Time for Changes
Career Changes
Go Back or Go Out – Stories from 10 Years at Google
My job was now very far from my official role. If anything at all, I was learning “the game”, but I didn’t like playing it. I didn’t want to like playing it.
She is in charge – Stories from 10 Years at Google
To say they were wearing suit and tie would be an understatement. All men, all at least 10 years older than I. My t-shirt was suddenly feeling itchy.
Changing Google for Changing Diapers – a Review
In the end, these are other peoples’ words and beliefs. We, my husband and I, were more interested in our own thoughts.
Who Will Hold Your Hand? – Stories from 10 years at Google
Little did I know that I was acting like those overtired toddlers. They run around the house until suddenly they collapse and fall asleep.
In my case, I fainted and fell on my face in a public place.
Thank you but no thank you – Stories from 10 years at Google
Eventually, it became clear, though: I don’t want to manage people. I want to partner with them to help them grow and live the lives they want. There is a clear overlap but there are also a few areas that are at odds. Tempting as it was to accept the invitation, it would move me away from my passion of coaching.
Failure is Victory – Lessons from 10 years at Google
Still, there had been a damage to the brand – the opposite of my main purpose at work.
Many faces of Bias
I did miss and wish there had been more diversity in my teams. If we were serving global users, it made a lot of sense to have global teams.
What a wreck – Stories from 10 years at Google
I wondered about the answer I could have given, the words I didn’t say. L’esprit the escalier, as they call that feeling of the having the perfect reply too late. The difference is that this feeling lasted for months, if not more.
The Great disappointment – Stories from 10 years at Google
It was too late. I was already in love with the company. But that day, I felt stunned, and that feeling remained for a while. I had invested a lot to make “this” happen and, it turns out, “this” was something very distinct.
MBTI Fiasco – Stories from 10 years at Google
“So what must we do to help Inês not feeling excluded?” I can tell you what: asking questions like that.
Doing it for free – Stories from 10 years at Google
“If you are doing this for free, in your spare time… you might as well do it for real. How do you feel about being the Marketing person for Portugal?”
Great Managers – Stories from 10 Years at Google
My manager, trying hard to help, had the brilliant idea of giving me a paper and a pen to write it down. I picked a pencil, instead – it was less permanent – and wrote the words: “my mother has cancer”.
Team Development with MBTI
MBTI is clearly a good tool for this kind of things although it’s just one of many frameworks that helps a conversation get started. It gives you a set of concepts and vocabulary that you can then easily share with others.
Finish line
The final milestone to the Coaching Certification has started. This evaluation consists of eleven sessions of Observed Coaching and professional feedback. Today was the first session and it was very good to see other people coaching. There were many different styles and approaches they used. I took great tips and realised that I am happy with many aspects of my coaching style. One of the highlights was the Observer. She was awesome at giving constructive feedback. She made sure that the message got through while keeping the receiver motivated. Giving feedback is hard and it is often harder than receiving it. This is especially when you care about the receiver or the topic at hand. Sure, feedback is a gift. Yet, sometimes it's a bitter one, even when wrapped in good intentions and arguments. When getting feedback, one thing that has helped me a lot was to think of how much I could take from it to get better. It's not about me, it's about the project of situation. Also, when it is not useful, I remember that Feedback is often more about who gives it than who receives it. Trying to get in the feet of the person giving feedback (their beliefs, impressions, projections, expectations...) can be quite helpful in understanding what is being said. Back to Coaching. I am excited about getting it done and I have been working more on the website to promote the service. I still don't know when I'll be able to start given the new member of the family. Either way, I can't wait...
Mirrors – Reflections on Disrespect
Everyone that enters our lives is a teacher, they all have something to give. This lesson was a very expensive reminder that I come first. It is true that I can try to understand where others are on their path in life and what they are struggling with (narcissism, a very broken soul?). Yet, protecting my own space and needs must come first.
First cycle of changes
Occasionally it still seasons my dreams with characters, projects and experiences from the past.
Detox
So, what happens when you leave the place you've been intensely working at for the past ten years? Surprisingly little, at first. I still wake up from dreams about work, wondering about a report, or a project that needs to get done. A keyword, a name will trigger an association with work and the impulse to find out more, to interfere. I still say we/our when in reality it's they/theirs. Every now and then there is a pang of anxiety, a feeling that this is just a vacation, an interruption; a sense of the floor slipping under my feet. There are also some artefacts from work. I made my best to not follow the urban myth that all employees steal something from the company but a few things remained nonetheless: the company credit card, the mobile SIM card, stickers from events, etc. Looking at those remind me of my previous second-home; the place I'd go to when I needed to escape from problems, to feel I can deliver and remind myself that there are things I am good at. It was also a way to avoid confronting what I really wanted and needed in life. Now, don't get me wrong - it was a really good company to work for and it gave me a lot and I gave it a lot. No criticism, no judgement, a lot learned and a lot lived. It's just it's still running in my blood and it's time to get it out of my system. So, I've been looking at ways of getting rid of these items; to burn and let them go....
Badging out
It was 9:30 on a Friday and I was having the meeting with HR. Everytime we had worked together in the past it had been great so it felt particularly awkward to be having an exit interview with them. It was over 10 years working there and it matters to me to leave without any burnt bridges and showing the utmost respect for everyone. Having said that, it also makes a statement when you are leaving without any plans in terms of career. There was a lingering question on whereas I was unsatisfied with work or colleagues. The person I was meeting though really got me, though, and understood my wish to find out what else is out there (now out here) and to want to dedicate more time and energy to those I care about. As part of the protocol, you have to return your equipment because it's actually not yours (no matter how many times you fell asleep while using it or how much you took care of it throughout the years) and security measures must be taken to all of it. Being an introvert and feeling overwhelmed, I avoided any sort of goodbye parties, gatherings and, in fact, any kind of interaction at all. It was possibly seen as a bit rude and cold but, hey, it's your last day - you should live it as you think it's better. The toughest part was to return the badge. Fortunately, you can just drop it in a box at the reception so the dramatic feeling of it is somewhat spared and lived in a more private manner. I was,...
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