Success Center’s very own Sharee Barranco writes all employee of the month articles! What happens when the person who normally writes this article gets selected as the employee of the month? We get a fun interview with some truly interesting answers!
Sharee has been involved with Success Centers as a volunteer for many years! She began working with Success Centers after a dinner with our CEO and CFO and learned that there was the possibility of joining the team. After retiring from a 30-year career in healthcare, she decided to apply to join Success Centers. Sharee was familiar with Success Centers already, as she had been volunteering for years and recalls vivid conversations with our CEO Liz Jackson-Simpson regarding the youth, future career pathways for clients and changing the organization’s name! She was here for that change, and she has stayed because she cares about uplifting our communities. Sharee loves to be a compassionate disrupter, and her role at Success Centers allows her to do that.
‘We don’t accept the status quo when we know that marginalized, under-resourced communities deserve a seat at the table.’
In her role at Success Centers, Sharee is the Senior Director of Special Projects. She says that everything is a special project! From managing the holiday card campaigns to employee retreats, to managing a social media team, to ensuring that all internal and external communications are accurately and consistently executed. She also develops and implements organizational policies and procedures, works to revise and enhance the organization’s annual employee review process and helps write some of the organization’s grants. Those are just a few of the tasks that keep her busy!
When asked about what advice she might have for new employees, Sharee said’ Be flexible, and open to alternate opinions; don’t be afraid to ask ‘why’!
‘I know how to say no, and I am comfortable pushing back on deliverables that are not clearly communicated or have unrealistic expectations. I request meetings to discuss when I am unsure. This writer was curious about what advice she might give to someone who does not have the level of autonomy that she does in that pushback process. Her answer was ‘Know your value, your worth, and your limitations. If you are not comfortable saying no, ask for clarification. It may be that you are capable, but you just don’t fully understand the ask’
I wanted to know how she manages to keep all her work aligned-after all, if everything is a special project, then she must have her hand in everything! She supervises a team, works on administering a grants process, and does countless other tasks. How does she manage to keep it all together? ‘I write everything down multiple times!!! See me for your very own
to-do list!’-Also, I would add that a hearty sense of humor keeps her going. She will give you a to-do list if you need one!
‘I want my co-workers to feel warm, welcomed, and know that I value what they think, even if they disagree. I try to find a happy medium, a win-win that works for both of us. This is my approach because maintaining the integrity of a relationship is necessary to keep folks bringing their genuine selves to the relationship, and this makes for good collaboration!
Sharee will be getting a 90-minute infrared shiatsu massage with her well-earned employee of the month gift card!
Now I don’t know about you all, but I know that a 90-minute massage would make me so relaxed. So, be like Sharee. Keep your boundaries, ask for clarification when there is confusion, know yourself, and value your work relationships.
Please join the Success Centers staff as we congratulate Sharee on this recognition!
