I'm Not Worthy

Last week I was named the United States Systems Engineer of the Quarter. Being considered for such recognition is an incredible honor, but if we’re being honest with each other, I’m still questioning if the votes were tallied correctly. Let me explain why I think a recount may be in order.

The announcement included a list of accomplishments attributed to me, but in each case these accomplishments could not have been possible without the incredible team around me. Whether presenting at the Avaya Cloud Expo events, working to launch a podcast, or generating content for the company, these efforts were not individual accomplishments; they were the result of teamwork. The people I work with at Avaya are not just teammates, they’re family. We all work together to deliver amazing results, and the words “that’s not my job” are not in anyone’s vocabulary. It’s common to see emails asking for help, and my phone then proceeds to blow up with responses...even during nights and weekends.  

I also believe that there were much stronger candidates for this award. Many of the Systems Engineers on the team have built deep and lasting relationships with their customers, many of those relationships spanning years of time. The trust that blossoms from those relationships helps Avaya customers achieve real business outcomes, while delivering millions in revenue for the company. I’m repeatedly awed reading about customer success stories, all of which are due in no small part to the systems engineers supporting those accounts. These guys and gals make an impact at Avaya, for their customers, and the world around us. 

As we emerge from the restructuring process as a more agile company blending the spirit of a startup with over 80 years of innovation, it’s not an understatement to say it’s an extremely exciting time to be an Avayan. Thank you to Dick Strong, Garrett Cox, Ken Albanese and everyone on the US Systems Engineering team. I’m proud to work at Avaya, and am humbled to have won this award, and to represent the company and our team. I’m a better employee because of all of you!

(Note: After publishing this article, teammate John Haich was named US Systems Engineer of the Year. Congratulations to John!)