Success is the quality of the impact you make | Dalia El Gabry | TEDxDelftWomen
The speaker, a proud Egyptian professional, argues that true success is measured not by salary or title but by the quality of the impact one has on people. She details moving from Egypt to Norway for career growth, encountering challenges like visa issues, but ultimately finding success in developing strong global relationships and her family bonds. She concludes that people are the core component of a successful life and career legacy.
## Speakers & Context
- Speaker: A proud Egyptian professional working in the oil and gas and finance sectors.
- Context: Discussing personal and professional growth over the last 20 years, culminating in a presentation detailing her life and career journey.
- Support Model: Described as a "lovely family," including husband, two daughters, extended family in Egypt (parents, sister, brother), and in-laws.
## Theses & Positions
- Defining success is subjective: for some it is a "large pay slip," for others a "prestigious position," but for the speaker, it is different.
- Professional growth necessitates looking outside one's home country when local opportunities for progression are lacking.
- The development of an individual's career and life is most supported by self-recognition and the support of one's partner.
- Personal success is achieved through learning, professional development, and embracing diverse cultures.
- Success, particularly professionally, involves understanding one's team's development, where sharing both successes and failures helps peers.
- The ultimate measure of success and legacy is "the quality of impact that every one of us makes every day in our lives."
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Success Definition:** Varied, ranging from material wealth ("large pay slip") or status ("prestigious position") to personal fulfillment and impact.
- **Win-win situation:** The arrangement where the husband kept his business in Egypt while the speaker moved to Norway to pursue opportunity.
- **Shared Responsibility:** When referring to her teams, this was always in her mind regarding their career development and progression.
- **Legacy:** Defined by "the quality of impact that every one of us makes every day in our lives."
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **International Career Relocation:** Leaving one's home country (Egypt) to pursue specialized career growth opportunities abroad (Norway).
- **Visa Acquisition:** Necessity of obtaining visas every three months from home for the nanny due to the immigration situation in Norway following 9/11.
- **Team Development Management:** Proactively being involved in the "tiny detail" of team members' lives (e.g., marriages, births) to ensure career support and progression for high performers.
## Timeline & Sequence
- **2001:** The turning point when the speaker observed no career progression opportunity in her home country, prompting the need to look abroad.
- **Period:** Covering the last 20 years of her life.
- **Key Milestones:** Initial work in Egypt $\rightarrow$ Moving to Norway (following applications and interviews) $\rightarrow$ Challenges in Norway (immigration, visa issues) $\rightarrow$ Current location in the Netherlands.
## Named Entities
- **Egypt:** Country of origin and where her extended family resides.
- **Norway:** Country where she relocated for career opportunities.
- **Netherlands:** Current location of the speaker.
- **Scottish University:** Location where her daughter studied independently.
## Numbers & Data
- Time period covered: **20 years**.
- Specific date of recognizing lack of opportunity: **2001**.
- Family count mentioned: **Two daughters**.
## Examples & Cases
- **Professional Progression Example:** Moving from Egypt to Norway because personal fulfillment and growth were lacking in her home country.
- **Resilience Example:** The family successfully navigating international moves, demonstrated by them "doing it four times after" the first move.
- **Cultural Comparison:** Observing her daughter's friends in Scotland—coming from every culture, nationality, and religion—as a "big advantage" compared to her native culture.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- None mentioned.
## References Cited
- None mentioned.
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Staying at Home vs. Leaving Home:** The choice between comfort/familiarity ("enjoy what you got, stay at home") and professional fulfillment/growth.
- **Success Measurement:** Choosing between measurable external markers (salary, title) versus internal measures (impact, personal development).
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- Initial skepticism from family/culture: Friends/family suggesting she was "crazy" for leaving Egypt.
- Immigration barriers in Norway after 9/11: Causing the inability to secure a visa for the nanny.
## Methodology
- Self-reflection and storytelling: Using her personal journey to illustrate broader principles of career and life fulfillment.
- Comparative analysis: Comparing the perceived limitations of her home culture's trajectory versus the diverse opportunities found internationally.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The core mechanism for personal and professional success is the network of people one encounters and the care taken to improve those relationships.
- **Legacy Definition:** The "quality of impact" made every day.
- Advice: Focus on relationships to keep the "family close regardless" of geographical distance or circumstance.
## Implications & Consequences
- Personal success validates the risk taken to leave a familiar environment for growth.
- The importance of the support system (husband's unwavering support, community) in mitigating external crises (visa issues, career stalls).
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I’m a proud Egyptian."*
- *"It all depends on how you define success."*
- *"I will only have a negative impact on my surrounding and more importantly the people I love."*
- *"What got me over a tough time is the people that I dealt with."*
- *"My legacy is the quality of impact that every one of us makes every day in our lives."*