The Day I Wore 2 Different Shoes - Story 2

Just before the Christmas of 2019, as the world was preparing to relax & switch on the party mode … in one of our team event, I chose to play FOOTBALL…

The Opponent in the other team lined up to invoke the Ronaldo in him and unleashed a powerful drive towards the Goal and the competitive spirit in me wanted to deny him the score. Well I managed to block the speedy ball from the Goalpost but had to pay a big price which I didn’t realize until the next day.

As the Doctor examined my heavily sprained foot with the X-ray declaring that it’s not just a sprain but a fracture with impact on ligament requiring a cast & grounding for next 3-4 months, my whole world seemed crashing on me..

Few Hours before the Game day I had the opportunity to be part of a Marquee event of our organization #SGGSC - “#Connexion2.0” which made community of PWD come together in the event and inspire us.

As I was manning the booth of Toastmaster Club interacting with so many people, it helped me reflect on lot of things, of courage, of resilience, of Life itself.. It deeply moved me..yet I understood lot of things that were shared in that forum after I got injured and was bound to a wheel chair \ crutches to walk for a good time and of course then I started wearing 2 different shoes !!

 “ On Women’s Day where the Theme is #ChooseToChallenge, I want to share 3 memoirs of that Frozen time with all and draw your attention to the People around me who always made me Feel Inclusive & helped me to challenge myself ”

You will have to read the Story1 to relate to the Story 2!! Link Below -

Story 2 – ChosetoChallenge myself by managing 2 most recalled & impactful Programs #BODHI at #GBIS -Wholesale Bank and Women IN Leadership at #SGGSC.

Channelized the frustration fresh from the injury (oh yes I was in the beginning :) ) to create something very beautiful from scratch #BODHI - An Expertise building program.

To give the enormity of the program, we managed to concoct an experience for 50 people #BODHINinjas in an out location with approx. 10 speakers & a weeklong schedule to manage. The effort was equivalent to preparing for a wedding and of course the goal that nothing must go wrong weighed on us!

Personally, my head was spinning with other management thoughts as well, unique to me, will there be a Wheel chair?, Wheelchair friendly pathways to lead to conference rooms, would I be able to move about the rooms provided in the resort, will there be a lift, how will I carry my bag with laptop, get ready etc.. specially without my friends & family not there…things that we usually take it for granted!

What gave me courage to move on are two things recent trip to Jaipur and my team #Faculty – co program managers who were hugely supportive and of course my partner who constantly told me I can manage!

Arriving at the resort, I understood from first experience what @Virali Modi was narrating in Connexion 2.0 event, about her cause to give accessibility in the Railway stations which will make people with disability independent to easily move about.

I salute Virali Modi as its no easy a feat, To make people understand "Why" even though the questions & answers stare at us always yet it takes an evangelist to call it out!!

As I had the wheelchair but not really that used…so a little rustic, yet pathways were inaccessible at few of the places.. Conference room where BODHI was held was at the basement level and there was no accessible route to take the wheelchair, it was a ride in itself through the contours of the park and my not falling down was dependent upon two people who helped navigate the wheelchair :) & assured me “we will not let you fall”...

To place that trust was a big thing but their ingenuity assured me.

First day was a challenge to find my way, but then the different people around me and the small talks during the journey to conference room was a unique experience only to me, I even had an interesting Career Discussion with one of the attendant who aspired to be a Software Engineer !!

All throughout, even if I was still bound, people whether it is participants, staff at the resort, my faculty team, trainers from SIONIC always ensured that I am included in all whether it is planning the details of the session onsite, having serious discussions on the topic of the day, enjoying the Bon Fire with different set of groups, Dinner table casual chats or even Role Plays, I lived it all!  

This for me was & is #Inclusion … People around me Inspired me the most, witnessed the whole experience in a different lens!

And then the Pandemic struck in Mar 2020, I was more prepared than anyone to work from home and with the energy of the previous adventures, had the courage to lift off the ground a program that’s close to my heart since 4 years of managing it “Women IN Leadership” program. We risked it going virtual yet with the support of a great team at “Iron Lady” who equaled in the passion to bring about difference, we could assemble the same experience as in person program. All kudos to my Team in SG as well who were all throughout supportive of the direction we took!

As a proponent of Inclusion in the Organization, I got to wear a different lens during BODHI & WIL and truly want to celebrate the people who chose to act inclusive!

" Wear two different Shoes and see where they take you !! "

In my 3rd post, I will be sharing the memoir where this experience extended to my workplace & a great car ride affirming the stance #ChoosetoChallenge