I once had a technician attend an in-house staff onboarding programme I ran for an organisation. During tea-break, he hovered around me, struggling to say something. Suddenly he said: “I want to learn more about myself!” Little else.
During lunch, I went to him. He put his Strengths Profile (a tool that helps you discover your strengths) in my hands, asking me to read his strengths assessment results. “I want to be a counsellor”, he said excitedly. “It looks like you have many beautiful strengths to play that role, “ I said, after learning about him by asking questions and looking at his results. I appreciated him for playing a supportive role to friends through his deep, empathetic listening.
“I am the only one in this class without a degree”, he said, looking coy. I said his strengths in compassion and listening were more important than any degree.
During an exercise I gave the next day, he shared that he had been bullied severely as a child in school, for years. He started to believe in and internalise the put-downs and became very isolated.
But when he entered National Service (conscription), he decided to reinvent himself. He reached out to people proactively and built many relationships. He went on to do sales and promotion, something he never thought he could do.
I was inspired by his self-awareness, courage and self-transformation. His eyes lit up and he expressed excitement when I suggested that perhaps he could explore volunteering with youth who would connect with his journey. He could use his strengths and life experience to be of service. His example offered hope of change and healing. His story could bring much light to difficult situations people think they can never get out of.
I asked if he would like to share his story with the whole class. He didn’t want to. I asked if I could. He agreed, with a shy smile. After I did, the class – full of degree-holding, high-level professionals – broke out into amazing applause for him.
The quietest one in class – who thought he was least qualified – had become our Teacher.
After the programme ended, he hovered around me again, with smiles and heartfelt appreciation. I felt incredible gratitude to him and other workshop participants who continually inspire me with their stories.
There’s so much learning and inspiration that can happen in the workplace when we lean towards our colleagues with curiosity and care. This leads to better collaboration possibilities, collective resilience, and a workplace where people feel valued for not just what they do but who they are.
What’s the story of your technician at your office?
Vadivu Govind