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Diary

A New Chapter in My Career

In my three decades of working life, I have seldom changed companies. At first, I thought I was a loyalist or someone who resisted change. Yesterday marked my last working day with a bank where I spent nearly 18 years. One of my passions at work has always been to build teams and inspire people, and they became the very reason why I stayed for so long. As the saying goes, day-to-day work can be tough, but if the people are good, we tend to stay and weather the storms together. Every year, we might complain about the lack of career growth or that the pay raise and bonus fall short of our expectations. However, if we are attached to the people around us, most of us choose to stay for another year. And another.

Indeed, it took a lot to pull me away from my current organization. The network and team I built from the ground up seven years ago were unlike anything I had done in my three decades of career. On my last working day, as I sent out my farewell message (which I’ve shared at the bottom of this post), I received an overwhelming response that truly surprised me. Even more surprisingly, these messages from my colleagues taught me more about myself than I had learned in all my years with this organization. I thought I was just doing my job.

A Reflection

Here are a few of the most impactful messages I received:

  • Collaborating with you has been an incredible experience, and I’ve learned so much from your leadership, openness, and unwavering support. You have this unique ability to create an environment where tough times feel manageable, and conversations flow easily, no matter how challenging the topic. Your guidance and encouragement have been a source of strength for me, and I feel truly fortunate to have been part of your journey here.
  • You are one of the coolest and most awesome managers/leaders one could have here. Always a guiding star. The best part is that I have never seen you angry or losing your cool on anyone, even during tough times. It is really a commendable nature and attitude you have.
  • You are one of the few leaders who create an impact when they leave. You are someone who will be deeply missed by the people here.
  • I am eternally grateful for having you as my manager during my formative years here. I tell everyone in my team that if I have been successful here, it is purely because of the guidance I received from you at the start!
  • I will cherish the interactions we’ve had, and you will always be remembered as one of the nicest people here!

Some messages were particularly touching because they came from colleagues I had only interacted with briefly:

  • In the short time we worked together, it was a great experience to understand your ways of working and collaborate for common outcomes. I was personally inspired by the new perspectives you brought to discussions and the clarity of your thoughts on how things should work.
  • It was a very short stint I got to work under your leadership, but I consider myself extremely lucky and delighted for the opportunity. I will miss your sweet smile, calm nature, and jovial attitude.
  • Thank you for the kindness you showed me in the short time we were actively engaging.

Lastly, from one of the my stakeholders. He is tough but I respect him:

  • You will certainly be missed here. It is sad to see only the wise people leaving.

These words have made me reflect on the journey I’ve taken and the impact I’ve had on others. I shall remember these memories and lessons as I embark on a new chapter in my career. These experiences and relationships are what have shaped me into who I am today.

My Farewell Message

The farewell message I have sent yesterday titled “See you and keep in touch!”:

Happy Friday!

As Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Today marks my last working day at the bank, and I am filled with heartfelt gratitude for the nearly 18 years I’ve spent here. This journey has been transformative, and the last 7 years with Client Lifecycle have been especially meaningful – a chapter I will always cherish.

Working alongside you has been an incredible experience. Despite the challenges and changes, it’s the people and the connections we build that truly make a difference. The shared moments, the teamwork, and the little successes along the way have brought so much joy and fulfilment to my days. For all of this, I am grateful.

And to my team, who have stuck together through thick and thin, I am proud of you and all that we have accomplished. Continue to make a positive impact on the people around you and embrace new challenges. Keep learning and growing and invest in people. When they succeed, your value grows alongside theirs. Together, you can achieve even greater heights.

As I move on to a new chapter, I hope we can stay in touch. You can find me on LinkedIn (wilfridwong). I’d be happy to hear from you anytime.

The Year of the Snake is just around the corner. I wish you all a prosperous, joyful, and successful Lunar New Year, filled with new opportunities and happiness. Thank you once again for everything. It’s been an honour and a privilege to work with you.

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