[W Forum] Experience Card

Park Ran, CEO of DongA TV

Today, the office is unusually quiet. The break room, the conference room?no one seemed to be anywhere. I have always thought that whispers, the sound of typing, and laughter are like vitamins for the office. When such an office is quiet, it creates a sense of unease, as if there is some worry brewing.

Employees come to work, perform their assigned tasks, share lunch and conversations, have a light tea time, then return to their work, and finally leave for the day. Spending half of the day at the company, the subtle emotions arising from interdepartmental coordination, performance management, and dealings with external vendors, as well as the various emotional weights among internal colleagues, sometimes make people disappear.

Today’s unusually quiet office is probably one of those cases. Noticing someone’s change is a form of attention. Even small changes like a new hairstyle, newly bought shoes, changed fashion, or a new bag are often expressed with a sense of tact through interest and compliments.

We found the person who disappeared from our office. It was the youngest employee. Shortly after leaving a note on the youngest employee’s desk, they came to find me holding the note. Approaching cautiously with wide eyes, I responded verbally, saying, “I thought you might have something on your mind. Your complexion doesn’t look good, your steps seem heavy, and your smile has disappeared, so I figured you might be feeling down lately.”

That friend lowered their head, saying they thought no one in this space cared about them. Then they shared their worries about feeling more and more out of place with each passing day, especially after being scolded by seniors, and how they kept shrinking inside.

We all have fears about trying something for the first time. I, too, have come this far through such a process. Most people are not talented at everything. They make mistakes one by one, struggle, and gain experience over time, eventually receiving the “first experience” card. That card acts like a pass that allows them to experience what comes next.

When these new experience cards accumulate, one enters the realm of an expert. Of course, not everyone levels up to the expert stage. But it is undeniable that even experts must receive the first experience card to get there. Social life, personal life, and even online games all involve growth through the process of “first times.”

What is important for someone taking on a new challenge is the courage and encouragement to succeed, and the interest that watches over them until the end. When there are colleagues, friends, and family to share that interest, it becomes a healthy nutrient for self-development.

When you are tired and struggling, lacking the courage to start anew with your experience cards, we need someone’s comfort, support, encouragement, and watchful interest. If it takes courage to reach out to someone, how about using one of your experience cards to extend a warm hand to the person next to you?

I advised that employee not to rush but to carefully consider each step and boldly share their opinions with seniors when they think they have found a better way. I told them to receive feedback powered by seniors’ experience cards and turn it into their own results. I also expressed my hope that they would never give up on the sense of achievement or satisfaction that comes when a task is completed, despite fear of scolding or failure.

Even a small result should be completed, and you must hold that result in your hands. Sharing it with seniors will bring much greater satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment than holding it alone. Today, which experience cards will we choose to use ourselves?

Park Ran, CEO of Donga TV

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.