Starting again, knowing what you know now.

Welcome back to this blog after a 2-week (if not more) absence, caused by a week of professional reflection followed by a week as a road warrior. I have genuinely missed the chance for the catharsis that the blog can facilitate – and I do have to admit that my default thinking is that I am journaling to myself with nobody else reading – but it’s good to spend a little time every day in reflection. Although I have not written about this before, my UK business manager Barbara Trotter informed me at the end of January of her intention to leave the business on 1st May to seek opportunity elsewhere, both professionally and personally. This has given me the chance to pause and ask the question that heads this entry. If I were starting the business again from scratch, what would I be doing differently? My current state of mind is that I have operated with a virtual support team for the last three years and I am not satisfied with the way in which it has evolved. It may well be a characteristic of my weakness as a leader – but things just don’t seem to get “done” as quickly and as clearly as when a group of people are working under the same physical roof. Is that me looking to see greener grass or is it true? It’s certainly not a criticism of Barbara, who has been a wonderful business partner and I’m going to miss her badly. I’m referring to the overall progress of the business on wider fronts. At the moment I have a hankering to gather together a group of talented people who arrive in the same physical space every day and work as a co-ordinated team under my leadership and inspiration. My approach is to consider: 1. Location, location, location; 2. The jobs that need doing and then 3. The people that may be able to do them.