Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 2, 1 February 2015 — Delivering our best effort [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Delivering our best effort

n the year ahead, a high pri-

ority for me will be encouraging efforts to help our employees better understand how their work contributes to OHA's overall strategic direction. I truly believe that we ean significantly enhanee our effectiveness as an organization by connecting our employees to our strategies for improving the conditions of our beneficiaries.

Efforts to make our corporate headquarters at the Nā Lama Kukui building a pu'uhonua for all of us require ensuring that everyone in our organization fully believes that their actions are relevant to our mission. As a result, it is my hope to be able to see extraordinary steps within our organization to connect employees emotionally to work we're doing in such areas as education, health, culture, eeonomie self-sufficiency and governance. It's no secret that proud employees are going to be loyal employees, who would go above and beyond to help ensure we achieve our mission. That's why it's my sincere hope that we heeome more aware of the need to connect them at an emotional level to the efforts and values at OHA. From my perspective, this is about getting to the core of what we are as an organization and connecting our employees to that. It's been my impression that people want to be part of some-

thing larger than themselves as

individuals; they want to be part of something that they are really proud of; they want to be part of something that they'll fight for, sacrifice for and that they trust. They want to feel eommitted to a shared goal. They want to know their contributions are valued and important. For those reasons, my hope is that the executive leadership at OHA

will look for ways to encourage a spirit of 'ohana and continually reinforce the goals and future of our organization. I want Nā Lama Kukui to be a safe plaee for our staff; I want it to be a plaee of joy, harmony and laughter. I also want it to be a plaee where knowledge blossoms and good things happen for the first people of this land as well as for all who eall Hawai'i home. I want Nā Lama Kukui to be a plaee of mana, hope, relevance and purpose for our employees and our beneficiaries. Just as significant, I want it to be a plaee where employees and beneficiaries feel aloha as well as welcomed. Given this reality, it is my hope to contribute to making Nā Lama Kukui a plaee where we ean have tough conversations and explore big ideas without allowing emotions to cloud good judgment about helping our employees find meaning in coming to work every day and delivering their best effort - day in and day out. ■

Follow us: l_), /oha_ .hawaii | Fan us:B/officeofhawaiianaffairs | Watoh us: Mm /OHAHawaii j LEO 'ELELE > TRUSTEE MESSSAGES

Rūbert K. Lindsey, Jr. Chair, Trustee, Hawai'i