how would you help be helpful?
Team Georgia employees are committed to being HELPFUL! Read some of their stories here.
Rudy Nixon and Terri Webster believe in being helpful at DeKalb Technical College. Rudy, a custodian, recently received a Governor's Commendation for his exceptionally helpful service. His coworkers and customers say he exudes customer service, energy and enthusiasm in his daily work.
Terri Webster, administrative assistant to the Dean, nominated Rudy for the award. "I did so because he exemplifies a genuine sincerity all the time, no matter what he’s doing. He always has a positive attitude." She added, "Seeing Rudy win this award that is so rightfully deserving has had an unexpected impact on me, causing me to examine my own attitude and motivation at work."
When you see helpful service in action, take the opportunity to recognize it! Visit www.team.ga.gov/service to learn more about the Governor's Commendations and Annual Awards.
Rhett Crowe, a web developer at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, is also a Registered Yoga Teacher who teaches on-campus classes to help others live better. She recently coordinated with her Training and Development office to offer a free "Yoga at Your Desk" workshop to faculty and staff at UGA.
"I know that many people are suffering from chronic stress, especially in these turbulent times, and that it is a major health problem in the U.S. leading to heart disease, diabetes and other complications. I truly believe that yoga offers a roadmap that is quite effective at managing that stress, leading to better health," said Rhett. Her workshop consists of yoga poses adapted to sitting in a chair, breathing practices, relaxation and meditation.
"I am honored to pass on my experience and training to help others learn to manage uncontrolled stress, making their lives more calm and comfortable. By helping them be happier, I believe they in turn are able to be more positive with everyone they come in contact with throughout their day."
David Cassell, a principal planner with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, recently volunteered his time to improve the commute experience for Xpress bus riders.
GRTA is responsible for managing 28 Xpress commuter bus routes, as well as developing and publishing route schedules with timetables, rider information and maps. However, without dedicated staff to design and update the schedules, they have been packaged inconsistently from one route to the next with a minimum of information.
David, and his supervisor, Dania Aponte, graciously agreed to lend his time to help produce more reader-friendly Xpress maps, which not only serves bus riders but also saves funding by not contracting out for the work. David applied his knowledge of mapping design software and sought detailed input based on the customer's perspective.
Since December 2008, he has produced 31 new vicinity maps, plus 8 new circulation maps for downtown and midtown Atlanta all in a newly improved and consistent format. Before, GRTA published new maps individually only 3-4 times a year. Thanks to David, GRTA now has a complete set of new and improved maps to improve the customer experience. The data developed during the mapping process will also be used for a regional transit trip planner.
Tips for being helpful:
- Do What's Right
- Be an Innovative Advocate
- Do Whatever It Takes
- Patience is a Virtue
- Share Your Skills
- Your Help Can Change a Life
- Listen and Learn
- Be a Good Ambassador
- Act With Compassion
- Give Helpful Guidance
- Give Beyond the Expected
- Show That You Care
- Lead by Example
- Take Ownership of the Customer's Needs
