August Employee Spotlight: Rob Ward

We’re taking a moment to recognize and showcase exceptional employees for their outstanding work and dedication to GTreasury with our new Employee Spotlight program.

This month, we took a moment and talked with Rob Ward, Instructional Designer at GTreasury, to learn more about his professional journey and what makes him successful.

Q: What do you believe are your key strengths?

A: Creative development and production. I rely 99% on creative skills in my job, so graphic design, illustration, and video production are key strengths.

Q: How do you keep track of the things you need to do?

A: I use a sketchbook to capture creative ideas, thoughts, and reminders on things I need to follow up with. I also rely heavily on Apple Reminders and Microsoft Teams “Tasks” because they too are portable options. Monday.com is also great for project management! This group of things seems to get the job done, keeping everything on my radar.

Q: What makes you happy in a job?

A: The number one thing is creative freedom. The ability to create something that impacts and empowers people is something I am very passionate about. Creating learning materials that help people grow in their career or job is very important and meaningful to me.

Q: Why do you feel you have work/life balance? Do you have any tips/tricks for others to improve their work/life balance?

A: My work/life balance stems from a true love and passion for what I do. When I’m illustrating or designing, it doesn’t really feel like work. With that said, I do love to spend time with friends and family. My time with them in Northern Michigan is very important to me and helps me recharge.

Q: Think about a good manager you’ve had. What did they do that made them a good manager?

A: I’ve been blessed to have lots of great managers in lots of different industries. A common denominator for all of them, speaking for myself and other creative professionals, is the ability to let people go. Let people do their thing and get in their zone without micromanaging. Good managers will also say “Hey, you’re really good at this, have you ever tried to apply it here?” They’re able to see how you would benefit other areas of the company. A great manager gives you the space to do your thing but also acts as a sherpa to take you up the side of the mountain.

Q: What do you like about the work environment or culture here?

A: Collaboration. I love the way that multiple teams work together to find a solution or solve a problem. For example, the Learning Services team doesn’t have the subject matter expertise needed to create impactful resources. Therefore, we must rely on collaboration with experts around the organization to help us create great content. It allows me to get a peek into the other side of the business.

Q: Who are some of your biggest inspirations at GTreasury?

A: I’ve been so impressed with the leadership at GTreasury. Our EMT and SMT are very collaborative and have a vision to keep pushing forward and get things done to deliver the best product.

Q: How have you grown professionally at GTreasury?

A: In the first 18 months that I was here, I had the opportunity to grow my skill set significantly in the software tool set that we use (Adobe Creative Cloud). I’ve also been taking courses on Udemy.com and have drastically improved my base knowledge.

Q: What’s the best advice you can give to someone who just started their career?

A: When I left school, I thought I would be in advertising for my whole life. About five years into a design job, one of my friends asked, “With all your skills, have you ever thought about eLearning?” I took that job and started what is now a 30-year career in Learning & Development. Changes are always opportunities, and those can take you places you never really dreamed of.

Q: What’s something you are passionate about outside of the workplace?

A: I was born in Michigan, and I love to get up there and be outdoors for all four seasons of the year. In the summertime, my wife and I love to kayak and go to craft beer fests. We’re both skiers, so that’s how we spend our winters. We just love to be outside – the more north the better! The untouched beauty is amazing and really helps me re-center and still the noise of regular life.

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