Since I’ve started working with the teams at Plan A and StaffStat, I’ve learned a lot about many different things. I’ve learned the importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone and being comfortable with where it takes me. I’ve learned that there will always be individuals who cross your path that are going to make you feel as though you aren’t enough or you don’t know enough, and you have to learn to ignore their opinions and keep moving forward regardless. I’ve come to realize that just because I’m young doesn’t mean that I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, even though some people may think otherwise. Like I said, I’ve learned a lot.

Today I wanted to share a few of the quotes that we often use in our office, the meanings behind them and the lessons that they’ve taught me. To others they may have different meanings, but here is what they mean to the Plan A and StaffStat teams

1. “Do the right thing, even when no one is looking”. I’ve learned how important it is to do the right thing, even when no one is looking; integrity is everything. I was taught that there’s never a reason to be dishonest with yourself, your co-workers, your customers or anyone that’s relying on you and trusting you because it will come back to bite you. There will be times when you’ll be faced with making a decision and you’re forced to choose between what’s cheapest or fastest or easiest for you and what’s right. Not only will you feel good after making the right decision, but it will also show later on to those that matter.

2. “Trust your gut”. This is something that was pushed on me when I first started in my role at Plan A as a recruiter. When I was in charge of hiring healthcare professionals who would work within our contracted homes, I was responsible for hiring the right people and weeding out those who didn’t quite fit our vision. I would look at the obvious things, like their work history, the responses from their references, their answers to my interview questions etc. But one thing that I was always told to take into consideration was my gut instinct. If I had a bad feeling about someone after their interview, for any reason at all, I was told to trust the feeling and not spend any more time on them. When I first started, I would check their references anyways just to be sure. Almost every single time that I went ahead and called their references there would be some sort of red flag; there would be an issue with attendance, their punctuality, or their ability to follow instructions and do what was asked of them.

“Trusting my gut” has become something that I do on a regular basis not only in my professional life, but also in my personal life. Try it out, you’ll be surprised with what your intuition does for you.

3.“Run into the fire”. When issues arise and there are problems to deal with, we always use the term, “Run into the fire”. Rather than waiting for our customers to come to us and express their concerns, we are always quick to send them an email or give them a quick call to tell them what’s going on before they have the chance to come to us. In my own personal experience with cell phone providers or banking companies, I find it’s much more respectable when I’m called and notified before I even notice that there’s something going on. If I realize that my cell service is out or that my card has been locked before I’m connected with by the company, I get frustrated and wonder why I wasn’t told before being inconvenienced by whatever the issue is.

This is one of those choices that are often difficult to make since you’re usually faced with choosing between what’s easiest for you and what’s right. It would be easier to ignore the issue and hope that no one notices until it’s resolved, but is that the right thing to do?