Today we have a guest blog written by Ellen Buchanan, who is celebrating her one-year anniversary of working at PPR Strategies as the Communications Specialist! Here’s Ellen…
I remember my first day at PPR Strategies like it was just yesterday. Sandy and I were attending a client lunch, and she was introducing me to a few key players I’d be working with. They congratulated me on the position and lightheartedly joked that Sandy is crazy and I’d be crazy to work for her.
As months passed, I began to meet and interact with more clients who all made the same joke and poked fun at Sandy.
Should I have taken these comments as warning signs? Maybe 😉 But instead of being scared off, I stuck around. Here are some things I’ve learned from my crazy boss over the last year.
- Relationship Development: From baby boomers to millennials, on a daily basis, we work with clients across generations. At first, these relationships can be a challenge to develop, but one thing every generation appreciates is hard work. I’ve learned that developing relationships can be demanding but the reward is so worth the effort.
- Patience: More likely than not, you won’t jump into a job and immediately excel at it. Starting a new job or managing a new intern requires patience and the ability to adjust the work environment so each member of the team can perform their best.
- Communication: Working with Sandy has opened me up to go beyond email and texting and actually talk to people face-to-face, whether this is personally or professionally. More often than not, you’ll connect with someone more over a phone call or in-person interaction than you will through a screen.
- How to Fail: We all mess up. In the first seven months I was at PPR Strategies, I failed more than I’d like to admit. Each time I messed up, Sandy gave me the chance to learn from the experience, reflect on what I could have done differently, pick her brain with questions, and prepare for next time.
So, maybe everyone I met was right – Sandy is crazy, but not in a negative way. She’s insanely supportive, wildly passionate, and immensely talented (with a hint of crazy every once in a while ;)).
Thank you to all of the clients I’ve worked with and learned from over the past year. It’s been a pleasure to be able to work with Sandy and others at PPR Strategies.
Here’s to the first year of the “real world” under my belt! I’m excited to see what growth and experiences Year Two brings.
Talk with you later,
Ellen
