For over 20 years, Anna Kazmierowski has developed an eye for spotting talent. Through her roles at ADROIT Employment Resources and A2Z Staffing Solutions, she knows how to dig past the resumes, the titles, and the accomplishments to find the human behind the application. She knows that we’re more than just a set of accomplishments or a series of letters representing our education – we’re humans that have far more than a single dimension.
A Stranger Gives a “Yes” that Changes Her Life
Anna grew up in Poland. As she says, “Life unfolds constantly,” and events found her standing in line at the US Embassy awaiting approval for her visa so she could come to the USA. Nervous, she wasn’t sure what she would say. What did she have to offer? How would she prove her worth? How could she convince this stranger that this was the right choice?
The woman behind the glass looked at Anna and stamped her visa with approval. No justification, no convincing. She had looked at Anna without knowing her whole story, but she saw something in her. She had a glimmer of potential or hope and made a decision that changed the course of her life. It allowed Anna to reunite with her mother after more than a decade, and that little “yes” approving the visa sparked the idea for A.N.D.
Creating the Framework of A.N.D.
Over the years, Anna pondered what the woman at the embassy saw in her. She formed concepts and dove into figuring out exactly what was going on. She determined that humans are more than just what meets the eye, and to really figure them out, we must use the A.N.D. framework.
You Aren’t Just One Thing
People are multidimensional. Every day, our lives are still unfolding, and reducing us to a single label doesn’t show the entire picture. You’re not only a CEO. She’s not just a mom. He’s not merely a construction worker. They aren’t only students, PhDs, nurses, accountants, athletes, or any one characteristic that doesn’t begin to fully define them.
Instead, Anna took a tip from quantum computing and the layered logic we see therein. Just like in quantum computing, where ones and zeros can exist at the same time, you can be layered and exist in multiple states at the same time.
When we slow down, notice complexities, and see people beyond the labels, we build more resilient, innovative, and connected communities.
Want to know what A.N.D. means and how we can apply it? Then join us on September 26th for the TEDxBillings Main Event – don’t delay, get your tickets now!
Resilience Learned from a Brief Interaction
Anna built her life and career here in Montana after immigrating from Poland. Her journey was filled with resilience, possibility, and the belief that being truly “seen” changes everything. It’s not our title, our accent, or our accomplishments that define us, but a whole lot more.
She tells us, “The biggest impact on my life came from someone I barely knew – the woman behind the glass at the US Embassy in Poland.” A brief interaction, a simple gesture, and the entire course of Anna’s life was destined for great things and inspiration for us all.
Want to get to know Anna a bit more? Read her interview with Danielle Dahl and Resilient Stories.
