We recently connected with Rhiana Medina and have shared our conversation below.

Rhiana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? Can you us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team?

Managing people can be difficult at times, but extremely rewarding for those willing to take on the responsibility. I’ve been managing people for 17 years. While not every day has been rewarding, I can say that overall I have taken much joy in building teams, helping others grow professionally, and learning from previous bosses who mentored me.

One of my first bosses gave me a framed picture of a cartoon bear holding a bunch of balloons and handing one to a smaller bear. The caption reads, “Choose your attitude”. Although I was only 18 years old at the time, it impacted me greatly with a sense of agency. It has been an important motto throughout the last 20 years of my life, especially when managing other people and leading teams. We can’t always control when things go poorly, but we can control how we view our ability to handle a situation and whether or not we give people generous assumptions. Subsequent bosses modeled this behavior for me by remaining cool under immense pressure, confronting issues with grace, and taking interest in my well-being. This is the kind of boss that I strive to be.

Rhiana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I accidentally fell into nonprofit management when I began volunteering at a local social service agency and fell in love with the mission and the organization.

What sets my work apart from others is our commitment to holistic social services that are values based and data driven.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Collaboration is key. It takes time, but showing up and working alongside others, often volunteering for other likeminded agencies builds relationships and strong partnerships. You must show up for others!

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

There’s not a one-size-fits-all solutions for managing teams and maintaining high morale. Insisting that team members adhere to core organizational values is very important. Also clearly communicating expectations, doing regular check-ins, and providing incentives for health and self-care are very helpful.

Contact Info:

• Website: moabmc.org
• Instagram: moabmc
• Facebook: Moab Valley Multicultural Center/El Centro Multicultural
• Linkedin: Rhiana Medina

Image Credits
Anthony Militano, Jr.