Friday, May 8, 2009

The Power of Sequins and Feathers

The other night, I had the privilege of emc-ing an employee recognition gala where the focus of the night was saying thank you to people who do great things for others. This could mean acts of exemplary service, acts of kindness, or acts of bravery. But two things really stood out for me that night. The power of saying thank you, and the power of sequins and feathers.

As the emcee, my job was to welcome the crowd, and to see them through the awards ceremony. So, the questions naturally occurred to me. Would I bore them to death. Would they write on their comment cards - please never let that woman return. What should I wear?

All fear aside, I decided to focus on what was real and within my control. My wardrobe choice. I decided on the "go big or go home" approach - A short sequined dress, black tights and ankle boots. Oh yes, and a black feather boa to top off the ensemble. Now admittedly, this is not regular work attire. But I work for a company that is in the entertainment industry. So if we can't be entertaining, who can?

Admittedly, I was nervous. Having only been on the management team for a year, I am kind of an unknown. And I was a bit nervous to carry the show, and do my part to make the evening memorable for the staff who were attending.

So I did what I often do when I am feeling terrified and insecure. I created a persona and stepped into it, and then . . . well became who I needed to be. One person described my performance as the perfect combination of "glam and goofy." I can live with that. Actually, it`s accurate. My goal was to make everyone comfortable, entertain them as best I could. I also wanted to show my appreciation and thanks to them by doing a good job on stage.

Everyday, there are people who live out their goal to make every day a good day for someone else. These are the people who are stars, and do deserve our thanks. I did my best that night, but sometimes I forget that every day is about making someone`s day better. The fact is, there are a lot of people who do make each day better for others.

Besides the sequins and feathers, this really isn`t that much of a stretch when you think of it.

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