So, I have decided to take a career break.

Looking back, it was a very long deliberate heavy thinking back then that brought me into this decision. It’s a difficult decision, there are some less pleasant aspects to it, but overall, I’m quite satisfied with what I’ve gained in exchange.

During this free time, I’ve embarked on activities I couldn’t pursue due to work commitments: learning swimming, playing guitar, reading, writing, reconnecting with old friends, exploring AI/ML, and even trying mountaineering.

Youth Leader at Local Mosque

Just recently, I was appointed as a Youth Leader at the local mosque. It revolves around making young lads and lass to go to mosque to pray and learn Quran and Hadist and such.

In this break, with all these free times I have, I found myself getting more involved in this role. This and that, not so long after, I realized one thing: The work I do as leader now is kinda more easier than before I took a break.

A little context on what the old conditions were: previously, everything felt like a solitary effort, which is fine because it’s actually did not come with demanding tasks. But I can’t say that I hoped some different results on this leadings. Things were quite time taxing. I can get things done but honestly feel like I’m working by myself all the time. I took some team decision, in various way, but not many are really committed to it. Things are going good but I honestly think it could be better. However, upon my break, everything feels smoother, I can really feel people backing me.

It initially puzzled me, but when I traced back, I’ve come to understand the clear significance of something I hadn’t done before.

Treating People Like People

Yes, duh. I just, treated people more like people. I spent time together and wasted time together. Honestly aren’t that much hassle and tbh I could’ve also did it before I had a break. But I admit it was totally different than when I first took on the leadership role. My approach was: Let’s make this youth group member more systematic and tidy, creating procedures and helping members learn various skills. I wanted the organization to function smoothly even in my absence. Just like what I did at my professional work. I organize I taught people ideas I delegate things. That is idealistic notion. That never materialized.

But when I started spending more time together its just that I can kinda see the rewards are splattered around me.

Non-Professional vs Professional Organization

Today I’ve come to realize again the basic that people are just, well, people. Unlike machines, everyone have their own dynamics and desires. Previously, I thought I could organize the organization like I did in my professional life, treating people (which includes me) as nodes in our big big machine, which worked pretty well without a problem (probably because thats pretty normal in the field).

However, in this nonprofessional sector, where motivations are not solely driven by payroll, where things are felt more raw, pure, and honest, this approach is flawed. People are really people; they are unique individuals with their own motivations and desires that I have to get closer to get to know.

This small realization will be some nail in the wood for me. Affirming some ideas that actually was already there but not really seen clearly. To not treat people as just dots, just functions providing predictable outputs based on inputs. That they have their own dynamics, reasons, and motivations, which may not always align with what we expect.

In professional world, individuals often can function flawlessly as if they were a cog in a machine. However, we must acknowledge and respect the human aspect—considering their needs, plans, and desires. Although abstration of organization as an abstraction has its merit, we have to know that it probably just a facade, of a pure and honest organization where humans are actually needed to be treated as human. Whoa, beautiful.

Closing Words

Mind it, I was a shy anxious introvert that never really involved in leadership before my professional experience in leadership. All these small things are small things but still funny to me, considering how I experienced formal leadership before the non-formal one. It’s kinda late, but I’m very grateful for these new perspectives mending events.

Revisiting back the title, in conclusion, my break has again fortify me a valuable lesson: to lead and organize people, it’s essential to still embrace their humanity. Recognizing and respecting individual dynamics, motivations, and desires creates a more harmonious and fulfilling environment, leading to greater success in our collective endeavors.

If I have to take one quote: the magic will happens when we treat all people as unique individuals. Then, let’s.