This is how you spell hors-d'oeuvres

Ever packed up your desk?

Unpinned the pictures, peeled off the Post-its, tugged that last pushpin out of the corkboard? It’s a dusty walk down memory lane - the job you’re about to leave, whether by choice or not. And there you are, with a box of belongings in your hands. All the sweat, effort, and maybe a few tears… now neatly packed away.

I’m preparing for my next move. I’m a pro at this by now.  New York City will be my eighth city in 15 years. Florida. St. Thomas. St. Louis. El Paso. Myrtle Beach. Atlanta. Dallas/Fort Worth. And now, New York. Each move, a ritual of reflection and growth on the way to a new beginning  

I try to only take the good memories forward. The rest? They’re lessons.

Tucked inside a manila envelope are the things that have hung above every desk I’ve ever had - from cubicles to corner offices to my home office. I’m not usually a “save everything” person, but this packet is different. It’s my career, in paper form. Among the photos, company value posters, and revenue target sheets, there’s always a quote or two. Something I needed in that moment. A shot of hope, a reason to smile, or a reminder to keep going.

Recently, I spread them out across my desk. Each quote is a snapshot of a season in my career - the first admin job straight out of college at The Ritz-Carlton, the leadership roles that stretched me, and the unexpected turns (New York was not on my 2025 bingo card). At each fork in the road, I’ve chosen the hard, right turn over the comfortable straight path.

2010: 

Desk Quote: “This is how you spell hors d’oeuvres.” Author: Myself, on a blue Post-It

• My first job out of college: Event Production Admin at The Ritz-Carlton. I thought I knew everything the world had to offer, until I stumbled hard and fast (not just because I insisted on wearing 4” heels on limestone stairs.) I keep this Post-It to remember the beginning. To remember I didn’t know everything… not even how to spell a word I used ten times a day. To remember it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” This Post-It is also now a picture on my phone, because I still lookup how to spell hors d'oeuvres. And I don't, nor do I ever, want to know everything. 

2012: 

Desk Quote: "If there were ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, it is now. Not for any grand cause, but for something that tugs at your heart, something that’s your aspiration, something that's your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count. Have fun. Dig deep. Stretch. Dream Big." (Segment from "Dream Big Poem.") Author: Unknown

• It was my final day At The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. I was transferring to my very first manager role at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas. From the moment I signed my offer letter, I was terrified, constantly questioning if I was making the right decision. I had been interviewing for manager roles for months when my recruiter finally called out the truth: despite a pile of strong recommendations, I was 23 years old, with only 18 months of experience, trying to break through in Florida - one of the most saturated event manager markets in the country. 

As scared as I was for this move, I didn’t think I had a choice. On my last day, our director sent out the daily quote, and I felt like this one was just for me. 

I had big dreams. It was time to go. Just me, my fear, and three suitcases. 

Sometime between 2014 - 2020:

Desk Quote: "G.R.I.T: Made of Hustle, Passion, and Perseverance"

• These years were transformative. Stretching from my lowest low (see my earlier blog "My Least Proudest Moment") to some of my proudest milestones. In one of my annual reviews, there was a line included I'll never forget: "she has more grit than anyone I've ever met." Once I understood that didn’t mean sand, it became one of the greatest compliments I've ever received. I printed off the graphic from my internet search, and to this day it still hangs above my desk. 

When I feel like I might give up, I look up at that paper, remind myself who I am, and remember that she doesn’t quit. 

2021: 

Desk Quote: "Being positive in a negative situation is not naïve, it's leadership."

• In a one on one with my regional director, I admitted that I felt worn down. My team was frustrated with me for trying to stay positive. We were coming out of COVID, still wearing masks, sales were struggling, my optimism felt unwelcome. I was exhausted, clinging to hope but dangerously close to breaking. That afternoon, my director, Mike, sent an email with this quote. 

I realized that positivity wasn’t just my instinct, it was my responsibility. My team didn’t need to believe everything would be okay, but I needed to believe it for them. I had to see the light, even when they couldn’t, and guide them forward. I could build the plan, set the strategy, and face the hard realities, while still choosing optimism.

The truth is, not everyone could handle that approach. Some left. By the end of 2021, I had almost an entirely new team. But what emerged was the strongest, healthiest, most supportive group I had ever been part of. For the first time, I understood what people meant when they said “lightning in a bottle.” We were unstoppable. We were the Megatron (IYKYK). And what followed went far beyond any metric or goal we could have imagined. That Atlanta team was Midtown Magic - a story I’ll share one day here on this blog.

________________

There are many more quotes tucked into that manila envelop. Each one a marker of a season, a lesson, a turning point, a smile. Some made me laugh, some carried me through dark moments, and other remind me to keep reaching for more, but stay true to myself. They are the threads that stitch together the story of my career so far - reminders that leadership isn't about knowing all the answers, but about showing up, learning, and refusing to give up. 

For now, I'm packing up once again. New city, new chapter, new desk. The Post-Its, the papers, the pictures, the signed frames and cards are coming with me, and no doubt, new quotes and memories will join them. 

I'll see you next from New York City. 

To honest leadership, 

Natalie 

Chris’s Comments

It’s funny how a box of old desk scraps can preach louder than a leadership book. Those Post-its and pushpins aren’t just reminders; they’re proof that leadership is forged in the little moments you think no one sees.

I keep things above my desk.  Currently, I have a mind map of the things I have going on in my life, all tie into making sure people know they matter.  I have a quote - "I only do what only I can do," to remind me to stop being a control freak and delegate more.

The world applauds the big wins, but it’s the quiet lessons we carry forward that shape us into the kind of leader worth following.

So let me ask you:

• What’s taped above your desk right now?

• Is it fueling you, or quietly draining you?

• And if you had to pack it all up tomorrow, what would be worth carrying forward?

The damaged leader isn’t the one who never stumbled. It’s the one who still chooses to keep going, lessons in hand, ready for the next chapter.