I hopped up from my swivel chair at the news desk to run over to another department in the building. I was new to this place, my new home away from home: NBC Network News.
As I ran past the cabinet of empty mail slots, I noticed the mail bin still hadn’t shown up that day. I would continue to keep an eye out for it because sorting the mail was one of my duties.
When I returned, I saw a woman named Tracey standing near the cabinet and realized the mail had arrived. Reaching into the opaque plastic bin stuffed with envelopes, one by one with a meticulous hand, she placed the mail into the slots. She even did it with humor and her effortless sparkle.
She didn't work in the mail room nor was she an entry-level someone like me who was expected to do the mail. She was one of my bosses. I stepped in to relieve her. But in that single action of her quietly taking care of business, she showed me who she was. In that single action, she taught me that no matter how high we rise, no work is beneath us.
Tracey Lyons was a beloved and trusted senior leader, a fabulous script doctor and a stellar human being. A few years back, she left this world all too soon, leaving behind a loving family and a sea of colleagues left adrift by her early passing.
Tracey is also one of the first people who interviewed me for my job. She was a smart, commanding, funny, witty and beautiful woman. And even though she didn’t realize it at the time, she taught me a number of memorable lessons, first among them on that interview day.
1. "You won’t be having lunch with Tom Brokaw next week." (Spoken) Soon after sitting down for my interview she delivered these words to me, deadpan, with a glint in her eye. It was clear other newbies had arrived with an expectation of lunching with the then-anchor of NBC Nightly News, and she was going to snuff out that silly notion immediately. Lesson: Manage expectations. Be real, yet be kind.
2. "You don’t want a footprint on your forehead." (Spoken) I was able to confide in Tracey some wishes for advancement, and she taught me to learn to use my voice and advocate for myself. The vivid imagery of a footprint on my forehead has never left me. Lesson: Let people know what you want and how you want your career to grow. Stand up for yourself. (And others). If you’re ever feeling stagnant, under-utilized, or like a bit of a doormat, picture this, and speak up. Use your voice.
3. Own your height, your gravitas, your grace. (Unspoken) Tracey was a tall woman who never had to slouch to meet you where you were. She had a warmth and generosity of spirit, yet you could also feel her power. She never needed to tell you about it. She embodied it and tempered her grit with grace. Lesson: Be yourself and show up as your full self.
4. Do the mail. (Unspoken) You already know this one. Lesson: If you see something that needs to be done, do it. Don’t look for credit. Don’t seek adulation. Just do it.
5. "The world is my hometown." (Spoken) For anyone who has a moved a time or two in their life, you understand this sentiment. I think this phrase spoke to Tracey’s adaptability, tenacity, resilience and self-belief. Lesson: Wherever you go, there you are. (Also the title of a Jon Kabat-Zinn book). See Lesson #3.
I didn’t write these moments down. I wish I had, though, because I’m sure with time, some bits of clarity have been lost.
For anyone on a career path -- whether at the beginning, somewhere in the middle or near the end — I encourage you to journal your professional and personal experiences in an organized way starting now. You think you’ll remember these moments and the people who are influencing your life. But the truth is we forget. Give your future self a gift: Document your special moments, and keep them.
If you do, at very least, the people whose names you find in your journals years later will be your list of people to whom you can send thank you notes. And just imagine how touched they’ll be when you are able to express gratitude with stories and specificity. I'm not sure what could mean more to someone who has poured into you and believed in you.
I have other mentors who have significantly and positively impacted my career, but as one of my few direct female role models in the news world back then, I wanted to send a cosmic note of thanks to the unforgettable Tracey Lyons and to share her lessons with you.