When I asked John why he sought a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, he said, “I believe that the strength and commitment of Visions relies on the culture we have. Chris and Amanda Shumow created a culture of family. We bring people in that we want to work with, and we understand that it’s not possible to leave your personal life at home. We encourage and support our team when they need help.” Within John’s statement lie the fundamental beliefs and practices that are integral to the Visions culture: We are a family.
When Visions began, everyone needed to know how to do a bit of everything, or at least be willing to try. For example, if the toilet was clogged, no one was above getting a plunger to handle business. In this sense, we were a team of “generalists.” Over the years, however, we have evolved and expanded to include a team of “specialists.” I’ll give you an example of a specialist: me. As the New Media Manager, what I do is streamlined, despite the fact that I cover a very broad ground. I am required to know and understand what everyone does and how they do it, but I utilize and disseminate this information in a specialized way via social media resources. From the perspective of John’s degree and specialization, that makes my position and me easier to manage. Having more specialists allows us to celebrate the attributes of the varied members of the Visions team while supporting an efficient management system.
John Lieberman helps the Visions team find the magic and connection in what we do so we can become something our clients look to for inspiration. If we are following our hearts and doing what we love, then we are creating an environment in which others are encouraged to do the same. John’s master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology affords him an opportunity to provide this wonderful service to others at Visions and beyond: He urges people to do what they love so they can love what they do. John is working his own magic. His passion and love for what he does is contagious.
Three suggestions from John to help you follow your dreams:
1:Figure out how to do more of what you love to do.
2: What are your long-term goals? How does this position help me with my long-term goals?
3: What am I going to bring to this?
If we enter a job and view it as “just a job,” then we are missing out. If we can be as engaged in our jobs as we are in our lives, then we can affect change in the lives that we touch. John says, “When we change a person, we change the world.”
I’ll leave you with this quote form Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO, whose ideology we admire at Visions.
“I view my role more as trying to set up an environment where the personalities, creativity and individuality of all the different employees come out and can shine.”
Tony Hsieh
