For anyone who has a social media profile or has thought about establishing one, the key thing everyone tells you is that you have to post regularly. So, as I observe that there has been a gap of just over a year since my last post on this blog, I give thanks to you for still reading, particularly if you might have been a follower from sometime between early 2013 when I started and late last year when I last posted.  The gap is significant and the return is overdue, but as I reflect, I can’t help but draw the analogy between life events, work plans and lessons learnt from others during this time.

Not long after my last entry on this blog, at a time when many were still wondering what the implications of a Trump presidency would be, two heartrending events occurred in my own life, throwing me off the proverbial track.  One was the unexpected loss of my father, who was a mentor and advisor to me and a constant source of inspiration.  Before I had time to come to terms with this gap in my life, my husband was literally knocked off the road while on his bike, and sustained major physical injuries. Understandably, my focus became helping him to recover his health and normal life. Thanks to his determination and resilience, he is healthy and well again and is focused on resolving the last of his injuries in order to achieve a full recovery. While his resilient spirit and refusal to be a victim and to get back to normal life as soon as possible were a major contribution, so too were the team of medical specialists and family and friends who supported him. He could not have returned to riding and work if it hadn’t been for this external assistance.

Over a period of a few months this year, I have also had the chance to work with a group of dedicated individuals who serve on the board of a profit-for-purpose organisation.  I say dedicated, because this group of directors could see that the organisation was struggling and they were afraid that it might stray off the road and come to grief, undoing years of valuable contributions, and adversely affecting many stakeholders.  They sought an external perspective to review their strategy, organisation and processes. The resulting feedback and revelations that explained why the organisation, and particularly the board, had come to this position, gave rise to a number of challenging conversations at board level.

To their credit, the directors persisted, making difficult decisions and hearing realities that were not always comfortable. They listened and discussed, regrouped and then focused on what the organisation was there for, who it served and what that really meant.  With their vision clearly articulated, the directors are now doing what a board should do: setting the strategy and culture of the organisation for the future and taking the stakeholders with them on the road to future success.

Having a goal is what it is about. Having a vision of what you want to achieve, or what you stand for, who you want to be, or what kind of work you want to do.  It doesn’t really matter how specific the vision is, especially in this age when what we might be doing in 10 years doesn’t exist yet today. What matters is having a vision or a goal.  For life throws curved balls in numerous forms – careless drivers, disruptive technology, relocation and all other kinds of things that can knock you or your organisation off the road you are on.  The trick is to keep focusing on the outcome or vision that you want for yourself or your organisation, and finding both the inner resolve and the external support you need – whether it be family, friends, mentors or experts – to help you move back on a path to achieving that vision.

Coffee count: 585

PS These blog posts will in future also appear on my website elev8advisory.com