What have I learned in my first year operating as a Company?

A year ago I incorporated as Because It Matters Ltd – a consultancy business with the aim of Getting the best from you and your organisation. And I’ve had a busy year!

I operate Because It Matters Ltd alongside my work as Chair of a busy NHS Mental Heath Foundation Trust and, through my business, am proud to have:

• Worked with 12 different organisations, including as part-time CEO for one
• Offered pro bono services to two small charities
• Presented at conferences
• Coached people at Chair and CEO level
• Given one to one career coaching
• Helped Boards work more effectively
• Helped organisations reflect on the impact they have had
• Enabled people to present themselves effectively in the written word

I know reflecting on impact, success and learning is an important part of good leadership, and wanted to share some of my learning from my last year with ten thoughts:

1. We do not need to limit our expectations – During the year I have had the privilege of working with, and learning from, some fantastic people and organisations I would not have predicted having as clients a year ago. Had I put myself into a specific box limited by my self-expectations at that time, I would not have worked with half of them.

2. Influential people often go unsung; it is important to appreciate them – I have met people quietly getting on and influencing: influencing organisations; influencing decision-makers; influencing governments. I have seen young Muslims challenging many stereotypes as they help people integrate into our communities. I’ve seen older people changing the NHS and demanding that patients are made central to its work. I’ve met Chairs and Chief Executives living the values of caring organisations, and demonstrating that such organisations thrive.

3. I can learn from every commission – I obviously hope that, when I do a piece of work, it brings value to my commissioner. But at the end of every piece of activity I have done as Because It Matters Ltd, I have been able to identify learning that enriches and enhances my leadership and consultancy, and helps make my next piece of work even better.

4. People respond to getting a good listening to – I have found that giving people the space to tell their story, to air their frustration, to vocalise their concerns and fears helps me be more effective in helping them. In part, this is because non-judgemental listening helps us free up our own thinking (rather than being interrupted with someone else’s interpretations), but is principally about building a trusting, real relationship, however short the contract, commission, or contact.

5. People respond to challenge, as long as it framed with care – I have long been an advocate of elegant, respectful challenge as a way of enabling the person I am challenging to think effectively about my perspective. Taking care to frame the language, tone and style of my challenge helps others to be best placed to hear me.

6. I can be successful when I take responsibility for saying what needs to be said, rather than waiting on others – I have taken risks in a number of pieces of work this year, and have come away being pleased (and sometimes relieved!) that I did. I consciously explored what being a white, straight ally could look like, and am proud with my work on race equality and lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender equality during the year; I have not only identified the “elephant in the room” for some Boards, but helped them work through difficult issues, with care; I have given some commissioners a different message from the one they were hoping for, because I felt it was the right answer for their needs.

7. I can work well at home, and enjoy it! – Whilst I am often seen as one of those men of a certain age in a suit and tie, when I’m at home I work just as effectively in scruffy jeans and bare feet. And having music in the background, especially from my beloved vinyl record collection, helps my working day flow.

8. I now know the difference between being tired from hard work and being anxious and stressed – Getting to the end of a day, week or month and feeling good about having worked hard is very different from times in my life when the overwhelming feelings were of waking up anxious about the day ahead and spending the day being stressed about what I was doing. I know some of what I do now is far more tough than some of those previous roles, and I’m glad I have found how to thrive rather than just survive.

9. I am more aware of more of my weaknesses – Giving myself space to occasionally reflect includes being able to better acknowledge some of my weaknesses, even if I am still acting them out! I know my list-making can be a great avoidance tactic, but some lists help; I can still burn the candle at both ends (as Christopher Hitchens said, “it often gives a lovely light”); whilst I love Twitter (find me @Paul_BIMLtd), I can get distracted by some of its froth; I can still need external validation to really believe I have a positive impact.

10. Doing a bit of physical exercise actually can help – As the physiotherapist I saw for a recent swollen knee carefully put it: “A body that has never really done any exercise is bound to ache when it is asked to begin”! I haven’t reach the place of enjoying exercise yet, but have to own up to feeling its benefits.

Overall, I am thankful for my last year, and proud of how it has panned out. I’ve enjoyed my work to a level I’ve rarely had in the past, and feel I have made a difference.

I hope for even more in the year ahead!