This a personal story about how people can change you as a person without you even noticing.

In 1993, I had just moved to the UK to start my degree at the University of Kent as a 17-year-old student.

When the course started, one of the things that impressed me most was how my tutor and supervisor treated me more like a peer than as a clueless young person.

That level of respect and kindness towards the students was something completely unexpected to me.

Reflecting about it over 3 decades later, I think that mindset was something that somehow stuck with me. I wish I can treat others with the same level of respect and kindness that those academics gave me back then.

Here are some things I do to try to meet that aspiration:

• I use "Generosity as a Strategy" and that pays back with enormous rewards.

• When someone does or says something odd, I try to remind myself that people have the best intent in mind.

• I know that I don't have all the context, so I need to remain curious and try to understand things better.

• I try to ask questions without judgement to allow people (and me) to dig deeper.

• I try to make a positive contribution to what I do. It's easy to be negative about things. It's more impactful to identify how to make things better.

I know I get it wrong many times. But I keep trying.

I'm deeply grateful to Prof. Parker and Prof. Nathan Gomes for making such an impact. on me.