So recently took my longest ever break from the business (family holiday in Florida) which is a tad sad being as we have been going nearly 10 years now and I was only away for 2 weeks! but some reflections after this time out
1. Activity levels are high. we measure postings, proposals and funnily enough invoices and ££ - by all these measures - the market is healthy and demand for staff is high (or we are doing amazingly!)
2. The enquiries are much broader and multi-layered - and we have altered our approach in last 12 months which means every proposal requires more research (and generally a more in depth brief) in order to ensure the clients get the right proposal for the market in 2016 and their needs now.
3. I look round me - and suddenly half the people here have been working for us under 2 years (I try and ban talk about "the old days" and " do you remember when?" - so its a lovely mix of OME old timers and this fresh blood - who challenge on how we do things and why we do it (I ask then to do this and generally regret it when they actually take my request seriously)
4. Use tech on holiday as a liberator not a stressful interruption to leisure time. Maybe I am lucky to be wired in a way that I can email from pool side without mentally being in uber work mode and even do the odd call. I found this a 1000 times less stressful than shutting myself off from work and not knowing if the building has burnt down.....
5. After months of navel gazing - having a sort of restructure of the business - this generally involves recognising excellence and given those individuals more responsibility (and accountability) so that they remain motivated and hopefully happy.
most importantly.......they didn't appear to miss me.....feeling insecure.....surely this business cant survive for 5 minutes without me.....
yes it can
