I am big on New Year’s resolutions and on taking the time out to reflect on what the year brought to my life. So here goes my 2024.
This year I concluded my first year as the Chair of the Board of the Chartered Quality Institute. I started Coffee with Rashad initiative to get to know the CQI staff better, to hear about their successes and challenges, and to ensure they have a direct line of communication with the board. I have met plenty of of committed dedicated and new joiners who are looking to make a difference and are proud of how the CQI is supporting the Quality Profession. So long this may continue!
I still find it weird to say I am a podcaster. But Rashad in Conversation was eventful this year as I chatted with leaders from different sectors (academia, automotive, construction, project management, customer experience and manufacturing) in different countries. My Podcast is growing slowly and I am very grateful for the comments some of you share with me, and for all my guests who give their time and share their stories in the hope to inspire others. You can listen to the end of year wrap up episode here
The CQI launched its first podcast Quality Live and it is also reaching some remarkable heights. The team behind the scenes are doing some brilliant work. a heartfelt thank you not only to the guests who joined me on the show, but also to those who sent me a message to say they are enjoying the podcast.
The CQI also had a great year promoting the role and the discipline of the Quality Profession. Quality Live conference and the International Quality Awards were very well attended, informative, and diverse in themes we are working with today. World Quality Week’s theme saw a huge interaction from individuals and organisations.
My How To: Quality blog continued and I expanded the topics to cover tools I use as well. Some of the topics were very well received and I am grateful to all my subscribers and followers.
As AI starts to take centre stage in operations, I was delighted to join global CX leaders to bring practical actions and solutions to those embarking on the journey of AI and CX. The innovative was organised by the CX Academy and the book is out now: The AI Frontier – The CX Academy Symposium.
I am always fascinated by how much more teams can achieve when they embrace their differences. 2024 marked the end of a 3 year term as an advisor to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Insights Committee for Project Management Institute. The result was two amazing playbooks where Project Professionals as well as around 300 PMI Chapters around the globe can make use of to better understand their own journey building a culture of inclusivity and respect.
I also learned a lot from being a judge for the brilliant DEI Scholarships PMI award for students around the world. USD5000 goes towards their tuition fees with accredited universities, a brilliant sum that makes a difference. Reading the different perspective those students brought to their studies and how they intend to make a difference is always inspiring and educating at the same time.
I believe my energy is wired to learning new things. I enjoy exploring new topics and seeing how I can help organisations with different perspectives and frameworks. I set up my first global PMO in my 30s, and this year, I cemented my experience with the Project Management Office, Certified Practitioner credentials from Project Management Institute.
This certificate was followed in few months by the Work of Innovation Summit organised by Asana. The summit included brilliant topics on the power of productivity and the non-financial debt and tax companies pay if they do not operate with clarity and focus.
As for the shipping and maritime sector, this year was eventful at the Baltic Exchange. Governance, Assurance and Improvement continued to feature in the benchmark production operations. The Director of Benchmark Production is a process owner in the true meaning of the word. Improving governance activities and reporting, simplifying audits, resolving findings, improving incident management, launch error detection system, and providing operations with tools that can be used daily are just a few things of what 2024 was about.
Those of you who know me, know that I like history and I volunteer at Historic Royal Palaces. This year marked my 10th anniversary as a volunteer sharing stories about King George III and how the kitchens at Kew Palace were used at the time.
And to keep my brain stimulated, I continued my German lessons. I am far from proficient, but I completed level B1 with DuoLingo and on a 600 streak. Ich kann mit leute Deutsch nicht sprechen. Aber kann ich ein bisschen verstehen wann ich nach Deutschland reisen. Who knows if one I will pursue this formally to become fully proficient in it.
And finally, every year, I make a resolution to visit 3 new cities I have not been to before. Exploring new places and new cultures helps me stay grounded in my own life. This year the delights included exploring Helsinki, Tallinn and Bali.
On that note, I am switching off knowing that I have done everything I can in 2024 to make it count. And I look forward to 2025, being a year that brings a sense of fulfilment to me and those around me. I wish you all a reflective period and a brilliant start to the new year. Thanks for staying with me on this blog!
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