from zero to hero

Whenever a team or a group in AIESEC starts their work they always begin with creating vision of what they want to see at the end of their activities, setting goals of the project / team (including personal goals of the members), team objectives, team image, team rules etc. Depending on the scale there may be more items or steps.

You may be confused why I started this post with the introduction above. I will get back to this thought later.

Besides my role as VP Finance here at AIESEC in Morocco which involves general development of financial subsystem I am also the LC coach. For those who don’t understand this role – I am responsible for the development and support of the local office of AIESEC in Casablanca. LC Anfa (this is the name of the office in Casa) is the youngest LC at AIESEC in Morocco. It was open in 2005 and from that time the previous national offices (I am the member of the national office a.k.a. National Committee or Member Committee) had done literally nothing to support LC Anfa. My team decided that we had to change the status quo and finally move the LC forward. So just before going for International Congress to Turkey I became the MC responsible for this LC (a.k.a. LC coach).

In September, me and LCP (Local Committee President – Younes, the head of the local office) had our first meeting and a few days later the national staff and him met to design the 6 month action plan in order to build the basics of the LC. I remember when someone said that we need to do some thing “from zero” (I truly don’t remember what exactly it was but to be honest it could be anything because at that point almost everything was at the zero level) and then another person added “to hero”. And this is how we came up with the LC Anfa motto - “from zero to hero!” As I said at the beginning some teams prepare such mottos on purpose thinking on it deeply for long time. We did it unconsciously and spontaneously.

Right now, we are definitely closer to hero than to zero! I am very happy to say that. For the past few months, loads of work have been done in order to push the LC forward. I did my best but it is not me who should be praised whatsoever. The applause should be directed to the wonderful EB team (the team leading the office) driven by unquestionable leader – Younes (a.k.a. Papito). When I first saw him in June 2007 I didn’t notice the big potential and I only had the impression that he was a very shy and reserved person. “Is he able to lead the Local Committee?” - I doubted. At the IC in Turkey my worldview was challenged. I saw the other face of Papito. Throughout the year and the time of my work with him I have only got convinced that he is the right person doing the right activity. In October, he was joined by three other great individuals who work with him on the overall development of LC Anfa.

I am really proud of all of them and happy for them. Being their coach is not only having this wonderful feeling of contribution to development of others. It also means coming to my lovely Casablanca more often :)

The Executive Board 2007 / 2008 of Local Committee Anfa:


(from the right)
(standing) Younes Talioua (Local Committee President), Othmane Jaafar (Vice President Talent Management)
(sitting) Yasmine Oualhadj (Vice President External Relations), Sara Osman (Vice President Exchange)