for a profound journey of dedication, growth, and adaptability. It's a narrative that intertwines personal passion with organizational evolution, highlighting the impact of mission-driven work amidst changes in structure, strategy, and the broader landscape of social impact.
When I reflect back on my time here, I see how my journey consisted of personal growth, professional evolution, and a testament to the dynamics within an organization over four decades. It's a narrative of adaptation, learning, challenges, and triumphs—a story that intertwines with the company's own trajectory and the broader context of industry and societal changes. Throughout my career, I witnessed the evolution of our industry—from traditional methods to digital transformation. Each wave of change presented new opportunities to innovate, streamline processes, and enhance our offerings. It required staying ahead of trends, continuously updating skills, and leading teams through transitions with clarity and confidence.
Through my own reflection, I explored the transformation from a novice teenage entering the workforce for the first time to a seasoned leader mentoring others and navigating through roles that shaped not only my career but also gave me a sense of identity and purpose. Being with the YMCA for the duration, I inevitably navigated through periods of change; technological advancements, shifts in market demands, and organizational restructuring. It required me to be open-minded to change, adaptable to different leadership styles, resilient to negativity and a willingness to embrace new challenges and opportunities even when experience tells you otherwise.
My profound journey of dedication, growth, and adaptability intertwines personal passion with organizational evolution, highlighting the impact of mission-driven work amidst changes in structure, strategy, and the broader landscape of social impact. Internally, it evoked spectrum of emotions from pride in my accomplishments to humility in facing challenges. Through it all, I have gratitude for each supervisor allowing me the opportunity to serve a cause larger than our own oneself. It's about celebrating milestones achieved, relationships nurtured, and the enduring legacy of collective efforts towards social change. I’ve seen our landscape change to adapting to changes in new funding landscapes, evolving to changing community needs and the dynamic nature of social issues. Each phase, from my early roles on the ground to strategic leadership, contributed uniquely to our organizational resilience and capacity to innovate.
I am proud to have been part of getting our first website launched and laying the foundations of our first Human Resources Department. Both added a new dimension to how we do business as a larger association. The website allowed live updates of sports schedules and updates on pool status due to inclement weather status. I worked with a YMCA human resource professional to implement an association wide salary plan based on the national Hay Plan and developed consistent job descriptions and implementation of the Y-TOPS child care training academy.
Throughout my journey, (yes, one of my favorite euphemisms for being the dinosaur) I had the pleasure to meet and work with some truly remarkable people both in and outside of the Y Movement across many disciplines. Meeting with these individuals was more than a handshake and a polite,
“Nice to meet you.”
I had the pleasure to have meaningful conversation with several celebrities and leaders who shared the same passion of the YMCA as I did. Probably, their lives were touched by the open arms of the Y in their younger years and as successful adults have given back by presenting at national conferences or even better yet participating in local events. The two people whom I met that left the greatest impact on me were First Lady Barbara Bush and Dr. Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers).
I met Mrs. Bush the first time in an exclusive tour of the White House my senior of high school as part of the Close Up experience. At the time, she served as Second Lady to the then Vice President George H.W. Bush. Then a second time, I am not certain how much later I was reintroduced to her at the YMCA of Greater Miami’s Annual Meeting where she was the keynote speaker. Both times she spoke about her passion for early childhood reading programs and stressed the importance of literacy for all ages. Both times I was able to exchange conversation with her about these two topics. When I met her the second time, I mentioned how I met her a few years earlier through the Close Up experience. I shared where she was our unexpected honorary tour guide of the White House and when our tour was delayed and almost canceled. We found out later on our tour her husband and President Reagan where on premises meeting with German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl.
To my disbelief, she remembered doing this tour of our small group and shared how it was a last-minute request presented by one of her staff. It was rather impromptu and not something customarily part of the Second Lady’s goodwill duties. She explained, when she heard our Close Up representative was unable to get to the White House due to the security of the grounds due to the dignitaries on site, she obliged. With a smile, I told her, how much I appreciated she took up the opportunity as it was like listening to history coming alive. She then proceeded asking what my association with the YMCA was and I replied with a smile, that I was the school-age program director.
I don’t recall how we got into talking about incorporating literacy into my programs. I shared how I dressed up as the Man in the Yellow Hat and with my larger stuffed Curious George made my rounds to my programs on a reading day event in our school district and I read one of my favorite Curious George books at each site. With a good laugh at my story, I thanked her again for having the privilege of not only meeting her again, but to have the opportunity to talk with her. What I remember most, was her genuine interest and being attentive in the conversation, much like the grandmother listening to a proud grandchild sharing their story with her.
I believe this was the same conversation I had with Dr. Fred Rogers when I met him at a YMCA child care conference where he was one of the guest speakers and small group facilitator. I was introduced to him in a small VIP reception which I was invited to by one of the conference committee members who got wind that Mr. Rogers (he asked to be called Fred which I couldn’t do – so we settled on Mr. Rogers) was one of my childhood idols and became my role model when I started working with children at the YMCA.
He, like Mrs. Bush was a joy to have a conversation with and hear his recollection of what he enjoyed most of his time doing Mr. Rogers for countless number of years. It’s memories such as these, which help cement your own desires to return the favor by making a difference in the children you serve by leaving your own special mark, in hopes one day, you too will have someone remember you for how well you treated them and the difference you made in their life. In my case, I did and in typical nature to me, there’s a story that goes along with it. You can read it in my blog’s post, “Remember My Name.”
Entering a company fresh out of college or early in one's career sets the stage for foundational experiences. These years are marked by eagerness to learn, adaptability, and the development of essential skills. Whether starting in an entry-level position or a specialized role, the focus is on mastering tasks, understanding company culture, and building relationships with colleagues.
In my early years at the company, I was immersed in learning the ropes of the industry and the specific dynamics of our organization. It was a time of absorbing knowledge from seasoned professionals, grasping technical aspects of the job, and understanding how different departments functioned together. This phase was crucial in laying the groundwork for future growth and provided a solid foundation upon which to build my career.
When I personally reflect on my
40-year journey or career at the same YMCA, I see similarities of my own growth
as did the two YMCAs mergers I was part of.
My career started at the Greater Hollywood Family YMCA, at the time an
independent YMCA was learning its ropes of being an independent YMCA, new to
running school-age child care programs but not summer camps, expanding programs
to meet the needs of our communities while I was in high school and was eager
to learn, adapt and the develop my essential job skills and work ethic. As my YMCA was creating a culture of its own
and engaging in growing the mission, I was learning to adapt to this culture
and understanding the YMCA’s mission and how it is our guiding principle in all
that we do.
Over time I built
relationships with my colleagues and families I served. I gained an understanding of how different
departments functioned together to come together as one mission-driven
organization and the dynamics that made the YMCA truly a very special place to
work. I didn’t realize it back then, but
I do believe this phase of my career built the strong foundation upon which my
career was built upon. As the two YMCAs
in Broward, the one I worked with and the YMCA of Broward County became one
through a merger we gained knowledge from seasoned YMCA professionals and
access to national trainings. Which
propelled my career growth in child care and summer camps. This reflection explores the transformation
from a novice entering the workforce to a seasoned leader, navigating through
roles that shaped not only a career but also a sense of identity and purpose.
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