Organization is “my thing”

I love organization!   It’s not work for me—it’s fun!  I love the challenge of developing new systems and methods and using my creativity to bring more order to my work life, my home life and my personal life.  But I don’t want to keep these discoveries to myself.  My passion is to help others learn how to organize their own surroundings.  Then they can relax and feel more confident because they are experiencing greater outward productivity and new inner peace and order.      

An early start

It seems my love of organization began at an early age.  While growing up in Portland, Oregon in the United States, I subscribed to a teen magazine that included organizational tips.  What other subjects were covered in that magazine I really don’t remember.  I do remember experimenting with the organizational tips that were offered in each issue.  To this day I still use the simple and inexpensive technique for organizing my bedroom drawers! 

Related career choice

            In high school I took the standard classes, but also enrolled in a special shorthand class that was offered.  (I am definitely dating myself with this admission!)  Success in this endeavor caused me to consider a secretarial career.

           Amazingly, the Business Department of Oregon State University offered a four-year course called Secretarial Science.  I learned so much from all the business classes, but I particularly enjoyed those that taught systems and procedures that would enable me to specialize in my chosen field.

Stateside application

          My first job as a personal secretary in California enabled me to utilize everything I learned in college.  Soon I was not only using my organizational skills to help my boss excel, but I was developing weekly tips that a team of us distributed to the other secretaries in our company. 

Adventure wins out

Even though I don’t consider myself an adventuresome person by nature, after seven years I accepted an assignment from my company to live in Korea for seven months.  I thought it was good to try something new for a little while.

I was part of the team that lived and worked in Seoul to prepare the way for a foreign delegation that would be coming for a training conference sponsored by my company.  To our amazement as the conference began, the foreign delegation joined more than 300,000 Korean delegates.  Needless to say, my organizational skills were stretched to their limit. 

I found the people and culture of Korea intriguing.  So several months later when the area director asked me to consider moving to the Philippines at the end of my time in Korea, I couldn’t think of any reason not to say “yes.”

The years pass quickly

            In the Philippines I began as a general secretary in my company’s Asian headquarters office.   My scope became more specialized when I worked for three men who bore the title of country coordinators.  Included in my responsibilities was assisting administratively at annual planning conferences.  I traveled to Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.  

           Even though my original plan was to fulfill a two-year term, I kept returning after each U.S. furlough.  I enjoyed the people and there were plenty of opportunities to use my organizational abilities.  My short-term assignment to Asia eventually expanded to 23 years!  

No time for “status quo”

While still in the Philippines my love for organization motivated me to find more efficient ways of working, especially after becoming Executive Assistant to the Asia Director.  My colleagues asked for tips to more easily fulfill their own responsibilities.  Eventually I gathered them together for a group training session.  

One day my boss asked me to train administrative assistants in branch offices in other countries.  For that purpose I developed the curriculum for a more formal training seminar. 

After conducting training in another city in the Philippines, I traveled to Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand and other parts of East Asia.  What began as in-house training eventually expanded to citywide training seminars for professionals from other companies in addition to our own company.  To date I have conducted more than 15 citywide training seminars. 

Continuing on

Currently as Executive Assistant for our company’s Vice President for Asia and based in the U.S., I continue to reach for more effective and productive methods for accomplishing my responsibilities.  In my dual role as training specialist, I give training in our home office as well as conduct citywide training seminars in various countries in Asia.   

No matter what country I am in or what group I am teaching, my greatest satisfaction comes from helping others become more organized.  I desire to make a difference in this world by teaching organizational methods, systems and procedures that will set people free to reach a new level of excellence in their professional and personal lives.