Yesterday, Wendy Kopp was in town for some meetings...and given the day's schedule and number of people that need to be at each of the meetings - the most convenient and cost-effective way of transporting everyone was to get a mini-van...and given that while I wouldn't be in the meetings, it made the most sense for me to be the driver of said mini-van.
Let's just say that driving a mini-van of some of the top people in TFA --- including its CEO and founder --- is kind of crazy. However, if there is one thing that I took away from my time driving around the greater Milwaukee area was what a truly amazing woman Wendy Kopp is.
Sure - she started this organization and is the reason I have a job...but for me, it was overhearing her checking-in with her 4 kids back in New York. The ones of school-age were had the day off from school...so she called them in-between every meeting to make sure they were doing what they needed to be doing for the day even though a full-time nanny was with them. My favorite line from Wendy --- as she was discussing a project of some sort due the next day --- was "Is it your best work, Benjamin?" which was followed by another conversation about the day's upcoming piano lesson: "Have you practiced the piano today? You need to practice...there is about 30 minutes before your lesson...why don't you go and practice now....I'm going to call later and you should have practiced by then."
There was just something about those quick conversations that really struck me and made me realize that the 10-page document I had to follow to set up the day for Wendy was worth it...for someone who has given so much of her life to this organization, I can surely take the time to make things run smoothly in order to give her even just 5 minutes on the phone with her kids because I know that no matter how big this movement gets...she will do anything to make sure she supports the children she and her husband have brought into this world.
I am blessed to work for an organization led by a genuinely good person.
1 comments:
where was the shout out to us for "letting" you practice driving a minivan in the past??
Post a Comment