News Post

Showing Respect By Acknowledging Outstanding Achievements
John Morgan

VISTA BLOG

January Core Value Highlight: Respect

All people have the right to equal opportunity and to be treated with dignity.

It’s especially rewarding to be recognized for your successes and hard work by your peers or mentors. At Vista, we believe that acknowledging the respect you feel for someone by sharing their accomplishments with our community is invaluable to their growth. We encourage our staff to recognize and show respect for our students and members, as well as their coworkers, when they go above and beyond.

To honor our students and members for their achievements, a staff member can present them with an “On the Spot Award” when they demonstrate growth and incorporate Vista’s Core Values in their everyday lives. Successes on their journey toward independence, whether large or small, are celebrated. Here are a few examples of recent “On the Spot Award” triumphs:

  • A member who helped a peer who was housebound. The member explained how to use Zoom, made sure medications were taken appropriately, and provided supper.
  • A student who used assertive communications instead of shutting down to avoid responsibilities. By expressing feelings and knowing that they had been heard, the student was able to complete morning chores.
  • Another student was recognized for doing a wonderful job at assigned vocational training sites, moving one step closer to the goal of securing a paid position.
Vista "On The Spot" Award Receipients
Some of the recent "On The Spot" Award winners proudly display their certificates, knowing they've earned the respect of the Vista community

Vista staff members can also express respect for their coworkers when they do something extraordinary by nominating them for an “Embrace the Silver Lining” award. This recognition highlights employees who maintain a positive attitude despite difficulties and challenges, spreading the positive instead of the negative. These are the actions that some of our most recent recipients have been recognized for:

  • Stepping in to enable communication between an employer and the PCs of several of our members who work at this site.
  • Coming in during the wee hours of the morning to get things back up and running when a power outage at the Westbrook residence took out the alarm and phone systems.
  • Connecting with the owner of a new bookstore in Madison and, through conversations about the work Vista does, creating employment opportunities for our members.
Recognition motivates the recipient to continue going that extra mile. As one recent “Silver Lining” winner shared, “Being acknowledged for the work I do gives me a feeling of pride and confidence.  It is reassuring that I am making a positive impact with our members as well as with the Vista team.”

Sharing other people's accomplishments not only serves as a good model for inspiring one's peers, it also demonstrates respect. The Vista community – students, members, and staff – strongly supports the practice of appreciation for others.

More to come...

Find this series on Vista's Blog Page