We are approaching that time of the year when we start to look back and reflect on the things we have done, both at work and at home; good and bad.
“Ghost of the Future, I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart.”
A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge
During this time of reflection I usually ask myself if there is anything I would do differently and if I had any regrets? To be honest, I’ve never had any regrets but I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t do anything different, given the opportunity.
I can’t change what I have done over the last 12 months but I do try and learn from my actions, making sure what I do in the next 12 months demonstrates my development as a person; a father; a friend; a leader.
The biggest achievement for me in 2017 was having a John Lewis Partnership ‘grad’ join our team on a rotating basis. (This is currently for three months at a time and we are on ‘grad’ rotation number four). The reason this is such an achievement is not because we now have an extra resource in the team but because of the responsibility we have as leaders to create a culture of inclusivity and creativity. As a consequence this enables people to express themselves in new ways and generates accessibility to new ideas and talent.
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
Steve Jobs
As we head into a new year I feel very proud by what was achieved in 2017 and very excited by the opportunities that awaits us in 2018.
Happy holidays and a happy new year!
