Keeping Your Head Managing Your Time

Career Journey

I’ve been a coach now for about 14 years, but to get to the point of being a coach took a lot longer; to get to a place where I felt I was doing the right job for me. I spent many years in Education and Employment, but never feeling that I quite fitted in any particular job or place.

It wasn’t until I left full-time employment in 2009, did part-time work for a year or so while working on building my business, and finally became self-employed that I knew I was in the right place.

If I’d had a coach when I was younger, the path wouldn’t have been so long and winding. I got there in the end, but it took a lot of time, energy and disappointment to discover where I was best suited. 

It took a lot of job applications, employment that I wasn’t a good match for, especially that I was over-qualified for, jobs that were not challenging and where my ability was not always recognised or rewarded. I found that most of the work I was doing (with a few exceptions), was employment that paid the bills, but that I didn’t necessarily enjoy.

I had a couple of very good employers and worked for a couple of true leaders and alongside some lovely people during my various roles, as well as with those who were back-stabbers, who were jealous of the ability of myself and my colleagues. 

I understand what it is like to work in many different fields; in education, health, mental health, the IT industry, the faith community and equality organisations. I’ve also worked in interim management and project manager positions.

I’ve had the opportunity of being employed in the private, public and voluntary sectors and I’ve lived through so many scenarios in which people still find themselves.

Leadership

I’ve observed much conflict in the workplace, bullying, selfishness and unhealthy competition. I’ve also watched many people who worked steadily and conscientiously day after day in employment that they hated, where there was a culture of blame, gossip and ‘backstabbing’. I saw supervisors who ‘walked over’ people, who acted like ‘kings and queens’ in their own little castles, and yet others who were true leaders and who served both their employees and their employer well. 

I didn’t necessarily want to be a manager, but I wanted to be one of those true leaders. I didn’t realise until afterwards when I looked back that I had been leading all along; leading from senior roles and but also leading wherever I went no matter whether the job was a senior position or junior.  People naturally came to me for help and guidance, and I always endeavoured to help them to the best of my ability. 

I didn’t realise at that time that being a leader is different from being a manager. You can be a leader no matter what your role or age. Being a leader is enabling others to achieve; it’s influencing them, and that’s what I had been doing for most of my life. In fact, I had been a leader from primary school, not a leader that is commanding or telling, but one who shows and guides and encourages.

Even as a child, I was the one that teachers would give responsibility to.  I took new kids under my wing and showed them around the school and looked after them until they settled in, introducing them to others who would befriend them.  I watched over the younger classes until the sub-teacher arrived. 

There were many other tasks and responsibilities given to me, none of which would be permitted nowadays.