Summer Report on Business Launch with Missing Column (First Job)

The latest issue of Report on Business is here, and the theme is First Job.

The spotlight, however, is on workforce experiences that shape career paths. We are proud to feature articles from Altru Health System, Grand Forks Regional EDC, our board of directors, and JSND). Additionally, check out our partnership with North Dakota Horizons.

As usual, we announce with the missing column of our VP of Strategic Engagement, Amanda Remynse's column.

MISSING COLUMN: Wins vs Losses or Failures and Fixations
Are you celebrating your wins? Don’t roll your eyes – you say you are but the other half of this question is how you are handling your failures. Failures don’t have to be bombs that leave marks when you didn’t win. It’s easy to see the misses or the not-wins and forget the good things that have come along… let me explain.

In our office, we’ve been talking about celebrating more – seems easy. I think many offices that we work in want to do that. However it may not be easy to keep the shadows uninvited and to quickly shift the “YEAS” to regrets. Let me explain in a dental way – stay with me.

My dentist does periodontal charting. This is a gum examination that they call out on the top and bottoms to measure pockets between teeth and gums to assess the health of your gums. They read out numbers 1 through 5. 1 is good and 5 is not. I take solid pride in these reads and even brag to my husband about the number of 1s that I get on a regular basis. He cares little and provides no encouraging praise. This past time I had more 1s then I’ve had in the past and everything was fantastic until I heard it… that’s right. One solo five came out of the reading. I was devasted in myself – I had never had a 5. YIKES!

Upon later reflection, I got to thinking about all the 1s that I wasn’t celebrating but instead beating myself up about the unique five that had showed up. THIS IS MY GUMS – not my work, not my members, not my team, not my children, not anything life altering but I was disappointed and letting it take up a lot of headspace.

Are we losing the forest for 1 tree? Are we ignoring team progress because of one missed goal? Are we forgetting the positive customer relationships because one account dropped? Don’t let one loss or failure derail the needed celebration for the milestones that happen in your business.

At GNDC, we occasionally have members who leave. That stings. But I’ve made a conscious decision to celebrate the ones that are proud to be a part of our organization, proud of North Dakota, proud of the place that they chose to grow their life. I want to hear these stories, I want to work with these change agents —not obsess over the few who walk away.

So my challenge in this column – shed a little weight and you’re due for a mental check on celebrating the movements vs living in the 1 wrong that didn’t go like you hoped. It’s not always easy, especially in the face of polarizing politics, shifting regulations, and economic uncertainty. But I believe there are still silver linings—wins worth noting—in every business, every role, every industry.

SUMMER ISSUE OF REPORT ON BUSINESS: CONSTRUCTION & BUILDING