“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” ― Brene Brown
This week has been an especially interesting one for lots of reasons but principally because of the power of networks and connections strongly playing out. This week I have felt like myself. Restored. Because of the authenticity and kindness of people. And it was/is lovely.
Setting yourself up as freelance from a standing start is interesting. Not easy. I have been mustering all the memories from 18 years ago when I was good at the consultant stuff and I’ve been rediscovering the neural pathways and pre-occupations of reflecting on what you’ve just done, focussing on present projects and setting up future possibilities all at the same time, a mode of operation I used to relish but that’s different when you’re working for an organisation. I mean I worked hard when I was employed, but when it solely depends on you, that’s different.
One thing has remained true though, and that is my commitment to authenticity, honesty and integrity in all my relationships. I will not manipulate people and I’m always going to be the sort of person who connects on a human level by being myself.
These last few weeks I have been overwhelmed by the extraordinary support I’ve received from people. I can’t name individuals for fear of missing someone out, but I have been blessed by the kindness of individuals I’ve built relationships with whilst I’ve been in the Southwest and who have reached out to me and who have been connecting me with companies, individuals and groups who are looking for freelance support, quietly and without any kind fanfare. I hope you know who you are but rest assured I absolutely appreciate you and you kindness, decency and concern. It has been truly uplifting and reassuring in equal measure.
So, several very lovely things happened this week.
Firstly I was accepted as an associate of CountercultureLLP which if nothing else places me alongside a number of highly skilled, and amazing people with extraordinary career achievements, which I am humbled to be considered alongside.
Secondly, I went to see the exquisitely talented Tom Jackson-Greaves at East Pool Mine in Redruth and as I trepidatiously stepped into the reception pre-show I was delighted to be warmly met by various people and I felt the connection with peers and community which so matters to me and can sometimes be the drawback of not working for an institution.
I loved the show, made me think of loads of heritage work I’ve done in the past in mills, across Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and all the ways we fit and don’t fit in the world. And all the ways decisions are networked and how it’s complicated.
Then the show ended and a couple of lovely pals connected me to individuals and I was able to start conversations about skills I might be able to lend to their projects. Of course work is important to me, but more than that, being meaningfully occupied paid or otherwise matters most.
It was also lovely to feel a sense of belonging.
So, thirdly, as I started to work on a piece of paid work, I started to wonder where I would fit into the scheme of Counterculture Associates both literally and metaphorically. And as I began browsing their website something rather wonderful happened. A name popped up: Ottilia Ördög - oh my goodness, my heart sang with pride and recognition!
I have had a long and varied career. Early doors i.e. way back in the beginning of time, I was Head of Drama aged 24 at Buxton Community School (I’m making that sound really impressive but I was in fact the only candidate and they took a massive risk on me: but I did repay them taking the GCSE uptake from 12 to 50 each year, in 3 years.) And into that Drama Classroom came Ottilia who had recently arrived from Romania, with very little English but a wonderful, creative mind!
Within a term this amazing young woman was fluent in English. I was entirely incidental to this success: Ottilia was just very talented, and a hugely generous, lovely human. AND there she was now an established Counterculture Associate! I was thrilled.
I dropped her a message on Facebook Messenger and we had a chat and it just felt so amazing to have played a tiny part in her story all those years ago. I think I was a bit naughty when I was a teacher and a bit of fun, maybe. Anyway, Ottilia was kind enough to say that she’d loved my lessons.
So I suppose the moral of this story, all stories, you never really know the difference you make or the connections you’ve created or the power of relationships but I am certain when you centre authenticity and integrity there’s a residue, a gift that keeps on giving.
There’s that famous saying, “Be nice to people on your way up. You’ll meet them on the way down!” I don’t know that I’m going down, but I’m definitely embarking on a different direction and I’m glad, overall, I’ve managed to be a decent human being (most of the time!)
To put it another way, and to quote a former (and lovely) HR colleague’s simple but effective advice to successful working relationships “Don’t be a d*ck!” or in other words, be straight-forward. And authentic.