How is Mavericks different from my previous company?

When I look back at my career journey, I am really grateful for the foundation skills that I learnt at my previous company. I learned to always strive to sharpen my skills, solve difficult problems and navigate through many challenging projects. Those days taught me to be resilient despite many attempts and to adapt to the working environment quickly (like having to speak in formal Chinese since the company is Chinese dominant).

Professional growth requires a shift in environment, and my transition to Mavericks Consulting was driven by the desire to lead, teach and grow at the same time. What stands out the most here is that it’s not about who is always right and who has the right to make the final decisions. Unlike other companies, where designs and decisions provided are treated as final, here, I found opportunities to make structural and design decisions and to mentor. Time is also given to the team, away from tickets, to retrospect on improvements each sprint.

One of the differences that I have experienced in Mavericks is the way we approach continuous improvement through structured reflection. In my previous roles, projects and sprints tend to wrap up quickly. It focuses more on hitting delivery milestones, which I would pretty much agree that it was effective in maintaining pace and meeting deadlines. In Mavericks, intentional retrospectives have added real value, not just to my hard skills, but my soft skills too, making them a vital part of my long-term growth. Instead of treating those reflections as an afterthought one brings back to jot down in their diary, the team will come together to discuss what worked, what needs improvements, and how we can support each other better moving forward. Retrospectives are not about assigning fault or undermining the team morale. It is about identifying opportunities for making small and compounding improvements that helps to improve the team’s working efficiencies over time. It is an important practice that sharpens my problem solving approach and how I set my new standards.

Another area where I see a distinct difference is in how professional development just happens to be part of the normal day-to-day. Growth is not treated as a conversation that is only held once a year, or some checkbox exercise. It is embedded in regular check-ins, knowledge transfers as well as a culture that normalises learning from one another regardless of seniority. I have always been encouraged to step outside my comfort zone. Whether that means hosting the monthly event that everyone is looking forward to, facilitating a knowledge sharing session that all can walk away learning something new, or stepping into peer mentorship sessions. The trust placed in me here has been energising, and accelerated my development in many different ways.

In conclusion, my professional journey has been shaped by two complementary environments. The first gave me a rigorous foundation in resilience and adaptability. The second, Mavericks, gave me a collaborative culture that pushes me to lead, reflect, and keep improving. It made me realise that lasting professional growth comes from weaving intentional reflection and continuous learning into the daily way of working. Moving forward, I am determined to put all my learnings into every initiative. I hope to continue to step into leadership and mentorship roles, and am excited to keep raising the standard for myself and the team in all challenges ahead.  

It's a never ending learning journey!