If you’ve spent time checking comments, posting examples, or asking questions in the ELH community it’s likely you’ve seen Thomas_Shayon offering advice and encouragement. This Member Spotlight highlights how Thomas’s career journey was buoyed by support, and how he pays it forward now.
Given a chance
Like many people in learning design, Thomas did not start out in a training role. His first opportunity to teach was while he worked as a project manager on a quality assurance team for a small auto insurance company. As many roles do, this expanded until he was teaching independent insurance agents about how to position their products to their ideal customer.
This “short stint” was laying the groundwork for what would turn into a 20 year career in corporate learning ranging from nonprofits to technical training and more.
Making a difference
In another early training position Thomas found “great pride and joy” in what his non-profit team built and delivered to “support some of the most vulnerable folks” in his community. This ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around him (kids aging out of foster care) solidified his love of teaching, and led to the next defining element of his career: receiving that support back.
Senior leaders, executives, and other coworkers were crucial to Thomas’s growth, showing “what leading with your heart” truly looked like. “When I spoke, my ideas were heard, and several were implemented. When I gave critical feedback, they were humble and listened,” he shares.
In addition to the interpersonal support various senior leaders offered, some also created critical opportunities for Thomas. Opportunities like regularly attending executive business strategy meetings, allowing him to weigh in on how KPI’s could be achieved with L&D initiatives, and otherwise being “empowered to do my best work ever.”
The mindset
The culmination of these experiences has led to a specific mindset that Thomas takes into his everyday - not exclusive to learning design, but wholly integrated in his life. The core elements are:
- Discover what you enjoy doing
- Thomas’s answer is, of course, “helping others evolve into the most excellent version of themselves at work and at home”
- Learn as you go
- “I am not a technically trained instructional designer. However, over time, I’ve read, taken online courses, earned certifications, and so on to develop the ID-specific skills needed to do the work. Do not worry about trying to “learn everything” in a year or two; give yourself grace and time.”
- Doubt is a monster we carry with us
- “Learn and embrace it sooner than later, doubt is a part of the journey; everyone deals with it. Uncouple who you are from the work that you do.”
- You are enough
- “Navigate your life and career with that fact neatly tucked into your spirit and move boldly in your life.”
Paying it forward
True to the people who helped shape this mindset, Thomas now offers encouragement, advice, and other support everywhere else he goes. Leading from the heart can be seen scattered across our own community: from welcoming new members, offering insight on best practices, or sharing professional examples. He’s filled the role of Peer Guide with flying colors, and ELH is made better for the care Thomas brings to our community. I’m sure his learners feel the same way.
In that spirit: leave a comment below tagging someone who has helped support you, and how you can pay it forward by reviewing a project, offering advice, or welcoming someone new.
