Meet Maya: People Development Professional in Dubai

HI, I'M MAYA.

This is my story.

It’s March 13, 2003. As I buckle my seatbelt, it hits me - my childhood dream is coming true.

It’s my first time ever on an airplane, travelling to Dubai on-board an Emirates flight to join the fastest growing airline in the world, in pursuit of my dream of becoming part of the cabin crew.

Little did I know then, at 22 years old, that this dream will lead to 20 rich exciting years, to today:

“Dreams do come true, and they evolve too”

Above the clouds...

For a simple girl from a small beachside village in Lebanon, travelling the world and exploring different cultures exposed me to knowledge, experiences, and opportunities I never even dreamed of.

Whether it was jumping on a flight to Dhaka or to the Seychelles, to Paris or to Lagos, every flight was a new learning experience. I was meeting people with different professions, reading different books, going through all sorts of unique life experiences, tasting different traditional dishes, and visiting museums. I went skydiving in Auckland, wild water rafting in Jakarta, and celebrated Thai new year in the wet streets of Bangkok. All of these contributed to a rich and fulfilling lifetime of experiences that I will forever cherish.

Once the dreams come true, what’s next?

I loved my job so much that I wanted everyone that had this job to love it as much as I did, and it frustrated me when I saw others not experiencing it the same way. In retrospect, I know it was overambitious and immature, but this desire is what led me to become a premium cabin crew trainer.

Fascinated by the service industry in general, and specifically by people skills development, training and facilitating learning became my passion.

However, passion without knowledge doesn’t take people too far...

So, I pursued further studies to quench my thirst for learning and to look for more evidence-based practices for further growth. The next opportunity that knocked on my door swept me away from the airline industry right into the hustle and bustle of the leisure and entertainment industry.

Between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, Mexico and Japan working for international award-winning franchises, marriage, motherhood, and back to pursuing further higher education, I felt the itch to take my next big step.

Dubai, UAE

“

In November 2013, I decided to leave the corporate world and become my own boss. I concluded that I had a lot more to give.

I wanted to serve more people generously, willingly, and passionately on my own terms. I made it my mission to help individuals and organisations serve themselves first so they could serve others better. This could be done by changing their mindsets leading to a change in their behaviour and overall performance, which I like to call "changing the doing by changing the viewing."

When I am not fully immersed in my work, I am a loving and supporting wife, mother, stepmother, and dedicated friend.

I’m an avid adventurer. I love travelling the world, Latin dancing, cooking, and sampling sophisticated fine-dining dishes. I enjoy being in nature, where I believe many of life’s questions get answered.

Participating in these activities not only help my overall well-being, but help me recharge my energy and regain my passion: developing people.