One of the great things about being self-employed is the opportunity to try your hand at a variety of occupations. Since moving to PEI last March I have been a mini-Martha Stewart - a professional organizer, an interior decorator and a landscape architect. I've been a marketing consultant, a free-lance writer, an art-director and a public relations manager. I've produced events (okay, it was my wedding, but none-the-less), websites and marketing plans. Head Gardener, Executive Chef, Head Housekeeper are three more labels that would apply. Add to this illustrious list, the titles philanthropist, fund-raiser and wife.
Aside from writing, the most enjoyment I've had this year is teaching Business Communications at Holland College Tourism & Culinary Arts Centre. None of my other "jobs" have pushed me as hard, made me question my abilities more or given me as much discomfort as my first week teaching these first year culinarians has.
I'm not a graduate of any accredited college or university, unless you consider the University of Life. I've never formally studied the subject I'm teaching - yet somehow I qualified for the job. I guess a 25-year career in tourism, marketing & sales must account for something! I was told I was hired because I would "have lots of real world examples" to give the students. Teaching effective communicating skills has provided me ample opportunity to reflect on all the really great and not-so-great communicators I've worked with over the years. It's also forced me to revisit how I can improve myself. Who are we, if we're not growing? Which is why I love teaching this course!
Today, I turned a corner with my students. Up until now there have been a select handful of students that participated. The rest either took notes or kept their eyes down in the hopes that I wouldn't call on them. But today, with the subject being "effective communication and overcoming barriers in the workplace" I had the class in the palm of my hand.
I don't think it was the subject matter, because frankly, there's nothing more dry than the today's topic. I think it's because for the first time since I started, I didn't feel like a fraud. I was on my game. I had lots of "real life examples" to use. The material was familiar. The students were engaged and together we had a meaningful dialogue about what it means to really communicate. Go figure.
