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Thursday, July 8, 2010

Last week

with 2 comments

Last week I attended a 5 day course. I felt a little intimidated as all of the other attendees were already a BA, or had been in the role for about 6 months, while I was sent to see if it was really something I wanted to do and to also learn the context. Of the 9 others in the class, 6 of them came from the same organisation. I was very fortunate to be in a working team with 3 of them them for the exercises.

I didn’t enjoy the presentation part of the course, we were required to present almost every morning and I am not a public speaker by nature, unless plied with copious amounts of wine. But it forced me out of my comfort zone, something I take as a positive. There was one particular presentation my nerves got the better of me and I was shaking. We were to interview the trainer in front of the class and get judged. My head kept shaking and hands. I think the rest of the class saw, and one particular lady commented on how well I structured my interview. I don’t know if she voiced it out of sympathy. But maybe I shouldn’t look at it that way.

I learned a lot on the course. Mostly of my own personality, like how sometimes I should sit back and let others carry on. That I had some traits that I disliked in someone yet I was portraying it! This happened on the 3rd day of the course and I realised it. It also reminded me of a primary school episode where I was over enthusiastic and it wasn't appreciated.

I learnt I should also trust my inner voice.

I learnt I need to work on my confidence.

That I should start being a glory seeker, as in not do work quietly. If you don’t pipe up about your achievements the boss doesn’t know and takes it as business as usual. I am usually quite shy about saying, 'hey this was an issue, and I sorted it out'. I guess coming from Singapore, the bosses didn’t care, they didn’t want to know. They based your performance on the end of the day statistics.

I enjoyed the course also because it reopened an inner geek in me. Or should I say, a thirst for knowledge that disappeared and got beaten down the last 10 years of employment with bad management.


I better go now, a heavy storm just started and I can hear the hail stones clanging on the roof! Glad I am home.

2 comments:

  1. Steffi said...

    Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey i'm glad for u champs! hehheh don't fall into the asian trap of ignoring praises. "Praise is praise, take it in style and say thank you, instead of beating around it."

    Guess who i got that from 14 years back? lol

    wat course is it by the way?

  2. Mel said...

    Wow, I actually remember that. Strange how people repeat back your words and they sound so foreign!

    It was course in business systems analysis. Good fun.

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