As the committee I chair recently took up the challenge of selecting this year’s winners of our SPIRIT awards, I was concerned that in the face of these tough times, it would be difficult to find folks who have “gone above and beyond” in the real estate and construction industries.
After all, as our industry suffers, it might be understandable if we focus more on our own problems and less on helping others.
Last year was our first in presenting the SPIRIT awards. Our selection committee had a pretty easy job because times were more normal. We expected–and we discovered–that many people had stepped up to make a difference.
2008 was a different kind of year. We anticipated a different kind of result.
Well, guess what? Those of us on the awards committee had our own spirits renewed by the stack of deserving people nominated because they have gone above and beyond in these trying times.
It reminded me of something written by Dr. Seuss: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
And, you know what? That’s a fact.
Unless each one of us cares “a whole awful lot,” we really can’t expect that things are going to get better. I believe that is the true “spirit” of this year’s SPIRIT award winners. The individuals recognized in this issue care “a whole awful lot.”
Maybe that should be our motto in 2009. Each one of us has a real capacity to care “a whole awful lot.” And, each one of us can make a difference and do our part to help things get better.
While these aren’t feel good times, let me tell you: looking through the many nominations made me feel good. Our committee members were inspired to find that we have so many people in our community who are willing and able to spend extra time helping others when they’re already devoting extra time to keep their own heads above water.
It was easy to make the selections you see in our lead story on this page.
It was harder to NOT recognize others who are also very deserving.
Let me now say the obvious: congratulations to the winners! Thanks for all you’ve done and I look forward to personally handing each of you your SPIRIT award. Please don’t slow down; we need you to serve just as diligently in ‘09 as you did in ‘08.
Let me also congratulate all of the great nominees. Thanks for all you’ve done and please don’t slow down, because we need an army in ‘09 to bring the market back to its rightful place.
To our winners and nominees–and to all of us–now is the time for us to care “a whole awful lot” and reflect on what Dale Carnegie once said: “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
- Jim Bailey is president of Bailey Publishing & Communications Inc. and publisher of Realty/Builder Connection.