#ThursdayThoughts: Family, Communication, Self-Awareness
This week I was able to connect with Felicia Read all the way from Wyoming. Felicia is the Assistant Director of Marketing & Community Outreach for University of Wyoming Athletics.
Every organization and school has a Mission/Vision Statement. Very few refer back and make sure their daily activities mirror that mission and/or vision. I was really impressed as Felicia cited the University of Wyoming Mission Statement in answering the first question below.
Nick Cipkus: As a Marketing Assistant at a Division 1 School, what is your ultimate goal/objective as a department?
Felicia Read.: "As a department we strive to be prepared for anything at any given time. We are a family here at Wyoming and we treat it like that – bringing the community in and sharing that with them.
Personally, I make every effort to connect with teams, student athletes, and fans in order to fully understand their wants and needs to provide them with the best experience possible. When you make people (or teams) feel genuinely more than just a number, they not only invest in and trust you more, they invest in your program – and you find yourself more invested in them."
Sport is an emotional and passionate activity. Many times this emotion and passion can interfere with working relationships. Self-Awareness and learning from you mistakes is so important. It is evident Felicia has great self-awareness in describing how her "way of thinking" changed.
Nick Cipkus: What has been the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? How did you do it?
Felicia Read: "With athletics being so competitive, working as a unit with everyone who is so passionate can be difficult at times. Too many strong personalities can create friction which can delay the ultimate goal of your marketing department. Coming in as a young professional I had to learn how to change my way of thinking. Everyone’s intentions are good, it is just how they connect is how the message can be perceived. If you figure out what motivates them and their communication styles, you learn how to approach situations better and have a more successful chance at finding a compromise."
Sport is an emotional and passionate activity. Many times this emotion and passion can interfere with working relationships. Self-Awareness and learning from you mistakes is so important. It is evident Felicia has great self-awareness in describing how her "way of thinking" changed. Communication is lacking in today's digital world. Learning about each person and their motivation makes it so much easier to have a good relationship with each individual.
Follow Felicia @FeliciaRead
