01/23/2018

Hi MTASers,

This Mustard is delayed, and I offer my apologies for that. So, this being the first Mustard of the year, I wish you a very happy, healthy, and productive 2018; and I hope you all had a very restful holiday and are ready to grab a hold of all the opportunities ahead of us this year.

So, what’s on the horizon for the new year? I am currently working through the input you all gave me at the end of last year during our one-on-one sessions. I learned so much from you and I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration of my many questions. As promised, below are the 12 questions I asked each of you. If you would like to give me additional feedback on any of these, please do so.

1. What do you love most about MTAS?
2. What motivates you?
3. What do you enjoy doing outside of work/where do you find your fun?
4. What can I do to make your job easier or better?
5. What do you expect from me?
6. If you were in my shoes, what would you want to change?
7. What more can we do for cities and what should we do less of or stop doing?
8. What can I do to support your supervisor?
9. What’s been confusing?
10. How much do you know about other employees? Is it important?
11. What are your challenges?
12. What challenges do you think I’ll have in this job?

I have a lot of confidence that I will find some APR goals for myself in all the input you collectively gave me. Thank you for the gift that you gave me with your feedback. I look forward to fully unwrapping it and putting it to good use.

Speaking of annual performance reviews, I hope you’ve got a good start working on your goals for the upcoming calendar year. Rick sent a timeline to everyone in an email dated January 11, 2018. Please read it, or re-read it, and be prepared to meet or exceed the deadlines. I’m hopeful for a smooth process.

Something else that is on the horizon is the annual family campaign. Steve Thompson will kick this off February 5 ^th and the campaign will continue until March 5 ^th . I know it seems that we just finished the Campus Chest campaign, and here we are again about to ask for more. Here are my thoughts on the family campaign: I am willing to invest in my future; and for all of the various endowments available to contribute to, they all help promote (directly or indirectly) the great work we do at MTAS and at IPS. If the agency provides good services and products to customers, then the agency continues. I believe in MTAS and I’m willing to back that up with a contribution.

It’s time now for some congratulations and celebrations. First off is the ten year anniversary of TREEDC. If you can recall, the organization began after Warren was asked to teach a class on urban forestry. That seed idea of a council on renewable energy and economic development is growing into a well rooted and solid tree -well done Warren!

Next are work anniversaries to celebrate. Thanks and congratulations go to Stephanie and Dana who both started on January 1, then Abb hit his work anniversary on the fourth.

Let’s also celebrate birthdays. There were quite a few since the last Mustard. Please join me in celebrating:
Jeff who had a birthday on December 16
Rick on December 21
Armintha on December 23
Nancy on December 30
Dana on January 9
Doug on January 12

I’ll leave you with the quote from my planner today. It seems appropriate for the start of a new year: “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” This is attributed to Jimmy Dean. If you like quotes, and you like puzzles, then here’s a cryptograph for you. The hint is that the letter C in the quote below represents the letter I in the actual quote.

C ldpvm hsu uyphrm mahm dckp ehl Nbr.
C ebfp hsu lhe mahm dckp ehl Uomr.
C hqmpu, hsu tpablu, Uomr ehl Nbr.

If you solve the puzzle, let me know. I’ll give you credit in the next Mustard, and I will also give everyone the answer.

Have a terrific week,
Margaret