Leukste dagje uit
A smaller role within a larger learning process
Compared to the other projects the last two years, “Het Leukste Dagje Uit” played a smaller role in my overall development. This project ran alongside bigger assignments, which resulted in me not fully prioritizing it. I mainly focused on completing the tasks that were expected from me, rather than actively taking initiative within the group.
Looking back, I can see that I was not as proactive as I could have been. I contributed during the preparation phase, but I did not fully step into the project of challenge myself to go beyond what was required. This is an important realization, as it shows a pattern in my behavior: when something is not my main focus or does not immediately interest me, I tent to stay more in the background instead of taking ownership.
During the event itself, I did take a small step outside of my comfort zone. I spoke with several businesses, which helped me develop my communication and networking skills. Although this was not a very large action, it did contribute to my confidence in approaching professionals and starting conversations. This connects to one of my learning goals form year 2, where I aimed to build connections and step out of my comfort zone.
However, I also recognize that I could have done more during this moment if I had approached it more proactively. It made me aware that I sometimes hold back when a project is not my main focus, that I tent to do what is required, but not always more than that and that my level of engagement strongly influences how much I actually learn. This insight is valuable because it shows me where I need to improve.
Reflection on coach meetings
The coach meeting throughout the year mainly functioned as short check-in moments for me. I appreciated having these moments, as they created space to reflect briefly on my progress and stay aware of how I was doing. However, I also noticed that these meetings did not have a significant impact on my development.
During the periods in which the meetings took place, I generally felt that things were going well. Because of this, I did not always feel the need to discuss specific challenges or ask for targeted feedback. Resulting in short meetings of sometimes only five minutes.
Looking back, this shows that I was somewhat passive in how I approached these moments. According to the ILO’s, an important aspect of professional development is actively asking for and using feedback to improve performance, this is something I did not fully do during these meetings.
In the future, I want to approach coach meetings more actively by preparing specific questions or topics, asking for targeted feedback on my development points, and using these moments more consciously to support my growth.
Even though the meetings themselves did not sternly influence my progress this year, they highlighted an important learning point: that feedback moments are only valuable if I actively engage with them
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