What I feel like saying is, it was a meaningful trip for me and a memorable experience to coach in the very first batch of Patterns Of Excellence (POE) in Jakarta.

What makes this experience such a special one is a combination of many factors. Together with a group of Singaporean coaches, we had to work with a bigger bunch of Indonesian coaches. Through the interactions, I noticed some subtle and some glaring differences in our cultures. It was really fun to see how a typical Singaporean coach would resolve an issue versus an Indonesian counterpart.

They speak Bahasa Indonesia and English. We speak English, or well, a mixture of sorts. As with us, they tend to break into Bahasa Indonesia whenever they were grouped together. Same went for the Singapore coaches. We would start rattling off our power of “rojak language” when it was only us. But, professionalism took over when we had to address the participants and out went the “rojak language” and in came the proper English.

Initially I was slightly worried about the language barrier. Because of the same reason, I found it more challenging. I was so used to using English as the main language to communicate while coaching in Singapore, and now I had to listen to a second tongue. Fortunately, most of the participants are well-conversed in English, even though they would use a couple of words in their mother tongue to better convey their thoughts. My worries were all unfounded, because there would be a translator at hand, always.

I was consoled and very excited to see my participants making small progresses and breakthroughs throughout the 4-day program. To see them emerging from their old shell, breaking old habits and developing new empowering ones was a undescribeable feeling. I could feel their confusion, uncertainty and mostly, fear as I used to be like them too.

But eventually, they made improvements in their own way. And I’ve always believed that this program is only the beginning. Bigger breakthroughs could be waiting for them, when they began to connect the dots backwards.

Seeds have been planted, and it’s now up to them to water and allow the new them to grow sturdy and strong.

As a coach, I watch them grow, and I grow with them too. That is why it can be such a rewarding experience to pay it forward.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all the coaches, the operations team and the participants for making Whoosh 1 Jakarta such a huge success and for giving me a warm experience.