I had a bit of a moment last week, it suddenly occurred to me that at the end of this summer it will be 40… yes 40 years since I started working. Apart from maternity leave this means that I have never had more than two weeks off work in that many years! It got me thinking and reflecting on the hard and best lessons I have learnt and how the mentoring that I do, and the wider business support the BEC offers influences our clients experience.
The hard lessons were that at times failure is inevitable not every venture or decision has succeeded, and that failure must be part of the process. I like to think that over the years my decision making has become more balanced, I am sure there are people who will argue that, but failed decisions are a stepping stone to success.
I have certainly learnt that the need to be adaptable more so now than ever is a crucial leadership skill, markets and technologies are changing at such an alarming rate, and I am constantly recognising that not adapting to latest trends and tech will mean that the BEC could struggle to survive. This approach is hard sometimes as we get older, we all get a bit set in our ways and change becomes more difficult to accept and embrace. In my experience there are three types of people for change management, the early adopter who embrace change, the more reticent who get there after a while and of course the odd silent saboteur who just won’t accept that things need to be different.
Controversially, another hard lesson is that the customer is not always right, but they are still a customer, and their perception and satisfaction are crucial to your business success. How complaints are managed is key in this environment, respect and empathy are the name of the game.
I love partnership working it’s at the core of what we do here at the BEC, but not every partnership has worked out, differences in vision, or values or constantly moving goal posts can cause conflict and sometimes it is better to walk away than stick with it. Contracts and Service level agreements are vital to getting this right, the days of verbal agreements are long gone.
The best lessons I have learnt are that persistence pays off, staying committed through tough times can lead to breakthroughs and the challenges can be tackled one by one. Adaptability and flexibility are crucial to being persistent, being open to change and pivot, when necessary, can help navigate those unforeseen challenges and capitalise on new opportunities.
It might seem like common sense but in 40 years I have been and seen some appalling treatment of employees/teams. Hiring the right team and investing in them as individuals both in and out of the workplace can inform and influence business success. I am always delighted when I hear our core team and our wider associates, the mentors, service providers and trainers describe our collective approach as the BEC family. It is nice to know the investment in people is appreciated and valued. We have created a culture where our values are important from our board to our staff, and our partners and of course to our clients.
My biggest learning is to stay curious, the world of business is continually evolving, staying curious, continuous learning are what keep you ahead of the curve.
I guess to sum up all the above it demonstrates the importance of resilience, adaptability, and continuous improvement.