A TALE OF GIFTS AND PACKAGES 

When I say, “testimony time”, you will say “blessing time”.

“Testimony time” …….

Yes, I heard your response, and I laughed a bit. Since I have gotten your attention, kindly indulge me for the next few minutes. 

It happened on the 24th of March 2022, during our onsite class on Group Dynamic and Team Building. I did not realize at that point just how much this course would prove useful, well, at least not until I returned to Jos from work. During lectures, a particular sentence struck me and has stayed with me ever since. Mr. Akin Oparison said, and I quote “PEOPLE WILL BRING THEIR GIFTS IN WHATEVER PACKAGE THEY HAVE”. Buttressing this statement, Mr. Akin explained that to foster team unity, we must learn to take feedback regardless of how the deliverer chooses to package the gift. He explained that although we have received so much training on emotional intelligence, not everyone we meet and interact with daily would have received the same level of training. Furthermore, he stated that we must learn to filter through people’s statements to extract feedback for self and team improvement, this is a sure way to grow. 

Enough of the plenty of academic talks, let us get into the gist proper. I arrived in Jos, the following week and was asked to join a team meeting on-site involving four managers who are on the same hierarchy as I am, with our supervising manager (my direct boss). During the meeting, a fellow Sales Unit Manager busted out into an unruly display of emotions, angry emotions. Like some sort of spiritual awakening, I suddenly remembered my lecturers’ words “PEOPLE WILL BRING THEIR GIFTS IN WHATEVER PACKAGES THEY HAVE”. Immediately I recollected those words, all the anger and instincts for self-defense disappeared, they were suddenly replaced with curiosity, I sat calmly in my chair as we were taught to sit during social skill class. Sitting like a business executive trained by a world-class business school, I crossed my legs in royal finesse and panache, a sitting position fit only for the queen that I am.  

My colleague ranted on, but as advised, I trashed the package while carefully extracting the feedback to learn from it. By the time he was done, I calmly told him I was sorry he felt that way about the situation. I proceeded to reiterate the feedback he gave in a bid to confirm that I heard him right. I told him I will, beginning from that moment, start adjusting as stated. 

This move worked magic, the flared-up and roaring lion was surprisingly calm. He even, in a low tone, expanded his points. Everyone was amazed, the impossible had just happened. In total awe of the growth registered in such a short period, my line manager screamed, “Faith, this your business school is great o, maybe I should register for a course!”

The testimony, albeit is not that I had won a prospective client for the prestigious institution but in the fact that change had happened to me and through me to my Agency. Hopefully, I will keep you all posted as I continue to go through this journey where iron about to be discovered is sharpened by an iron that has made so many great.