I took a career break in the second half of 2011, having spent 25 years working, much of that on a full-time basis.  While it was confounding to me that with “nothing to do” I was busy all day, it was a nice change to be able to sit and have a coffee, read the papers and solve the problems of the world economy at my kitchen table.

With the benefit of some time and space to reflect, I realised that I didn’t necessarily want to be in the “cut and thrust” of an executive role any more. My preference was to consider a variety of business issues and help to solve problems. A portfolio of non-executive directorships and consulting work seemed to be the solution.  After all, an experienced female NED had said to be me five years before that if I still wanted to roll up my sleeves and fix things, then I wasn’t ready for NED roles.  Having spent the interim five years with not only my sleeves rolled up but my nose to the grindstone, I was ready to operate at the next level.

Seems that the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ (AICD) Company Directors Course was a necessity, and worthwhile.  Then started the serious process of breaking into the NED space.  It’s a process of writing and rewriting one’s CV and developing an appropriate elevator pitch. It’s also a process of meeting lots of people and continuing to expand one’s circle of contacts.

For the record, as I start this blog, I’m up to 126 coffees; coffee meetings that is. Truth is I’ve drunk many more coffees than that in the past year!  Seems like a long way to go. On the other hand, if you divide it by 42 weeks (I’ll explain why the 10 week absence in another entry), it comes to an average of three coffees a week.  For each coffee meeting, there are emails seeking introductions to the person, emails and/or phone calls to arrange it, research about the person and so on.  That alone is a part-time job.  But I have resolved to up the pace this year, even if it means I might have to have to add green tea to my choice of beverage.