That's a 🎉 wrap for being the leaders of Microsoft Modern Workplace Squad from January to March 2020.
Evelyn#
“Everything happens for a reason” is a quote that I carry in all aspects of my life, including my journey in Microsoft Modern Workplace Squad. When I first applied for the Microsoft Ambassador program, I held no expectations within myself and the program as I strongly believe in fate and that life goes through a natural course like a river. Additionally, I believe in myself strongly that if I am to be accepted into the program as an ambassador in one of the most prestigious industry firms across worldwide, it is enough for me to feel honoured for its acceptance as it is equivalent to applying for a job in Microsoft Malaysia. And if I don’t get accepted, then it is fated to the fact that the opportunity that I ventured in might not suit for my career development. But alas! Through trial and error in my assessment, I was accepted into the Microsoft Modern Workplace Squad program in the end. I guess that this program does suit me after all.
Thus, the journey begins.
There were many memorable events that I countlessly could think about, to be honest. However, I would name a few that inspires my career advancement. I would say that most of these wonderful moments were the pre-Covid period back in 2019 till beginning of 2020 which includes physical workshops, booth events, exhibitions, bonding activities, bootcamps, seminars, onboarding sessions, and many more! Not to mention the free goodies (I got a free Microsoft bag, charger, lots of Microsoft T-shirts and other mini bags, again!) given by the Microsoft team employers, the high respect given from outsiders once they know you are ‘The Microsoft Ambassador’, and the occasional visits to prestigious hotels and ballrooms which you could have an ‘all-you-can-eat’ buffet lunch/dinner for free! Okay, those free benefits stuffs are the bonus thing in becoming a Microsoft Ambassador, but it was far important than that. Instead, it was the guidance given from Microsoft employers like Mun Hong and Cassandra Seng, the event planning in organizing workshops or bonding activities, the pitching session with clients about Microsoft 365 products in exhibitions or booth events, the internal hangouts, and trainings with other Microsoft Ambassadors, and most importantly, the leadership roles that challenges my personality towards career development.
One of my best moments yet challenging was being a campus leader for INTI Subang during the second batch of leaders in leading the squad back in between January 2020 to March 2020. Back then, there were four of us; Lisa Teng (CFO) and I (Campus Leader) for INTI Subang; Jun Wen (CFO) and Eunice (Campus Leader) for INTI Nilai. Additionally, I became a Co-leader alongside with Lee Zhen Hao, who was the leader, for the newly launched Social Media Program (SMP) from January 2021 till June 2021. Being a leader is challenging yet worthwhile as it will test your character in dealing with yourself and people. Through this leadership role, my team and I organized various kinds of Microsoft events during the pre-Covid period. For instance, most of these events consists of bonding activities such as hiking and badminton. Although it sounds simple (It is just a hangout only mah! What is there to prepare? Yeah, right.), it turns out that it is not that simple to organize as first and foremost, as a leader, you must coordinate with your other team leaders to layout a solidify plan in terms of finances, transportation, location, time and date, food & beverages, your squad members’ availability, and whatsoever stuffs required to make your events successful. Needless to say, it is just like preparing big events like exhibitions, trainings, seminars, and so forth. The main difference is that the bonding activities are usually small but require decent preparation to avoid any sudden situations (like no transport, money, and etc). My favourite bonding activities are the Jump Street Asia, the Chinese New Year gathering, Christmas engagement of 2019, the hiking at Bukit Gasing. The hiking hangout was the best of them all as it involves not just the preparation prior the actual day, but it was the fun and weird moments whereby we got lost mid-way in the jungle and must take a U-turn back while asking strangers along the way for help. It helps everyone’s survival skills and health stamina (especially myself as I lacked exercise) during that time. For workshops, we conducted several that were based on Microsoft 365 applications that benefits both lecturers and students in our respective branch campus. One primordial moment was the INTI KL workshop as it begins my journey in conducting trainings as both trainer and facilitator for Microsoft Word. Being an introvert myself, I was terrified at first as I despised being the centre of attention whereby everyone’s eyes will focus on me and the presentation itself. Besides, what is more frightening to me that I realized was so much not the students and lecturers, but the clients, or should I say specifically, the employers, are the ones that I am terrified of as they would ask tons of difficult questions that I may not have the answers to.
At least that was what I believe in, back then.
Remarkably, it turns out that I have been focusing on the type of audience that I can be either comfortable or uncomfortable too much (I mean its not wrong to focus on the audience) till that I lack focus in building my self-confidence. These sudden shifts of perspectives change when I first started my so-called customer pitching sessions with the Astro employers when I was at Astro’s headquarter firm, in which we held a booth event to raise brand awareness in Microsoft 365 usage, particularly Microsoft Teams (It’s Microsoft’s precious baby, alright) for a few days. Thanks to Mun Hong, our mentor, and some of my other Microsoft Ambassadors’ buddies, I was encouraged to reach out to employers rather than confining myself in my own ‘safe bubble’ behind the booth. And so, I did. As a result, I discovered my hidden talent in interacting with people and as it happens, so does to my self-confidence.
As for regret? Well, so far, the only thing that I regret was not being good enough for the SMP program when I was a Co-leader during that time. Although that I contributed a lot, however, I felt that it wasn’t enough as there wasn’t much in caring for the squad members’ welfare as we focus more on the task’s workload for our social media channels. Zhen Hao and I managed to create and operate the task management extremely well, however, at the expense of our people’s welfare back then. This happens when the leaders decided to remove all contents in social media channels to design a new system without the squad members’ permissions. It was a lesson for me and the others to prevent this from occurring again in future workplace. Hence, I hope that the future leaders could also learn a lesson from this in caring for our people’s welfare and managing workload in balance.
As time passes, I began to develop my self-confidence in both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. This includes leadership, event planning, team management, time management, pitching, training, and facilitating, customer training, and many more. For instance, I became slightly more comfortable in conducting training including the Microsoft Bootcamps on Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Teams. Another thrilling moment was the POS Aviation Hackathon – The Amazing Race Teams 2019 event which I played the gamemaster and facilitator role for the participants to engage with. There, I gained a career exposure in how companies organize their own game events beyond the classroom. Despite the setbacks of Covid-19 pandemic, I helped in shaping the Microsoft Modern Workplace Squad’s overall structure with the new leaders. For instance, I would always remember the ‘burning midnight oils’ virtually with the new leaders like Jenn Fu, Stephanie, Zhen Hao, Zi Ching, Yee Han and the others in implementing a new system entirely in terms of assessments, departments, memberships, network expansions, the branding awareness via social media platforms and new bonding activities for better productivity in our work operation. We would laugh over our jokes while brainstorming our plans for weeks at past midnights even though it was tiring and exhausting. But that was what makes those moments memorable. Similarly, the launching of the SMP program gives another episode of ‘breath-taking’ moment as I assisted in organizing the launching event day through event materials and rehearsals. Although there were not many participants on the actual SMP launch day (which it was quite expected, with only an approximate of 30+ students instead of 50 to 100 or more), but for me, it was enough. When it comes to developing a brand or a new enterprise or anything, what you expect may not be the same as the actual result. It might be good or bad. In this case, I believe that the event turns out to be quite successful as the session was quite participative among the students as well as our organizing team’s role in both prior and post-event. Nevertheless, the ‘behind-the-scenes’ preparations prior to events’ day are what makes this journey in this program unforgettable and amazing. Besides, the wonders in witnessing your ‘blood, sweat and tears’ effort for your events flourished in the end…. is priceless. Tear of joys and happiness intensifies A breath-taking moment to behold in silence for organizing successful events.
And thus, this marks the end of my journey in this marvellous program.
Well, not exactly.
Although it is indeed the end of my tenure in Microsoft Modern Workplace Squad, however, it doesn’t mean that I have to handover the responsibilities to the ‘new blood’ and disappear instantly! Laugh intensifies As I am a dedicated individual who is passionate in the things that I do and want, hence, this means that while I am venturing to new career opportunities in my life, I intend to provide guidance and assist the new & current squads if required. That’s how amazing this program is! To me, this program is more than just developing your personal branding for your ‘resumes and LinkedIn. Instead, it is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience whereby a community is as passionate as I am towards their goals. With it, this aspires me to assist new Microsoft squad community even though I am technically ‘retired’.
My only future expectations towards the new & current squad members are simple: Enjoy while it lasts during your time in this program. Challenge yourselves whenever opportunity arise. You may never know what extraordinary talents you have hidden in yourself. Keep the workplace anew with creativity and innovation. As the adage goes, “In with the new, out with the old". Always remember that you are here in this program not just to do work, but to enjoy too while you can and develop yourself whether it be personal or career development. Lastly, always help one another. You are not alone but a community. We value diversity and equality towards one another in this program.
I would like to give a loud shoutout to all the past, current, and new squad leaders/members for being part of my life. Although it was brief, but it was meaningful as we shared tons of memories and weird moments together in this program. Also, I would like to give a special thanks to Teoh Mun Hong, who has been a great mentor to me throughout my journey in Microsoft Modern Workplace Squad. Whenever I needed help, Mun Hong would be the person that I can rely on for guidance and suggestions.
Henceforth, this marks officially the end of my journey in Modern Workplace Squad. Well, in official terms, at least.
Adios everyone! Till we meet again in the future!
Signing off,
Evelyn Cheah