Seizing Opportunity is a Display of Ownership
We had a trio of ‘Opportunistic’ award winners in Q2. Each story reveals why the recipient is so deserving. (Read about our other two: Sean Waters and Adam Shouse)
Our final recipient for Q2 is Wesley McElwee. This past quarter, he found himself in the middle of an important project, which had already begun, and he hit the ground running. The project is the Clean Laundry portal – the tool at the center of daily reporting.
Wesley saw the importance and dug in deep with CL team members to improve the tool, simplify the process and is now engaged to make it even better. He saw the opportunity and gave the portal the attention it needed when the opportunity presented itself.
Thank you, Wesley, for working with the team to see the potential, and doing the hard work necessary to make the portal more efficient. This resolved some short-term issues and will be an asset we can build on for the future. Well done!
The Interview
What is your role at Clickstop?
Developer
How long have you worked at Clickstop?
It will be 7 years in October.
What brought you to Clickstop?
I was referred by a friend who was working here at the time. I never really knew what Clickstop was though I had heard about the company in the news several times. He tried a few times to get me to apply but the timing wasn’t right. Once I finally did, it was the best career decision I ever made.
What effect has this recognition had upon you?
It’s nice to have affirmation that you’re doing a good job. The core values and core traits really drive the company to be the best it can be. It’s important to hear when you have opportunities to grow and improve and equally important to hear when you are hitting the mark and doing a good job. It is nice to take a moment to appreciate the recognition and then it’s back to work, looking to still improve and be your best self for yourself and the company.
What do you believe has led up to this recognition?
There is no shortage of opportunity to take the steps required to be considered or win one of these awards. You just need to be looking for it, and when given the chance, put your best effort into it. For me, a project opened that needed some attention and I dove in and did my best to listen and learn and then help make it the best it could be.
Who has supported you in achieving these results?
Tom Altman has helped me see some overall vision and of course bounce ideas off – which he’s great at. I’ve learned so much from him regarding how to look at things from a good perspective. Haley Close has been invaluable in helping me learn about how the Portal is being used and what needs to be improved. She also tests and audits the updates we make to help make sure we’re moving in the right direction.
What is a recent challenge/obstacle you’ve overcome through the behaviors within this Core Trait?
I’m prone to be presented with a problem and immediately start working to fix it. This can be the right course of action but many times it pays off to slow down a little bit, get a plan of action, and then execute. On this project, there were some immediate needs but I think rather than hop in and make some quick fixes, it was important to rework some of the foundation in place to give us a more solid platform to build the project on.
What should people know about working at Clickstop?
There is opportunity all around here. When that opportunity presents itself to you, the core traits help guide you to know how to take advantage of the opportunity and make a big impact on the company.
If you had to pick one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pizza, if I can have different varieties great, and if not, Supreme.
What is one thing you loved as a child that today’s kids would know nothing about?
They used to make these LCD handheld games before things like smart phones, DS, Gameboy etc. They were really simple and pretty bad, but I played my Football one for hours and hours.
If you had 5 million dollars tomorrow, how would you spend the rest of your life?
I’d invest most of it to generate income and then travel and make memories with my family. I’d also have to put in a good amount of effort to stop my wife from buying all the dogs. I mean, I love animals, but I have my limits.
What is the silliest way you’ve been injured?
On the last day of 8th grade, a few friends and I were dunking a basketball with the help of a mini trampoline. We wanted to see how far away we could jump and dunk. I lost my grip on the rim, flew up above the hoop and feel to the ground. Fortunately, I was able to get oriented and catch myself with my hands and feet, but I cracked my wrist in the process. I spent the first 6 weeks of summer break in a cast. To make matters worse, that morning when I asked if I could spend some time after school with my friends, my Dad had said “Just don’t break your leg or arm or anything”.