September 05, 2017
Labor Day at DBHDD
Greetings, and welcome back to work after our three-day weekend. As we celebrate Labor Day, it is a good time to reflect on the significance of this holiday. The history of Labor Day dates to the late 1800s when the Labor movement was in full swing. Today, many of the reforms this movement sought to bring are standard employment practices. However, recognition of the vast economic and social contributions of the American worker will never be outdated. Because of these contributions, our country has enjoyed an unparalleled prosperity and standard of living. Because of people going to work every day, you and I have food on the table, a place to live, and the opportunity to strive for and attain a satisfying and meaningful life.
As I enjoyed the long weekend, I thought about what Labor Day means at DBHDD. I thought about the thousands of team members in our department and our network of community providers who give meaning to our work every day. The individuals who make up our workforce – you – are our greatest asset, and our vision, mission, and priorities would have little means to be effective without your commitment to the people we serve.
I want to share with you some insight from the thought leader and motivational speaker Simon Sinek, who tells us that in any organization, we should always start with why. Why do we do what we do? Sinek contends that very few organizations are truly aware of why they do what they do, that is, their purpose. I see purpose-driven work at DBHDD every day. I see hardworking women and men who are dedicated to our vision of easy access to high-quality care, who approach every task great or small with a desire to support recovery and independence for the people we serve.
I am inspired by you, and by your devotion to our organization and to helping Georgians with behavioral health challenges and intellectual and developmental disabilities have the best opportunities possible. When I go to work every morning, my “why” is you.
As we return from the holiday weekend, I encourage each of you to reflect on your “why,” and to do work that inspires you.
Thank you for your contributions to our team.
Sincerely,
Judy Fitzgerald
P.S. If you would like to listen to Simon Sinek’s TED Talk, it can be found here: “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”