Akimi, QA Lead

I grew up thinking that being a perfectionist was the only way to be. I wanted to always do the right thing so my parents would be proud of me which drove many of the decisions I made as I grew up.

Joining Sharesource and their global telecom partner as a Network Planner in 2019 changed all of that because it was only then that I learned about humility, I learned that I didn’t know everything, but the light bulb moment was when I realised that I wasn’t expected to.

This was a steep learning curve for me. Sharesource was there along the way with training, and the motivation I needed to accept was that it was OK not to know all the answers. Working on a wide range of projects with people from varied cultures, backgrounds and experiences has given me insights that have contributed to me being a more rounded and more accepting person.

I now know that no one is perfect, and nor should we expect perfection from others. With the help of my managers, who are genuinely dedicated to developing me, I am proud of how I have turned my perfectionism into serving rather than hindering me. This is a very important lesson I have learned as I recognised that trying to always be perfect was leading me to have a nervous breakdown.

Everyone is different, we have different skills, and we are better at doing some things, and not so good at doing other things. This is the great part of working in a team environment as it allows us to be open about what we don’t know, and to never be afraid to seek advice or ask for additional training. And for me, the big change was admitting that, that included me. 

Oh, and yes, my parents are still proud of me, but this is no longer my overriding goal because that is just one part of what success looks like now for me.

#UnleashingHumanPotential; #SocialImpactOutsourcing