User story:

We spent some time with Peta-Jane hearing her growth story and the impact that Mygrow has had on her life. The following is what she had to say, shared with her permission.

I was first introduced to Emotional Intelligence (EQ) during a course that I did for retail, sales and development. It included some basic learnings in EQ and I found it sparked a special interest for me. This meant that when Mygrow was launched and I saw a video about it, I was curious. I went into the process in a front-footed way and didn’t see doing my droplets as a chore. I like learning and growing and was looking forward to further developing.

I started working for Smollan in 2019 which meant getting back into the retail industry after a nine year stint in the United Kingdom. COVID hit just a few months later, and this left me navigating a significant amount of change at the start of my Mygrow journey.

The first technique, called The 3 Good Things Technique, came at exactly the right time. It helped me to recognise the good things in my life even in the middle of all the difficulties that Covid brought and that I had to navigate with my move back to South Africa, which was a tough transition all on its own. The technique helped me to process and recognise that when I go for a run, it’s around a beautiful coastal point, and that even though I now stay in a small town, all of my friends live around the corner from me. There is positivity to be found even in the challenges and this is something that I continue to do, not only for myself but with two daughters as well. Mygrow has taught me gratitude for all the little things that often go unnoticed even though they fill our lives with joy and meaning.

Another positive shift was recognising that the ‘billboard of my life’ needed to change. Your ‘billboard’ describes who you are through your own subconscious lens and I realised that I needed to shift towards a more positive view of myself. Part of this was accepting not only myself but also my new realities and circumstances. This was something that I managed to process and overcome.

“The Decision Making module on Mygrow was helpful in developing my ability to recognise the need to pause and reflect on the desired outcomes and alternatives in order to make good decisions. Since I have learnt to pause and reflect I have started responding more mindfully to my team.”

I have a team of 23 people and as I have invested in my own growth and development I have noticed that my empathy naturally started to grow and my levels of irritation in situations involving staff started to decrease. We spend a lot of time together so I’m an advocate for growing and strengthening our working relationships so that we can work well together.

We work in a fast paced work environment and an industry where decisions need to be made quickly. As a result, the Decision Making module on Mygrow was helpful in developing my ability to recognise the need to pause and reflect on the desired outcomes and alternatives in order to make good decisions. Since I have learnt to pause and reflect I have started responding more mindfully to my team.

My plan this year is to initiate feedback conversations with my staff around what I could do differently and the growth areas they would like me to focus on. I also want to support them in any areas they want to develop and grow in, so that we can all develop and work together better.

Overall I have enjoyed learning and growing on Mygrow and want to continue to develop into the best version of myself that I can be.

DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS
IN YOUR TEAM, COLLABORATE BETTER
AND TRANSFORM YOUR COMPANY CULTURE