Dinner With Our Alumni: richyulin

Hi everyone! Happy mid June! The summer has officially began and I hope you all are staying out, having fun, and keeping cool! This week, we have a special GLDD alumni for our dinner. For those joining this series, our dinners are a collection of small interviews with Group Leadership & Dynamics Development (GLDD). These help us reflect upon the program and help our current trainees as well as spread awareness about the program! If you like them, do tell us and we'll reach out!

Say hello to @richyulin! Lin, better known as dolphin mod in group chats, has been a listener since December 2020. Their username is supposed to say ri chu yu lin which is pinyin and translates to sun rising over the rain that covers the forest - how cool! Lin is an ATL and spends time in chat rooms and often hosting Listener Sharing Circles! They host many sessions so I am sure you have seen often in rooms.

What's on the menu? Shepherd's Pie!

Without further ado, here's Lin:

What made you join the GLDD program?

I joined this program because I was an active host for SC/HH sessions as well as pop-ups. I wanted to improve my leadership skills in group setting and this program allowed me to gain both practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to do so.

I see that one of the GLDD requirements was to host discussions. What did you like about that the most?

I liked how convenient it was for me to complete the requirements without having to do additional work. To put things into context, I think I was hosting on average between 3-6 sessions a day. So I got to continue doing what I enjoy while being in the program.

How was your experience doing the program?

My experience in this program has been amazing. My questions were quickly cleared up by leaders, and learned more about how to interact with others in chat rooms. I also got to take on new leadership roles in group support chat rooms which has now become an area of interest and focus for me.

Which is your favorite activity in the program?

My favorite activity in the program would be hosting discussions. In the beginning of this program, I was only comfortable hosting in SC. But throughout the program, I pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone, and learn to host in other rooms with help from leaders. Hosting has also allowed me to become familiar with the regulars and dynamics of the rooms I moderate in, which in itself is a huge benefit.

What’s the one thing you learned that you will always remember?

I learned many things I will always remember during this program. Speaking from a host’s perspective, things will get challenging and hard to manage at times, that doesn’t make you any less capable as a host. Even for those are experienced hosts looking to enter new sub-com rooms. Don’t give up when things get tough. It’s rewarding once you get the hang of things.

What advice would you give to a new GLDD trainee?

A piece of advice I would give to new GLDD trainees would be, don’t be afraid to reach out to current hosts and leaders if you want support in hosting. We’re here to help support you!

If you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?

The program itself is great! I honestly wouldn’t change anything.

Thank you so much for reading through this dinner and to @richyulin for doing this! I would love to hear any suggestions/question ideas that I can add to this series. If you are an GLDD graduate and would love to contribute, please PM me so we can set up our dinner!

If you want to apply for the GLDD, please click here.