Training 101

Training 101
By Robert Bock
NAPS Southeast Area Vice President

In Orlando, we recently held our Southeast Area Training Seminar—a dynamic, one-and-a-half-day event that brought together about 100 attendees from across the country. We were honored to have our members and postal leadership in attendance, making it a truly collaborative and impactful experience.

Our event started with quite a surprise—a fire alarm. Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm, and everyone returned safely to continue with the program. Once back inside, we kicked things off with remarks from Chenise LeDoux, USPS Southern Area vice president. She spoke from the heart about integrity, emphasizing the importance of doing the right thing when it comes to scanning.

Every employee should live by the golden rule: Every scan should be the correct scan. She reminded us that when an item cannot be delivered, honesty is key. With today’s GPS technology, transparency and accuracy are more important than ever. Our customers know when we are being truthful; integrity must remain at the core of our operations.

We also heard from Wendy Fuller, manager, EEO Dispute Resolution, whose department handles 650 mediations, and Shayne Hensley, senior director, Field Labor Relations. Hensley provided valuable insight on employee availability and grievance settlements and reminded us to seek guidance from Labor Relations before finalizing any settlements.

Bruce Nicholson, director, Contract Administration (NPMHU) and Employee Workplace Programs, inspired attendees by speaking about upward mobility. His message was clear: If you put your nose to the grindstone, opportunities for growth and advancement are within reach in this great organization.

On Saturday, Past NAPS President Brian Wagner and I conducted training sessions. Wagner led an excellent class on time management and representation training that received great feedback from participants.

A highlight of the event was hearing from Omari Jones, professional boxer and bronze medalist from the Paris Olympics. Jones shared his story of perseverance, discipline, and leadership, delivering a powerful message that resonated deeply.

We also welcomed NAPS Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore, who discussed ongoing issues affecting our members and shared updates from the national level.

With attendees from across the nation, the event provided countless opportunities for networking—not only among members, but also with postal leadership. Putting on a training event of this scale takes teamwork and dedication, and I want to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed, especially our postal leaders who took time away from their families to support our members.

As we close out the year, I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season and continued success in all that you do.