Personal Insights
Blog It Forward – Colleen Hebbert
Susan Keohan (kindly) tagged me in #BIF of her post https://blogs.sap.com/2019/12/09/blog-it-forward-the-sequel/ which reintroduced a great way to get to know our global community.
It’s hard to get started writing one of these. Though, it can feel like the challenge of the first few words when writing a new blog – the self-doubts hoping someone reads it and doesn’t think I’m a complete #!%@ in the process. However, it’s been about 6 years since my original #BIF (https://blogs.sap.com/2014/10/15/blog-it-forward-colleen-lee/) and a few things has changed: including my name (was Lee) and community account (am now with SAP).
I’ve also been less active on the community sites as I’ve navigated through the unpredictability that is called life. I’ve been through the good times and the terrible. Celebrated surviving the moments I wished time away and commiserated the times it passed too quickly. Many of these were shared with fellow community members. And a goat or 2 along the way. I’m grateful to belong to such a group. #SAPCommunityRocks
I read my original blog to get motivated for this one. On a positive, I’ve responded to Sue much quicker this time round (maybe New Years return to work procrastination at play). So here goes Part 2 for me.
If you could be a superhero (or you are, and we don’t know about it yet) who would you be, and why?
I’m going to be sentimental on this one and call out the RFS – Rural Fire Services and (all others helping) who have been doing an amazing job in my country these past few weeks/months. Some of the volunteers are members of our SAP community. I also am aware of a few members who have had to defend their property during this current season.
Source: am unsure as it’s been shared numerous times. If anyone knows, link it below in the comments to ensure the right person gets credit (definitely not me)
My count is on Fire. To call it bad is an understatement. Example of the information and size is the numbers below as a comparison to other recent global Fire events from https://www.statista.com/chart/20387/recent-wildfire-events-by-acreage-burned/
We’re still burning so that 12 million number is still going up 🙁
It’s difficult to say why I’d want to be RFS but for anyone who is following the news stories (global attention is starting now) you might get why. Brave. Compassionate. Selfless. Some of the adjectives that come to mind describing who these people are and why I’d love to be like them. Some have battled flames in one region at a cost to their own property (or unaware of the safety of their families).
I won’t post donation links (mindful of community rules) but if you are so incline, it’s not difficult to search or look through Twitter/FB/etc feeds for official donation.
What is the most fun project you’ve ever participated in, and why was it fun?
I work in security. Like we have fun. Just Joking ?
The best fun I had in a project were because of the people. Each day could be mundane or stressful. It could feel like the time frames were not possible, but someone would turn some music on, order the food and rally the troops. We would laugh and almost through our keyboard but there’d be someone there to pat your on the back…and then in Australia humour-style tell you to harden the F### up.
Good times. Still smiling.
Will you participate in the 29 Seconds Video challenge?
I’ll do one if someone finds a way to get me to SAP TechEd 2020 ?
And now my turn to nominates some to carry this on….sorry if you’ve already be nominated a 100 times…. I’m nominated two awesome colleagues!
Simon Kemp (https://people.sap.com/skemp)
Jocelyn Dart (https://people.sap.com/jocelyn.dart)
I’d also like to nominate Plaban Sahoo (https://people.sap.com/plaban.sahoo7) who I’ve interacted with in GRC/Security communities
My questions to you are:
How do you think the way you were raised affects your Career?
Describe in one short sentence: “what need does your SAP solution meet”
Recommend resources of information that helped you in your work
My own question…
How does what you do (or not do) make life better for your customer/end user?
Looking forward to reading the replies
Happy New Year. I’m looking forward to 2020 and getting more involved in community.
Hi Colleen, and welcome to the next #BIF family! It's good to see you blogging again - and no, you're not absolute #$% at it!
I can only imagine the situation in Australia right now - the news is terrifying. I'm not a big 'thoughts and prayers' person, but in this case I *do* send my thoughts and prayers. As well as seeking out a reliable place to donate.
Please know that Sunny is ready and willing to come and comfort anyone. (and she sends a woof to your pup!)
Best,
Sue
oh yes, Sunny needs to be on the first flight out of here! I'll settle for you... surely there's a conference you could justify coming out for. I've got the Brisbane base setup again and can finally host guests 🙂
Colleen,
I can completely relate to so many of your experiences, both those posted here and those not. And I fully understand your view of the super-hero nature of firefighters and their selflessness, having lived through the loss of a property (thankfully not our main home, but still) to the Tubbs fire in 2017, and just this past year having gone through mandatory evacuation for the Kincade fire. As in Australia, several of the firefighters here in Sonoma County battled the flames heroically while their own homes burned.
My hope is that rain comes soon for the relevant places in Australia. I couldn’t rest easy here at home until the rains started in November.
So glad you posted!
Hi Audrey
Yes, I remember following your updates for evacuation. Priorities would completely change. I think about the everyday person who has lost their properties - everything - as to how they rebuild. When it's one home - one family - it's terrible but communities abilities to focus their efforts to that one group is less complicated. I'm following posts of the number of small grass-roots communities who are sewing joey pouches or koala gloves to help animals with burns; collecting hygiene products to distribute; food drives; water drives; hay bales; straight out cash.
Most people come out of the Christmas season broke and going into the new year. Yet, I'm witnessing when it really counts how much community finds a way to dig deep and help build each other back up.
I recall a quote along the lines: when they mentioned as much as we pray for the winds to shift we also recognise that's what another community is praying does not happen. Yes to rain!!! and to the right areas needing. And it needs to be a downpour but stop before it floods - I'm not asking too much am I?
I really hope fire-season evacuation doesn't become the new-normal for you and others in your situation.
Hi Colleen,
Thank you indeed, for referring me. I am based out of India, where i have hear about wildfires in Australia. I do not know the reason of the triggering of the same. But i can understand, many brave-hearts are fighting it out.
How do you think the way you were raised affects your Career? Very very much. An environment of guidance will help one achieve excellence, while the lack of it, can land one in mediocrity(no offence at all for mediocrity). But even if there is no guidance, its the individual's dream and passion, which can turn him/her gain excellence.
Describe in one short sentence: “what need does your SAP solution meet":Organization's objectives.
How does what you do (or not do) make life better for your customer/end user? In short, Our customer is dependent on us for their every day activities and therefore our smooth delivery and resolutions make them going.
Regaards
Plaban