Banner-Youth-Kids
Font Size:
Share

October 2026 | The Work of Getting Better Is Hard - But Worth It

Posted: October 1, 2026 at 9 a.m.

By Sean J. Vanslyke | sean@gosemo.com

October is National Cooperative Month, and it is a good time to pause and appreciate the people behind the service we depend on every day.

SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber have a wonderful group of people. I have told Team SEMO many times that there is not one person here I would hesitate to trust with my house keys or ask to watch my grandchildren. That is a strong statement, but it is true. It says a lot about the character of the people who serve you every day.

Over the years, some people have come and gone, while others have joined us and made a career here. We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we know the work in front of us today matters. Serving our members and subscribers matters. Keeping the lights on and the fiber flowing matters. Being there when you need us matters.

Our business does not close. The office doors may not always be physically open, but electric and fiber service are needed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When storms come through, equipment fails or a phone call comes after hours, someone has to respond. We are not an eight-to-five business that can simply lock the doors and hope the phone does not ring.

You cannot prepare for every storm, every natural disaster or every unexpected challenge. But you can plan, communicate and have people ready to step up when the work needs to be done. Team SEMO does that well.

Still, we will never be perfect.

Recently, I was asked a question that has stayed with me: “If you’re so good, why aren’t you better?” That is a hard question. It is also an honest one.

If we are good, why are we not better? Where can we improve? How can we better serve one another, our members and our subscribers?

My Book of the Month, How Change Really Works by Julia Dhar, Kristy Ellmer and Philip Jameson, reminds us that growth is not always easy: “Taking on a personal change is hard work. Learning a new skill, practicing a habit, or even picking up a language reshapes the brain’s wiring, strengthening existing connections and creating new ones. Our brains remain adaptable throughout our lives, and during transformation, some personal adaptation will be required.”

Change often comes from challenge. It can make us uncomfortable because it asks something of us. It stretches us and requires us to let go of what is familiar. But when we accept the challenge, learn from it and keep moving forward, change can make us better.

That is worth celebrating during National Cooperative Month. We get to show up every day, serve people we care about, meet the challenges in front of us and keep getting better together.

Thank you for your support—on the good days and the bad days. Keep pushing forward.

Vanslyke is general manager and chief executive officer

of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber

While making a community visit in Advance, Sean visited with Gary Beardsley, whom many know from his years as custodian for the Advance School District. Sean often introduces himself as SEMO Electric Cooperative’s “chief custodian.” The title may draw a puzzled look at first, but it fits: a custodian takes care of a place and the people who depend on it. That is what Team SEMO strives to do every day.
As part of the Cooperative’s commitment to taking care of its people, Team SEMO’s Fiber Sales and Services group led the monthly safety meeting. From left, Loyd, Bart, Chas and Matt reviewed fiber-optic and ladder safety, including one important reminder: never look directly into the end of a live fiber. The light may not be visible, but it can damage your eyes.