Towards the end of 2021 we were settling back into face to face meetings, with just a few members still choosing to join via zoom…. The future for 2022 looks a little unlikely as Omnicron has hit, however we are so lucky to be able to switch between face to face and zoom meetings. So whatever happens we will continue to grow!
At the end of 2021 we heard two fantastic speeches from Jodi, our resident HR professional!
- In the first we learnt that one of the by-effects of Covid was research by Microsoft which showed that 41% of employees were considering leaving their employers. The highest rate in two decades, its surprisingly high as usually this is only seen when times are good – not in the middle of a pandemic. Three key reasons are employees new expectations for flexibility, employers that care for employees mental health and a desire for better working conditions. Jodi phrased the current trend as an opportunity for employers to make meaningful, long term change to workplace culture and investment in employees and for employees to navigate to careers that make us feel more fulfilled.
- In Jodi’s second speech we learnt all about leadership and how complex it can be, people are often shifted to leadership roles with little training. To help us out Jodi took us through five ingredients for leadership, information gleaned from years of research in the HR world
- Mindset: Remember leadership is not about you (the leader), its about your impact on others, how you serve, lead and guide them. Its not a Solo ‘sport’ – you can’t win on your own, its important to empower others to also lead
- Listen, listen, listen and listen some more: Rarely does a leader start working with a team that is a complete blank slate – people are expecting a leader to listen to where they are up to, whats important, what works well and then move forward with that foundation of knowledge.
- Knowing what’s most important: Leadership is about getting your hands dirty and understanding the work that needs to be done, the pressures, the challenges, the moments of joy. That will give you a deep understanding of what’s most important.
- Be consistent: No one wants to go to work and wonder what their boss will be like on that day – each day you need to be the boss that everyone expects and knows. Be consistent, calm and balanced – make your actions count.
- Reflect, take feedback and rest: Leadership takes practice and commitment. It will be trial and error. At the end of a major time period ask yourself what went well? What didn’t, what would you do differently next time. You can always get better, always get smarter, always learn more and people around you will be very happy to help you learn.
We learnt some fantastic lessons in 2021, members progressed on their leadership journey, we welcomed many new members and many of our members also welcomed new additions to their families.
We also very sadly lost one of our treasured members Adam Funnell. Adam joined our club in March 2017 and from day 1 entertained us with his wit, astounded us with his mastery of the English language and left a lasting impression. A speech from Adam would always lead members diving for their dictionary to explore new words they had learnt. We held a memorial meeting for Adam at the end of the year and watched back one of his fabulous speeches, bringing both laughter at his skill and tears at the great loss we feel. I know that we are better for having known Adam and he will live on in our thoughts.
