Message from the Chair: Shaking Things Up

In 2013, we held the ICE Exchange on Amelia Island, and the weather was unexpectedly cold. I tried to infuse a little humor into the Treasurer’s Report I delivered at the Annual Business Meeting, and my first slide was of a snow globe. Little did I know that the snow globe would become my favorite metaphor in the years ahead.

As described on Wikipedia, “To activate the snow, the globe is shaken to churn up the white particles. The globe is then placed back in its position and the flakes fall down slowly through the water.” For me, the snow globe has become a comforting reminder that whenever situations are “churned up,” I can rest assured that they will settle down again. There may even be some beauty and enjoyment in the unsettled period … what a nice surprise!

I thought I would share a brief recap of some of my snow globe’s activity since 2013:

After living in Maryland for about 40 years, my husband and I decided to relocate to Florida in 2014 so we could be more helpful to family members living there. I was overwhelmed by all that was involved in finding my way around, making new friends, choosing new health care providers and starting over in so many other ways, and it’s only within the last few months that the relocation snow globe has settled. The adjustment was much more difficult than I expected, but finally Florida is feeling like home.

In 2015, the BOC Board of Directors began discussions culminating in 2016 with the sunsetting of new applications for three of our six certifications. Although there were a few tears shed while the snowflakes swirled, moving forward, BOC has emerged as a stronger organization that continues to thrive and grow. I hope to share more about this in a presentation I plan to submit for consideration for the 2018 ICE Exchange.

In 2016, ICE’s first Director of Accreditation Services, Anjali Weber, left ICE for new career adventures. I’m sure many of you shared my anxiety about how we would ever replace such a superstar! Now that her successor, Linda Anguish, is on board, we realize that Linda’s constellation of gifts is precisely what ICE needs at this time.

My snow globe received an extra rigorous workout this year! Among other adventures, BOC expanded its office location due to our success and growth. We upgraded to a newly renovated, larger office space that is tailored for our team of professionals. As a welcome gift, I gave each staff member — you guessed it — a snow globe. Moving is never a fun process, but the team rallied to transition efficiently over a three-day period to minimize any disruption for our customers. We are loving our new space and excited for what lies ahead as the dust (or snow) settles.

I am approaching my final months as ICE board chair and preparing to pass the gavel to a new chair at the 2017 ICE Exchange. I find myself reflecting on these transitions that have occurred and noting that change provides wonderful opportunities for growth and improvement. I am looking forward to sharing more about this at the Annual Business Meeting at this year’s ICE Exchange in New Orleans.

Is your snow globe churning or settled? I’d love to hear from you.