The troubles we don’t want others to face.
Learning from my colleague who did it her way was more helpful than I can explain.
- Based on her own personal struggles that exposed her to sleepless nights, restless days, confusion after orientation sessions that gave her questions than answers, and endless questions for help to colleagues, she noticed my undefined worries to be similar state of mind as when she joined. She spoke with genuine concern and empathy and promised to offer support and guidance should I ever need it.
Upon my arrival at Company X, my line manager kindly provided me with a brief tour of the premises and introduced me to several members of the department, including the esteemed head of the department and the colleague I am currently referring to. Following these introductions, I had to go for three consecutive sessions, each of which lasted for 50 minutes.
After taking my lunch break, I returned to the spot where I had earlier met with my colleagues from the department. While I was there, one of my colleagues inquired about how things were going. In response, I provided a balanced assessment that highlighted my areas of confidence as well as those where I felt to be in undefined feelings.
How she responded to my statement led me to believe that she may have undergone a similar experience, or that she possessed knowledge on the matter. Later, I discovered that she had only recently joined the team. However, what mattered most was her willingness to assist me whenever I required support with work-related concerns.
During a period of 15 months, I was fortunate to receive mentorship from a highly skilled professional. Under her guidance, I was exposed to a variety of approaches that helped me expand my knowledge and skills. She encouraged me to take on new challenges, provided me with deep thought-provoking questions, and involved me in tasks that were initially unfamiliar to me. Additionally, she was always available to support me beyond regular working hours, and we communicated through various online platforms and channels. Overall, the experience was enriching and contributed significantly to my professional growth.
I can confidently say that she wasn’t presented with the same level of guidance and support that was available to me when I started. Throughout my experience, I always felt that there was someone ready to assist me with any task or challenge that I faced.
My esteemed colleague played a significant role in guiding me towards professional excellence. Though she never sought recognition for her contributions, I consider her my mentor, and she eventually became a close friend. Her invaluable support made it easy for me to navigate a new culture and take on additional responsibilities. While there are many more accomplishments that I cannot share at the moment, I hope to do so in the future.
After 15 months of working together, she had to leave. The helping seed she planted is growing and blooming.
