The Start of Something Great
My first week at OPENFORMAT was a slight change from corporate life...
New beginnings typically trigger anxiety for me, but my first week at OPENFORMAT felt different. Despite the physiological similarities between anxiety and excitement, I could sense that I was eager to get started.
That being said, let me introduce myself first.
My name is Dominik, or just Dom, and I must admit I come from a significantly different environment than the one I'm currently in.
I began my career in operations with a FTSE250 investment platform. Given my background in Economics and FinTech from university, it seemed like the perfect fit at the time. However, I quickly became disillusioned with the corporate way of working. Don't get me wrong, not everything was bad. I appreciate structure in my life, which was perhaps the biggest perk of corporate life but, the lack of rewarding and engaging work took its toll on me quickly, making even the structure I loved seem daunting.
Make no mistake, I learned a lot during my time there, but that's probably why I was so excited for a change. Nonetheless, nothing could have prepared me for my first week.
"What do you mean there are no time sheets?"
"What do you mean there is no productivity tracking software?"
"How else will I know that I'm doing the right thing and contributing?"
Those were all questions I grappled with this week.
As it turns out, there is no Big Brother looking over my shoulder and I'm still figuring out how to measure my own success in this setting, but that's a thrilling challenge to have.
Speaking of the setting, the offices are completely different. I've gone from a spotless (almost sterile) glass box to a relatively small, and slightly rough-around-the-edges space, almost like a living room. It's great. The whiteboards are always in use, and the TV is set up on top of a box, leaning against the wall. I love it.
The way of work is also completely different. My previous job was much more organized and mechanical. OPENFORMAT seems to thrive on collaboration, creativity, and discussion.
But the people I've met so far at OPENFORMAT are what I love the most. Everyone is incredibly smart and patient as I ask all my questions and try to find my footing. The support and understanding have been exceptional, and I couldn't be more thankful.
As I become more accustomed to this new way of working (and life, I guess), I hope to contribute a little segment to The Format going forward. I'm not sure what it will discuss, but my main goal with it will be to have fun and tap into my creative side, breaking free from my narrow river of thought.
My first message to the OPENFORMAT community is coming to a close and so is this week. Whilsts its been great, I’m looking forward to putting my feet up, relaxing and disconnecting (kind of, I’ll still probably spend half of my weekend on Twitter).
Even more that that though, I’m looking forward to next week and the new knowledge and experiences that it will bring.
