Hear what graduates of the Fijian Emerging Leaders course have to say about their growth . . . .

The course has made a big improvement in myself and my family.

Basically, with the help of this course, I have been able to find my voice. 

Because of my procrastination, I find when I make plans the execution gets delayed because I’m thinking of the unknown.  But one of the things that I’ve also learned in dealing with this procrastination is not to look out too far, but I just have to see what the next step is and then go on from there. Sometimes I look too far ahead and I get overwhelmed.  Instead, I just need to take it just one step at a time.

Overall through doing this course, I’ve learnt to have more confidence in myself and in my ability. 

I learnt about dealing with failures.  It actually brings a lot of pain, so it takes a while to actually digest that fact that once we feel it, it can build.  So we need to be more strong in the failures which eventually makes us a better person in life. 

This program also taught me how to overcome struggles. Most of the times I overthink when making decisions.  I get every perspective to make decisions.  I know I have to consult my bosses when I make decisions, but at the same time I don’t need to involve them in every small issue.

. . . and what others have to say about them!

Now one of the biggest things that I’ve seen in Q is he has grown in confidence.  And his self-confidence now, that’s really impressive.  I see it in his writing, his own ability.  Q is a person that is already dependable, but he needed to believe it.  And when it comes to solving conflict, only a person who is self-confident and who believes in himself can resolve conflict. 

Over these last 10 weeks, R has become focused.  He knows where he wants to go.  The team is incredibly different and I am encouraged by his ability to find solutions to issues.  So I’m watching his growth in his ability, and I think it is this that most impresses me.

It’s been really rewarding to watch each one of those guys grow.  I think for S, it has been like somebody sitting in front me growing a beard before my very eyes.  When I when I first met S, we discussed this program.  His focus was on money, as he was thinking about buying a home.  So now he is more travelling on a journey of self-development and his focus is different, I think it’s more wholesome.  Rather than just one perspective, S now has a better perspective on life.  He is more balanced.  He’s a man that’s going somewhere and that place is a better place than where he is.  The growth has been amazing. 

I remember a safety meeting when we got in, S had it all organized.  I just turned up at the meeting. 

Now S calls me two or three hours before a meeting, to remind me we have a meeting in case I forget.  Now he’s not only managing himself, he’s managing his boss.

I’ve watched it with everyone in the course at work.  Now they are more proactive.  They see something that needs to be worked out and find a solution.  So it’s kind of making me redundant.  Now I don’t rush in and try to run things, rather the team tell me if there is an issue or something that they feel I should know, but they provide reports and where there was a problem they work to develop a solution as a team.  They lead.  They used to follow.

It’s great to be in that position to have these young men doing all of this.  It is just so exciting and very fulfilling to know that these men are setting themselves up for success in the future because they have the tools.