I remember it very well. The first time someone looked at me seriously in Switzerland. Meanwhile, he makes sure no one else was around to tell me after an interview:

“Ms. Omondi, now I have to tell you something…”

While I was making an “Oh-God-What-did-I-do-wrong-face” inwardly and wondering what he really wants to let go of, after a short pause he continued:

“You are a jewel”.

With this seriousness, I really had to consider whether the German word JUWEL is something positive or not.

I breathed a sigh of relief and answered this sentence with a smile. At the same time, I admired how seriously my interlocutor conveyed a compliment. I hadn’t experienced anything like this before.

I had the job 🙂 in case you’re wondering how it turned out.

Years later, someone also said to me “Susan, now I have to tell you something”… Again I was curious and asked myself – you guessed it: “What did I just do wrong…?”

Colleague: “Finally someone who goes door to door and says ‘good morning’.”

That was something positive, it turns out…Phew 🙂

On the other day of an audit, an auditee said to me during the lunch break:

“Ms. Omondi, now I have to tell you something”…

And yes, I had forgotten that this beginning of the sentence could be positive and I felt a slight tension in me. Excited, I carefully put my fork down and looked at her:

“They ask incredibly perceptive questions (…). Your questions will definitely help us further.”

I have no choice but to say thank you very much. and

learning again not to think for others. Because “Now I have to tell you something” can also be positive.

to recognize – as Thomas Küng says in his book “Instructions for Switzerland”: “Swiss people are basically friendly people, if you just let them. Like the Germans.”

Probably like most people in this world.

Getting confirmation again that first impressions do NOT count. True encounters and connections require patience – on both sides.

So I was able to meet and appreciate many people in Switzerland who took a lot of time to tell me something.

Today I have to tell you something, dear community:

Thank you very much for your support and for your commitment. You are great.

Now to you: who do you “have to” say something to today?

Susan Omondi

01/30/2022