Focus on Manatee: This is a good time of the year to look at yourselves in the mirror

As I reflect on another year, I once again realized the wonderful community that I live in, and how good this community has been to me. It is also humbling how many people approached me this past year that complimented me on partnerships, and our overall tourism success. My consistent response is our success is attributed to our hardworking staff, the support from the tourist development council, board of county commissioners , and the leadership from our county administrator, Cheri Coryea. Although I redirect compliments to others, I know in my heart that this community believes and trusts me to lead our area in tourism development in a manner that enhances the quality of life for our residents.

Knowing that I have support from our community, and especially our hospitality stakeholders, I have learned that it is imperative for me to focus on my daily walk. That focus includes maintaining humility and an unselfish mindset. We are all human, so it’s natural to be selfish from time to time. However, if I bring a selfish mindset to the workplace, then I am subject to feeling bigger than others, resulting in compromising my ability as a leader.

I also look for ways to bring laughter into the workplace, knowing that laughter can help relax us in a manner that fuels creativity in our minds. Stress and fear in the workplace will no doubt limit creativity and partnerships will be more difficult to attain. I find that a happy environment brings people together, and a stressful environment creates divisions.

The more I see this community grow, the more I tend to get frustrated, because with success, I want more, and with more, I don’t want to ever lose. My frustration is related to individuals that are happy with the norm, and I believe our competition will win if we become satisfied with status quo. Status quo is the easy road to take, but having a bold mindset with a touch of an unselfish, humble mindset can separate us from other communities.

Knowing that I am human, look at myself in the mirror quite often, knowing that I have flaws in my daily walk, but have the God given ability to become a better person, better tourism director, better leader. I don’t want to settle for the norm, and I will focus daily on becoming a person that I hope people will define me as humble, unselfish, genuine, forgiving, bold, creative, and of course, funny:). I can promise you all that I am not there yet, but know in my heart that with daily focus, and looking into the mirror, I can become a much better individual that can help continue to make this community a place that is special to all of us.

I ask the readers to look in your mirror and begin your own self evaluation process. Be truthful to yourself, and focus daily on your God given abilities. If we all focus on self improvement, it will become contagious, it will build partnerships, and it will put self centered, arrogant people in a awkward position. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we never fully applied our abilities? I believe more people have not applied their full abilities than have, and I don’t want to be a person that never fully reached my peak, and I hope you feel the same about yourself.

I hope you all consider looking in the mirror in 2020, and know it can only help make us better individuals.

Happy holidays to all, and have a blessed New Year

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, can be reached at Elliott.Falcione@BACVB.com or 941-729-9177 ext. 3940.

This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Focus on Manatee: This is a good time of the year to look at yourselves in the mirror."