The following reflection was shared by John Vornholt, Director of Asset Services, and is a representation of our team’s commitment to the RockStep Way.
I truly believe that preparation is the key to getting the most out of any meeting. It allows you to relax, focus, participate and absorb the content of the discussion. Unfortunately, too often “life happens” and we find ourselves unprepared for what is to come. Here is my most recent example:
This past Saturday night I found myself at a VIP Cocktail Reception the night before a fundraising event for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) in Lebanon, New Hampshire. I am listening to all of these stories of children’s survival, strength and ability to overcome incredible odds. It is an overwhelming scene and then I realize I need to write about the RockStep of the week “BE PREPARED “, and here I sit completely unprepared for what I am witnessing.
How do I express my thoughts on always being prepared when I have completely failed? How do you truly prepare for some things life can throw at you? I am consistently thrown into acts of good and bad that I am completely unprepared for. Does experience prepare us for such times? Are we better able to handle ourselves in future business meetings after experiencing moments we weren’t prepared for?
After a visit to the Children’s Hospital and attending the reception for all of those who make up this incredible fundraiser, I completed the half marathon and earned the money I raised for CHaD. I am still trying to pull myself together after being a part of a community of people who are all so selfless and dedicate themselves to helping children in need.
I am not sure I can ever be prepared for such an event but I did learn many things. The most important of which is a reminder that life isn’t always about me. That day they called us heroes for participating when actually I have never been so happy to be completely irrelevant. Everything was about the cause, the children at CHaD.
Hopefully, our past experiences do prepare us for unprepared moments. I will find out next year when I attend this same event.
