Staff Spotlight: Tim Vaughan shares insights from nearly a decade at Latham

We wish our Director of Leadership and Growth the very best as he embarks on the next chapter in his career. Before leaving to take on a new leadership role with a fortunate human services organization in New Hampshire, Tim Vaughan shares some of the lessons he has learned while working with Latham students, adult residents, and staff:

It is a privilege to be involved in people’s lives. It is now crystal clear to me that I have learned far more about how to live a successful life from Latham residents and students than I have taught them. What I have learned from our Latham residents about living life courageously, striving to be better, and overcoming obstacles is the greatest benefit I received here.

There is very little in life that is a true crisis or requires freaking out. At Latham, we work with lots of people who are learning how to deal with stress. Sometimes they handle things well and other times they become overwhelmed by it.  I have learned that even in the craziest moments of someone being overwhelmed, the best thing for me to know is that all that energy will pass (and not add to it). There is nothing that can’t be fixed or mended.

To succeed, you need a high functioning team. Wherever you work, strive to create collaboration. If you allow petty differences to stand in the way of goals, work becomes really hard. Each of us has a responsibility to take ownership of our “stuff” and to collaborate with others to improve the team’s ability. There is little more satisfying than working with a group of other people and achieving great things. 

We all share basic needs. You will be effective in your work – no matter where it is or what you are doing — if you strive to connect with other people, encourage them to use their voice, focus on what talents they have, and look to be useful. If those needs are met, any person is capable of great things.

We are grateful to Tim for helping Latham Centers create a culture of collaboration and achieve our mission.