Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Teresa Syms. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Teresa, thanks for joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

A year ago, I took up the challenge to leave my coaching practice behind and go back to the steady paycheque, 9-5 world. I was to work as a customer account coordinator (basically a data entry position), entering feed orders from animal nutrition. I was familiar with the massive computer program they used which helped, until it didn’t. My main trainer was a lovely lady that I felt a good connection with and she had laid out a training plan which I felt was doable. The other young lady who became my trainer had different ideas. Her philosophy was to just dump me into the middle of everything and by some miracle, I should come out the other side with all the knowledge I needed to do my job efficiently, effectively, and error-free.
The manager told me it would take me a full year to understand all the nuances of the role and after a couple of months I was doing well. What she didn’t fully understand was that both trainers had different styles. The older lady was patient, a good teacher, answered questions (which I was told to ask whenever I had a question), and walked me through step by step any new information I needed to learn. This was perfect for me.
The younger lady believed that if she told you how to do something once, that was enough. Although I was told to ask any questions if I didn’t understand something, eventually she couldn’t understand why I had to ask questions.
We worked from dealer files that listed all the customer accounts, their special requirements, and instructions. This file was to be my bible, and I used it religiously. For some reason thought, I kept getting in trouble for making errors. I would say I followed the notes, but later discovered from one other worker that the notes were wrong! It was very frustrating when the young lady would yell at me, be rude, and treat me as if I were less than human.
There were three other girls in the office I was to help. Each one was doing the same job as the other, but had customized things to ‘their’ way. Learning five different roles at once with 3 daily time crunches was a challenge. At times I became so frustrated, I didn’t know where to turn. The manager was completely hands-off even when I went to her to ask for some clarity of how to work effectively with the one trainer. Her response was, “You need to figure out a way to get along with her.” So I learned this was all being dumped on my shoulders.
I started this job in October and the office setting became colder and colder as time went on. Only two of us worked in the physical office every day, the others only had to come in one day per week. By Christmas Eve, the temperature was down to 10 degrees Celsius. I had a space heater on full, heavy socks, boots, a blanket, a turtleneck top, and a cardigan, and wore gloves to do my work. Management discovered the furnace was broken and no one knew enough to check it when we began telling them how cold we were.
In February, things changed again, and not for the best. I was being constantly thrown under the bus even for mistakes I didn’t make. I had deaths in my family and some medical appointments I needed to attend because the stress of this position was causing high blood pressure and chest pain. I knew I deserved better, and I had decided that the torture of this job was not worth the pay. I resigned on the last day of February. It took me months to recover from the stress and to feel like I had any value at all. I am a strong person, one who has survived near-death car accidents, childhood trauma and neglect, spousal abuse, and fracturing my spine. I came back from it all, but this took time, and I decided to give myself the time I needed to find myself again.
The most important lesson I learned from this job: No one has the right to treat me without respect and kindness. I have value, and I deemed this job, “THE BEST MISTAKE I EVER MADE!”
After several months and doing some personal work, I turned back to my Coaching Company and started coaching again. Personal Development and Authorship Coaching is my ‘wheelhouse,’ and that is my happy place.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Teresa Syms is a Personal Development Coach. She is also an Award-winning International Author and multiple #1 Bestselling co-author and host of Powering Through Life, a podcast to motivate, inspire, and improve quality of life.

For many years, Teresa has guided friends, family, and clients through the process of taking a hard, honest look deep within themselves, to cause a reawakening of their dreams that provides the necessary healing to manifest success in life. Teresa draws from a rich knowledge and foundation from traumatic and challenging life experiences, education, and certifications in Life and Assertiveness Coaching, NLP, and Human Resources.

Through proven action plans designed to manifest healing, growth, and success, Teresa walks her clients through their Limiting Beliefs, Fear, and Doubt, and clearly demonstrates that a brilliant future is theirs to be had. She is a champion for her clients and encourages everyone to break free of the silence and fear that prevents their true growth.

With Teresa, you will Experience Change, Receive Clarity, and Achieve Success in your personal and professional lives.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I have learned that I am courageous, resilient, and strong. My voice, message, and gifts are there for a reason, and after doing much self-work, I understand my mission.

Being raised as a neglected, abused child did not give me confidence in my abilities and talents. I was constantly put down, degraded, and during my first marriage told I was stupid and should be quiet. I lost myself, my voice, and hope for the future.

After doing some incredible healing work and learning that I truly did have gifts that the world needs, I began writing my first successful book, A Century of Secrets. It was after receiving the freedom from the past that my coaching practice began. It is here, doing this work that I have accepted myself, and know that the way I was raised was wrong and harmful.

The phrase that has stuck with me since my young life is, “You’re not finished here yet.” These words were first whispered to me when I attempted to end my life at 17 years old. This was the gift and message I needed to survive and strive in life.

I am resilient, and courageous and have a background that gives me a truly unique perspective when coaching.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

If I could go back, I would absolutely choose the Personal Development Coaching profession again. I would, however, go into this profession earlier in my life.

Throughout my life, I was always interested in helping people who are experiencing challenges in their lives. I did not receive help; there was no one I could turn to for assistance in battling the life I was living, and I wanted to be that resource for people who struggle with self, life, and career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.TeresaSyms.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresa_syms/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554136217146
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresasyms/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@teresasyms5163

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