When I was five, I was always known as being the little girl who never shared. Goodness knows my parents tried, but the art of sharing was never one I was inclined to master. As a fallout of this unfortunate personality trait, I also possessed a profound lack of patience and understanding. My parents would tell
As I grew older, these troublesome tendencies grew into tenacious personality flaws that I soon learned would not benefit me in the real world. As such, I worked hard to become a more understanding, kind-hearted person.
I had many jobs growing up, anywhere from nannying and tutoring to being a busser/kitchen staff at a local pub in Seattle. However, the job that really changed my outlook on life was my role with Odyssey as Editor-in-Chief of the Washington State University staff. It truly flipped my idea of professionalism and patience on its head.
When I first got the job, I was extremely overwhelmed. I had no experience editing, virtually no experience writing, and everyone on our previous staff had quit. As some would say, I started out my career as an Editor, SOL. However, I quickly learned that that was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
We -- my then-Contributing Editor and I -- recruited 20 new writers in less than a month. Within that month, our team was producing content that filled my Facebook feed and blew up the social media stratosphere. They made people laugh, they made people cry, and they started conversations about pertinent cultural issues. In other words, our writers were speaking to their community, and they were being heard. It was a beautiful thing to see.
I quickly learned that patience and understanding, as well as an open heart, are traits that really make or break a good leader. I saw so many people in leadership positions who ruled with an iron fist and admittedly, in many cases, that works well. However, I learned that with my staff, patience and understanding were the mantras to live by.
When your entire job revolves around tracking and editing submissions, you find yourself getting a lot of excuses. Some of them were hilariously and fictitiously fabricated, which I saw right through, but others were genuine struggles. It taught me so much about what it means to be a friend and professional guide -- you need to understand that every situation is different. You have no way of knowing what someone is going through. It's important to listen and ask before you interpret and assume. Understand that you can't always see everything that is going on behind the scenes, and if you simply ask, most people will tell you what you need to know. Help and professionalism is more beneficial than blatant punishment.
Throughout the last year as Editor-in-Chief, I was really understanding about submission dates and deadlines. In return, when I had a few medical issues and had to be a little more hands-off, my team had my back. Understanding was rewarded in kind with equal understanding, and our staff showed me that they would always be there, brandishing professionalism and funny jokes to spice up staff meetings.
I also learned that people, no matter their background, are capable of anything. I once hired a writer who had no samples, no essays and nothing to go off of, but I hired her because I believed in her. Two weeks later, she had her first viral article and was producing some of the most brilliant, engaging, and heart-wrenching content I'd yet seen. Stuff like that is what you find through Odyssey.
Odyssey changed me from an impatient little girl to a politically-involved, motivated, education-seeking, understanding, professional, and driven individual. It's jobs like these that teach you who you're meant to be and what you're meant to do with your life.
Thank you to my team, and thank you to my wonderful boss/leader. You all have helped me grow into the person I am today, and I can't tell you how much I will always appreciate the lessons you taught me. Finally, thank you to Odyssey for giving me a voice, an outlet for conversation, and a way to find myself.
