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Bon Voyage: A Heartfelt Farewell From our 2014/15 President

Posted by ablack on Sep. 15, 2015  /  Subscribe 0

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

The first draft of my final address started out with a reflection on what we had accomplished this past year. But in all honesty, it left me feeling cold and didn’t really express the message that I truly wanted to convey. And then a good friend of mine reminded me that sometimes you just have to say what you’re feeling! So I’m taking this opportunity to touch on a few of the thoughts and emotions that I have as I bid farewell to the presidency. Yes, I’m going to get ‘mushy’ and reminisce about all the ‘fluffy bunny’ moments that we experienced as a group this past year.

First of all, what a ride! I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hard…because it was really hard. There were long nights, frustrating moments, lots of laughing, a few dozen happy hours, and some cussing thrown into the mix just for good measure. But it was by far the most rewarding experience I have had the privilege to be a part of. I set out tosurvive…and I DID. But now I find that I’m in a bit of a funk, filled with a strange mix of conflicting emotions. On one hand, I’m completely ready to hand over ‘my baby,’ but on the other I’m not at all ready to let go.

I remember commenting to a friend about half-way through last year that I wanted to bottle up all my feel-good moments; the times when something I was taking a chance on worked out in fabulous ways that I hadn’t expected; the days when someone said thank you and actually meant it; the moments when I realized that I wasn’t completely sucking at this job. As it turns out, I actually was bottling all those moments after all…because, believe it or not, I am experiencing them all in full force as I write this very message. I bottled everything – the laughter, the tears, the late nights, the celebrations, maybe even every weird and wonderful facial expression ever made – and now I take with me the full package of what it means to lead an amazing organization.

To the people that I surrounded myself with this past year – the amazing individuals that all brought a different personality, perspective and challenge – you were simply amazing. You proved that a team of 32 can pretty much KICK A$$ in more ways than one. You increased membership by 16%, held an 86% retention rate, increased networking opportunities, gave back to the community, recognized our members through SoMe, and accomplishedevery single initiative that the chapter set out to accomplish. You made it look easy, even though you spent countless hours volunteering for the betterment of SMPS. You made my heart swell with pride, amazed me with your unrelenting passion, and (quite frankly) surprised me with all that you were able achieve.

Just a few days ago, I was having a conversation with a few Presidents from some of the other chapters and one of them posed to the group a question: “What are your top ten will or won’t misses about being president?” So, here goes…

Won’t Miss:

• 75 Emails in One Day. You think I’m exaggerating? I’m not. One day I had 103 emails going back and forth. Drop-kicking the person who invented “Reply All” has been high on my list ever since.
• Working at Night. My “set” SMPS hours were pretty much 6:30 – 9:00 every night and Sunday afternoon from 1:00 – 5:00PM. And on my work days, SMPS would often consume multiple hours. Lucky for me, my company was completely understanding.
• The Meetings. On any given week, I would have between three and four meetings with individuals or teams. I loved it, but sometimes I wished for a calendar day with no responsibility.
• Hearing “I’m Busy.” I know, I know, I know. We’re all “busy.” Working full time, having a personal life, and volunteering is hard stuff. But I would be ever so happy to never hear “I’m busy” again.

Will Miss:

• My Team. That powerhouse that listened to my crazy ideas, somehow turned them into action plans, and then made me laugh every step of the way. I will miss you all the most – you made my heart happy when I was around you.
• Not Being So Busy. Yeah, you read that right. I actually miss not being so busy. I’m the type of person that operates best under pressure, with a to-do list three pages long. I miss my extra SMPS to-do list. Now it’s just work to-do’s. Wah, wah, wah.
• My SMPS Strategic Plan Book. I reviewed the strategic plan and action items on a weekly basis, just to ensure that everything was falling into place. I took it out of my bag last week and am missing the extra weight it added.
• The Shenanigans. I don’t know how many times I would receive an email that would have me rolling on the ground laughing. Every last one of those emails is saved in my “Bad Day Laughs” folder in my email account.
• What’s Next. I’m kind of like a little lost puppy right now. The emails have stopped, the questions are no longer mine to answer, and I’m not organizing anything. I am finding a new norm…along with a little void in my heart.
• Writing Thank You Notes. Those suckers can turn around a bad day. I had no idea how powerful a hand written note on a 4 x 5 piece of paper could influence your entire perspective.

Someone asked me at the beginning of my presidency what I wanted my legacy to be. Legacy? I pretty much set out to survive. I wasn’t really thinking about leaving a legacy. I was thinking about having a great year, growing great leaders and giving everyone an opportunity to show their creative side. Did we do that? Well, we did end up winning the SFE Outstanding Large Chapter of the Year. ‘Nough said!

We did it, and we did it as a team; one big (sometimes dysfunctional) and wonderful team. I will miss the presidency, but this team still has plenty of room to keep growing – so keep doing what you all do best! From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for the opportunity to be your “Prez” and for letting me get a little sappy in my farewell address. Please know that I will never ever forget how you all made me feel…which was pretty friggin’ awesome!  “Mic drop, DONE.”

About the Blogger:  Grenee Martacho-Celuch, CPSM, is the Immediate Past President for SMPS Arizona. Spending time in the Presidency for the last year afforded her some lessons learned and a few rude awakenings, but ultimately she found a passion for leading people without compromising her straight-forward nature. For someone who is constantly focused on being the ultimate professional, this emotional blog post leaves Grenee feeling a little vulnerable. But it is one more step on her journey to becoming a well-rounded leader.

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