Beijing team member extraordinaire Lena Papadopoulos shares what working for JUMP! means to her.
We believe that the most valuable aspect of our organization, aside from the amazing work we do, are the amazing people that work at JUMP!. Our team is made up of a diverse group of people with a wealth of life experience and a unique perspective to offer.
Last week really highlights what a unique and meaningful experience it is to be part of the JUMP! team. We had a staff retreat that really allowed us to be open and honest with one another about our different work styles and our team dynamic. It says a lot about the community we have here that we can be so direct with one another and support each other in both personal and professional development. In addition to the staff retreat, we also had an appreciation circle for Andrew Berry, one of our incredibly valuable team members, who has decided to get his MBA at Berkeley this fall. We each shared with Andrew all the reasons we appreciate him as both a colleague and a friend, and Andrew shared the same with each of us. Appreciation circles are a really beautiful practice we have here. As we sat around the table, we opened ourselves up to being completely open and vulnerable in sharing the reasons we value one another. There was laughter and there were tears, but most of all, there was a lot of love.
I’ve felt honored to be a part of the JUMP! community since I first arrived three months ago, but I was especially struck by our relationships with one another last week during the staff retreat and Andrew’s appreciation. We are not just employees of an organization; we are a team of creative and innovative collaborators. We are not just colleagues; we are friends. It’s not often that you start a job and find a family. That is truly what JUMP! is, a family.
My job is amazing. Working at JUMP! allows me to be inspired, empowered, engaged, challenged, independent, creative, and innovative, all while having ridiculous amounts of fun and building meaningful relationships with an amazing community of change-makers. Being part of the JUMP! team is a unique, fulfilling experience, and I cherish the opportunity to call this my ‘job’ for it is certainly so much more.