Jenn Phillips, Service Desk Team Lead with ANR Tech Services, was named 2021 MSU IT Most Valuable Teammate Award recipient during the June 9 presentation of the Excellence in IT Awards. MSU IT leadership presented six Excellence in IT Awards on June 9, recognizing the extraordinary efforts of its staff to advance student, faculty, and staff success. Awards were presented to MSU IT staff in the areas of student and staff success, as well as in the categories of Innovation, Virtual Champion, Outstanding Service, and Most Valuable Teammate.
“I am thrilled to be recognized with the MVT award, as it brings more visibility to ANR Information Technology and who we are,” Jenn said. “As a federated unit, we have been doing a superb job for many years, in my opinion, of meeting our customer needs and preparing for the future, but since we were not associated with MSU IT as a whole, I feel as though we were often overlooked. It feels incredible to have our (and my) efforts recognized by people outside of my day-to-day, as well as to know I am appreciated for my work within the team.”
Her nomination states, “Jenn is an excellent technician and provides outstanding customer service. Jenn is constantly thinking of how things will impact the team as well as everyone we support and working to make them better.”
As MVT, Jenn has a strong understanding of what makes a good teammate.
“I think a good teammate recognizes when to be a leader and when to be a follower,” she said. “They are willing to take on many tasks; not just the ones which get them notoriety, but behind the scenes work, as well.
“I also find giving a voice to the people who don’t speak up as often is crucial, especially in fields where many people tend to be introverted,” she added. “Just because someone isn’t talking, doesn’t mean they don’t have value to add. I personally believe challenging the norm is important. ‘This is how we have always done it,’ is not a reason to keep doing something in the same way, so I feel a good teammate asks those questions and invites everyone to think and discuss why or how things get done to discover better ways. Finally, I think honesty in your dealings and taking responsibility, not only for your own mistakes but also recognizing and accepting responsibility for the team’s mistakes shows a lot of integrity.”
Her nomination also included, “Jenn ensures there is an open line of communication between multiple groups which helps collaboration in recognizing trends and providing customers with the information they need as quickly as possible. Every department should wish that they had someone like Jenn.”
The open lines of communication played a vital role in a recent massive server migration. In her role at team lead, Jenn was instrumental getting things prepared ahead of time as well as reaching out to each department to keep them appraised of the schedule and progress.
The MVT Award is given to a person that understands the importance of team success. They can see things from a “we” perspective and not a “me” perspective and take pride in being a part of something bigger than themselves. They continually look for and act upon ways they can help and contribute to the team. They clearly know their role, fully own, and embrace it, and consistently and reliably execute it to the best of their ability. This person can dependably deliver results for the team. They bring a palpable positive energy to the team. You can feel their excitement and enthusiasm for their work and the opportunity to be around their teammates and leaders.
