---
title: "3 Lessons: Jennifer Tomb Talks Serenity, Now"
id: "35345"
type: "post"
slug: "3-lessons-jennifer-tomb-talks-serenity-now"
published_at: "2016-10-11T09:20:51+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-16T17:40:57+00:00"
url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/10/11/3-lessons-jennifer-tomb-talks-serenity-now/"
markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/10/11/3-lessons-jennifer-tomb-talks-serenity-now.md"
excerpt: "Jennifer Tomb, CAE, the American Society for Microbiology's assistant director of meetings and events, has a formula to keep calm and carry on."
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  - "Leadership"
  - "mindfulness"
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  - "organizational resilience"
  - "personal growth"
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taxonomy_persona:
  - "Early Career"
---

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 » 3 Lessons: Jennifer Tomb Talks Serenity, Now

**“Please” and “thank you” are still magic words.** These days, common courtesy seems like a bygone tradition, replaced by impersonal emails and abbreviated text messages. Take a page out of Emily Post’s book and brush up on etiquette. Speak kindly, show respect, be collegial, and express gratitude for a job well done. Never underestimate the power of politeness to inspire others. “Please” and “thank you” may seem archaic, but these remain magical words for those who hear them.

> Please and thank you may seem archaic, but these remain magical words for those who hear them.

**Get a little mud on the tires.** It may not be practical to go completely off the grid, but it is important to disconnect—if only for brief moments of serenity. My itinerary for relaxation begins on a dirt road leading to a cottage on the Maine coast, where you can hear waves breaking against the rocks. I take these words of wisdom from a favorite county tune: “I’ve got the perfect place in mind. It’s in the middle of nowhere, only one way to get there. You got to get a little mud on the tires.”

**Ask what MacGyver would do.** Just months into my first meeting planner job, I returned from an event exhausted from managing what seemed a never-ending deluge of disasters. My supervisor explained that meeting planning essentially consisted of putting out fires and suggested a less stressful career if it was too much to handle. Years later, that tough love still inspires me to tackle challenges with a can-do attitude. Expect the unexpected, be prepared to adapt, and channel MacGyver’s creativity to navigate your way through the most daunting obstacles.

[ASAE Staff](https://associationsnow.com/author/asae-staff/)

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Tags: [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/)
 [#mindfulness](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mindfulness/)
 [#New to Associations](https://associationsnow.com/tag/new-to-associations/)
 [#NextGen](https://associationsnow.com/tag/nextgen/)
 [#organizational resilience](https://associationsnow.com/tag/organizational-resilience/)
 [#personal growth](https://associationsnow.com/tag/personal-growth/)

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