Feedback

 

 



"Feedback is the breakfast of champions."

- Ken Blanchard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

Well, it has been a crazy week after returning at 1am from Chattanooga on Monday morning.  It seems like I just have not yet caught up.  I must give a huge thank you to Nancy Harrison for driving me all the way to Atlanta to catch my return flights after my Chattanooga - Atlanta leg got cancelled Sunday afternoon! 

 

What a glorious experience Spring Conference was!  So many passionate, enthusiastic  members and guests in attendance.  I was so very proud to be a member of EWI.  The Chattanooga Chapter outdid themselves with their warm hospitality and genuine welcome to all!  The speakers they secured for the event were all amazing and so very inspiring.  I always hope for one or two take-away items from a speaker, but I had dozens this time!  My favourite had to be the concept that sometimes we have to shatter glass walls before we can shatter the ceiling.  My heartfelt congratulations to President Ani Yacoubian and all her Chapter member representatives on delivering true professionalism with EWI style!

 

We had so much fun at conference.  After a wonderful AoL module by our beloved Lori Giovannoni on Friday, we were able to partake in a tour of the city on a double-decker bus, followed by dinner on a river cruise.  What a gorgeous part of the U.S. Tennessee is!  I had never seen a live holly tree before and was amazed at the size and beauty.  The dogwoods and cherry trees were in bloom too.  Wonderful!

 

For me, the highlight of the Spring Conference, and most probably for my year, was sharing the incredible biographical video of our Founder, Lucille Johnson Perkins with all attendees. I know I have mentioned it before, but this moving story compiled and told by Anna McCutcheon, EWI of San Diego, makes my heart full. For her to dedicate so much time and energy to this project of finding our Founder, has been, quite simply, a miracle. I encourage all of you to watch you inbox on Monday, April 29th for a very special anniversary message.

 

The most precious gift I receive in this role is to be able to attend events wherein I get to speak firsthand to members, or when I receive an email or phone call from you.  Taking the time to give feedback is not an easy thing to do, but so essential to those of us serving at the corporate level.  We greatly appreciate hearing from you, the member!  It is only through consistent feedback that we will become a truly member-driven organization.  For those of you who have reached out, my deepest thanks for staying engaged!  Thank you Betty Loveless, EWI of Memphis for the wonderful chat we had today!

 

Using your voice to give feedback is critical to our organization.  For example, I was thrilled to announce at Spring Conference your choice of our LCAM 2014 city!  After San Diego this year, we will be headed to Arlington, VA in the fall of 2014!  I know that the Washington Chapter is very excited, as am I, at the decision you have made.  I know it was a tough decision between the two short-listed cities of Arlington and Philadelphia, and as such, want to thank EWI of Philadelphia for their bid, along with the other Chapter cities who expressed interest.

 

I would like to thank the LCAM Site Selection Committee for managing this process.  I know they are already hard at work on receiving bids for LCAM 2015 in the Central Division.  This committee falls within the Events Committee, which is Chaired by Kerry Feltenberg, EWI of Phoenix and Vice Chaired by Nancy Harrison, EWI of Chattanooga.  Thank you both for all that you do!

 

In closing today, as we move towards Monday, our official 75th Anniversary, I would like to strongly suggest that you take the time on Monday to reach out to thank that one member who has inspired you and sustained your passion for EWI throughout your membership.  Our mentors give so very much of themselves, over and over again and without that steady hand to guide us, applaud us and yes, sometimes lovingly wrap us on the knuckles, we would not learn the lessons afforded to us in our leadership roles.  Let's make April 29th a day of sincere "Thanks!"

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

- K

 

 

 

 

 

 



Full Circle

"Time, don't let it slip away.  Raise your drinking glass, here's to yesterday...come full circle."

 

- Aerosmith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

What a pleasure I had to day in attending the 75th celebratory luncheon hosted by EWI of Calgary.  The luncheon was well attended with several of our Sustainers coming out to help us honour this milestone.

 

The Chapter had asked Sustainer Gladys Perrot to share with everyone some of her memories of EWI.  Gladys has been active in our Chapter for 40 years.  What a delight to hear of the fun they had and the difference EWI has made to her life.  I hope you too are all enjoying your April meetings, coming together to reacquaint with one another and pay homage to all those who have come before us.

 

Another special treat of the day was meeting Mr. Eric Haug, President of International Executives Association.  He drove down from Edmonton especially for our luncheon and gave us special wishes on behalf of all members in IEA.  He stated they are committed to endorsing EWI amongst their membership and to help us in whichever way they can.  He specifically pledged his home Chapter's support of helping us build an EWI Chapter in Edmonton.  Here is a photo of President Haug and I:

 

 

 

 

 



I was humbled to stand and represent our beloved organization as Corporate President, sharing with those in attendance some of the incredible new facts uncovered about our Founder, Lucille Johnson Perkins.  Having Eric and other members of IEA in attendance today made me feel like we have somehow come full circle in re-establishing this connection with them.

 

Tomorrow morning I am off to Chattanooga, TN to join in all the fun of Spring Conference!  I cannot wait to reconnect with everyone and to partake in our new AoL module on Emotional Intelligence.

 

As I am dashing this off two days early, not a lot to share today, but please know that you will all be in our hearts this weekend!  I know I will have lots to tell next week after returning from Chattanooga.  Until then, please enjoy the rest of your week!

 

- K

Finding Excellence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.  We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

- Aristotle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day EWI!

 

I hope this finds all of you excited about this milestone in EWI's history!  I know many Chapter's have already celebrated the 75th Anniversary this month, with many more Chapter meetings to come before the end of April.  I have seen some great photos and video clips already from Chapters celebrating and I can feel the energy!

 

As I have just returned from vacationing in Palm Springs where I attended the Kraft Nabisco Championship tournament of the LPGA tour and given that it is the Master's at Augusta this weekend, I thought I would draw on some observations about the game of golf and how it pertains to excellence.  The trophy shot above is the actual KNC Cup that sits on the bridge spanning Poppy's Pond and the 18th green for the final Sunday round, by the way.

 

Watching the LPGA tour players each day is indeed exciting, but what is truly amazing is watching them practice before each round.  Each player has a routine that they strictly follow, not only in practice, but also before they make any shot during a round; whether it is a drive off the tee or a one foot putt, they systematically follow their own unique routine of habits.  The only thing in common about these player's is that they each follow a defined regiment.  Some regiments produce better results at the end of the round, needless to say.

 

I think we can liken this to our Chapters and how diverse each one is.  We all have the same Mission and Vision, but we can differ greatly in the end product delivered to our members.  That diversity speaks to each Chapter's culture which in and of itself, is to be celebrated.  Nuances are fine except for in one area where we must all come to agreement and that is with our newly developed core Values. 

 

Integrity, Respect, Excellence and Collaboration.  Each value is a cornerstone and all to be treated equally.  Values provide an organization a moral compass with which all stakeholders can hold themselves and others to.  They are also an amazing tool to refer to when we are faced with difficult decisions.

 

Excellence is where I want to focus today.  Is it a destination or a journey?  One of my favourite authors and speakers is Malcolm Gladwell.  In his book, "Outliers, The Story of Success", he examines what that one differential is that determines success.  The answer is 10,000 hours.

 

To master anything in life, including the game of golf, it takes 10,000 hours of practice.  That's it.  Very simple.  So, if I wanted to become a world class golfer, I could achieve it by practicing 24/7 for the next 417 days.  That is just not going to happen and really, I am okay with that!  I highly recommend reading all of Malcolm's works.  Very fascinating writer for the New Yorker (and he's a fellow Canuck, so I love him)!

 

Each of us does the very best in all that we do, but let us remember please, that we are each on our own path to excellence.  Passion for the task at hand is the fuel that drives us forward and I know we all have an abundance of that for EWI!  We can best help one another by mentoring and sharing knowledge with other fellow members and staff in a positive manner.

 

This morning I witnessed firsthand a shining example of excellence from Anna McCutcheon, EWI of San Diego.  I was able to view the incredible masterpiece she has created in a new, official biography presentation of our Founder, Lucille Johnson Perkins.  I am humbled and honoured to be able to debut this presentation at Spring Conference next week.  Anna is a master story teller as we first witnessed with her role in the 70th Anniversary video.  She has yet again come through for EWI after spending hours and hours researching Lucille.  I cannot thank you enough Anna for making my vision come true! 

 

I know you are all anxious to view this biography.  We are hoping to host a special Webinar on the 29th of April (our actual 75th Anniversary day) so everyone can dial in and watch it.  More to come on that from the team at the office! 

 

So, in closing, I would like to end by saying, "Swing Easy", especially with one another!  I hope to see you next week in Chattanooga!

 

- K