In Chinese culture, 8 is the luckiest number as it means prosperity, wealth and success. But this year, as COMCO celebrates its 8th year, I believe I’ve had a different kind of breakthrough.
I have always been highly introverted … I see myself as the ‘girl scribbling in notebook’ at a café, ‘sits with one person all night at a party’, ‘like to sing in the shower but not during videoke’ kind of gal. At work, I think of myself as the strat person, the writer person, the support person. I still think, hey, I’m not the leader-y type, even after many, many years of working with MNCs and other big brands in the industry.
But there’s how you see yourself and how others see you – and this is where COMCO shines, the company’s secret sauce.
Early this year, I was called to help with some major projects, that were equal parts challenging, creative and exhilarating. More than handling the work though – was the PEOPLE. Yes, the fun, hardworking, smart, quirky team fondly known as TAROSAIS… the big question in my mind was, would I be able to lead them?
The answer to that question, I believe, is a work in progress. But powering through all sorts of events and launches, with some impromptu singing during work hours (from them, not me hahaha), my sometimes BTS, sometimes Disney playlist, a lot of coffee dates with a Starbucks Venti sized coffee, much snacking and eating, we’ve been doing pretty good, I think.
Or more than pretty good. And at our 8th anniversary celebration, it was heart-warming to see the team advance, to feel their sense of accomplishment when promotions went around. I felt a sense of pride that was more than just about accomplishments at work. And it made me realize that you shouldn’t limit yourself to being one type of person and that’s it good to go out of your comfort zone – because that’s when self-discovery begins. COMCO gave me a fresh perspective on not just how I can grow personally and professionally but more than that, opened my eyes on how I can support others better, wherever they are in their journey, just as I’ve been supported by the COMCO Squadron and my fellow directors and partners. 
Perhaps, I’m not the leader-y type but hey, here we are and it’s a great place to be! Here’s a photo of me that looks like I’m leading a bunch of ducklings. And more photos from an eventful couple of months full of learning, growing and fun (mirror photo credit to Gabbygirl!)
(And yes, even though I don’t sing in public, kumanta rin ako ng videoke during our 8th year celebration – 2 songs lang namennn habang tulog pa most people hehehhee. Baby steps!) 