Slightly Warm Feeling

As a business owner, you don’t get many ‘Wins’.

Just when you think you see some light at the end of the tunnel…it’s actually a train coming the other way.

You get a kick in the balls or a slap in the face – to remind you that despite you thinking you are a successful entrepreneur…you’re actually very much at the whim of the client who’s paying the bill at the end of the project*….

(*Note, let’s just say some of them are hard work).

Quite often, I find myself thinking that I’m not very good at being a senior figure in the company and I get a bit down on myself thinking…. ‘What am I actually adding here?’ – I trot out my ‘stories’ of past projects and must bore everyone to death with my ‘experience’ …

Then, out of the blue I’ve actually found myself feeling a little better about myself – almost feeling that I have value.

People come and go within companies, some leave on good terms, some are encouraged to leave because they aren’t performing.

Some people you keep in touch with and some you don’t.

I was recently contacted by an ex-employee who gave me a catch up on her situation and a few personal details about family and friends that we both knew. I have followed and admired her career path since leaving JKSL and always felt proud that I had worked with her at the start of her journey.

Within her e-mail she then dropped in a sentence that shocked me – saying that…. ‘She had learnt everything she knew from listening to me on the phone and seeing how I dealt with clients and colleagues.’

I was genuinely taken aback.

Then, whilst working with one of my senior team on a complicated project – he stated that he put his successful negotiating skills down to ‘having listened to’ me during meetings with clients and colleagues and used this as a ‘template’ for his progression.

Again, I was completely taken aback.

Maybe, just maybe, I do add something to the system and maybe my years of experience do actually count for something in this ever changing world.

Perhaps I should stop doubting my skillset and believe in myself a bit more?

 

Mike C