Hey guys!
How was your first week of ALX Virtual Assistant (VA) program? Let’s gist a little about mine, shall we?
Even though it’s just the onboarding week; it’s amazing how much I have learnt by mere observation. If you ask me, I'll say that. In just a week, a lot has been taught, learnt and done. Not in the usual active teaching style, but passively. Through quiet acts, soft words and intentional patterns.
Maybe now you’re wondering,
What could you have possibly learnt in just one week of onboarding that'll have that much impact on your career as a VA?
A lot, actually. But I'll mention 4:
img: gctpnews.org
Tolerance & Patience
If you're one that has just about a lil sense of law and order, then maybe like me, you almost lost your mind at the level of chaos, blatant disregard for rules and the numbers of warnings that went unheeded in the first 3 days of the program. As it should be, you probably expected a strong warning or penalty from the ALX Team against those offenders. Were you amazed at how, till now, the team has maintained their cool, and kept their warnings and corrections soft and appealing?
That, for me, is lesson number one.
As a VA, whether you work as a Community Manager or not. You're bound to work with people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and upbringing. People way smarter than you. And people, who in some ways, you might be smarter than
ALX Team is quietly showing us how to give people a lot of grace. How to give them the chance to make mistakes and a chance to be different. They're showing us how to be humble enough to stoop low for people.
They’ve made it look so easy, but I tell you something. It is not.
Detailed Planning
Clearly, it takes a lot of planning to put any program together. But to effectively plan and structure a program that spans across countries. And putting together about 10,000 people, in such a clean and organised manner; is on another level.
Every step, tool and the organisation - especially putting us into squads to foster communal learning and connection - all looks thoroughly thought out. Almost everything seems to have been anticipated and prepared for.
Tell me, is this any different from the skill of a VA?
img: Harvard Business Review
Doing Hard Things
I saw the video of how Fred Swaniker and his colleagues started ALX. The down, the downs, the down downs and the ups. Up on till now.
It’s inspiring!
That story, isn’t just a story about vision, passion, determination, grit, and dedication alone. It's more of a love story - a story of selfless love for one's continent, which is now spanning globally. A love for humanity. To be successful at anything in life, especially as a VA. These qualities can't be found wanting;
Love and kindness especially.💖
img: FluentU
Clear & Articulate Communication
Yes, people matched over the instructions. Yet, you cannot miss how much care and how intentional the ALX team is about passing well broken down, clearly and carefully articulated instructions; and repeatedly too. On Slack, via email, on Canvas and in the videos. It’s almost as if they’re communicating to a five year old. It is deliberate, they’re telling us something.
Whatever your intonation may sound like, and even in your writing. Clear and simple communication is a must-have skill for a VA.
Enough said already! Please share with me what week one meant to you, I'll love to read.😊
I'll love to shout out some of the amazing persons I've met so far!
- All the amazing members of squad 105. We rock! and;
- Ekemini Ubong! Opeyemi Adeona! Morris Michael! Henrietta Anaella Rhule! Aishat Ahmed! Delight Obialor! Sarah Alachewe! Somadina Nwafor! Umulisa! Olujobi Taiwo! Okpele Peter! Rahma Othmani! Theresa Emenyeonu!
It's been nice meeting you guys. Let's do this!🚀🚀🚀
💕🌹,
Temz.