Maintaining love for your work - Transforming Work - Brief Article

JACKIE BACA'S STORY - FOLLOWING her father to become president of Bueno Foods in 1986 at the age of 29; building the company from 70 employees to 240 currently; and expanding the company's products and services to over 150 food products sold throughout the United States -- is well documented.

When Jackie greets you at Bueno Foods' offices it would be hard to guess that she is one of New Mexico's most prominent business executives. Quiet, sometimes almost self-effacing, and thoughtful, she immediately puts you at ease, and while it is clear that she has deep pride in what she and her family have accomplished, she seems quite humble. There is no question that her employees and her family, who are also very involved in the business, are very important to her.

But why does she still love coming to work? We wanted to know what makes her continue to tick after she has accomplished so much.

Making a Commitment

Most people who love their work have a deep commitment to what they do. But working at Bueno Foods wasn't always in Jackie's career plans. She didn't really find out that she wanted to work in business at all until she worked for her dad after completing her bachelor's degree. That's when she discovered that she loved working in the business environment. But it wasn't until the company's expansion, and the bankers' requirement for continuity of management,' that she had to decide whether or not to make Bueno Foods her career. "So that was it. I then made the commitment to the business."

Problem-Solving

Jackie loves problem solving. As the president of an ever-expanding company, she has many problems to solve daily. "I love figuring it out, how to solve the issue of the hour." She has taken many personal risks in solving those problems along the way For example, she and her brother, who is now in charge of operations for the company, had to provide personal guarantees for the money lent to them during their multi-million dollar plant expansions. "There I was, 32, and my brother was 28 and we're signing away our life and my dad was out of the picture and it was us," she recalls.

She also had to figure out how to be accepted as a leader of the company. She was very young and she was a woman. "It was tough" being accepted as a woman, she said, "...in terms of taking over the leadership role. People who were on my dad's management team thought that I was biting off more than I could chew, which I was. "When you are a family member there's always suspicion about your skills and abilities anyway and I really had to prove myself."

Making A Difference

The company was founded 50 years ago to create jobs for themselves and others, Jackie says. That was important in times when jobs were hard to find. This is still important to Jackie and the company and reaps benefits beyond the jobs themselves. One thing that motivates her is linking the needs of the organization with the needs of the employees. "That's what I enjoy doing, that's what motivates me."

The company has made a difference in other ways for employees. For example, ten years ago it was estimated that 1,000 employees had received college or trade school degrees by going to school while working in Bueno jobs structured to meet their schedules.

Jackie's interest in making a difference goes even further. "I love to help make peoples' lives better." "Whatever it is we're doing in the community and for people in the organization -- that's what I enjoy"

Balance and Renewal

Many people talk about leading a balanced life but don't do it. For Jackie, it is an essential part of her life. She, like everyone, has ups and downs with her work. Work is "relentless sometimes. So you have to take that physical and mental break. So there's a couple of times during the year when I will take off and I just will not take calls or anything."

At home, she gets together with family and friends. She exercises. She meets with a group of women once a month to talk about developing their spirituality She and her husband spend time in the mountains. Nature is very important, she says.

Balancing various demands and activities within the work environment itself is also important. "I think going to see customers really is a break for me, just from the day-to-day stuff here."

Part of the renewal process involves revisiting goals, mission, and values each year. "It's a good thing to keep these values alive, they're things we grew up with all the time." It is important, she says to be true to those values in everyday work and personal life.

Making a commitment, problem solving, making a difference, and balance and renewal are reasons why Jackie continues to love her work today.

PATRICIA BOVERIE, PH.D., IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. SHE AND MICHAEL KROTH, PH.D., A UNM ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, OWN BOVERIE, KROTH & ASSOCIATES. THEIR BOOK: TRANSFORMING WORK: THE FIVE KEYS TO ACHIEVING TRUST, COMMITMENT, AND PASSION IN THE WORKPLACE CAN EE ORDERED AT AMAZON.COM. EMAIL US AT [email protected] OR [email protected].

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