5 years
January 13, 2009
I’m coming up on my five year anniversary in my position as Executive Director of a social service non-profit in Maine which serves children and families.
Truth be told it’s a few months away, but I have a tendency towards nostalgia.
I don’t remember if the interview committee asked me about where I want to be in five years. I don’t remember a lot of what they asked, but I do remember a sense of calm. I remember things feeling right. What I do know is that the kernels of where I wanted the agency to be, through an expansion of our ability to serve children and families, were there shortly after I arrived. I just wasn’t sure how.
What I do know is that I had to spend time with this agency, I had to spend time with the people and understand the mission and the history. It was crucial in my mind, to understand this history and build upon it’s strengths in order to grow and serve more children and families in new ways and at the same time honor the mission of this agency which was here long before me. I think we’ve done that well.
In thinking about hitting the five year mark, I also realized that while I have been with other organizations longer than five years, I have never been in one position this long without moving “up the ladder”. I was with one company for eight years, but in that time I held 6 positions with 5 different titles in 4 different locations. I just kept moving to what was “next”. After eight years when “next” wasn’t with that organization, I went to one that offered me “next” and within 6 months, I was promoted to “next” at that organization.
The funny thing is, when I think about what is next for me, it continues to be with this organization and it continues to be in this position. Next is linked to so many possibilities for this agency, so many ways in which we can meet the needs of children and families, so many things that are not yet done and it makes me wonder what done even looks like.
I love this work more than I have loved any other “work” that I have done and I have always been fortunate to serve children and families. However, I didn’t just arrive here five years ago, I felt led and that same sense of purpose keeps me right here.
For someone who has moved up so quickly and so often, it is an interesting feeling to see next this way.
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January 14th, 2009 at 3:07 am
For any day that I feel accomplished, I look at what you’ve done in those five years, how many lives you’ve touched, and I realize just how much more I have to give before I approach even the first half of a year in your shoes.
I’m proud to know you, and grateful that you’re my friend.
January 14th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Thanks Chris. Through your writing, your example and your counsel, you have helped shape the ‘how’ of doing this work and have guided my reflections on how to make it better.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
They only way up would be into State government. I kind of always saw you going there but maybe you have been sullied with your interactions in Augusta.