Year One. Done.

I didn’t realise you could get jetlag travelling back from Wales, but having taken a week off work for the first time since January, I wondered momentarily whether the bewilderment I experienced following my return from Borth was caused by a cosmic shift in British Summer Time rather than absolute fatigue.

Lesson number 1 – take a break before you break.

I write this as LinkedIn gently reminds me about the passage of time. It tells me I have a work anniversary. It stuffs 365 days into a vortex. As I climb into my imaginary DeLorean and travel back to a series of interviews I recall that absolutely no one asked how I would respond to a pandemic or whether I could build Lego Pteranodons while managing a furlough scheme.

Lesson number 2 – sometimes there is no rule book.

The summer has been an extended and extensive period of activity. Sometimes all-consuming and with insufficient time to reflect or plan. Constant Zooming. 24/7 availability. Crisis requires action and often an operational modus operandi makes us feel more in control. My team have been tolerant of my meddling and I owe it to them to articulate a bigger picture, even if it changes.

Lesson number 3 – if you lead a team, remember to get off the pitch.

I have been in my role for 12 months. For 6 of these I have worked remotely which wasn’t in my plan. I remember the beautiful strategy I sketched out during my probationary period and I accept now that I will need to revisit some of my thinking. It is a truism that HR folk thrive on intuiting answers. We love defining principles. We crave an end result. Lockdown has created a paradigm shift for many, eschewing best practice for best fit and for expecting the unexpected.

Lesson number 4 – the journey is the destination.

And there is so much to be grateful for. As a result of remote working, I have avoided over 124 hours of commute time. I have put my children to bed every day. I have never missed an Amazon delivery (and my word there have been a few)!

I also happen to work with a group of wonderfully talented people…

Lesson number 5 – get better at giving and receiving thanks.