Learning beyond profession

When we get to a reasonably good position in our job, we may have the tendency to become a little complacent. I have had a couple of experiences which really made me take a pause, reflect and realize my weaknesses. I think I need to fully acknowledge the fact that I do have weaknesses. It's actually tougher than I thought. Some of you probably share these with me. Here they are:

1. Laziness/ tendency to procrastinate (Daily basis).

2. Indecision (Daily basis).

3. Inability to face criticism in public.

4. Desire for validation and recognition by people around me (Not a weakness in the conventional sense, but definitely one for me).

5. Oversharing personal life at times (not a glaring weakness)

I think it is important to acknowledge my strengths as well:

1. Sense of empathy (of late it's been growing well).

2. Ability to put my heart to something I truly believe in.

3. Decent capacity for camaraderie/ Working in team.

4. Control over reactions (even though I have been getting angry too often).

5. A penchant for rational discussions (but should limit it's usage with the right persons at the right time only).

3rd and 4th weaknesses came to the fore because of a lunch time incident yesterday. It's been a few days since the new apprentices have joined our department. One of them being a girl, has clearly been the reason for a humorous double entendre which definitely doesn't come as a surprise. But I tend to nip every joke in its bud to ensure no scope for exaggeration. In the same vein, yesterday during lunch, I went on to say that I probably wouldn't give a good review of the apprentices; based on their work so far (in response to a friend's jovial banter).

To this, another friend quite vehemently objected, saying that I am probably not worthy of evaluating them. While it may actually be the case, I wanted to have a rational discussion. But it started escalating into an unnecessary exchange of words. These were trivial lunch time antics but they did get on my nerves. So I need to work on not getting worked up!

Also, getting to know one of the technicians reporting to me (let us call him 'K') has been a very humbling experience. K is 31 years old and has done MA Honors in Economics. But because of dearth of opportunities in his hometown, he's here in Goa as a contract worker in plant maintenance. It's a physically demanding job which he has to do; away from his family (he's just recently been blessed with a baby girl whom he hasn't even met yet) for meager pay. In-spite of his tough situation, K turns up everyday wearing a continuous smile. That smile conceals a toughness which is almost frightening; a man who can go to unbelievable extents to make things easier for his close ones. I hope to emulate his commitment to his family and the job, despite the inconveniences. We (graduates of premier colleges) cannot possibly understand the value of the money being splurged upon us by corporations, to any of the laborers who do all the toil on field. If we manage to understand their situation, I am sure many of us will stop cribbing about most of our everyday problems which pale in comparison to theirs, immensely.

So yes, a lot for me to improve on. The journey continues.