What I learned at Ibbaka - Trust and Intelligence
By Jessie Tai
Throughout my time at Ibbaka, I have had the pleasure of experiencing the unique work environment of the company. More specifically, I was able to observe and learn about their values and practices. I quickly saw the importance of trust and intelligence within Ibbaka, as these core values fuel the work environment. It is very apparent that everyone trusts each other immensely. It is a unifying trust that everyone has in each other’s character and talent. A trust that is shared between working relationships of 2 weeks to 20 years. On top of this, the level of intelligence that emits from each individual is admirable. The sum knowledge at Ibbaka is high-level, differentiated, and unmeasurable in size. The shared values of trust and intelligence enables Ibbaka to have moments of sporadic socialization that switch seamlessly to clockwork-like problem solving. I believe that this type of environment allows for the success in communication and teamwork at Ibbaka.
The unique work environment strengthens the quality of the work produced. More specifically, it allows individuals to balance waves of client work and the complexities that come with it. Ibbaka works with a range of clients, from small local startups to fortune 500 companies. This spectrum of clients leads to the variety in types of projects, deals, and deadlines. Given this type of workflow, Ibbaka also values work life balance. Ibbaka prides itself in giving everyone the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle, travel, exercise, and support their family. This is all possible due to the trust and intelligence of the entire team. I respect how the people at Ibbaka truly value this vision and encourage the well being of each individual.
Now comes to question "What did I learn about myself during my time at Ibbaka?" First off, there was the growth and development of the work I was responsible for. I started with proofing and data entry, which grew into market research and campaign management. From this, I learned to be adaptable like my co-workers, and to understand how work can come in waves as clients come in. More so, work is constantly changing and the tasks change with it. I started my internship thinking that I would do the same duties the whole time. As trust built, I was assigned more responsibilities. I was able to work with clients and even apply coding skills I learned at school. I quickly learned that I enjoyed adapting, collaborating and learning from others around me. The fluidity of work tests the flexibility and integrity of the team, but it is a rewarding and admirable job. Ibbaka has inspired me to focus on my final year of school. My goal is to be as knowledgeable as they are in my chosen career. I strive to work in an environment like Ibbaka in the future, and maybe even cross paths later in my career.
