Memoirs Q10: What have been the Most Rewarding Experiences in your Career?

I had to pause and think about this. For starters, I neede tothnk about what rewarding is about. It couls be possible that my definition of reward wold have been different as the decades came and went. Thus my concept of what was rewarding - in hindsight, may prove difficuly to discern. Career may also mean things outsidfe from just work. This really made me think - and to this day, as I tyle this out, I am still wondering what highlights I might have, that would define 'rewarding' and experience.

I could surmise that it had to deal with overcoming a challenge - to prove myself to otehrs (and myself as well). So what can I place in that category? I could say my trip to Tanzania. It was a challenge to go there and teach sometihng I was not too familair with - I mean, I knew Systems Analysis - but it was not something I taught rgularly bavk then. But teach it I did - with Nelda (my training partner taking teh major modules of Analysis and Design, while I took the rest. I covered Infl Planning, Data Analysis, Ststem Security, and Relational Databases, among others - all in a span of three weeks. When Helda talked, I assisted - specially in the exercises protion of the workshop.

Through sheer grit, some hutspah and tapping into real life knowledge, I got to complete the training. Nelda left a week earlier when her workshops were done, and I stayed on. I was married with Barbie on her last trimerster - but I knew I had a lot more time to spare before her giving birth to Bryce. We even had a long distance conversation - and boy, did we pay for that.

In the end, though, I was able to save up a bit, and got Barbie the watch she wanted - actually, I gifted her with the higher version. Somethign I was able to buy in Dubai Duty Free. So there was a little monetary reward. That was a nice time. I successfully completed an assignment. Proved myself to my boss, and in the process showed people that I was a highly competent and dependable instructor for I/ACT/

Second most rewarding experience would be my capability of handling my team - two different teams, two different times, two different companies. Why do I emphasize this? Oh nothing... just the fact taht I was able tomake them highly productive and close - a team that woulc collaborte with each other, help each other out, and I'd like to think that I was ale to do this with a good enoug Business model (Situational Leadership), and even whe I was not the lead on a third comapny, I still found people gravitating to me because I knew how things were run in training sessions.

hree... my ability to absoerb and teach new stuff - be the technical or people skills related. Something I still can do. This makes me confident about accepting assignments that are training-related.

Lastly? Maybe my Hall of Learners Advanced Toastmasters experience - oth as VP or President. This was a great team of individuals - leaders or influences all. When you are surrounded with highly capable, positive and eager to help indivisuals, leading becomes a breeze. Not to say it was alsways easy, but it was great to see people work and collaborate. This is the kind of team I wouldn't mind leading any timr.