Inspired by the MT Graduation ceremony!
Yesterday, my company organized a beautiful celebration for the graduation of the 24 Management Trainee of the 2014 Hong Kong promotion.
To a certain extent, it was a rite of passage. After completing 18 months of intense learning, careful coaching and cross-department rotations, we all got together to congratulate them for the positions they now occupy permanently.
The event was beautifully organized. The Management Graduates created video to share with us their journeys. We handed over diplomas, flowers and even teddy bears to celebrate their accomplishments. At the very end of the event, a great cocktail party was arranged to congratulate them and mingle altogether.
I felt very happy during this event and yesterday has been one of the best days of the year. Why? When you see these young bright ladies and gentlemen on the stage, you cannot feel but full of hope. For them, the sky is the limit. They are born with the digital era, they are wired to understand all the changes that are happening around us today. Secondly, their passion and their willingness to grow are without any limit. They are so good at learning on the fly. They are so happy to take any new challenge. They are so hungry for feedback.
I cannot read in the tea leaves but I can bet that in a couple of years, I will still know them and they will be top notch professionals of the industry.
I also felt extremely inspired. Inspired by their willingness to challenge the status quo, inspired by their faith in the future, inspired by their hopes of the future. As a HR professional, I felt humble and I told myself to go every day to the office with the very same big smile on my face.
I also felt confident. Confident in the future that they will bring to us, with their own leadership styles, with their own dreams, with their own ambitions.
To all Management Trainees, I want to thank you for the joy you gave all of us yesterday. We were all united in the pleasure of seeing you grow.
Congratulations to all of you and all the best for your new challenges! We feel all so proud of you.