In the first of our Graduate Wisdom series we ask Ms. D.L. a graduate of Class 93 a series of questions in order to gain some wisdom from her experience.

Q.   Number of years in private service.
A. Been in private service ten (10) years

Q.   Title in your position… HM or EM or?
A. Estate Manager

Q.   What do you love most about your position?
A. I enjoy working for people that appreciate my hard work and all the skill sets I bring to the
table.

I love to be organized and the principal I work for enjoys the organizational skills I daily demonstrate that every drawer, every closet, every nook and every cranny is organized as well the variety of vendors I organize and oversee professionally. I also love to cook and my principals enjoy all of the culinary delights that I place before
them.

Q.   What three primary gifts do you bring your employer?
A. I bring administrative skills;
Organizational skills
Event planning

One problem that I faced early on as an Estate Manager is that you must be allowed to run your own staff. This must be made clear to your employer; otherwise you cannot effectively run and maintain the household. If your staff will not follow you and your training you learned at Starkey is not allowed to be implemented, the end result will be a poorly run household, even down to how to fold a proper towel. You can not be a one man band. It takes a team effort to manage a large estate.

 

Q.   What three primary gifts does your employer bring you?
A. A gift of laughter; my principal is always happy; we enjoy a good laugh together many times and we both find humor in so many things, so many times.

She listens to me; she relies on my knowledge and expertise in construction, event planning, picking out clothing.  I love the fact that she trusts me to make vital decisions for her.

Never being critical of me, but constructive and allowing me to manage the staff and never
intervening.

We have a well-running and well-oiled estate that runs as a result of this.

Q.   Now, after this quality of time in Private Service, what is your definition of a Service Heart?
A. Waking up every morning and looking forward to going to work and enjoying the job that I am doing; making sure that every single desire that my principals require are met with expedience, perfection and love.

Q.   What technical or psychological skills have made you most successful?
A. Having had human resource training has allowed me to manage my staff in a kind and loving way, knowing that they appreciate and respect me for the way I deal with them. Having had a large construction background has allowed me to build things from small jobs to large jobs and knowing that I am getting the best dollar for my employer, with the job done properly and on time. My skills for entertaining; floral design to food prep. I can create venues from fairy tale princess birthdays to elaborate parties encompassing all decorations down to small romantic, intimate dinners.

My computer skills have really helped me; I am able to create any excel or word template to draw out cupboards, cabinets when doing inventories. Computer skills are vital.

Q.   Advice you give to all those new in Private Service or looking to enter private service?
A. Be patient, even though we want to give 110% all the time and be the best that we can and be try to be perfect in all that we do – it’s impossible; no one is perfect. As long as you are giving the best that you can be satisfied with yourself. Always be ON your principal’s agenda, even though you think you can do it better or faster.

Q.Your additional thoughts!
A. Being in private service is a privilege. We grow close to the people we work for because you genuinely create feelings and emotions toward them. Never abuse these special things such as time and trust that they give to you.

Be thankful and happy at the end of each and every day so that you can look back and say “job well done!”, knowing that you have given your very best.

Try always to stay within your boundaries.