Compliments of the season! It's that time of the year when we get together to have fun with family and friends and reflect on how we fared in the outgoing year.
For me it has been a great year. Thank God for that! I have not been posting here regularly, however, I will endeavour to build a routine into my schedule and keep to it. So help me God.
Now to the essence of this blog. Today, I would like to share with you, 3 lessons I have learned this year from different events around me.
First one, was my interaction with a very courteous commercial motorcycle rider. In Nigerian parlance we call them, Okada. I had just closed at work for the day, and hailed this guy to stop and give me a ride to my place. Before I even started talking, he greeted me very politely. Good evening, Sir! How was your day? After a split second of shock i quickly answered, my day was great, thank you. How was yours? Subsequently, I told him where I headed and he moved. Now so many things went through myind while I was on that bike. This man was probably a family man, someone's daddy, yet he was very polite and courteous. I was thinking of all the ways I could pay him back for being so nice to me. A generous tip maybe? Well, to cut the long story short, I enjoyed the ride, and we had a great chat, in good English, not pidgeon, by the way.
Lesson 1: Always be courteous to your clients. It can open doors in high places for you.
Second lesson was an event at a public area which one could regard as a commercial area.
I had alighted from a bus and was walking towards the area where the Okada guys wait for customers. I noticed there was a bit of commotion around that area, things were scattered and armed policemen were patrolling the area. The tables where the food sellers used to place their wares were turned upside down. The food stuff were inside the truck which the law enforcement officers had arrived with.
The area was very close to a high voltage pylon and as such was not supposed to be a market place. Now before that day, buying and selling had taken place freely. That day the officers took them by surprise. Some of them were arrested.
Lesson 2: Never set up your business in an illegal area. Always ensure you have government approval to do business wherever you set up your business.
The final lesson was from an interaction I had with an Okada rider with whom I had a lease agreement. He was supposed to use the bike which I had paid fully for, make back the money I had spent in buying the bike plus a profit and then the bike would become his.
Now, he had done this the year before and we had a quite smooth period of returning payments amidst some dissatisfaction on my side from delayed payments but nothing major.
This time, I made a very big mistake. I didn't write down our agreement!
He told me what he would be returning as payments weekly and how much he would pay as profit. I thought he said 50% of the price of the bike and probed him further to be sure that was what he meant. Turns out that he had a different figure in mind. He was going to pay a profit of N50,000 and not 50% of the price. Now things didn't go well and we agreed to sell off the bike. He was just misbehaving in so many ways. Of course he had more incidences of delayed payments as well as travelling without even bothering to tell me! So many issues. We decided to sell and guess what? That's when he plainly says that, We usually pay N50,000 as profit to the original owner of the bike who made the investment (me in this case)!
My goodness, I was furious, enraged, angry, but I couldn't hold him accountable because there was no written agreement! I had been played.
Lesson 3: Never go into any business deal with anyone without a form of written agreement specifying the terms and conditions of the contract.
I'll stop here. Do leave a comment on your thoughts about any of the lessons. I would be glad to read them and respond. Thanks.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
The Power Of 'NO'
"My First 'No': I've been waiting 14 years to share this story. Please take the time to read.
At 31 years of age, today marks the completion of:
1. Four years of a medical magnet school
2. Four years as a Neuroscience Major (B.S.)
3. Four years of Medical School (M.D.)
4. Five years of Orthopedic Surgery Residency
5. One year of Fellowship in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery
That is 18 years of training, 14 years post high school. It is interesting as a child when you tell someone you want to be a doctor when you grow up...they believe and encourage you. Mostly because it is so far in the future and no normal human would even think of crushing a child's dream. But the closer you get to accomplishing your dreams, the easier it is for people to discourage you and marginalize your goals.
In elementary school, I was the little girl who wanted to be a doctor, it was cute. Middle school I excelled, scored high and when I told teachers I wanted to be a doctor, they were all for it. High school, I was in a medical magnet school, took AP classes and it was a no brainer. I said I wanted to be a doctor, the response was always positive.
Along this path I entered college at the University of Miami, the best school in Florida. I was accepted to the Neuroscience program. The real journey was about to begin. With this journey would come many people, teachers, advisors, professors who would tell me that I could not and would not make it to M.D. Up until college, the idea of becoming a doctor was entertained and encouraged. Like I said earlier, as a little Black child it's only perceived as a dream, not as a journey that will actually manifest.
The road to me obtaining an M.D. and later becoming an Orthopaedic Hand Surgeon was riddled with 'No'. But last week, after a long day of surgery, I sat back and reflected on the first time I heard 'I don't think you can make it,' or in simpler terms, when I heard my first 'No.'
My first 'No' came my freshman year of college. I completed my first semester and had to meet with my freshman advisor. I met with Dr. Victoria Noriega, a beautiful intelligent woman that as a freshman I looked up to. I reviewed my grades with her. I had a B in biology, the rest were A's. I'll never forget when she told me I would not get into medical school. My grades were not high enough. She then proceeded to say, minorities do better in health related psychology fields. This was my first semester of college. She was the first person to tell me, I couldn't make it to M.D., but she wouldn't be the last.
Imagine, at 17, if I had listened to this advice from my advisor. The resulting cascade:
1. Never going to medical school to obtain my M.D.
2. If I did not move to Atlanta to attend medical school, I would never have met my pastor Michael L. McCrimmon , who ultimately introduced me to my husband Correll Bilbrew.
3. I would never have completed 5 years of Orthopedic Surgery and become the second African American from the oldest Orthopedic Training program in Texas.
4. I would not be graduating today as the first African American Female Hand and Upper Extremity Fellow at The University of Florida.
I've heard many No's. I would not get into medical school. I should not be a surgeon because then, 'I couldn't get manicures and my hands would be constantly dry from scrubbing my hands from surgery' (real comment from a medical school professor). I was told, 'I fit better as a Family Practice physician', because I don't have the demeanor of a physician. I was told when scrubbed in to a surgery with an Orthopaedic Surgeon during the time I was applying to residency that 'I would never get into an orthopedic residency; he would never vote for me to get in.'
You see, there are many No's along my journey. I can honestly say not once did any No deter me. It literally went in one ear, out the other and in the garbage can. It never stopped my grind and that is why 14 years after that incident I'm graduating.
Be careful when you tell someone No. Today I have at least a dozen minorities I am mentoring to also become an orthopedic surgeon. How sad would it be if I heeded that first No. Imagine if instead of no, I heard 'how can I help you get there.' The closer you get to accomplishing your dreams, the easier it is for people to discourage you and marginalize your goals. Keep Striving."- Dr. Lattisha L. Bilbrew, Orthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeon
Culled from Facebook on Eunique Jones page
At 31 years of age, today marks the completion of:
1. Four years of a medical magnet school
2. Four years as a Neuroscience Major (B.S.)
3. Four years of Medical School (M.D.)
4. Five years of Orthopedic Surgery Residency
5. One year of Fellowship in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery
That is 18 years of training, 14 years post high school. It is interesting as a child when you tell someone you want to be a doctor when you grow up...they believe and encourage you. Mostly because it is so far in the future and no normal human would even think of crushing a child's dream. But the closer you get to accomplishing your dreams, the easier it is for people to discourage you and marginalize your goals.
In elementary school, I was the little girl who wanted to be a doctor, it was cute. Middle school I excelled, scored high and when I told teachers I wanted to be a doctor, they were all for it. High school, I was in a medical magnet school, took AP classes and it was a no brainer. I said I wanted to be a doctor, the response was always positive.
Along this path I entered college at the University of Miami, the best school in Florida. I was accepted to the Neuroscience program. The real journey was about to begin. With this journey would come many people, teachers, advisors, professors who would tell me that I could not and would not make it to M.D. Up until college, the idea of becoming a doctor was entertained and encouraged. Like I said earlier, as a little Black child it's only perceived as a dream, not as a journey that will actually manifest.
The road to me obtaining an M.D. and later becoming an Orthopaedic Hand Surgeon was riddled with 'No'. But last week, after a long day of surgery, I sat back and reflected on the first time I heard 'I don't think you can make it,' or in simpler terms, when I heard my first 'No.'
My first 'No' came my freshman year of college. I completed my first semester and had to meet with my freshman advisor. I met with Dr. Victoria Noriega, a beautiful intelligent woman that as a freshman I looked up to. I reviewed my grades with her. I had a B in biology, the rest were A's. I'll never forget when she told me I would not get into medical school. My grades were not high enough. She then proceeded to say, minorities do better in health related psychology fields. This was my first semester of college. She was the first person to tell me, I couldn't make it to M.D., but she wouldn't be the last.
Imagine, at 17, if I had listened to this advice from my advisor. The resulting cascade:
1. Never going to medical school to obtain my M.D.
2. If I did not move to Atlanta to attend medical school, I would never have met my pastor Michael L. McCrimmon , who ultimately introduced me to my husband Correll Bilbrew.
3. I would never have completed 5 years of Orthopedic Surgery and become the second African American from the oldest Orthopedic Training program in Texas.
4. I would not be graduating today as the first African American Female Hand and Upper Extremity Fellow at The University of Florida.
I've heard many No's. I would not get into medical school. I should not be a surgeon because then, 'I couldn't get manicures and my hands would be constantly dry from scrubbing my hands from surgery' (real comment from a medical school professor). I was told, 'I fit better as a Family Practice physician', because I don't have the demeanor of a physician. I was told when scrubbed in to a surgery with an Orthopaedic Surgeon during the time I was applying to residency that 'I would never get into an orthopedic residency; he would never vote for me to get in.'
You see, there are many No's along my journey. I can honestly say not once did any No deter me. It literally went in one ear, out the other and in the garbage can. It never stopped my grind and that is why 14 years after that incident I'm graduating.
Be careful when you tell someone No. Today I have at least a dozen minorities I am mentoring to also become an orthopedic surgeon. How sad would it be if I heeded that first No. Imagine if instead of no, I heard 'how can I help you get there.' The closer you get to accomplishing your dreams, the easier it is for people to discourage you and marginalize your goals. Keep Striving."- Dr. Lattisha L. Bilbrew, Orthopedic Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeon
Culled from Facebook on Eunique Jones page
Saturday, June 2, 2018
COMPLEMENT vs COMPETE
As teachers it's very important that we complement each other and not compete with each other. It's good to step back and see the BIG picture that we all are a part of and appreciate the TOTAL VALUE of the picture.
It's like a puzzle where each piece is unique and shaped differently. Individually, each piece doesn't make sense or add value or look beautiful.
However, once you carefully assemble all the pieces together, the ESSENCE shows, and the real beauty shines through.
In this analogy, each of us teachers are the individual pieces. Each teacher is unique and adds a different kind of value. Just like the uniqueness of identical twins, no two teachers offer exactly the same kind of value even though they are in the same field of endeavour.
Did you know that, the creator of this forum or group or channel where you're reading this post on, has a unique offering that you won't find elsewhere? Just scroll down the posts or go through other posts made on this channel after reading this and you will find a CORE MESSAGE they are dishing out.
Of course behind the message is the value that YOU, the teacher receive on a daily basis.
Finally, the picture, in all it's beauty is the complete teacher who is probably a member of all these groups and follows all these social media channels dishing out different content that edifies the COMPLETE TEACHER!
On it's own, one group or channel cannot give you everything, because one teacher cannot give you everything. That's why you consume all the content and attend the different trainings advertised on this group or channel.
Now the COMPLETE TEACHER can now REPLICATE THEMSELVES in a RANK XEROX STYLED OPERATION CALLED TEACHING... THIS WILL PRODUCE LOVELY COPIES OF THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURE WE STARTED WITH IN THE CHILDREN WE TEACH!
PS: After putting the puzzle pieces together, you'll observe that there are still SPACES craving to be filled...who knows if YOU are the teacher with the missing piece needed to fill that SPACE?
We are waiting for you...nay...THE WHOLE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU...EARNESTLY!
#nigerianteachers #computing #entrepreneur #teacherpreneur #teachersofinstagram #nigerian #educators
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)