Spectrum Connection: June 2021

From the desk of Dave Smalley

Boss or Leader?

Recently we integrated with another company to secure a large project. It was fun, and it was interesting to see how the different cultures interacted and came together. One thing I was struck by is that I was repeatedly referred to as BOSS. Yes Boss, Thank you Boss, How are you doing today Boss? Simple innocuous comments most likely borne out of endearment or intended respect. They even had books for managers that were referred to and titled Boss books.

I have to tell you, that every time I heard BOSS, I cringed a bit. I guess I have a notion of what a boss is, and when I close my eyes and imagine what it looks like, in my mind, it is not a very positive image. One image that came to mind was from the old cartoon show, The Flintstones, where Fred and Barny’s BOSS, Mr. Slate, was always mean and the employees were scared of him.

In the image I have, I think a boss says “GO!”, while I think in the same scenario a LEADER says, “Let’s Go!” To me, there is a huge difference between the two. A boss says, “Climb that mountain”, while a leader climbs the mountain with the team, all the way to the top.

Speaking of mountains, I think a boss perceives him or herself perched all alone at the top of the mountain, while a leader walks every step with the team of associates, encouraging each one to the top. A boss shouts down to those below. A leader will double back to talk to someone and help them get to the top.

It doesn’t take much reflective thought to see that by leading people to successes at the top of the mountain, the surrounded leader creates a much more dynamic group than that of the alternative. So, I guess if you are the leader of your group or organization and you find yourself thinking ‘it’s lonely at the top’, it may be time to do some reflective thinking of your own.

Leaders are not alone; they allow themselves to be surrounded with their followers. Think how fulfilling it is to take someone where they could not go on their own. Everyone loves that feeling, and leaders get to feel that way regularly.

I would further say that a good leader does not stay at the top or stay stationary. Great leaders travel up and down the mountain to find strong climbers that can assume leadership positions of their own. This further strengthens the organization, allowing the conquering of multiple peaks.

A really smart man, Jules Ormont, said, “A great leader never sets himself above their followers, except in carrying responsibilities.” While boss and leader may be used interchangeably by some, in my mind there are distinct differences. There are some subtle and not so subtle differences in many of the things and traits we build upon as the foundation of our culture, such as choices and committed choices, or to motivate or inspire, among others.

Cheers to the day and my love and respect to you and yours. Let’s be of the leader mindset and be difference makers.

Most sincerely,

~ Dave

 

From the desk of Melanie

BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase? If you haven’t, it’s not too difficult to understand the idea behind it. Be present; today matters, in this moment, in this hour. Don’t get ahead of yourself, don’t “time travel”, instead BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE.

Submitted by A.B. Kaplan on Wed, 11/13/2013 – 11:31 – ‘If we spend our time worrying about the future, we lose the present’

Being here, being present now actually requires practice. Think about it: we ‘time travel’ many times a day, don’t we? And we’ve been practicing this for quite a long time. If we kept track, we might be amazed to discover the number of times we found our minds somewhere else. So, it stands to reason that doing the opposite (staying present) then requires practice as well.

Be where your feet are, staying present, being mindful, and awareness in this moment are all terms for mindfulness. They all have the same meaning which is to stay present and aware in this moment without allowing internal or external elements to alter our focus. And like learning any new skill, learning to be where your feet are takes time, energy and practice.

Mindfulness can be defined as “being distracted 100 times and the ability to bring our mind back to the present 101 times”. The practice of mindfulness helps provide stability and structure. It helps us to bring our thoughts and our mind back to the present. It helps us work with the resistance we experience when practicing staying in the here and now.

The more we practice bringing our thoughts back to here and now, the more we begin to see that we can be aware and avoid ‘time travel’ if we choose. Remember, you are here now; that, in itself, is being mindful. Take time daily to be where your feet are and live life in the present.

BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE!

Cheers!

~ Melanie

SPECTRUM NEWS & UPDATES FROM THE PEOPLE DEPARTMENT

We are so excited to welcome you back to Spectrum! We have missed each and every one of you and have some exciting updates to share!

Below are our new Corporate Pillars. The Pillars were built by our Strategic Planning Group as a representation of all of the core values that have helped us to get to where we are today. Our Pillars make us who and what we are! We encourage you to read, re-read and focus on each of the pillars that represent Spectrum’s core values.

These Pillars help us to stand out and be as great as we can be!

 

 

SPECTRUM PLEDGE OF EMPLOYMENT

At Spectrum, our word is our bond. The Spectrum “pledge” is just that; a set of beliefs which guide our actions. We are excited that you will be a big part of the Spectrum family. You, like all Spectrum associates, will be expected to support, grow, and protect our culture as part of this pledge of employment.  By reading and understanding this pledge of employment, you agree to uphold each pillar to the very best of your ability, and to always advocate for what is best for the greater good, the greater purpose.

At Spectrum, we don’t just tout the Golden Rule, we apply it and live it every single day in our professional life.  We treat people the way we want to be treated in every interaction; with co-workers, vendors, customers, our community – everyone. We are not a typical company; our services are not typical, and we don’t want our associates to be typical.  We stand for heart, service, leadership, integrity, and innovation, just as our pillars represent.

 

At Spectrum, we place a lot of emphasis on our culture, because we are both a team and a family. We have created an environment that is less corporate, and more about creativity and productivity. We have removed the stigma of micro-management and replaced it with autonomous opportunity and collaboration. Wellbeing comes from one place – a positive culture.

• Caring for, being interested in, and maintaining responsibility for colleagues as friends.
• Providing support for one another, including offering kindness and compassion when others are struggling.
• Avoiding blame and forgiving mistakes.
• Inspiring one another at work.
• Emphasizing the meaningfulness of our work.
• Treating one another with respect, gratitude, trust, and integrity.

While we have grown quickly, we recognize that there are always challenges and we celebrate those challenges. No matter what happens, our culture and our pledge make us “one”. We let our character speak for itself and remain humble in our journey.

We welcome you to the Spectrum family and hope that you find passion and happiness in your work here.  Be inspired and be inspiring.

 

CONTINUED FROM: THE PEOPLE DEPARTMENT

Payroll Company Change – We Are No Longer Using Paycom

We have officially switched Payroll Providers from Paycom to HR&P. All check stubs and pay history for 2021 and going forward will be available through www.hrp.net . All previous year’s check stubs and W2’s will remain available in Paycom. Please contact the People Department (hr@spectrumfcs.com) if you need any assistance with your account and we will be happy to help.

401k Announcement

Effective 5/24, Spectrum has reactivated the Employer Match on all 401k contributions. The company will match 4% of up to 5% of your salary. If you need to make any changes to your current 401k elections, please visit www.mykplan.com or contact the People Department for assistance, hr@spectrumfcs.com.

Travel Memo

Please log into your HR&P account to view and sign the 2021 Travel Memo. It is important that we have your signature on file prior to booking travel arrangements. We are admittedly a bit behind on this, so please help us by signing today! We are so happy to be able to travel again!

June Awareness

June 6th is National Cancer Survivors Day. We want to take a moment to appreciate and honor all Cancer Survivors and also to reflect on anyone we may have loss due to cancer. We encourage you to wear your sunscreen, get your annual checkups and most importantly, take care of yourselves by eating and staying healthy. “Health is Wealth” is more than just a saying! Taking these small steps can help you to achieve living a long and healthy life!

 

 

 

WICKED WHISK

Wicked Whisk, for the first time ever, had a trifecta of events in 6 days at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. We were fortunate to do an event in the Event Center for Angel Reach, one the Main Stage for the Pavilion Partners Wine Dinner, and the patio of the Woodforest Bank Club for Leadership Montgomery County. We are blessed to have amazing clients and these events were extremely important for the community. They were individually beautiful events, and we were proud to be part of them! Thank You to the Pavilion for being incredible partners with us, Angel Reach, and Leadership Montgomery County!

The Wicked Awesome Wicked Whisk Team were part of many exciting events around Houston in May! We were at the Conroe ISD Foundation Breakfast at Woodforest Bank Stadium, Saber Cats VIP Events at Aveva Stadium, and the Food Truck made an appearance at a baby shower. We bottled our own Faux-jito Mocktails and even had a wedding on a Tuesday evening!! Nothing is impossible for the Wicked Whisk team! We have an amazing group of dedicated associates who help create lasting memories for our clients and guests! Thank You Team Wicked Whisk for all you do!!