As some of you know I am having great fun preparing to work full time in my role at Leading Edge Development having spent the last six years working in the public sector. For me this signals the start of something new and definitely something to celebrate!
Six years sounds like a really long time but it’s actually flown by very quickly which I think is an indication of the amount of change and the achievements that have happened across the organisation in which I have been working. I feel privileged to have worked in the public sector during this period of change and to have delivered alongside some truly inspirational people. Another reason to celebrate!
Whether we work in the public or private sector the workplace can be a really challenging place in austere times, but such challenges provide all of us with opportunities to learn, develop and deliver the best possible services we can. We all deliver some really great stuff and I don’t think as employees, leaders and business owners we celebrate this enough or give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done. So my mission for you all today is to give as many of your co-workers, business partners, employees, a pat on the back. That does not have to be literal but perhaps simply thanking a colleague for their support or giving them a piece of positive feedback. Whilst we may not celebrate our good work enough I am always amazed at the commitment and positivity displayed by staff and organisations even in difficult circumstances and this will be one of my lasting memories of my current role.
I also think there is a lot to look forward to, those of you that know me well know that I am an advocate of choosing your attitude and I firmly believe that this has a huge impact on how we experience work and life in general – you might call it a mindset for success. In my experience of the public sector, we often find ourselves spending a lot of our time reviewing the past and going over old ground or agonising and planning for the future to meet the next target and generally we are always in a hurry to get somewhere or achieve the next milestone, rather than experiencing and focusing on the here and now.
Therefore part of your mission today, as part of being more present and focused in the now, is not only to appreciate your successes and colleagues but to also pause and enjoy the journey. Whilst it is of course important to have goals and objectives, we should also enjoy the experiences we have achieving them on the way. It’s not a wonder we don’t celebrate much, we are always thinking one step ahead, which is good but not at the cost of enjoying what we do. In my experience of being more focused on the present I have found there to be a few surprising outcomes. I definitely find myself listening to other people more actively and therefore learning more about my colleague’s goals and concerns and how I can support them better or change how I might do things. It has also had a remarkable calming effect because you realise that the only thing you have any control over in the whole world is you. So in these challenging times where we need to be more resilient and have the resources within ourselves to withstand the pressures of work and daily life, perhaps you might like to try it out for yourself and see what positive outcomes come from it for you.
Presently I am preparing to celebrate the festive season, which for me is a time to simply spend with family and friends. I do love Christmas and everything about it! Of course many people find aspects of this time of year challenging, but whatever those challenges might be perhaps focusing on staying present and not worrying too much about affording lots of presents might be a way of celebrating the season differently!
So I wish you a peaceful festive season and I hope that 2012 is a great year for you. In the meantime, keep celebrating, stay present and have fun!
