Everyone makes an impact on their company, their community, and even the world around them through the work that they do. Yes, everybody.

We recently exhibited and presented at the ASTD 2012 Expo and Conference where we asked several attendees to tell us how they make an impact through the work that they do. We were impressed and inspired by the amount of people who participated and shared their stories on our Facebook page! The initial incentive could have been the dangling carrot (an iPad that we were giving away to a random winner), but in talking with a few of the participants, leaving their Impact story helped them reignite that passion for why they wake up every morning and chose to do the work that they do.

After a few weeks of collecting stories, we are excited to announce that Jennifer W. won the Impact Story Campaign! Here is her story:

I provide training in the private sector as well as teaching at the graduate level. A few years ago, I was reading a student’s portfolio (the final graduation requirement document) and found a paper titled “I Love My Teacher.” Her story made me cry! Why? She told a story of how nervous she was about going back to graduate school after 30 years since she finished her undergraduate degree. She was afraid of what the experience might be like (her other experiences were not as good). She even described what she wore and what she did to try and relax since she was so stressed. She even recalled how she almost did not come to class! She said that after 5 minutes in class, she decided she loved her teacher. She said she felt respected, appreciated, and treated like a professional. She was glad she stayed and mentioned how she aspires to do the same for her students…make them feel safe in their learning environment. She turned out to be one of the top students and blossomed in her comfort and ability to learn. I was proud to be that teacher she loved. It helped me to realize that creating a safe learning environment is a key to learning success. Whether it is in a classroom or online, creating this environment helps a learner be open and successful. So, before I introduce too much content, I make sure I am creating a fantastic and safe learning environment.
—Jennifer W.

From the front-line performers to company executives, everyone makes an impact through the work that they do. And, with the right knowledge support and strategies in place, we can all perform at our highest potential to make that impact even bigger. What’s your story?