Captain’s Log Stardate 110309
Roller-coasters: some people love them; others loathe them. What I’m noticing is that, whichever camp we sit in, we can’t seem to avoid the roller-coaster ride at the moment. There’s a saying going around that we all know at least one person who’s been made redundant as a result of the current financial situation; this seems to be true – at least in my world.
So, what do I know about roller-coasters? Not a lot if I’m honest. I’ve tried to avoid them for the last 35 years of my life – it’s something to do with the feeling in the pit of my stomach. I do know that some people absolutely love that thrill – my husband for one. It’s the physiology that interests me – it’s the same adrenaline that gives Bob the ‘go-for-it’ feeling and me the ‘get-me-out-of-here’ feeling. I’m told that if you scream as you go down it opens up and relaxes the chest and makes the experience (even) more enjoyable.
Last week I made a conscious decision to enjoy the ride – running a growing business is always an interesting challenge – and right now it’s particularly important to be flexible and go with the flow. I don’t want to tempt fate, but at the moment our business challenges are more about managing growth than worrying about business coming in through the door. I know there are a number of businesses positively thriving at the moment: people are turning to take-away pizza instead of eating at restaurants, trading down to cheaper brands instead of paying premium prices at the supermarket. Something similar is happening in the coaching and leadership world – individuals and organisations see our services as adding value and bringing real business benefits at this time of profound change.
So what’s this to do with leadership? I’ve made a personal commitment that, as a leader, I will be relentless in the area of good financial management; ruthless with my time and strongly supportive of individuals, especially people with leadership potential. Things brings me on to my ‘leader of the week’: a young lady who’s been a student on our Foundation and Developing Courses in Leadership Coaching – Jo Sandhu, she’s second on the right in this picture.
- The first Forton Foundation Course in Leadership Development group
Just google CandoSandhu.com and you’ll see what I mean. Jo and her husband are travelling the world shortly, stopping off in India to teach English in a Punjabi village, before trekking in the Himalayas. It’s not just the ‘can do’ attitude they have – which is hugely relevant in a topsy-turvy world; it’s the commitment to giving to others. Another course participant described it as “not giving back, but ‘giving forward’ – to future generations”. This is what great leaders do – they are personally successful and create a world in which others can achieve success. Good luck Jo and Sat, wherever you go.