Joe Schmit: Impact Player
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
~Albert Einstein
Recently I attended an online workshop with Joe Schmit through Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS). A leadership program that launched just this year by PGMS, Joe Schmit was the first speaker. He laid the groundwork for ways each of us can be an impactful person.
Joe reminded us that it is not the big things we do in life that are so impactful, but all the little things we do. He asked us to come up with the four people we would put on our Mt. Rushmore; the four people who had made the greatest impact in our lives other than our parents. A good question for the first day of class.
I chose Dr. Harry Ponder as one, he was my first Horticulture Professor at Auburn University. Dr. Ponder was an extremely motivational instructor. He was upbeat, positive and intentional in motivating students to learn. He was always very prepared for class. He knew all about plants, the scientific plant names and common names. But what really set Dr. Ponder apart for me was that he knew my name—he knew all our names and used them during classes. Dr. Ponder used the class time as an opportunity to assist us with our careers by providing advice and giving us real world solutions to our academic problems.
I am grateful for the people who greatly impacted my life. They have inspired me to make it my goal to make a positive impact in our workplace and at home. As leaders we are making an impact on people each day. We may never see the finished stories, but they are there.
Or you could be like Dr. Ponder who is always invited to our alumni class reunions and where he stands in front of the class and brags on his former students, by name.
Keep impacting your team for good!
Jeff
