Leadership Spotlight: SparkyGizmo
Sparky rolled into the listening community in 2019, and she has acted as a patient and compassionate mentor to all those who enter LSR. We have seen tremendous growth in Sparky’s journey and are delighted to see her achievements be highlighted.
Why did you nominate Sparky?
If anyone has been to LSR ever, they must have seen Sparky spreading out words of wisdom, which they possess a lot of.
They like helping people and take it as their responsibility to improve listener quality. This shows how much they care about the members.
Their own members are few but are long-term and speak highly of them.
They always encourage others in chatrooms, in the forums, and in PMs. They like to nominate people for badges if they see something in them. And more than often, they are right.
Their hugs and smiles are neverending. Their attempts to make someone's day are always noticeable. Hope this spotlight makes their day too.
In 3 words Sparky is Helpful, Encourager, Jovial
We asked Sparky some questions to get to know her better!
1. A favorite quote or song?
My favorite all-time song is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland. I have a favorite quote. It's by Sydney Poitier. I can only recall it loosely not the direct quote. The meaning of what he said was though....that the measure of a man (woman) is not how they treat someone in a superior role, it's how they treat someone in a subordinate role or someone that can do nothing for them at all. This for me is in direct alignment with what 7 cups believes in and highly values as well, which is service-driven leadership (what I call the inverted triangle).
2. Your proudest 7 cups achievement
For me, it would be the length of service, and longevity here on the site. It's been a beautiful experience to take on different roles and love each and every one of them! Doing so is a time for growth, change, and embracing the learning curve. Some days as, our founder @GlenM has said "fall down, get up, fall down, get up". As for me, I added on at the end "wash, rinse, repeat". Quite simplistic, precisely what it says on the back of many shampoo bottles. lol For me it also folds into one of the 7 cups core values which just so happens to be *true grit* and is my personal favorite. There is much more to be said about human beings in how they got back up than how they fell down!
3. A fun fact about you
A fun factoid about me is that my eyes can change colors based on my mood. My eyes are blue but yet can change to green from time to time. A funny story would be when I went to get my driver's license renewed at the Department of Motor Vehicles. I filled out the form for a variety of things. One question asked was about eye color. I wrote blue. The gal I turned the paperwork into was like "nope, nope, this is not going to work. Your eyes are truly green". We had a fun conversation about all of that. It appears as if I was the first person she had ever seen this in. No worries, I showed her my old license and when that picture was taken, yes, they were blue on that day.
4. If you had one piece of advice for our community leaders/listeners/members/whoever), what would it be?
Perhaps it would be to pace yourself. Embrace it all. There is no rush and it's okay to grow at your own pace. In my heart, I have always felt that it's best to embrace the role and not the badge. The concept of a shiny new badge will fade most quickly. Then, one would be left with the work. It's best to do it for the love of the role, love of the work required, for the love of our community and all of our teammates! I have heard it said that "if you do something you love, you will feel as if you never have to work another day in your life". I feel like this works strongly in conjunction with what, you guessed it, something our founder @GlenM has said as well. It was his post from long ago that I read. It's titled "Track A or Track B". When reading his words in that forum post, our founder told me that I am valued here. I belong too. That he cares. To me, it sent a strong message that he is simply grateful for each and every one of us, each and every single effort on our part and all of our contributions matter to him at the end of the day. It all adds up because teamwork makes the dream work!
5. 1-3 words that embody 7Cups to you?
Community, empathy, and teamwork.
Congratulations @SparkyGizmo - your insight and leadership are truly inspirational and we are indeed very proud to celebrate your contributions and sparky presence in our community!
Have you worked with Sparky or have any appreciation to share? Please join us in the replies to celebrate their achievements!
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Do you know an awesome leader who deserves to be nominated? Please fill out this form!
Guess who's one of the people deserving this spotlight the most? It's @SparkyGizmo ! ❤️✨ I'm so glad that you got nominated, giz. You are a wonderful soul. ❤️
@theriverissinging
Many thanks River! Nothing pleases me more than for you to see me as a "wonderful soul".❤️ I really must say, the feeling is soooooo very mutual! I see you as a wonderful and beautiful soul also!😊❤️ I love spending time with you in the LSR! Whenever I see you come into the room, it's a relaxing feeling, feels almost Zen like! big *hugs* ❤️
@SoulfullyAButterfly Thank you so much for the lovely post!
@LavenderHere
Many thanks Lavender! I can't thank you enough for the positive affirmations! It's truly a thing of beauty for me to meet people, just like you here on this site that have the exact same mindset! big *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo
An insightful interview, Sparky! I like that you put emphasis on no rush and to choose to help with the things that we love doing, and out of the love to the community 💜 Couldn't agree more. The badge is only a key to help with what we love doing.
And this is gold: There is much more to be said about human beings in how they got back up than how they fell down!
Keep shining keep spreading warmth and positive vibes around, Sparky! Cheers 🤗💜
@ouiCherie
Many Thanks Oui! I'm so glad you liked the interview! My friend, we are so very like minded people! Trust me, you just gave me the "gold" too! 😊❤️😊
Clearly you feel just as I do. For me, a badge just adds an additional layer to me, an opportunity to cast my net farther and wider with additional training to even be more of service to others. For me, I love your brilliance and the way you phrased it! It's sooooooo much better! You said a badge is "simply a key". That is the gold standard for phrasing!
*shrugs shoulders* kind of a me thing but one of the things I try to do around here is build what I call a "listener tool box". Things to pull from, ideas, concepts. Many times, as others have noticed, I have what have been referred to as Gizzie-isms. lol 😊 When I share these concepts with others, I can explain the broad concept but also boil it down to a most basic catch phrase, something so easy to remember, something to share with another (that is the essence of the Gizzie-ism), that they can put it in their tool box as well and with the quick catch phrase, the concept is easily retrieved mentally.
Thank you for handing over the gold today! You sooooooo rock my friend! "Simply being a key" goes into the listener tool box to be shared with others when and if needed! big *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo It is difficult to come up with words kind and compassionate enough to describe SparkyGizmo, but I will try this rewrite of the song Swanee
Sparky, how we love ya, how we love ya
Our dear ole Sparky.
We'd give the world to be
In a one to one with me.
Sparky, so supportive no Listener like you.
They are the ones to see
If you want kindness and empathy.
Sparky, how we love ya, how we love ya
Our dear ole Sparky.
We'd give the world to be
With you listening to me.
@soulsings
You have no idea how very much this means to me Soul! 😊 ❤️ I cannot even thank you enough!
This is one of the sweetest gifts 🎁 that anyone has ever given to me here on 7 cups. It's beautiful!!!! And you are beautiful as well! ❤️
Certainly is a deeply meaningful moment for me. Made me cry, in the good way, has taken me 3 times to pull it together enough to respond. 😳
This is so special and that it is coming from you. I deeply respect you, I deeply admire you. You are someone that is the total package : funny, smart and kind.
Even beyond that, there is something very magical 💫 about you. There is much to be said about someones energy, aura. That special something or special many things that is so very hard to put into words. It simply "is". It exists even though one might have trouble explaining it all. You can just feel it.
It's as if you and your essence have been woven tightly into the tapestry of this place and it just wouldn't be this place, with out you. ✨ You carry with you a quiet strength, calm, safe, reassuring. It really is a feeling that you have to be around to understand. It's the feeling of everything is going to be okay when you are around. Always humble, always kind yet an incredibly powerful inner strength! Never boastful and it's as if you know exactly what you are made of!
While we are all different and unique in our own little ways, there are 2 other people here on the platform that I have felt that kind of energy from. Out of all the people, in the world... remarkably they are here too! I guess maybe it's that "vibrating on the same frequency" kind of thing? Rest assured, you are in good company as I deeply respect and admire them also! I'm blessed to be in the presence of either of you! ❤️
I'll also say, another one of the best moments I have ever had around here is being compared to you Soul! One of the very best compliments I have ever gotten! Someone asked for peer support and were pleasantly surprised to see a different side to me via p.m. Group dynamics are vastly different than a 1-1 interaction.
After spending time with them, it was nothing short of amazing than to hear that kind of feedback years ago. They noted that we have the same style, are so very similar and it felt for them as if they were speaking to you. I was grateful and it was quite the moment for me! 😊 Nothing better than that to feel as if one is on the right track, getting some traction around here. (I just about fell out of my chair, lol 😊 )
Thank you my sweet friend! ❤️ Thank you for all that you are, all that you do and all of the amazing energy that you bring! When we got you, we won the lottery! My promise to you is that I will be counting you in what I call my "gratitude moments" today. Thank you for being someone for me to be so very grateful for! ❤️
*high fives* 😊 big big *hugs* ❤️ and stay great sweet friend! (won't be hard, seems to come naturally for you) ❤️
@SparkyGizmo you are amazing at making people feel their highest potential. This is a true gift you have and I am so grateful to have you as a friend and receive all your accolades. You have said things I would only dream of being said about me. I am amazed at how you turn praise for yourself into immense praise for someone else.
I am glad this meant so much to you. You exhibit the best traits of a human being. If I could, I would package up all the kindness you give to others and distribute it around the world. That much kindness would go a long way to making this world a happier world.
High fives and hugs! You are the Spark of Love!
@soulsings
❤️❤️❤️
