No pain. The world is a wonderful whisper for those who can listen, if necessary in silence.

20160504

Jodoigne, Belgium - April 2016 - English version

There are moment in your life that are like the plot twist in a movie: you realize you are capable of something you never thought you'd capable of doing. Believe it or not, is like I felt after I finished this seminary.
Could seems strange to someone of you, but this is not the most important thing I brought back from Jodoigne, a wonderful place where we spent four days on the "Adaptive Leadership" training, guided from a group of very nice coaches.
The most important thing is that now I know that the company I work for, from 27 years, is made of amazing persons. I already realized that most of my colleagues are cool, and good persons; but this time, I met people that comes from extremely different experience, and different fields. More or less 40 people, with which I bonded enough, and that appreciated me, in less than 4 days.

After to discuss with my local boss my objectives for the next year, I started to look at some course and training available, and I choose this because I liked the title. I found the title was right: a manager, a leader, should be the leader, but also can be a human being that has to work and have relationship with other human beings. Every person have a character, a type, according to Myers-Briggs indicator, and during this training we discovered what kind of type we are, and how to manage the relationship with other types. But not only this. We discovered, or went depth, inside our self knowledge, facing and confronting with the others.

We arrived on Monday morning, some of us Sunday evening, and we spent in this marvellous place until Thursday evening. The program alternates moment of discussion and reflection all together, with work in small groups of 10, each with one of the coaches. During the work on small groups, we introduced ourselves, we talked about our challenges, and the others tried to help us, giving us their personal view of our challenge. At the end, every one of the small group gave to the others their final feedback: what I liked about you, and what I would like you to do differently. Well, this was, to me, the hardest, and at the same time, the happier moment of all. Every one of the others appreciated my sincere approach, and everyone told me that the things to do in a different way depends mostly on the fact that I am too modest, basically. During the round table, while these colleagues were telling me those things, I was on the verge to cry because of my positive feelings. I swear, and maybe some of you realized this.

We had also the visit of one important manager, member of our company executive committee, that gave us the confidence: our company is investing money on us, we are the next leaders, and we will have to lead the people.

We also had fun moments; obviously (I discussed on that with my coach: I have a pattern. When I find myself in meeting like this, the first or the second night, I get drunk. This could be, maybe, because I need to throw out the tension. Sometimes, I overdo. This time, I did, and I have to admit, I puked all over a stair, looking for the bathroom. The day after, I apologized frankly with the lady owner. She gave me a smile. Thanks for that!), especially at the karaoke.

Anyway, I came back to Italy with a different approach. Not totally, because I've also realized that my old approach is enough right, but I am confident, I can do better with my team, and with the others, especially with the few with whom I haven't a good relation. And more self esteem. But also, with the feeling to have 40 friends more. To all of you, as I have already wrote in my email, you will have a place in my heart.

Just at the end, after the last meal, I went to the lead coach, Ben, what a personage, to say goodbye. Ben looked me in the eyes, and said to me: "Alessandro, it was a great pleasure to meet you. I listened some of your statement during the 4 types exercise: stays as you are. You have a good heart."
Well, still today, and during the last days, while I recounted this fact, I can't help but cry, or sob. And I have to say, this is one of the greatest achievement I reached in my whole life.

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