Amber Whitney
Embarking on the journey of creating a comprehensive Managers Handbook for The Wellness Oasis has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. The initial idea for the Managers Handbook was inspired by my love for leadership and creating positive environments. My experience in leadership roles and passion for health and well-being led me to envision The Wellness Oasis, a place where both employees and customers can thrive in a grateful, peaceful, and growth-oriented atmosphere. This project allowed me to prepare for my future business venture and strengthen my management skills. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland expressed, “Thanks are the highest form of thought; and … gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
Research and Development
To create the Managers Handbook, I invested significant time in research, reading influential books like “No Rules Rules,” “Good to Great,” and “Dangerous Love.” I also used reputable sources like Harvard Business Review for current best practices. Utilizing various online resources and digital tools helped me organize my thoughts and refine my writing. Key topics included hiring practices, training programs, management responsibilities, conflict resolution, and leadership development.
Overcoming Challenges
Creating the Managers Handbook presented several obstacles that required creative solutions. Despite dedicating countless hours to the project—listening to audiobooks in my free time and spending many evenings in restaurants studying, writing, and designing—I often felt constrained by the time available. Ideally, I would have loved more time to refine and expand the handbook, and I will most definitely be revising it after this semester to continue working on it.
A few tricky parts included ensuring that the handbook looked good both digitally and in physical copy. Another challenge was deciding what content to include. I wanted to avoid creating an overly lengthy, 80-page rule book, yet I also didn’t want it to be overly simplistic. I settled for a focus on soft skills. One of the most challenging aspects was finding suitable pictures. I ended up consulting Darby AI, which helped generate images based on my prompts. It took a lot of trial and error to get the prompts just right, and honestly, it felt a bit like trying to teach a cat to fetch! While it was a bit embarrassing, it ultimately worked, allowing me to avoid using specific photos that would have cost money and might not have fit my vision exactly. However, moving forward, I think I’ll either take my own photos or find pre-existing ones to credit appropriately.
Moving Forward
Reflecting on this project, the biggest lesson I learned is that I can do hard things. Three months ago, I never would have believed I could write a 30-page handbook! My mentor’s confidence in me was encouraging! I also learned how to pace myself by setting and sticking to a guideline, which made the process manageable. Additionally, I developed new design skills and realized I have more to learn. I plan to continue refining the handbook with professional input.
Overall, I’m grateful for this opportunity and the assignment that kick-started my learning. It taught me perseverance, goal-setting, and continuous improvement. I look forward to further growth from this project.
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