A little over a week ago I had the opportunity to travel to Mozambique with a small team, to teach on Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it, and felt like I had won some kind of lottery in being given the opportunity to share my thoughts with people, who were in effect a captive audience.
I was thoroughly amused (maybe bemused would be a better word) by the fact that when I told people what I was speaking on, almost every person was shocked, when they are actually the two topics that are closest to my heart.
I suppose that you could count that as lesson number 1: there will be people who will say things that will make you doubt yourself and your abilities. Remember that you don't have to be the BEST, you just have to be able to engage people. Be brave. Step off the ledge, and hope to fly. If you crash and burn at least you can say that you tried.
And try we did! We seemed to succeed as well, which was an added bonus. We didn't simply teach though, we also learned quite a lot while there (and not just how to order coffee in Portuguese - which was obviously the 1st thing to master).
These lessons include, but are not limited to, the following:
- When you are expecting 30 people and 300 show up, and you don't have a microphone...just go with it.
- When you are sweating like a little piglet that is standing in a sausage factory, due to the the stifling heat while presenting, pull your hair up in to a bun and...just go with it. There is no such thing as photo ready, when you are being candid about leadership failure.
- Sweating can be a good thing, because it minimizes your need to use the available toilet facilities in your accommodation. Never take anything for granted.
- When using said toilet, standing on the rim is the safest - do NOT just go with it. If you don't stay healthy, you can't enjoy the adventure.
- When you get tired of explaining, tell the interpreter your general thought, and let him just go with it. Sometimes others can explain things better than you. Don't try to go it alone.
- Warm water is a luxury, and after getting all soaped up in cold water, you can find out that you were lucky to have water at all. Conserve it.
- A towel will remove soap foam. Use what is available.
- Double ply loo paper is absolute decadence. Love it.
- Curling irons will burn the skin right off your forehead if you are sweating while attempting to curl and accidentally make contact. Avoid the unnecessary pain.
- If someone will only take you to eat street food at night, don't look at the floor...always keep your head up.
- Chicken on a stick may be the tastiest thing you will ever eat. Enjoy it.
- Spider webs really can take over an entire tree and house 100 GIANT spiders. Run away from the danger.
- It is possible to feel more at home in a country where no one speaks your language than you do in your own back yard.
- You can live 100 lifetimes and never really be worthy of knowing the people that you get to meet. Value relationships.
- No matter where you travel, business people will always know each other. Network.
- Business people will always have a spot where they seem to all hang out for coffee or drinks. Find it.
- People want to get to know you more than you think they will. Speak to them.
- Get to know the people staying in your accommodation with you. They can be a source of many valuable things like electrical converters (thanks Jamie)
- Sometimes an architect-bakery owner-waiter can make your morning. Especially when they order for you. Befriend locals
- There are business managers who really will change the face of their nation (Cesar, Cynthia)
- People are more willing to learn than you think. Share your knowledge.
- If your waitress doesn't speak your language, prepare to get what you did not order. Smile, and Just. Go. With. It.
- At the end of the day people will always be more important than the place.
