On tooting my own horn...

On my end of the field, it's a rare day when you hear good news. Mostly, you're just managing the bad, putting out fires here and there, and calming waters. As such, I'm going to appear like a big ole ego-maniac and tell you about something really wonderful that happened to me recently at work.

We were contacted by the aunt of a student who applied to us last year and was admitted, but who ended up turning us down to stay closer to home as his father had been diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, the father has since died and the mother was hoping to relocate to the Washington, DC area, to be with family, but not without her son. The aunt contacted us about allowing him to transfer in for the spring, despite missing the deadline and, long story short, we worked it out and had him admitted for the spring within a week.

The aunt was incredibly appreciative and wrote one of the kindest e-mails to me I have ever received, praising my ability to cut through red tape and take care of her nephew. She asked if she could draft a letter to someone at the university highlighting how helpful and kind I had been. I told her that wasn't at all necessary and that I was simply happy that we could help in a little way at a time of great pain for her nephew.

Of course, I still would have said that if she hadn't unknowingly been cc'ing my boss on her e-mails the entire time. I swear. :)

Anyway, my boss writes her back and bcc's me, indicating that I set a standard for professionalism, how students matter to me and how she's enjoyed working with me so much over the last two years. It will also go in my "Yay Me" file.

As if that wasn't good enough, the aunt writes HER back asking, truly, who she may write to about my actions. My boss responds that she should feel free to write a letter to our provost if she'd like to go forward with such a kind gesture.

Of course, the truth is, I really did nothing. I sent e-mails, appointed people to the task, and they got it done. Of course, I was quick to share these e-mails with them and thank them for their quick actions and understanding. Still, my point is that it's necessary to savor these moments. You can be great at your job, but they can still be few and far between. Let's face it.. you never hear from the happy people, only the complainers.

So, I leave a charge with you that I have before. The next time you receive exemplary service, write a letter to that person's boss and thank them. You never know how much that person may appreciate, or require, some positive recognition. Allow their boss the opportunity to say "Great job."

I feel very lucky to have a boss who sings my praises all the time. So what if everyone else is kicking me in the stomach at the same time.