January 26, 2024
At the beginning of each year, Michael Buckley, Arrow’s personal and professional development coach and “The Chief Feelings Officer,” asks each team member to pick a “Word of the Year.”
What does your life need more of right now?
And my life will be improved if I have more of what?
Michael reminds us that sometimes, we need more focus. Then, other times, it’s more compassion, and at times, we need more fun! In past years, team members have chosen words such as clarity, confidence, intentional, commitment, consideration, and receptiveness.
This year, team members are actively selecting a Word of the Year for themselves and collaborating to create a word for their community. Picking a personal word and community word is a commitment to doing work on themselves and the “we” and “us” work they want to accomplish as a community.
This word is significant because it allows someone to meet pain or hardship with great courage and strength. Some synonyms of fortitude are bravery and resilience. We are inevitably going to face challenges and struggles. But if we find ways to stay courageous and strong, we will continue growing and improving.
By setting an intention for the year, we’re shaping our community for success. It gives us something to strive for. I recently heard about the “red car theory.” You ask yourself how many red cars you saw today from point A to point B. You probably don’t know the exact number or if you even saw any. However, if someone told you to count how many red cars you saw while driving from point A to point B, you’d be sure to count and keep better track. Whatever we are searching and striving for, we must seek it. So, if we seek a goal and set an intention, we are more likely to succeed.
We will incorporate fortitude into daily community operations with discussion in our Town Hall meetings with staff and find ways to remind everyone of it throughout the month. We will also refer to our word of the year when talking about our core values. When we don’t know how to respond, I will challenge others to think about how they can respond with fortitude.
We have made great strides in reducing our agency and improving the day-to-day care of our residents’ lives; however, it is still a work in progress. I also want to improve communication with residents and families by utilizing the Arrow App and sending more frequent e-blasts with updates and communications.
The chosen Word of the Year should inspire the team. If it doesn’t, it means they selected the wrong word. Hold yourself and others accountable throughout the year. Engage with team members about their Word of the Year and keep it as a frequent topic of discussion in your community. Monitor your achievements using your 2024 Word of the Year, and we eagerly anticipate celebrating them with you!
Carriage Court Senior Living in Hilliard, OH offers independent senior apartments, assisted living, and memory care with a variety of services and a range of floor plan options. Amenities include restaurant dining, 24-hour bistro, concierge service, housekeeping, events and entertainment, personal care, transportation services, and more. Centrally located near Dublin Methodist Hospital with convenient access to major shopping centers, including Heritage Golf Club, The Market at Hilliard, Ten Pin Bowling, Crooked Can Brewery & Center Street Market , and the Hilliard Family Aquatic Center.
