A Christmas Message from our CEO

Dear LDS Community – wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a safe New Year.  This year has been a wonderful year for everyone connected to LDS and I want to take the time to say thank you to all of the clients, families, guardians and our team for your support and encouragement this year. Without you we couldn’t have achieved so much and continue to have a positive impact in the lives of our clients. 

 

This Christmas, I want to share with you a conversation that I had at the recent  Client and Family Christmas party:

At the party I was asked one of the most insightful questions that I’ve been asked in a while “Do you love your job?”

Some context:  I was lining up for dinner at the Lutheran Disability Services client Christmas party and was speaking with a family member who’s brother we support.  As we were talking, she asked me whether I loved my job.  I can get where she was coming from, we support her brother who is a vulnerable person. She has a great relationship with the support workers, team leaders and the leadership team, but she wanted to make sure that for her brother’s benefit that the CEO also loved his job – it’s an important and insightful question.

Now, I’ve been lucky in my career, most jobs I have loved, and I have had great experiences, worked with top people and had a lot of success.  But you know what, above all I really do love my job at LDS.  Why?  Because for the first time in my career I have purpose.  It’s not about making money for shareholders, the owners or members; it’s not about ensuring members have the best product at the best price in SA; it’s about ensuring that people living with disability have access to a safe, secure and happy home because they deserve it and are supported well with choice and control.

At the party we celebrated the year, held some speeches (mainly from the clients), watched a client led nativity play, shared a meal and danced the night away.  You can see from the faces of everyone who attended that they felt at home, are happy and have friends within their community.

And this is why I love my job.

Special thanks to the Client Services team for putting on the event and to all the staff who attended.  Thank you to LLL for sponsoring the event, the Bethlehem Choir for leading the carols, Ps Andrew Brook for saying grace and to all the families and clients who attended.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas.

Michael