The last speaker on the first afternoon "Dr. Laugh" Chris Johnson talked about how we take everything so seriously especially in the work place. How we rarely take our outside self into the office (the positive, fun loving, caring self). How if we could just find a little humor and humanity in our workplace our lives would be much richer. He suggested we give hugs more freely, listen to co-workers if they need an ear, and do the unexpected to make others smile.
The final speaker of the session was Cathy Carmody "Power of One". I had the opportunity to be up front with Cathy drawing the models on a 2nd flip chart for the room to see. Cathy of course presented several of the WEL-Systems models to the room full of predominantly middle mangers with our department. What a fantastic 2 hrs those were.
The room was filled with management who are ready to retire soon, new managers who have been around for a while but are now moving into the supervisory roles, men from the "old boys club", women who are already familiar with the WEL-Systems, women who aren't, and many of us "younger folk" who participated as part of the youth network.
Some of the comments I heard during the 2 hours (all from men) were like...
"Well it's too late for me now, why are you presenting it to us (middle mangers)
when I am set to retire in a few years."
"I can see how I can use this at home, but how can I do it at work without
encouraging anarchy?"
"I really think this is great, we are taught this in University then come here
and we are forced to move down levels to deal with those we work with"
"I saw that too. I am in between the youth network and the retiring
managers here and I felt when I came I interacted from all levels of thinking...
Now I'm predominantly the bottom 3"
Fascinating and encouraging to hear such comments and engagement. Throughout the whole session, this was the first time the participants in the room were PARTICIPATING. This was awesome (from my perspective).
After the day was done and people began to leave to travel home, the Chair of the Youth Network (and often a co-facilitator during work events with me) was speaking to Cathy. He is very interested in getting this program going for men in the department (perhaps interdepartmental to the NS Youth Network?)
On the bus ride home to Halifax, I heard people talking about the Power of One presentation. Another man there said, "if you combine what the two keynote speakers were talking about you have the key to living". And I asked, would you take a men's program, he said hell yes.
Today at work yet another man commented on that Power of One session how much he enjoyed it, he commented on how much I seemed to have gotten from the Women's Leadership Pilot Program Cathy & Celine did last year, and how they should have one for men. Well, I said, you should talk with Andrew, he spoke with Cathy after the session yesterday and seemed really keen on getting something like that happening.
Life is indeed good... It is never too late to change, if you want it, if you feel there is something missing, if you have lived your life and you are still wondering what your purpose is... ask questions... get curious... consider what if...
Make the choice to LIVE according to you and your own passion. And have fun for once while you are working... when you love your work (passionate); work ceases to be work; you can be playing all of the time (and still getting paid).
And tomorrow is a new day. My last day at my "old" job. Then I play with Louise for a week while I'm "Engaging" and I begin a new.
A different woman (because if you have ever played with Louise you know how much you grow and evolve into someone more); in a different job.
Another chapter begins... and there is always more
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