Sequoian Story: Regina
In a network of Sequoias, young trees can continue to depend on the mother tree for support and nourishment through its taproot after the mother tree’s own glory is over.
This promise was what drew me most as a fresh graduate hearing the origin and vision story of Sequoia Group — what we call the Sequoia Story.
Coming into the professional service industry, I feel very small indeed compared to the experts and mentors with whom I interact daily. I am a baby Sequoia, so to speak, and I know that for significant periods I will need to depend on them heavily for almost everything. But I not only found it easy to receive support but the team seek me out to invite me into opportunities to grow. And after learning the ropes for a few months, they made space for me to create growth for myself, asking for my vision on the projects I am involved in and supporting me every step of the way in the initiatives that I take.
When I came in, the Sequoia story was a promise that opened me up to possibilities I had never previously imagined. A friend who was in the team shared what it was like for her to be in this nourishing environment. I was particularly excited about the opportunity of working with educators in Singapore to push for sustainability to be embedded in the curriculum at all levels- an aspiration which is resonant with the Sequoia story itself.
Now the Sequoia story is a living ethos that I am emboldened to regenerate in all the projects and aspects of work in which I contribute here. Over the past months, I have rediscovered the interconnections in my network of friends and organisations, as well as new ways that empowering partnerships can be formed across them. One cluster of network consists of youth communities and here I am pursuing opportunities for collaboration in leadership and community development.
From the tool of Appreciative Inquiry which we use creatively across many of our organisational development services, I learnt to recognise and grow from a positive core — from what already gives live to the system that I am a part of and what allows me to flourish best. It is exciting to discover that my network is part of my positive core and to dream, design and create a desired destiny with this resource in mind (Read more on Appreciative Inquiry here).
For example, I still find it a challenge to lead facilitation in a manner that is authentic to myself — to use the self as instrument to serve- but I am convinced that it will come with practice. Using my existing network as a starting point to build a safe learning community of practice is one way concrete way that I am growing from my positive core.
Sequoian Story is a series of personal reflections by Sequoians — the people who bring the Sequoia Story to life. Follow our Medium to stay updated.
