After returning from our NASMM 2022 Conference in Philadelphia, we were inspired to get going on our Strategic Plan for 2023. Over the past several years, we have chosen a theme around which we rally the troops, focus our marketing, and inspire and serve our clients. For those of you who’ve been reading these blogs for awhile, you might remember the SuperHeros of 2020 inspired by our Core Values of Compassion, Innovation, and Determination.
During our brainstorming session we realized that whatever we chose needed to fit both our staff and our clients and be a guiding principle for all those we serve. We tried to find a “focus word”, and we hit upon WHY. Then we realized that we could use that as an acrostic by substituting four different H words into the phrase – one for each quarter. That is when we created the Golden Bridges WHY for this year:
We HEAR You
WE HELP You
We HONOR You
We 💗 You!
In his book “Start with WHY: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to take Action”, Simon Sinek says, “Any organization can explain what it does; some can explain how they do it; but very few can clearly articulate why.”
During our team training for Quarter 1 this week, we asked each member of our staff to tell a story about the WHY. We wanted to HEAR from them why they chose to work with Golden Bridges, and why they stay.
Many of them expressed the initial why was for the flexibility we offer our team. Our workers are part-time, episodic. They are scheduled to work when it works for them, and when we have jobs. They control their schedule by responding to online invitations and have the opportunity to schedule their unavailability (up to weeks or months at a time), when they are traveling, “snowbirding” in Florida during the winter, babysitting grandchildren, or working on the farm. This format works very well for our industry, and just happens to be the new buzzword in business hiring and retention strategies.
Google “flexibility in the workplace” and you will see articles from Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, Great Places to Work, the BBC and many others declaring that it is the most sought after benefit, and one of the biggest reasons that people choose to stay in their job.
However, once they are on board they all agree it is the fulfillment of doing good for people who need their help that becomes their WHY for staying. They have formed relationships with the clients and with each other that allow them to live their values and honor the people we serve.
At Golden Bridges we are always hiring new staff. If your WHY is serving people and working within a flexible schedule alongside people who have the heart to honor and serve, then let us know. It’s your move… Golden Bridges can help!
Susan Scholz, Partner
Golden Bridges