Sun Dec 29, 2019 - 3 min read
By Gaël Mareau
The end of a year is, it seems, opportune to introspection and retrospection. It is therefore the right time to share all the gratitude I have for the communities I belong to, whether they are agile, lean, clean, liberating structures…
They have been instrumental in the path I have taken in recent years to get to where I am and who I am today. From project manager lost in a role that doesn't fit to an agile coach in constant learning, a lot has happened!
With a hint of the impostor syndrome, it would be tempting to attribute the successes I've had on this path to luck or a favourable circumstances. That would be tempting to taking away all responsibility for what I did and what happened to me, so no. Especially since this path has not been easy every day, far from it in fact.
What is certain is that within these communities I have found, according to the times and my needs, help, ideas, support. At times it was in a solitary way, for example through reading. At others, and this is the most striking, through encounters. Meetings that took place both in person and virtually via Zoom or Slack. I prefer not to mention any names at the risk of forgetting someone.
Through my associative involvement with the “Esprit Agile”, I also found an absolutely incredible space for experimentation. It has allowed me to slowly but surely extend my comfort zone from organizing a meetup to speaking at a national conference. What's interesting behind it is that I gradually moved from consumer to actor in a fluid way thanks to the safe environments of these communities.
It's important to note that I'm talking about communities in the plural. The first one for me was the agile Provençal community of course. One thing led to another and we discovered links and bridges with other communities. Our horizons broaden as a result of discussions and insights from somewhere. This stimulates curiosity. I discovered subjects that fascinate me, such as Clean Language or Liberating Structures. These communities are also a great source of learning.
All these communities live for and through their members. I invite you to participate in meetings, conferences, to share what you know, your experiences. All this according to your desires and in your own way. You are welcome.
In short, I really want to warmly thank all the people who animate and participate in the life of these communities!
PS: The New Year is also, it seems, the time to make good resolutions. As far as I'm concerned, no resolutions but the continuity in my commitments in these communities always carried by the same desire to discover new things, to share what I know, to co-construct, …