​The Great Impact One Person Can Have on a Team

I love observing and learning about examples of great teamwork.  I see many examples around me all the time where individuals are influencing for good a group of people.  One such example has been demonstrated by one of our students, Conner Russon, who recently completed a successful internship at Utah Valley Hospital.  With his permission, I share the following information along with a link of the front page article that appeared in the Provo Daily Herald newspaper:  http://www.svacademy.org/vocationalpath.html  
 
The maintenance crew that Conner worked with at IHC reported that Conner has impacted for good their whole team and he has helped them all enjoy their jobs more and feel happier at work.  In fact, they have been pushing their administrators to come up with the funds to create a job for Conner.  What a great compliment to Conner to have a team fighting for him because of the impact he has had on them.  What would our teammates say about us? Would it be similar to what Conner’s teammates are saying about him?  I’m grateful to Conner for what he is teaching us, and for the example he has demonstrated of the impact one person can have on a team. Recently I sat down with Conner to visit with him about his internship experience.  Here are a few highlights of that interview:
 
Why did the maintenance crew you interned with like you so much?
I was always happy.  I made a decision to always be happy.  Sometimes I didn’t feel happy before I showed up for work but I chose to be happy once I got there.
 
Why did you choose to be happy at your internship?
It helps me feel better and not feel so worried and anxious. It helps me learn and do my job better.  It helps the crew I work with feel better.  All it takes is one person to be really happy and it helps everyone.  The guys I worked with kept telling me they liked their jobs better after I got there.  I’m glad I could help them. 
 
What did you do to help you and your co-workers be happy?
I decided I wanted to make their day.  I told them jokes and made them laugh.  I tried to always have a smile and a good attitude.  I made sure I was always doing my part.  They made me a member of their team so I wanted to be the best team member I could be for them.  I think I did a pretty great job, especially since they didn’t want me to leave and they fought to have me stay.
 
-Marty Matheson
Executive Director
ScenicView Academy