Your Team and You ePromotion - Day 3

Small Gestures Can Make Someone’s Day

Have you ever received an unexpected gesture from someone?  It could be a “pay it forward” event like the person in front of you unexpectedly buys your coffee in the morning or it could be receiving a card of support during a rough time in your life.  These gestures can put an extra zip in your step, a smile on your face, and make your whole day feel very special.

Think about your team.  Is there anyone who could benefit from a kind or unexpected gesture from you?  Maybe a team member is going through a divorce or having trouble with something.  Maybe they have nothing in particular happening at all but you know they would appreciate something positive and unexpected.  Think about how a kind gesture from you would impact their day.  Think of things you can do for that person: get them a card, buy them a cup of coffee, bake cookies, or write them a thank you note for what they bring to the job each day.  Plan it out and do something to surprise them, either in person or anonymously.

Today, do something unexpected, out of the ordinary, and kind for at least one member of your team.  You can either do it anonymously or let them know it is from you. You may even consider asking that they pay it forward to someone else.

Your Team and You ePromotion - Day 2

Break the Ice

We are all different.  This is based upon life experiences, our personalities, and many other factors.  Some people are a little shy or introverted and tend to recharge their batteries by finding time to be alone.  Introverts tend to avoid crowds and usually don’t initiate conversations.  Others are very outgoing and extroverted.  Extroverts like to talk and engage with people and are rarely ever considered shy.  We invite you to reflect on your tendency toward introversion or extroversion.  Sometimes, reflecting on your style and practicing ways to move outside of your comfort zone will bring you new ways of looking at yourself and the world.  It is also important to recognize that we are all just different and have different responses and reactions to the people around us.

 

If you lean toward introversion, and have deep relationships with a few people but lack a larger support network, practice reaching out and engaging others a bit more than usual. Look for people to add to your support network, people you like and enjoy being with.  Engage in conversations with people you would normally not speak with in places such as work, the grocery store, or other places you may visit.  This will get you out of your comfort zone and help you look at people in a different way. 

 

If you lean toward extroversion and have a lot of acquaintances but perhaps few deep connections with others, it is important to slow down and take time to reflect and have some time alone.  It could also mean that you take time to get to know some of your acquaintances on a deeper level.  It is important to remember that it is not the number of people you know, but how significant your connections with those people that matters.

 

Terri

 

Terri Sitrin, LCSW, ACSW, CEAP | EAP Consultant, Dallas District | USPS EAP

214-353-6996 | TLSitrin@magellanhealth.com

Magellan Health Inc,  2341 W Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX  75220-4415 Go to www.EAP4YOU.com or call 800-EAP-4YOU (800-327-4968) TTY: 877-492-7341

A message from the Acting District Manager

Are you informed?  These days, probably more than any other time in our lives, information is prolific.  We no longer have to wait for our daily newspaper or the morning news programs to get all the latest news.  We wake up, take a look at our cell phone or tablet, and it is right there in front of us—the most up-to-date information available.

The same holds true for the U. S. Postal Service.  Our processing productivity, delivery statistics, scanning, sales and safety performance information, is all readily available each and every day.  Reports that used to take weeks to generate, are now available in a matter of hours.  Having this information is good for our customers because this data serves to keep the Postal Service viable in a highly competitive market.

In addition to the information mentioned above, we also capture information on mail and packages which is provided to our customers with Informed Delivery.  As you all know, or should know, Informed Delivery is an optional, free feature that gives residential consumers the ability to see a daily preview of their household’s mailpieces that will be arriving soon.  This feature offers consumers the convenience of seeing what is coming to their mailbox – anytime, anywhere – even while traveling. Through this feature, USPS is making mail a more valuable and effective communication channel for mailers and consumers, maintaining the relevancy of physical mail in today’s highly digital environment.

Starting this month, we are taking Informed Delivery one step further.  Expected Delivery is an off-shoot of Informed Delivery and is a service that will provide our customers an alert with a two-hour window of when their packages are expected to arrive.  Expected Delivery will greatly enhance the Postal Service’s efforts to achieve higher customer satisfaction with its package delivery services, improve first attempt delivery success and reduce costs of repeat delivery attempts.  You can read more about Expected Delivery in this month’s Dallas Proud.  And if you haven’t already signed up for Informed Delivery, I encourage you to do so now.

We have a great responsibility in making certain the information we provide our customers is accurate.  Ensuring mail and packages are sorted correctly, scanned accurately and delivered appropriately is absolutely necessary in making Informed Delivery and Expected Delivery a valuable service for our customers.  I know the employees of the Dallas District will welcome the responsibility and make these services a success.

 

 

Desoto, TX, Letter Carrier Derrick Lusk (left) received his 35-year Service Award and Building Equipment Mechanic James E. Smith (right) received his 30-year Service Award from Postmaster Linda Norwood (center).

Cedar Hill, TX, Letter Carrier Steven W. Nix (left) received his 30-year Service Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Rick Cade (right).

LINK

Mckinney, TX, Main Post Office Letter Carrier Jeffrey C. Hubert (center) received his 35-year Service Award from (left to right) Supervisors, Customer Services Mark Kordi, Amber Berger; Postmaster Clarence Henderson; and Supervisor, Customer Services Gerald Hamilton.

Mckinney, TX, Main Post Office Custodian Karin L. Pierce (center) received her 30-year Service Award from (left to right) Supervisors, Customer Services Mark Kordi, Amber Berger; Postmaster Clarence Henderson; and Supervisor, Customer Services Gerald Hamilton.

Center, TX, Post Office employees wore special shirts on March 21, 2018 to show support of their fellow co-worker Terressa “Terri” Shields who is presently undergoing chemo treatments for cancer.  The shirts were purchased as part of a fundraiser to cover expenses for her travel to and from Baylor Hospital in Houston to receive treatments. 

 

Pictured (front Row, left to right) Rural Carrier/204B Chasity Fleming; City Carrier Assistant Jessica Smith; Rural Carrier Shelia Clark; City Carrier Dayna Hale; Postmaster Steven Standley; Rural Carrier Toni Crowley; and City Carrier Blake Beard.

Back Row: (left to right) Rural Carriers Sidney Bean and Lisa Garrett; Retail Associates Jeremiah Lemoine and Austin Nethery; Rural Carrier Associates Angela Vaughn and Stanley Cloudy; and Retail Associate Ronald Laurel.

North Texas Processing & Distribution Center Mail Handler Joe Aviles (left) received his 40-year Service Award from Senior Plant Manager Larry Wagener (right).  He received the award on March 20, 2018 which was also his birthday.

Dallas, TX, White Rock Station Retail Associate Monica Howard received her third Gold Star Award for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.

Irving, TX, Main Post Office Letter Carrier John Cotton (left) received his 45-year Service Award from Acting Manager, Customer Services David Knowles (right).  He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and was employed by the Veterans Administration for two years before starting his postal career on November 18, 1978.

Irving, TX, Main Post Office Retail Associate Blanca Woodard (right) received her 30-year Service Award from Acting Manager, Customer Services David Knowles (left).

Irving, TX, Valley Ranch Station Letter Carrier Melvin Mays (right) received his 30-year Service Award from Manager, Customer Services Glenn Frorath (left).  He commented, “It’s been a great career.”

The Palestine Post Office held a prosperous Passport Fair on March 17, 2018.  They processed 69 passports and generated $1,625 in total revenue.

Palestine, TX, Retail Associate Pamela Smith (left) verified the paperwork of a customer’s passport application.

Palestine, TX, Retail Associate Stephanie Harrison (back to camera) assisted a customer with completing her passport application.

Palestine, TX, Retail Associates Pamela Smith (left) and Sherrill Funderburg (right) helped process several customer’s passport applications.

Palestine, TX, (left to right) Retail Associate Sherrill Funderburg; Postmaster Anthony Young; Retail Associates Stephanie Harrison and Pamela Smith posed for a picture at the passport photo booth.

Palestine, TX, (front row, left to right) Retail Associate Stephanie Harrison; Supervisor, Customer Services Brittany Todd; (back row, left to right) Retail Associates Sherrill Funderburg and Pamela Smith; and Postmaster Anthony Young celebrated a successful Passport Fair.



 

The Little Elm Post Office held a successful Passport Fair on March 16 and 17, 2018.  They processed 90 passports and generated $2,940 in total revenue.

Little Elm, TX, (left to right) Retail Associate Sajanu Kurien and Supervisor, Customer Services Perry Williams posed for a picture after a hard day’s work processing passports for customers in the area.

Longview, TX, Main Post Office held a lucrative Passport Fair on March 17, 2018.  They processed 69 passports and generated $6003 in total revenue.  The following pictures are from that event.

Lead Retail Associate Lisa Brown processed several customer passport applications.

Retail Associate Gerald Crowley (left) verified the information on a customer’s passport application.

Rural Carrier Patricia Adams assisted an applicant with completing their passport application

Retail Associate Lana Anderson assisted an applicant with completing their passport documentation.

 

 

Carrollton, TX, Rosemeade Station held a very successful Passport Fair on March 17, 2018.  They processed 89 passports and generated in $2930 total revenue.  The following pictures are from that event.

Retail Associate Angela Triche (right) helped a customer with the paperwork of his passport application.

Retail Associates Phuong Le (left, behind counter) and Jimmy Thompson (right, behind counter) assisted customers with their passport applications.

Retail Associate Jimmy Thompson (center, behind counter) validated a customer’s passport application.

 

Dallas Processing and Distribution Center Bulk Mail Technician Roberto Amaro (left) received his 30-year Service Award from Manager, Business Mail Entry Christopher Banks (right).

LINK

Getting Started with the “Your Team and You” ePromotion

Sometimes we spend more time at work than we do with our family and friends.  Spend a minute thinking about your job and the team.  Think about how each member of that team interacts.  Is it positive?  Are people supportive?  Or, are there things that can be done to make it better?

There is so much information about teams available to us. These books, articles, and advice exist because teams play a major part of our lives and can include our work unit, family, school, sports team, or other groups of people that you interact with on a regular basis.  No wonder it is important to take the time to pay attention to the teams you are on and work at being a better teammate! The goal of this ePromotion is to help you find ways to do your part to make your team better.  Sometimes it only takes one person to make a difference!

An ePromotion is a series of emails sharing brief information to help you actively engage in a topic. The EAP invites you to sign up to participate by responding to this invitation. With the “Your Team and You” ePromotion, starting March 27 you will receive emails on Tuesdays and Thursdays over the next four weeks.

You may use your postal or home email address and your participation is strictly confidential. Please feel free to share “Your Team and You” with your co-workers and family members and encourage them to sign up as well. This ePromotion is designed to help you find ways to do your part to influence any team you are a part of to become better. It will give you ideas and suggestions to help to promote a positive team environment.  

If you would like more information or to sign up, please contact me by email at tlsitrin@MagellanHealth.com or by calling 214-353-6996.

Dallas, TX, DFW Finance Main Post Office Retail Associate Geneva Bishop received her fourth Gold Star Award for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  She over 23 years of experience with the Postal Service.  Bishop enjoys assisting customers and serving them with a smile.  She remarked, “We have a great team here.”

Lewisville, TX, Main Post Office Retail Associate Hae Jeon (right) received her first Gold Star Award from Postmaster Alonzo Thomas (left) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  She was recently reassigned and has been working the window for the past six months.  Jeon enjoys helping customers and giving great service.

Lewisville, TX, Old Town Station Retail Associate Rachael Downs (right) received her first Gold Star Award from Postmaster Thomas Alonzo (left) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  She has been with the Postal Service for two years and comes from a close postal family.  Downs enjoys getting to work with a lot of fun people and her customers. 

Lewisville, TX, Main Post Office Letter Carrier James “Troy” Foster (right) received his 35-year Service Award from Postmaster Alonzo Thomas (left).

(Shown in the photo from left) Mayor Pro-Tem Curry Vogelsang, Jr., (Jim Spradley), Councilmember Jeff Hodges, Mayor Ray Smith, Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem Jason Dixon, Councilmember Meigs Miller, Councilmember Mike Korbuly (Not pictured, Councilmember Kenneth Dugger)

 

Jim Spradley, the Postmaster of Prosper, TX, was recognized this week by the City of Prosper.  Spradley received an Official Proclamation and the city honored him by making March 13, 2018, Jim Spradley Day.

 

Spradley was born and raised in Prosper and began working for the Prosper Post Office on March 18, 1974.  He was appointed Postmaster in 1978, and has served the Town of Prosper in this position for the past 40 years. 

 

Prosper’s first rural route was established in 1985, and was comprised of territory in Prosper, Celina, and McKinney.  The Prosper Post Office now has 18 rural routes and serves over 10,000 mailing addresses, with that number growing daily.  During his service with the Post Office, Spradley served as Postmaster of both Prosper and Lake Dallas, and he assisted with the training and development of other postal employees as a Postmaster Trainer.  Spradley has shared his valuable knowledge and experience with generations of Post Office employees, and has had a lasting impact on his colleagues and the residents of Prosper. 

 

Prosper Mayor Ray Smith commended Spradley for his commitment and dedicated service to the Prosper community, as well as, his four decades with the U. S. Postal Service.

 

 

Lewisville, TX, Flower Mound Station held a Passport Fair on March 10, 2018.  They processed 85 passports and generated $2125 in total revenue.

Retail Associate Sio “Jo Jo” Ieong (left) verified a customer’s passport information. 

  Retail Associates Rogers Allen (left) and Micah Lacy (right) were busy assisting customers during the Passport Fair.

Lewisville, TX, Flower Mound Station held a Passport Fair on March 10, 2018.

Gilmer, TX, Retail Associate Doretha Young (right) received her first and second Gold Star Awards from Postmaster Dale A. Silvertooth (left) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.

Dallas, TX, Main Post Office held a Passport Fair on March 9, 2018.  They processed 91 passports and generated $3,385 in total revenue.

Retail Associate Sandra Biggins-Henderson (right) assisted customers with their passport questions.

Retail Associate Deborah Wilkerson verified a customer’s passport application.

Retail Associate Rhonda Pinkard assisted customers completing their passport applications.

 

Henderson, TX, Rural Carriers and Postmaster Nikki Miller (far left) celebrated the last day of Rural Mail Count 2018.

LINK

The City of Irving held a Lena Horne Stamp Event at the Arts Center on February 25, 2018 celebrating Black History Month.  She is the 41^st honoree in the Black Heritage stamp series.  Born in Brooklyn, NY, on June 30, 1917, Horne was a trailblazer in Hollywood for woman of color and used her fame to inspire Americans as a dedicated activist for civil rights.

Irving, TX, Postmaster Rodney Malone (right, behind the podium) and a member of the Irving Black Arts Council (left side of the podium) presented the stamp to a big crowd at the event.

 



Garland, TX. Main Post Office held a Passport Fair on February 24, 2018.  It was a very productive event in which 92 passports were processed generating $3475 in total revenue.  The following pictures are from that event.

Garland, TX, Main Post Office Retail Associate John Curtis (behind counter) assisted customers with their passport applications.

Garland, TX, Main Post Office Secretary Phyllis Cooks (left, behind counter) and Retail Associate Donna Manning (right, behind counter) processed customer’s passport applications.

Garland, TX, Main Post Office (left to right) Retail Associates Bachtuyet Vuong, Deileisha Hill, John Curtis; Secretary Phyllis Cook; Retail Associates Kevin Dowdy, Donna Manning, and Darnise Moore celebrated a successful Passport Fair.