We all want to make a difference in the world and live a life with passion and purpose. Many of us search for a long time before we find the true meaning of what we were meant to do in our lives. And sometimes, we miss those magical moments that are right in front of us, because we are too busy searching that we don’t appreciate what is right there.
One of the many things we hear about Accenture is that people love working here because of the people. It is the connections that we make with each other that make Accenture such a great place to work.
Have you ever wondered how what you said or did (big or small) might have made a difference in someone else’s life?
Last year I participated in the ILP (Individual Leadership Program). It is program in which you work toward a goal in partnership with three peers in a facilitated environment. The coaches are graduates of prior sessions and share a passion for personal growth and learning.
It is is a two-month, individually-driven leadership development program designed to help you become the best leader you can be. As with any individualized program, the value you get will be commensurate with your commitment and effort invested in the process. It was a great opportunity to have focused effort and support on reaching my goal.
The goal I brought to the table last year was my short and long term career goals. I ended up having some of the best conversations ever about my strengths, talents, what I was passionate about and what was important to me in my life. The one question I heard was, you sound so excited and passionate about health and wellness, why don’t you go after that passion?
I stopped in my tracks and had to think. The answer was: “I was afraid.” I didn’t intentionally bring this up as a career goal, but through their questioning, I began sharing what I enjoyed and was important to me. Through a serious of thoughtful questions from my team, I really got the chance to dig deeper and think about what I really wanted and why I was afraid. I was also debating on whether or not I should go back to school and pursue this passion. One of my team members then gave me a reference of someone I could speak with who she said might be able to give me some good insights. It was a combination of the heart felt thought proviking questions, some deep introspection and giving me the reference that helped shape the direction of my future. I was able to see clearly that God had a plan for my life. I could share stories of all of the (what I like to call) “aha” moments that have happened throughout this past year that are signs that this is the right direction for me and it is truly amazing.
One in particular was something fascinating that happened last month. I happened to be downtown for a workshop and in the evening went out to socialize with some other Accenture colleuages. A woman turned around and introduced herself to me and it was my friend who was part of the ILP program. We had never met each other before as we lived in different states, but amazingly we happened to be in downtown Chicago, on the same day, in the same bar and didn’t even know the other was in town. And it was almost a year to the week that we first met on the phone. Co-incidence?! I think not.
We were able to enjoy each other’s company and share in the joys of all that had happened to both of us the past year. She was so inspired by the journey I had been on and felt like she was part of it from the very beginning. There are people that God puts into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Sometimes you get to know the reason why and other times you don’t. We all love to be of service and see others achieve success. What a great gift when you are able to see how something you said or did truly impacted the life of another. I will be forever grateful for my new friend and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors as well.
Reflection for Today: Think about a time when you said or did something (big or small) that made a difference in someone else’s life. What have you done today to support someone else’s dreams (whether it be a family member of colleague)?