Where Will You Do Your Best Work?

Full disclosure right up front. I'm a former marketing gal and now an HR gal. I'm clearly going to be biased in my opinions about Juniper and will most definitely espouse the virtues of the company and how great it is to work here. But truth be told, it's honestly how I feel about Juniper. This really IS where I can do my best work.

I've been with the company for a little over 2 years. It was my first corporate gig after an exciting life at various advertising agencies. (As Don Draper would tell you, ad agency years count like dog years.) I was immediately validated for making the right choice, impressed by the brand work being championed, the strength and diversity of the executive team and the vibrant culture of innovators constantly striving to solve problems. After a year at Sunnyvale HQ I took advantage of Juniper's flexible work environment options and attained virtual worker status so I could return to my home state of Missouri and be near family.

Being selected to champion a body of work we call "Life at Juniper" I was exposed to many colleagues around the globe. We interviewed them for videos and an interactive experience that would help tell the Juniper story. A passion was sparked and I recognized a desire to work more closely with the HR organization. Emboldened by the Juniper Way (our guiding principles and corporate values) I trusted my supervisor enough to have an authentic conversation about my career aspirations. Through the strong, interdependent relationships I had forged, that bold aspiration became a reality and I transferred into the HR organization. You surely are starting to see why I think this place is amazing — and unique.

I hope that you will enjoy hearing about Life at Juniper firsthand and encourage you to reach out with questions or topics of interest. There is a lot going on inside Juniper and I'm excited to be a small port hole into that world. And I hope that perhaps this blog may inspire some of you to come and do your best work alongside me.

Corpus Christi: A Celebration of Non-Violence

In yoga, we talk about the notion of ahimsa, non-violence. And to me, that hits home when I am able to detach myself from the inner monologue and become a simple observer. In those moments I tend to detect the most violence I've had to endure. It is a battle waged against myself. As a rule, I think, we cut deepest with those whom we love most. Perhaps it’s because we know their weak spots or perhaps because we know they'll love us unconditionally. Perhaps it’s because they are the closest extension of ourselves. And like I said, the inner monologue is a place of great violence. Filled with insecurities and confusion, the turmoil of regrets and anticipations, the will versus the spirit. It can get downright ugly.

For me, ahimsa isn't something that happens on the street. It happens in my own headspace. And the beauty, I believe, is that when the violence stops inside, it seems to make the anger and judgment and attitude and righteousness and indignation stop on the outside toward others. If we can learn to gently accept the inner monologue, we can start to see the whole world as a dialogue.

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word. Corpus Christi is a Latin phrase. Both are grounded in God. Jesus was the recipient of extreme violence while living a life of ahimsa – He called it “love.” In Eucharist we celebrate His body being broken for us through the breaking of the bread. Perhaps this Corpus Christi we can also celebrate the breaking down of violence both physically and in our own minds and see God’s pathway to ahimsa, to non-violence, to acceptance, to love. Love both outward and inward.