A postcard from Colombo

Aloha, my G12 ohana!

We come to the end of round 2 of the G12 Adventures blog. A very big THANK YOU to the 18 people (62% of the cohort) who blogged in this round and shared your current experiences with the rest of the cohort! It has been wonderful knowing what you are about with the brief glimpses each of you shared.

In the 1^st and 2^nd rounds of the blog, I contacted each one of you to schedule your blog months/ fortnights and then sent reminders nearer to your blogging dates. Even so, some of you who had reconfirmed your blogging schedules did not post. I understand it is difficult to have to post to a schedule rather than posting when you feel like sharing something. As such, I think the third round of this blog should be on a post anytime you want basis. Simply feel free to share what you like, when you want to, on the blog. If you still prefer a schedule, do let me know :)

Gretchen made an interesting blog post likening posting on this blog to shouting down a canyon and not knowing whether there would be a response or not. Since this blog came into being in 2013, I have thought a lot about this, especially as to how to make the blog more interactive. The success of a blog is often measured in terms of the interaction and online dialogue that goes on with each blog post. However, I began to gradually feel that in our specific circumstance, the blog success did not necessarily have to be defined in the same way. When each of you posts something on the blog, I have been delighted to read about what you are up to. I hope it has been the same for you. The blog has been a way of catching up on what you are experiencing at a particular time, which would not have been possible otherwise. I began to feel that our blog posts were more like postcards posted online for the rest of the cohort. Postcards are lovely, one does not generally expect a response but on occasion, one does receive a postcard in return. Perhaps we could rename our blog “Postcards from G12”… what say you?

More importantly, are you happy with the postcard nature of the blog posts? Or, do you want it to be more interactive? If you want it to be more interactive, please do share a few ideas on how to make it so? 

Random thoughts on empowerment & bass guitar

One of the best concepts I have learnt from APLP is the term "empowerment". This is something I have never thought of before my stay in Hawaii. 

The concept of empowerment can be pretty vague, but everyone picks up the idea pretty quickly. Here is one little definition copied from Wikipedia:

 “Empowerment refers to measures designed to increase the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities in order to enable them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. Empowerment refers both to the process of self-empowerment and to professional support of people, which enables them to overcome their sense of powerlessness and lack of influence, and to recognise and eventually to use their resources and chances.”

While reading the definition, I can't help thinking that Hong Kong Millennial generation is basically the perfect anti-example of empowerment.

To be fair, my generation in Hong Kong is living with pretty high standard of live, especially when you compare us with the same generations living in developing countries. In a relatively war / terrorism-free city, we enjoy 15-year education, above-par healthcare system and parents who generally benefited from the economic boom in 70’s until early 90’s. Nevertheless, none of the aforementioned is making people feel empowered.

The cost of survival is so high that we are forced to spend most of our life to earn a living. I spent most of my youth striving for good grades, prestigious schools without even reflecting what is the good in it. After returning to Hong Kong for my first job, i have been too busy at work to think my life over.

Working in banking sector is not bad as a career path. At least I could make my living (which is important). But what is making me even more contended is that I am picking up my interest in playing music again by learning bass guitar.  Playing a groove, pursuing higher level of musical technique, learning from masters ---- these are adding tons of color to my life. In addition, playing music enabled me to expressing myself in form music, and to inspire others to join playing.

Empowerment could be a vague and lofty goal, especially when we are talking about empowering the society. Yet it is definite and do-able at the same time, when you start it by empowering yourself to get to do something. At least, playing music is now empowering me to  Hopefully by investing in this little hobby, I would have a chance to inspire my community in the future.

balancing between life and studies

Hello G12-ers,

I started Global Master of Arts Program (GMAP) which is a mid-career professional degree program in March 2015. I just completed this program successfully but balancing between work and studies was quite a challenge. This was particularly an issue for me since I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2015 and start my studies at Fletcher after a month in March.  In balancing work and studies, I tried to take a more reactive approach at work not engaging in areas that I would have had I not had my studies. This really helped me to create some space to use for my studies. I also had to take some days off when I had assignments to complete or exams. It did put me under extra-pressures sometimes that make me question whether I did the right thing to have started my studies while working. Now that I am looking back after finishing my studies, I believe I made the right decision. The biggest takeaway for me out of the hard year of 2015 was that personal growth is not possible unless one gets out of one's comfort zone. I am now back in Kabul, Afghanistan with more time to focus on my career more vigorously in 2016 before moving to thing of other important decisions in life.

GREETINGS FROM BOSTON

Dear APLP G12,

It has been a long time since I last wrote here and been in contact with some of you. I really miss my time in Hawaii and with you. I wanted to share an update of what I am up to these days. I just came back from an APLP happy hour in Algier Cafe in Boston where I met Gretchen after one year. Today was a specially day for me as I defended my thesis at the Fletcher school and completed my Master's program with the Fletcher school.

I started the Global Master of Arts Program (GMAP)  last year. GMAP is a highly competitive mid-career degree program with the Fletcher school, and I had the honor to be given admission into it. Thanks to APLP for opening this opportunity for me and special thanks to Christina Manroe for providing me a very good recommendation letter that helped me got into this program. GMAP refreshed alot of good memories from APLP specially with its focus on leadership.

I am attaching a photo Gretchen and I took to share with you. There is alot more to write and I will come back to you soon with more stories and thoughts.

Take care,
Amir

New Year New You and Toxic Terrors

G’day G12!

I am down for the next two weeks to provide motivational advice, inspirational stories and thoughtful insights….or maybe just ramblings from an Aussie J

Over the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about my goals, probably brought about by the new year and that I love new years resolutions! For the first week of this year I was laid up in bed and when that quickly became boring I looked back on some of the APLP work, it made me realise what a productive time that was for us – how much work, thinking, research, community engagement, friendship occurred during that time. The greater the distance that grows between the now and APLP, the greater the appreciation I have of it and the greater the recognition that this was a privilege, a luxury almost to have a period of six months (for some longer) of time to consider your goals, your strengths, your weaknesses, explore those issues that you always wanted to research and never had time for. I look back with nostalgia at our time there, I glaze over the super small dorm rooms, the old dragon on reception, the never-ending orientation fortnight, the peeping tom – oh the memories! I don’t know whether my life will provide me with it, but I sincerely hope I get the chance to have a six month sabbatical in the future and reap the benefits in the years afterwards. For now I try to create the space in my days, weeks and months to think and reflect.

The last few months of 2015 were extremely challenging for me, I was dealing with some significant staffing issues, primarily caused by a middle-aged man in my team who was quite simply toxic. This man had been in the team for more than eight years. He was considered as the agency’s most experienced officer in coordinating Australian Government assistance for domestic and international disasters. And while he didn’t hold any qualifications as such, he was in fairness experienced and did hold a significant amount of corporate knowledge and was well liked and respected by some of his colleagues. However, he was not open to a much younger, female coming in and being his boss. I have dealt with being a young (female) boss on many occasions and so have developed strategies and a thick skin to work through it. Like all relationships at work (and in your personal life) we would have moments and periods of working well together and the atmosphere in the team would be positive and energetic. Over time I noticed that these periods were when he had got his own way on something (so I had comprised) or during or after the response to a major event (where research shows that people generally display cooperative behaviour and attitudes). And while the benefits lead a more positive environment within the team, they caused me to deeply analyse my behaviour, question my ability to lead and my commitment to what I thought were my set of morals or principles. It was a roller coaster, which was not only unstainable but disruptive to the direction I wanted to take the team and the changes I wanted to make. He was a road block to change within the team, if he did not agree with my decision he would rally the troops and bring them around to his approach and I would be lobbied by my own staff on an alternative approach – normally one that was ineffective, costly or unimaginative at best and further entrenched an old way of doing business. The effective on me over the last ten months was both physical and emotional. When you are in a workplace (of which you are the boss!) that makes you question some of the fundamentals about yourself, you should use that as an opportunity to self reflect and question some of your behaviours and attitudes and make those improvements where you need too – this I did. But when I started to realise that these opinions were not shared by my peers nor by the entire team, I started to see his behaviour for what it was – bullying. For those of you that work in any Government institute you will understand that it is incredibly difficult to fire permanent staff, they basically have to demonstrate gross negligence or behaviour – and like most bully’s he was smart enough to stay well under this line. After long negotiations, he has been moved to another agency for 12 months which he begun at the start of the year and I can not begin to tell you the relief that I feel, physically and emotionally, every day going into work. My energy and enthusiasm for work has dramatically increased and I am excited to be there again. It has been liberating and illuminating – while you should also take the opportunities to reflect on yourself (and your leadership) you

I would say that most of you may find this boring and for that I am sorry, but this is the first time I have actually really thought about this deeply or put my thoughts onto paper – it has been cathartic and for that I am thankful for your indulgence.

I will make the next post more exciting! 

P.S keep all the reunions across the world happening - so great to see! 

Canyons, Napping, and Outsight

Blogging here's a bit like yelling into a canyon - I think somebody should hear me, but I'm never really sure! Or maybe it's like journaling, and it's really for my own benefit. Anyway, a warm shout-out to those of you reading this.

I mentioned in my last post that I was having a lot of fun working with the APLP team at the East-West Center, and promised to write about that. Among the many fun bits, here are three:

ONE: My colleagues can be pretty inspiring. Christina and I co-directed APLP this year (G15!) and working with her was something akin to sharpening pencils: we were always seeking the finer point of what we were designing and delivering, and this process generally felt really good. There's great pleasure in spending the time to get things right (or right enough). In these first weeks of January, Christina and I are reviewing the first semester of G15, and the sharpening continues. I hope to always have co-workers who are as focused, open, and funny as Christina. Hoping the same for all of us, in fact. Seek out people like this!  

TWO: APLPers can be pretty inspiring. When we were all together in G12, I had a sense that our diversity was unique and that we were learning a lot because of it. Now, as an instructor, I see it very clearly. There are few places where adults from such varied backgrounds come together and forge common learnings and outcomes. It takes a lot of patience and discipline on the part of all (or most) involved. Watching successive groups struggle to create a shared identity that is flexible enough for everyone's differences is energizing. It makes my small part of it seem worthwhile, and makes me want to do better.

THREE: The Japanese Garden. This past year, I discovered its great napping opportunities. Not sure why it took me so long.

Regardless of the fun - I do still miss you all in APLP-land, and wish there were a way to bring you back for a visit.

Cheers - Gretchen

PS - Read this article recently about how we as leaders (or anyone wishing to make change) must intentionally make ourselves uncomfortable by taking action outside of our core areas. Acting beyond our "comfort zones" can help us gain new learning and skills (what the author calls "outsight") through action. In fact, that is one thing that working with EWC - and having to get up in front of a class and deliver - has provided me: multiple opportunities to feel uncomfortable, and perhaps develop outsight. Have you had similar experiences lately?

See the article here: http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00319

How it should end...

Two Gretchens (really!) hike Innstidalur - hot springs are still 7 hours away...

Aloha G12!

Last year, at the height of (my) summer, I went to Iceland with some friends to run a half-marathon at midnight. The race ended at some hot springs, and we all got in for a midnight steam bath. All races should end this way!

The next day, we went on an epic hike, which also ended at some hot springs. We spent three hours lazing about in very hot water, every so often getting out to cool off in some very cold snow-melt. All hikes should end this way!

On the way to the airport for our flight back to Boston, we stopped once more at some hot springs, for one last bath at the well-known tourist place called the Blue Lagoon. It's filled with blueish-white clay that everyone rubs all over their skin as they sip cocktails. It's quite a sight: all sorts of people, completely covered in clay, walking through the steamy water, with sunglasses on and drinks in their hands. All vacations should end this way!

In a year filled with a ton of travel and a fair amount of adventure, Iceland competes for "top adventure" with snorkeling in jellyfish-infested waters in the Gulf of Oman, and - just a few weeks ago - participating in a Native American sweat lodge ceremony in the mountains of North Carolina. (The jellyfish stung, however, and the sweat lodge was extremely hot - I got burned.)

My niece and me on Christmas Eve

And so once again we are at the start of a new year, full of adventure-potential. Once again, I'll divide my year roughly in half between Boston (where my family is) and Hawaii (where my job is). In between, I'm considering walking the Camino de Santiago - a pilgrimage route in northern Spain. It's been on my mind for well over a decade, and this may be the year! Or, it may not be. Regardless, the best parts of life continue to be spending time with family and friends, new and old. Hope to see some of you this year, too!

(Also - it continues to be a lot of fun working with new generations of APLP - I'll share a bit more about that in the next post.)

My warmest wishes for good health and much love in the new year,

Gretchen