24 Apr 2013 Concorde Hotel

Day two: Goal:Self Awareness

We started of the day with  some breathing exercises, trying to find our center (centering) and breathing into our body parts. Something like what we did when we attended the Mindfulness workshop few months back.

For application of this introductory activity, we were asked to find a partner to do an Aikido pose, squaring, where in we have to push each other and see how different it is, when we breathe in first before we push. It was really different, we were stronger and unstoppable. And this exercise was said to be useful at work as well.  Breathing or centering.

We were told that for us to obtain our desired results in life, we have to learn not to keep reacting the same way over and over …we have to learn how to reflect, observe, plan then act again. We have to make use of centering (body), acceptance (emotions), and silence (language).

We also discussed about “Creative-Tension Model” , where in we have to plan things based on what we really want , and it somehow  would turn out to be creative and positive, rather than focusing on what we do not want, which would only lead us to endless problem solving.

Eg. Don’t say  “Don’t panic” instead say “relax, slow down a bit”
      Don’t say “ Don’t be afraid” instead say “be brave”

The more you are telling yourself the negative statement, the more the result would adhere unto the negativism just like the statement; “don’t think of a pink elephant”……=D

We then discussed about the Psychological Tool they made us fill out before the workshop, “Workplace Big 5 Profiling”. They then gave us our results.  I wasn’t really surprised on what I got;

My scores were;

Need for stability = extreme end towards reactive > very exctable, worried
Extraversion= extreme end towards introvert > working alone
Originality= extreme end towards preserver > prefers traditional method
Accommodation = extereme end towards adapter> tolerant, accepting, allows others to win
Consolidation=  finally, middle, in between Flexiible and focused > work and personal needs in good balance.

The tools still has 24 other sub-traits and a narrator report which would take forever if I’d introspect about it now.Anyway, we already did a lot of sharing regarding it during the workshop. What did I realize?  Despite these traits, I am not a liability to the team. These are my unique traits that somehow can help the team improve if I am properly “utilized” by the organization. =)

Mirror activity was next, where-by we were asked to mirror each other’s behaviour. Which somehow pertains to unexpected things in life and we react when these things suddenly hit our faces.

Last activity for the day was to find a partner again, and then, discuss how , based on the Big 5 results, should my and my partner’s dynamics at work be if I were, hypothetically her boss and peer and how should we help improve our relationship?

Well, we knew what to do! For me, it would just take a lot of encouragement of once strength and developing of the weaknesses. I wish I knew my colleagues  Big 5 results so I can be of help to them too.

Fave quote: Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein