Late last year I was gifted a golden opportunity to pursue one of my many dreams. In doing so, I resigned from my position at the time, and in keeping true to me, did not leave with just a standard goodbye.
Whilst I’ve cut out all of the personal thank you remarks, and a few ‘in jokes’, this is the remainder of the speech.
*Oh the irony to the present day …*
You’re all about to embark on some significant change. Whilst we don’t necessarily have strong leadership, it’s made worse because we all look for it in the wrong places.
Leadership isn’t about having an executive title. It’s not about a pay grade. It’s about someone, or a group of honest people who have the ability to rise above the shit that surrounds them, and lift people up.
This could be any one of you in this room.
I’ve seen so many of you already turn on one another. Stab each other back simply to try and get a step above. When, in fact, if you really want to get a step above, all you need to do is be a team. Act as one. Be there for one another. Support each other.
Band together. You’ve not yet realised the power you have as a group of people. All with the same common goal. The same drive. The same focus. The ability to move forward and grow in the face of complex times. Win together.
Leadership is about making others better, as a result of your presence, and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.
I’m a firm believer that you will keep experiencing the same situations until you learn the lesson. This means there’s something you need to change in the way you are dealing with things.
It’s about realising rejection isn’t failure, it’s simply a realignment to the path you should be on.
It’s about learning to accept that disagreeing with someone doesn’t mean you don’t like them.
Just remember, you don’t get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.
So…
What are you going to do differently?
How are you going to step up to make a change?
How can you help those around you?
Don’t let someone dim your light, simply because it’s shining in their eyes.
I’m off to chase my dream before I fall off my unicorn!
Thanks for the memories!
At the time of writing this speech, I had so many emotions, I had been facing battle after battle, and I honestly just thought I was surrounded by shit people. And yet, in the midst of all of this, there was such beauty, hidden gems and it made me appreciate the good.
Fast forward to 2020 – the parallels to my workplace experiences, compared to the parallels of society. It wasn’t just work, society was (and still is) behaving just as poorly.
Panic buying. Stealing. Spitting. Punching over toilet paper. People not following instructions for the safety of others, (and themselves). Selfish, greedy behaviour.
And yet, if this awful virus was only targeting young people, you could bet your bottom dollar our parents, and our elders would give the last shirt on their back to do everything they could possibly do to protect us.
But it’s not all bad, in the midst of all of this, we see beauty. People risking their lives to save others. Acts of kindness to care for the elderly, or those in need. Gestures of love. Balcony parties and a focus on getting moving. Community spirit! Businesses adapting and evolving where they can.
This isn’t about the world being paused. This is about the world being re-set. The needs vs the wants. The quality over quantity.
How many times did you see groups of people out, only to have their faces in their phones.
Now their faces are in their phones to actually communicate.
The world we once knew, is no longer.
And as I said to my last team, and now I say to you – my community…
What are you going to do differently?
How are you going to step up to make a change?
How can you help those around you?
IamStephE 