"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”
George Bernard Shaw
I was born in Hull and come from a very ordinary, working-class background. Dad worked in a factory and mum worked in a shop. I did ok academically, but never really stood out. But what lit a fire under me was people telling me what I couldn’t do. People told me that I shouldn’t set my sights on university, that it wasn’t for me, and I should find another route. Determined to prove them wrong I made the quantum leap 75 miles along the M62 to study at Huddersfield University, (ok, polytechnic at the time but it’s a university now).
After university I travelled and saw a bit of the world. I’d been involved in voluntary youth work in Edinburgh for a few years, so I decided to head up there for a while and work out my next steps. A friend had a spare room and offered to put me up for a week or two while I found something more permanent. We’ve now been married 30 years, so I guess that’s pretty permanent.
I settled on a career in housing and headed to Stirling to get my professional qualifications. I started in housing management and experienced all the rewards and tensions that front-line service delivery brings. I moved on to work in regeneration, social enterprise, youth volunteering and independent living. And I worked my way to directorate level, building new departments and new organisations along the way.
I never lost sight of the fact that people were at the heart of the organisations I worked for. People being served by the organisation, and people delivering those services. Respect and partnership were the key principles that influenced my next steps, along with a belief in personal development.
I also picked up an MBA at Napier University along the way, so for those of you keeping a tally that’s 3 universities for a lad that was never cut out for learning. That said, I wasn’t collecting badges. What really drove me was the practical application of learning and how is could be used to drive change for people and organisations. And that bit became really important.
I had always had an itch to be self-employed, and it got to the point where I had to scratch that itch. My bridge was an unusual one as I resigned my position as a charity director, dropped my income by over 75%, and ran martial arts and kettlebell classes. This gave me the time and space to complete my coaching qualifications and develop my training business, specialising in personal productivity and team effectiveness.
I now have what’s called a hybrid career (what some people have unfairly put down to a short attention span). I spend part of my time with Edinburgh Napier as a Skills Development Consultant, and the rest of my time running Lasting Impact. The balance is tough at times, but I wouldn’t change it. I get to work with a wide variety of businesses and organisations, supporting them and their people to achieve their aims. The creativity of running my own business also drives innovation for Napier, and I get to be part of an amazing team there.
I’m not done learning yet. I focus on effectiveness and productivity, and I love a good structure and system, but over time this has become more and more wellness focussed. Yes, we need systems and processes to get things done, but not at any cost. The personal dimension is critical and many of these systems are designed to alleviate overwhelm and reduce stress so that we can be effective and productive. This personal dimension fascinates me, so I started training as a CBT therapist.
I will be folding this insight and learning into the work that I do to support people, teams and organisations. If I’m honest I don’t know where this is going to take me, but I know it’s the right direction, and that’s enough for me right now. If I’m learning, progressing, and supporting others to do the same, then I’m fine with that.
