OPPORTUNITY IS EVERYWHERE. HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?

Jackie Halleen, Executive Vice President – COO

Hello team! I am so happy to have a moment to share some thoughts with all of you. As a leader who has been with Goodwill for quite some time, I’d like to talk about opportunity. Our organization is continuing to grow – and this growth will mean more opportunity for you.

As we pursue our mission of ending poverty through the power of work, we are continually looking for ways to serve our community – and our GCNA team – better. Over the next several years, we’ll work to open an Excel Center: a free high school for adults. We also plan to build a new “Opportunity Center”: a campus-style structure that will provide needed social services and resources to our community in ways we couldn’t before.

In addition to these community-focused efforts, we will continue to build our internal enrichment program designed to give each of you a better life. As we grow into the future together, my hope is that you all will recognize the talent that lies within you, no matter what role you play in our organization. If you’re curious about all the options, and don’t quite know what a career path looks like for you, sit down and have a conversation with your leader or a mentor.

Remember, we have two great programs: Job Shadowing and Mentoring. Take advantage of them – they are there for you. Finally, we must never lose sight of our core business. GCNA runs a first-class retail operation, which will also need to continue to grow and expand in order to support the many great things that we offer our community.

In a few weeks, many of you will have another important opportunity as you attend our first ever GCNA Leadership Conference. This retreat was created to bring clarity and focus to our leaders. We will learn together in workshops, and get to know each other better during teambuilding activities. We will also have some fun and celebrate our success! Our goal for the Conference is that when you leave, you will have the tools to be a leader that can inspire, share, and give your team the opportunities they need to be successful.

The items I listed above will provide tremendous opportunities for all of you. Opportunities to learn new skills, to serve the community in new ways, and to grow and develop your careers. However, it’s important to remember that all great opportunities come with responsibility. One of the many things I have learned in years of building my own career is that you need to be the one who is accountable. When you see an opportunity that seems right for you – you must seize it!

If you’re new to GCNA, or if you’ve been here for years, here are some suggestions on how to know what you want, and go for it:

• Be responsible. Take the time and effort to invest in yourself. Don’t wait for someone to suggest a class or workshop. Know what you want to learn and do it!

• Be persistent. If you feel you’re not getting enough information – ASK.

• Be prepared. Go to meetings ready, and willing, to listen and learn.

• Be curious. Be the one who asks those silly questions that no one else will. Many times, those are the most important!

• Be focused. Make sure you know your values and goals. Write them down and let them be your personal mantra.

• Be present. Sit in the front of the room and don’t be a wallflower.

• Be learning. Pick up a book and read it. Learning doesn’t stop once you’re out of school -it’s a lifelong commitment. Plus, it’s really fun learning something new. Around here, it happens almost daily!

Oh, and a final suggestion: Be brave. Don’t be afraid to explore new things, take risks, or even fail. That’s okay. I saw the following quote on the wall of the Goodwill Opportunity Center in Charlotte, North Carolina: “To turn a dream into reality requires a moment in the present when the hope of the future becomes greater than fears of the past.” It resonated with me because fear can be so powerful, and it often gets in the way of so many great opportunities – and Goodwill is opportunity.

We are counting on you to step up and to be accountable for your career – and your success. I truly believe in the power of all of you – from the bottom of my heart. You are worth it. Take the next great opportunity when it arises and run with it. You won’t be sorry you did!