The prestigious Dale Carnegie Course Highest Award for Achievement is awarded based on peer-voting. Peers elect the individual who best exemplifies the standards, qualities and consistent practice of the Human Relations Principles on which the program is based.
Meet Cynthia Tan, Dale Carnegie Course Highest Award for Achievement Winner (Jan ‘21):-
An experienced dermatologist nurse, Cynthia Tan, also writes and shares insights on self-development strategies at embracegrowth.substack.com. Fostering a positive, growth-oriented world, and empowering others is her ultimate goal for sharing through different platforms.
Congratulations on being voted Highest Award for Achievement Winner by your fellow participants! It is a testament to your authenticity and diligence in improving your relational skills. How do you feel about winning this award?
I am really caught by surprised – I did not expect to win the award. I tried my very best in every presentation and activity I did, and was pleasantly surprised to win this award.
What was your initial vision when you started the program?
My initial vision was to present confidently to my bosses and colleagues. It was also a challenge to myself to present confidently to my classmates week in and out.
What progress did you make towards your desired breakthroughs?
My confidence greatly increased – I was able to make new friends and handle conversations much more easily. I used to be awkward, shy, and struggled with making new conversations and friends. Now, I know what topics to talk about based on their interests. It has greatly helped me.
What are some challenges that you encountered along the way?
Presenting is the biggest challenge for me due to my fear of public speaking. I spent quite a bit of time preparing for my presentations in class. However, this was the best thing that I did for myself as it helped me overcome my anxiety when presenting in front of my classmates.
What helped you make progress towards achieving your breakthroughs?
Practice makes perfect. At the beginning, I struggled with progress and wondered why I was not making the improvements. I kept practicing over and over again, and this allowed me to succeed in the breakthroughs especially in the area of presentation.
My renewed vision is to carry over my newfound knowledge and public speaking skills to sign up for community work. I would like to use this newly acquired skill to help a organisation share their charity work and of course, make new friends and connections along the way. Hopefully, I am able to achieve this one day.
What advice would you give someone that aspires to improve their relationships at work and at home?
Give it a go and just really try. We tend to worry too much about how things may not work or what people may think of us, but most of the time, they are probably thinking the same way too.
If you did not try, you would not know. It is important to take the first step and take an initiative when trying to improve your relationships at work or in your personal life. More likely than not, there is a happy ending when we manage to step out of our comfort zone and reach out first.