In the mid 90s there was a
referendum to legalize gaming in Florida: I was asked to organize six job information
events – one per week for six weeks -
across the state using employees from 15 different gaming companies.
Many of these employees were originally from Florida and had found meaningful
jobs in Las Vegas and Atlantic City: they were there to tell their stories and
hopefully get voters excited about employment opportunities that would be
created if the referendum passed. Each
week there were 45 people who would travel there, undergo training, and then work
as a team at an event: it put a face on gaming and the story was widely
covered. My team arranged the transportation and lodging, planned the events,
and entertained each group for the time they were there: it was a herculean
effort that unfortunately ended in defeat at the polls. While disappointed, we
learned that something constructive comes from every defeat: the employees that
participated came away with many new friendships and a deeper sense of pride
about their industry, and the industry learned to work more closely together.
Things rarely go as planned: use those instances as opportunities to learn and
grow with others today.
Thomas Wade Landry (1924 – 2000): American
football player and coach with the Dallas Cowboys.
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