Growing up in Haiti, a place where one is measured by his level of education- at a very young age, my education became my sole priority. My family never missed an opportunity to remind me that my education would make me successful. To me, that meant being book smart and trying my best to perform as well as I could academically. When I say my education became my priority- I mean it. In fact, at times, I thought I only had my smarts to rely on. My social interactions became minimal, and I always had difficulty opening up even to those who genuinely cared about me.
At a personal level, what I hope to gain from this class and my overall GSB experience is the confidence to voice my opinions, open up further, and develop the skills to listen and engage more freely. I want to get to the point where I can make meaningful contributions without dominating a conversation nor cutting myself short.
I also look to develop:
1. My coaching skills: No matter what I end up doing post-GSB, having strong coaching skills will be invaluable. I've also engaged in numerous conversations with alumni who have validated this and encouraged me to seek different opportunities to be a better coach.
2. My storytelling skills: I've always admired people who can tell a good story. It's also a leadership trait I believe is frequently overlooked. It'd be great to not only be better at telling my own story but helping others tell theirs as well.
In essence, I want to be more open, vocal, present, and position myself for more significant impact through coaching and storytelling.
Great goals, Jean-Pierre. Thanks for sharing.
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