Under the microscope

Another challenging but exciting day!

This morning i was sending to all of our Local Committee Presidents (LCPs) our proposal for how they should structure the transition and planning of the new leadership teams (almost all leadership positions change annually in AIESEC - don't ask...) I've really enjoyed creating this concept together with my team, especially Zuzka, taking on board the input of various LCPs. But still i felt strange this morning, nervous i guess. Would our work actually have the effect we hoped? Would it enable AIESEC to grow and develop more rapidly next year? I guess we will know in about 6 months from now...

But as always as an MC member you can't mull over any issue for too long... at 12 midday we were on the train to Zurich to meet with our Advisory COuncil. These are a group of 8 individuals - HR managers, CEOs, entrepreneurs - who give up their time to meet with us 3 times per year, to give advice on both strategic and practical matters. Today we had a particularly challenging agenda: updating on our achievements so far, getting input to our strategic planning, and asking for their advice on how to improve our Career Days. All that plus a coffee break in just 2 hours! Although i know most of these people quite well by now i was still nervous going into this meeting. I guess i am still conscious on occasions like this of not being Swiss, and being in a very 'unswiss' team, and whether we have to work that much harder to get credibility. Quite sad really - it's probably more of an issue for me than for them!

Anyway i am so pleased with the way things worked out. We were very honest, very patient, we received extremely useful input, and most of all one really had the feeling that these people really see and appreciate how things are improving. Caro, if you are reading, what once was your dream is becoming a reality... ;o)

So now i have temporarily stepped out from under the microscope, to slouch in the living room, catch up on news from home (bbc.co.uk/news ;o) ) to eat chocolate truffles and to pour out my rambling thoughts into this website. It's nice for the moment, but somehow i can't wait to be under that microscope again...

Bring on tomorrow!!!

p.s.

yes this blog has been silent for a long time.
My last post was written long before Santa had emptied his sack down your chimney and before the City of Bern got swallowed up by this perma-fog

Well today i received the kick-up-the-arse i needed in this respect. Mr Dhruv Chitgopekar, serial blogger and quote machine, threatened to kick me off his blog list. Imagine, how degrading.

A new era has begun...

Blind as a bat, full as a butcher's dog

What a beautiful day :o)

Firstly my early-morning train journey from Brig to Bern. Wallis is so clear in the morning light. And the Berneroberland is beautiful anytime of day.

Everyone was in the office today, with Zuzi back from Germany, Dhruv back from his glam week in Davos, and Dominique working with us in the morning. Really nice atmosphere, reminded me why i love my job so much :o)

This evening we went for dinner to 'Blinde Kuh' in Basel. For those who don't speak German that's 'Blind Cow'. And for those who don't know the concept, it's a restaurant where you eat in COMPLETE darkness and the staff who serve you are blind. It's fascinating how once you are deprived of your sight your other senses become so alive. I have never so much enjoyed the smells and flavours of the food i was eating. Duck breast in raspberry sauce followed by coffee parfait with amaretto sauce. Yum :o) And of course the fact that you miss the food with your fork and kinda chase it around the plate means that the pleasure lasts so much longer! Not to mention how the simple act of finding your table & sitting down is so terrifying when you see NOTHING. For the first half an hour i really could not relax. Very strange feeling.

Anyway now i am chilling with Bee & Dhruv, listening to some nice reflective music. Life is wonderful when you have such wonderful people to share it with :o)