We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Marsh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.
Melissa, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?
I have always worked with and in organizations where exposure to secondary trauma is high. As a child life specialist, I worked with families experiencing illness, accidents, and bereavement. Currently, I work with an organization that provides behavior training and support to human service organizations, healthcare, and schools. It is hard not to feel helpless or have an overall negative outlook on the world when you are surrounded by tragedy. To combat this, I have found I need to do things that are completely different from work to exercise my mind. Artistic and creative outlets have always fueled me. Whether it be a DIY project at home, painting on a canvas, photography, or even event planning. I have used my creative talents both on my own, in volunteer roles, and now to start my own small business. In this business I design custom decor with designs for people who love to travel, hike, surf, go to the beach, or go on adventures with their dog. This gives me a creative outlet and a reason to log off from the office on time. It also gives me the satisfaction of a completed and finished project whereas in my current role I am often left not knowing what happens to those I serve.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Currently, I am a Training and Development Consultant Manager for a company that provides verbal de-escalation training and nonviolent crisis intervention training to hospitals, schools, human services organizations, and more. My team works directly with certified instructors of our program to ensure effectiveness of their training, help with implementation, and problem solve challenging situations they are facing either from a staffing or behavior standpoint. In the current climate our training is essential, but the organizations we serve often lack the funding, time, or support to execute the program in a meaningful way that creates change. It is our mission to lower the number of restraints that occur in these organizations by equipping their staff with the skills to verbally de-escalate individuals in distress before they become physical and keep themselves safe if things begin to head in that direction. We also aim to help staff stay calm during a situation and acknowledge their implicit biases and how they may be impacting their approach.
As my creative outlet, I started my small business called Out of Office Outfitters. I specialize in customized metal decor and wood prints to help people celebrate life’s adventures and inspire them to plan their next one. It is my way of encouraging self care and using your provided benefits (especially your PTO) to recharge your batteries and rejuvenate you through things you enjoy whether that’s traveling, hiking, surfing, going to the beach, or simply spending time with family or your dog.Through this venture, I’ve learned so much about website design, graphic design, social media, and marketing. It has been a tremendous growing experience and I look forward to continue to grow personally and professionally through it while using it as my own way of self care.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The biggest one is empathy. You don’t know the battles that anyone else is facing (no matter how well you think you know them). It’s crucial to meet people where they are at, to listen to understand, and always support the person (even when tackling a problem). As a manager, I lead my team with empathy. My team members have individually faced a number of personal circumstances over the last year. In these times, my goal is to support that person. However I can with whatever they need. This has established a sense of camaraderie in our team where when something goes wrong we rise together to face it. When you support your people, your people support the company and the problems are fixed along the way.
Tied into that is listening. I have realized the importance of stepping back to truly listen to figure out the problem, to empathize, and to validate without providing a solution. When we are constantly thinking about how to solve the problem when we initially hear of it, we aren’t really listening anymore. We also may realize the person didn’t want us to help solve their problem, they just wanted us to validate their experience. First, listen. Next, validate. Then problem solve if the person wants suggestions.
Third is out of the box thinking and willingness to challenge the status quo. If we are so fearful of change that we constantly stay on course, we will never grow. When you feel frustrated with a process or circumstance, don’t let it cause you to spiral. Put it down. Walk away. Get some fresh air. Then think, what if I tried it differently? What would happen then?
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
In starting my own store, I have had to develop a lot of new knowledge in marketing, graphic design, and general sales. I’ve also had to be okay failing. A lot. And learning from those failures. Coming from a human services/healthcare background this has been a huge learning curve. So what do I do? I look to the experts to learn whatever I can on Youtube or in print. I look to those who are having success and try to find where their success is coming from and how I can adapt it to my own little niche. Then I tinker. I try things and see what the effect is. I look for outcome measurement thresholds and tools from those more experienced than I. When something isn’t meeting it, I change something small and see what happens. Then I observe. It’s a different kind of patience that I’ve had to develop and a whole new level of grace for myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Outofofficeoutfitters.com
- Instagram: @Outofofficeoutfittersshop
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamarshmsccls/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
