A Growth Mindset Leads Operations into the New Year

Chief Operating Officer Maurice Wilson II reflects on progress in 2023 as he looks forward to bold goals in 2024.

The end of a year always invites a time of reflection. In 2023, our teams worked tirelessly to meet the need in our community, during a time when many of our neighbors were struggling to access nutritious foods. Being able to serve others is a privilege I don’t take lightly. Here are some thoughts and encouragement I want to share with you ahead of the new year.

I’m inspired by my team’s willingness to fail—and adapt. It might sound odd, but this is a great mentality to have. I’m seeing more folks develop a growth mindset, where they view challenges as opportunities and setbacks as a chance to get better. It’s inspiring to see the teams around the food bank rally toward continuous improvement to provide better service and support to our neighbors.

Every relationship we have with our partner agencies is different from the next, and unique needs and challenges for each agency require us to respond with nuance and sometimes, creativity.

At the same time, our teams are interested in finding solutions and building bridges. That inspires me.

Small strides make a big difference. My role allows me to see so much of the organization, which also means I get to see key “wins” by food bankers. While some of these might seem insignificant to the individual, I get to “zoom out” and see how these small strides lead to better outcomes for those we serve. I get little snapshots of happiness in the form of individual and team growth.

I’m looking forward to 2024. My part of the org will continue looking at how we can serve everyone in the best way possible, and I’m looking forward to seeing my team grow its capabilities. We’ve been successful with our Nourish North Texas plan and in 2024, we will begin laying out a new strategic, 5-year plan. It will need to be as bold as our last—our neighbors deserve it.

I’d be remiss not to highlight the work of all our team members who were on the front lines, directly in the community, in 2023. The work of hunger-fighting is not only operational but highly relational.

Thanks to all of you who are out at agencies, distributions and partner sites making an impact.

What are you proud of accomplishing in 2023? Let me know at maurice.wilson@ntfb.org!

Maurice

Maurice Wilson II is the Chief Operating Officer for the North Texas Food Bank.