First Steps

Yesterday, I had a message from a ex-colleague, asking me to join a re-union gathering. This was a colleague who worked with me many years ago. The pre-email, Hand phone or social media era. In August 1991, I started my career as a Management Trainee just after graduation. I was an Industrial Engineer, which was different from the usual Engineering courses and there were not that many girls in that field. Enjoyed working in that company for 3 years and the learning there was so profound and the best foundation years one can ask for.

Sharing some experiences that are still relevant after 3 decades.

• In the first year of my job, I was working late and one evening the CEO of the company had visited the Branch Manager around 5.30pm, when all employees have left office. Seeing me still at my table, my Branch Manager introduced me as the new Trainee and said, " she is a very hardworking girl." The CEO was very quick to tell me, "Work Smart, not Hard. Try to finish work by 5pm, and learn to have a life outside of work". This was so powerful for a fresh graduate. I always, assess myself even today, in everything I do with this Mantra. " Work Smart not Hard". Productivity is not how many hours we are at work, but the work we do effectively in a given time.
• As a Trainee, we were rotated in different roles. What I realized was there were no differentiation in treatment or the work given because I was a female. It was the leadership, that set an example of equality and it was followed by all below. When I see inequalities and discrimination at work now, I realize how important the leader is to any organisation. A Leader needs to show the way, and they need to know the way.
• The office was like an extended family. We joked, we shared food, we listened to cricket scores, and it was a joy working together. It was an era when there were no Emails, or Hand phone nos. I left my job after 3 years, as I got married and moved out of the city. There was some claim that I didn't collect and the accountant took the efforts to trace me almost a year later. I realized how important Culture and Integrity is to a company.

"The world is an University. Everyone in it is a Teacher. Make sure, when you wake up in the morning, you go to school." T. D Jakes