How Do you Introduce Yourself?

#self-introductions, #me, #marioturco

How do you introduce yourself? When we are asked to introduce ourselves, we most likely introduce ourselves by talking about the work we do or did. We talk about the positions we hold or held in a company or organization, the titles we hold or held and the accomplishments or initiatives we led or are leading. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that approach but if that's how you introduce yourself does it really tell the listeners a lot about you? Do they really get to know who you are? Do they get to know what drives you, your beliefs, values or even how you feel about your career or life? I have come to believe that when you get the opportunity to introduce yourself you should be able to leave others with a better understanding about you, other than what job you did and your titles. More importantly, it should leave them thinking about how they can introduce themselves the next time they get the opportunity.

Here is my introduction.

Hello. It's been said that it is not where you came from but where you end up that's important. Well, I started working at a corner store when I was 12 years old and later as a highschool student, I worked at local retaurants, Algoma Steel and Weyerhauser Canada, but in my adult life, 42 years in fact, I worked in Education, as a teacher and Administrator. Now, as I reflect back, I see myself not so much as an educator or administrator, but more as a developer and builder of others. First of all, what drew me to education were the wonderful teachers I had the good fortune to come accross. You see, my family emigrated to Sault Ste Marie when I was eight years old and when they registered me in school, I was introduced to some wonderful, caring teachers. They took a young child who could not speak or read or write a word of English and taught me, coached me and mentored me through the system and encouraged me to become the first person in our family to go to university. I have never forgotten their kindness and from very early in my life, I wanted to become just like these individuals and help others and treat others like they treated me. Later, when I graduated as teacher myself, the system hired me, continued to train me, mentor me, and promoted me to various leadership positions. Eventually, the immigrant kid who couldn't read, write or speak English was promoted to the top job in the system --- all because teachers and later administrators, took an interest in him. I remember these individuals and how they helped me, as if it was yesterday, and I will always be grateful to them. This experience and their influence on my career became my "Why". It has been this "Why" that has guided me to give back throughout my entire career. I did not realize it in the beginning but I know it now how others had instilled in me to be not so much an educator but more a developer and builder. I see it now that starting out as a math teacher, I helped students develop their math skills and develop a love for mathematics. As a Vice -principal I helped students develop good behavior, good character and to respect themselves and others. As a Principal, I worked on developing and building staff and student morale, staff and student engagement, parental involvement and community partnerships. As a Superintendent of Human Resources, my focus was on interpersonal relations with unions, succession and recruitment programs, system professional development, employee relations protocals particularly at the time of the amalgamation of six school boards from Hornepayne to Elliot Lake into one school Board. As Director, my focus was on building and developing strong relations with system stakeholders and partners including Regional and Provincial Ministry personnel and several Ministers of Education. My focus was also on championing our Mission, Vision, Strategic Plan and hiring, promoting and developing system Leaders. As a team, we developed and adopted teaching and learning strategies that would improve student achievement. Believing that a welcoming learning and working environment would improve learning results, we developed an ambitious capital plan that resulted in securing unprecedented provincial funding to build three brand new state of the art schools, the consolidation of several low enrolment schools and the complete renovation of all the remaining schools. It was during this time in my career that some, ironically, started to refer to me as “Bob the Builder” Now in retirement. I still try to be somewhat of a developer and builder as I try to guide and provide advice, First, to my four young grandsons and two grand-daughters who, often out respect, just tolerate me. But I do also enjoy mentoring and coaching leaders and aspiring leaders from various sectors. I have been doing this since retirement but more so in the last couple of years. As a result of this work, those who are interested in some of my views can find me on twitter @MarioTurco14 and can also follow me through my website www.marioturco.com. In my free time, when I am not working or volunteering, my wife and I enjoy spending time with our grandkids and their parents at their sports and schooling activities. We also enjoy visiting our other family members who live and work in Connecticut or Houston. We are thankful that we are blessed to have good health, great family, nice friends and the time to enjoy golfing, travelling the world and for me the time to also follow my favourite sports' teams. Who could ask for anything more?