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Gratitude
Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.
—Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne
Most of us remember the organized chaos of lunch while in high school—the cafeteria redolent of burgers and fries and warm chocolate chip cookies, the overflowing trash cans, and the chance to catch a much-needed break with friends between classes. When I was a new vice principal, I learned my responsibilities would include lunchtime supervision of our students.
I recall one afternoon during the early days of my new position after the bell rang for students to return to class. As the principal and I guided the students toward the buildings, I noted the condition of the quad, which was a minor disaster area of wrappers, cans, and half-eaten comestibles.
“Paul,” I said to my principal, “We need to call the custodian immediately to get this cleaned up.”
My sage principal, Paul Goldman, turned to me and retorted,
“What’s the matter with your hands, Elizabeth?”
The moment remains memorable for two reasons.
First, while we each have roles and responsibilities, all of us are responsible as leaders to model what we expect of others. None of us is above any task that comes our way.
Second, as Paul had told me shortly after my arrival, the secretary and the custodian hold the school together.
“They actually run the school, Elizabeth.”
Paul’s message was clear: there were individuals in our school—administrative professionals—who would make my life as a school leader wholly achievable.
In 1952 the day was called National Secretaries Day. Today, we call this day of recognition National Administrative Professionals Day. While the name has changed to better reflect today’s professional ethos, the purpose of this day is the same: to honor and recognize those individuals in our organizations whose contributions serve as the infrastructural backbone of all that we accomplish.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of working together with many accomplished administrative professionals. In our CSUCI School of Education, we have three such individuals: Liege Auyb, Lyzette Cornejo, and Evan Hill. These colleagues ensure that each day our faculty and other staff have the support necessary to accomplish their responsibilities.
Please take the opportunity this week to reach out to and thank the administrative professionals in your organization. They really do run your operation!
And by the way, that day back in the high school quad in much need of a clean-up? I did indeed pick up the trash and reflect on our good fortune that we had such fine administrative professionals to lighten our loads.
With sincere gratitude,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth C. Orozco Reilly
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