Ellen Voie (Voy-a) is an internationally recognized speaker and authority on gender diversity and inclusion for women working in non-traditional careers in transportation. She has been invited to speak to audiences in Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, France, Mexico, and Canada, in addition to being a popular speaker at conferences throughout the United States. Voie founded the Women In Trucking Association in 2007, and currently serves as the nonprofit organization’s President & CEO. The Women In Trucking Association was formed to promote the employment of women in the trucking industry, to remove obstacles that might keep them from succeeding, and to celebrate the successes of its members. Voie also currently serves on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) to provide recommendations and advice to the FMCSA on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety regulations. Voie’s background in the trucking industry began as the assistant and later Traffic Manager for a steel fabricating plant in the upper Midwest. She then worked as a dispatcher for a grain hauling carrier before becoming co-owner of a small fleet. After starting a family, she used her background to become a freelance transportation consultant to carriers in Wisconsin, licensing and permitting trucks for more than 16 years. Voie also served as the Executive Director of Trucker Buddy International, Inc., a pen pal program between professional drivers and elementary students. Voie holds a Master’s in Communication degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, where she completed her Thesis research on the complex identities of women married to professional drivers. She also hold a degree in Traffic and Transportation Management from LaSalle Extension University. Voie has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, the leading authority in association management.

“Those who have the ability to be grateful are the ones who have the ability to achieve greatness,” Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free.

When was the last time you received a hand written thank you note, or a card just to let you know someone was thinking of you?  If you’re like most people, it’s probably been too long.  When was the last time you wrote a thank you note?

If you know me personally, you’ll know that I am a firm believer in writing thank you notes.  Apparently, I instilled that same conviction in my children, as the thank you notes from both my son and daughter are sure to follow a gift, party or act of kindness.  I keep them to remind myself of the good times we shared.

Most people use the excuse that they either don’t have the materials handy or they don’t have the time to write out and mail a thank you note.  Both excuses are just a reflection of your priorities.  Keep notes, pens and stamps in plain sight so you can take a moment to send your thoughts without much effort.

What’s more fun than receiving a note or card after a long day in the office or a difficult day at school. A note is something tangible that reminds you that the sender is thinking of you.

One young woman kept every card her mother had sent her after she left home.  Later, she used them as decorations at her wedding by cutting hundreds of little hearts out of the cards and spreading them across the banquet tables.  The groom explained to the family and friends that the decorations were the result of over 100 cards his new mother-in-law had sent to his new wife.

We were all taught to say thank you and to acknowledge kindness, but it seems that civility has been replaced by self-centeredness.  We refuse to show our appreciation to someone because THEY haven’t shown appreciation to us!  Where does it begin?  Perhaps with you!

If you’ve been reading this blog you’ll know about the campaign of #SteeeringTowardKindness.  At Women In Trucking Association we make it a priority to showcase acts of kindness by our members.  From sharing home cooked meals (truck cooked meals?) with strangers, to paying for a shower for a homeless person or even offering money for a ride home, professional drivers are some of the kindest, most generous people I’ve ever met.   However, drivers are also some of the most under-appreciated folks as well.

Delivering a load on time doesn’t win any favors, but if you miss your appointment you’ll hear about it.  Keeping your truck in top shape is expected, but if a tail light is out on the trailer, you will be penalized.  Do we really need to wait for a week in August to honor our professional drivers for their hard work?

Author Gregory Smith asked respondents to list their greatest dissatisfaction at work for his book, Here Today, Here Tomorrow, found the top answer to be a lack of appreciation.  Yet, when companies make an effort to show their gratitude, sales are increased, productivity is raised and happiness is positively affected by employees.  Seems pretty simple, doesn’t it?

How can you help us in our efforts at #SteeringTowardKindness?  Share your stories with us.  Send someone a note or a card and watch his or her reaction.  Stick a post it note where they’ll be sure to see it.  Pay for the meal of the person behind you at the fast food restaurant.  Donate to a worthy cause in someone else’s name. Leave a generous tip.

What can you do to show your appreciation?  Check out www.randomactsofkindness.org for ideas and then share them with us on the Women In Trucking Association Facebook page.  We’ll share them and spread the good vibes.

By the way, the young woman who saved her mother’s cards and cut them into hearts for her wedding was my daughter.  To this day it gives me overwhelming feelings of being appreciated.

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Ellen Voie (Voy-a) is an internationally recognized speaker and authority on gender diversity and inclusion for women working in non-traditional careers in transportation. She has been invited to speak to audiences in Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, France, Mexico, and Canada, in addition to being a popular speaker at conferences throughout the United States. Voie founded the Women In Trucking Association in 2007, and currently serves as the nonprofit organization’s President & CEO. The Women In Trucking Association was formed to promote the employment of women in the trucking industry, to remove obstacles that might keep them from succeeding, and to celebrate the successes of its members. Voie also currently serves on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) to provide recommendations and advice to the FMCSA on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety regulations. Voie’s background in the trucking industry began as the assistant and later Traffic Manager for a steel fabricating plant in the upper Midwest. She then worked as a dispatcher for a grain hauling carrier before becoming co-owner of a small fleet. After starting a family, she used her background to become a freelance transportation consultant to carriers in Wisconsin, licensing and permitting trucks for more than 16 years. Voie also served as the Executive Director of Trucker Buddy International, Inc., a pen pal program between professional drivers and elementary students. Voie holds a Master’s in Communication degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, where she completed her Thesis research on the complex identities of women married to professional drivers. She also hold a degree in Traffic and Transportation Management from LaSalle Extension University. Voie has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, the leading authority in association management.