By: John Nemerofsky, SAGE Integration
It can be said that happiness in life often carries a healthy balance of work, relationships and staying true to your purpose. What these areas of focus look like will be different for everyone, but the goal for many of us is the same and eloquently stated by the words of the great American author, Mark Twain, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
In life, we decide the paths we will take. Some will be smooth sailing, others may be full of potholes, and unfortunately, many may lead to dead ends. However, each path will provide a new opportunity, good, bad, or indifferent. What you learn from the paths you take is up to you.
On the evening of November 20, 2024, during the Security Industry Association’s Honors Night, SIA honored me with the George R. Lippert Memorial Award. Founded in 1989, named in honor of George R. Lippert, who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to the security industry and SIA. When evaluating candidates nominated for the award, the SIA Lippert Award Committee considers their long-term service to SIA and the security industry, the impact of their efforts on behalf of SIA and the industry, and their integrity, leadership, and diplomacy as demonstrated in industry dealings.
I learned I was receiving the award a few weeks before the Honors Night, so I had plenty of time to think about how I traveled this path and how to put thirty-five years of experience into a ten-minute acceptance and thank you speech.
As I thought back over the last twenty-five years, I realized that the many different paths I traveled over my career prepared me for Honors Night. I found what I love to do, built a huge Rolodex of relationships, and found happiness.
I realized if I could do it, anyone could do it just by following three simple rules.
1. Don’t just work in an industry—work for an industry.
Regardless of the industry, each offers so much more than a career. When we dedicate ourselves to driving the “tip of the spear”, we unlock everyone’s potential. The industry you select should be focused on providing opportunities for everyone, advancing technology, social responsibility, and setting the highest standards of integrity and excellence.
The security industry provides me and the team at SAGE Integration to drive the tip of the spear every day by empowering everyone to take ownership of our client priorities, building a culture of trust, and encouraging agile leadership so the team can make decisions with autonomy and trust.
2. The industry must have the power to create a lifetime of incredible friendships.
The connections and relationships we build are unique and will most often last a lifetime. We are united by common goals, missions, and shared experiences that go way beyond professional relationships. The friends I’ve made, both in and beyond the workplace, have enriched my journey in countless ways.
Over the years, I developed a Rolodex of professional relationships that have developed into lifelong friendships, including meeting my wife, Holly. If you look at the numbers, you probably spend most of your time at work, so it makes sense that many of your relationships will be forged at work.
Today, more than ever, it’s easier to build a virtual Rolodex. Virtual network sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter), allow us to diversify our Rolodex by connecting with thousands of individuals in and outside of our career network. The elephant in the room question on this front is can you build long-lasting relationships without much, or any, in-person interaction? The simple answer is yes, but at some point, you must be willing to connect outside the virtual environment.
Additionally, with the advancement of Artificial Intelligence and smart bots, you need to be careful since what appears to be a living and breathing person may just be lines of computer code.
3. Build a life filled with happiness, wealth, and opportunities to give back as part of your industry.
Over my career, I’ve found that true success is about more than the bottom line. It’s about creating a life filled with meaning—achieving personal fulfillment, social responsibility, giving back to the community and finding true happiness.
During your journey, you will make mistakes, face many challenges, and almost certainly be forced to make personal sacrifices along the way. However, each time you make a mistake, learn from it. Challenges make you stronger, and the sacrifices help you understand the importance of family and community.
Finding a work-life balance is essential. However, it’s more important to understand that you do not have to sacrifice one for the other. You can find the balance; you may just have to work at it.
As leaders, we should support a work-life balance and encourage agile leadership. Team members want to be part of something that reflects who they are and what they care about. If you provide them with a job they enjoy doing and a say in how it gets done, they will never have to work a day in their life.
References:
George R. Lippert Memorial Award, https://www.securityindustry.org/about-sia/sia-awards/lippert-award/
John has dedicated his 25-year career in the security industry to advancing technology and protecting enterprise clients nationwide. As SAGE Integration’s Chief Operating Officer since 2019, he has helped position the company as a leading national security provider across 62 U.S. metro areas. He serves on the boards of PSA, Security Sales & Integration Magazine, and the Security Industry Association (SIA) and chairs key industry committees, demonstrating his commitment to innovation and collaboration. In 2023, John became vice chair of the Foundation of Advancing Security Talent (FAST), supporting the next generation of security professionals. Recognized for his contributions, he has received numerous industry awards, including SIA’s Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award and the George R. Lippert Memorial Award.
Source: snnonline.com