5 Things My Grandmother Taught Me

For Mother’s Day I spent the weekend in Florida with my grandmother who was born in 1922, a time when there was no television, no personal computers or devices, and no social media networks. We spent a good deal of time talking throughout the weekend about the work she did, her profession was nursing. I was fascinated about how our professional lives and the times in which we work are so different, but even more so by her wisdom and the things from her business that still apply today. Here are my 5 takeaways: 

1. Take Pride in Your Job: My grandmother went to nursing school in upstate New York for three years graduating in 1943. The school and housing/dorm was run and supervised by nuns and as such, there were strict rules along with a strict dress code of a long striped skirt and a stark white collared top (see picture above). Everyone wore a perfectly starched and clean outfit (including the cap), and if you didn’t, you could not work that day. The working world today is defined by business casual. Obviously the way you dress is not the only facet of having pride in your work, but a professional appearance is a huge indication of how much you care about the work you are doing. 
   
2. Work Hard: Nursing used to be a profession where there was a component of physical labor, not to mention the stress of dealing with injured and ill patients day in and day out. My grandmother worked as a night nurse once she finished nursing school. This involved working every night and coming home and getting my mother off to school, a schedule that did not leave time for much, including sleep. She was dedicated and never missed a shift though. I have always believed (especially in sales), there is a huge correlation between success and hard work.
3. Push Boundaries: Because the rules were so strict, it was pretty common for the nursing students to sneak out down the fire escape at night, stay out until dawn and return in the morning on the premise that they were coming back from early morning mass. Knowing the boundaries of where to draw the line to combine fun with work are often hard, but it is important to be able to have a good balance of both. 
   
4. Build Relationships: Nurses build relationships with the medical professionals with whom they work, as well as with patients. There is a great similarity to sales, where it is of utmost importance to establish trust and credibility with prospects and customers. My grandmother was able to do so with many patients. One tale that struck my fancy, was of two brothers (both were judges) who were in the hospital and one checked in so that his brother wouldn’t get my grandmother’s affection and attention first. Needless to say, they were a handful to deal with, but they were well cared for. 
5. Be Able to Tell a Good Story: My great Uncle Teddy fought in World War II and was stationed in Germany. It’s hard to imagine seeing family members go away for years to war and having no modern technology to communicate or know when and if they would return. When Teddy came home from the war with his medals, my grandmother and her sister were at the movies. Learning this, Uncle Teddy rushed to the theater in his uniform and they stopped the movie to announce to the entire house he was home. It was a complete surprise to everyone that he was returning, and as a wartime hero! The whole theater exploded with cheers and a few tears were shed as well. Such a great story.

Facebook just announced that users spend 50 minutes a day on the network (and this doesn’t include WhatsApp!). Spend 50 minutes talking to your grandmother or mother. Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who have led by example and passed on invaluable lessons and stories.

Mother's Day 2016 - Grandma Jean 94 years old