Download ENGL 135How to turn your dissatisfaction into actionDeVry Un and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! ENGL 135 How to turn your dissatisfaction into action DeVry University ENGL 135 We have all been in situations where we felt deeply dissatisfied with the way things were. However, despite our critical remarks we often drop the topic as soon as another issue arises, which further drives our dissatisfaction. But consider this: would dissatisfaction motivate you to become a changemaker? In this Ted Talk, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer explores what compelled her to act rather than remain a bystander and how dissatisfaction helped her to lead positive change. According to her, even the worst circumstances can be changed to lead to better outcomes, all because our dissatisfaction is at the root. On May 1, 2018, Order of British Empire (OBE) official Yvonne Aki- Sawyer became mayor of Freetown, advancing an inclusive vision for the city's revitalization. Detailed in her "Transform Freetown" 3-year plan are 19 concrete targets in 11 sectors. These range from addressing environmental degradation to generating jobs in the tourism sector. Her passion for her country and the environment led Aki-Sawyer to fight against blood diamonds during the civil war in Sierra Leone and co-found SLWT, a charity that has supported disadvantaged children for two decades. Her work in public service began during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. She has been a finance professional for over 25 years with experience in strategic planning and management. For her leadership efforts following the epidemic, she spearheaded the second phase of the African Union-led program to energize Sierra Leone's socioeconomic recovery, and she was awarded a gold medal by the president and an OBE by the Queen of England. During the rebel invasion of Freetown in Sierra Leone in 1999, Aki- Sawyer describes feeling frustrated and powerless at the inability of international aid agencies to understand the crisis or aid those affected by it. When she relocated to Freetown, she founded the Sierra Leone War Trust for Children (SLWT), which helped 130 displaced women become self-sufficient through the provision of business skills and financial support. In order not to stay satisfied with SLWT’s success, Aki-Sawyer set up an agricultural training center and a scholarship program for disadvantaged girls in 2004. These initiatives continue to improve the lives of several people even today. In order for a change to occur, legacy and continuous efforts play a crucial role. Even at work, perseverance and ongoing short-term efforts are critical to long-term goals. Aki-Sawyer worked with other experts on introducing interventions directly on the ground in 2014, which became the Western Area Surge Plan, which helped prevent more outbreaks from spreading from remote villages to urban slums. Freetown achieved yet another impressive achievement in 2017 as the city's civic infrastructure improved, with reforestation, sanitation, waste management, and a better government serving its citizens. With meticulous planning and execution, Freetown became a cleaner and greener city. She inspired her fellow citizens to make changes with the least resistance. In contrast to other interventions, Aki-Sawyer were simple, related, and powerful and meaningful within their context. Efforts to manage change should be simple, relevant, and impactful. Otherwise, they are less likely to succeed. It's not a magic path to transformation through dissatisfaction that appears. Instead, it begins with a realization that things can be done differently, which eventually leads to a state of satisfaction.
