What happens when you realise your path is entrepreneurship rather than employment? Lindsay takes up the challenge and shares an account of her journey as it unfolds…

It’s still too hectic. I’m getting caught up in too many things and am starting to resent people who don’t seem to understand that ignoring the pressure to keep the momentum going, the relationships, the confidence, and the SALES is counterintuitive.

Of course, when people say

“You need to stick to your prices”

“Just go at your own pace”

I don’t think they get it – AND they’re damn well right.

What I learned just a couple of days ago is that if you have too many things on your active To Do list, then you will get overrun (especially if you’re the kind of person to just carry on ploughing through everything, as I am).

The secret is to have a Planning list, a Backlog list and a To Do list.  Move things aside.  Some stuff can wait until next week.  See www.trello.com – super-easy online board for this very process.

My active projects list went down from 8 to 4.  I felt relieved.

Then I’m thinking, for Christs sake, this is just prioritisation – why don’t I DO this already?!

ANYWAY

My story this time is about a presentation I did in Berlin last week.   It was to an Internal Communications audience – and with that profession as a 15-year background, I’ve been mulling over why this profession is ailing.  It’s pathetic, actually, to keep hearing:

“Why don’t we have more budgets?”

“Why don’t we have a seat at the C-Suite?”

“How can we move our profession forward?”

It is my personal opinion that the role of internal communication professionals should be to support managers and leaders as communicators, in a facilitation capacity. That by ‘owning’ communication it’s just wrong – and serves to DISENGAGE employees.

I presented on this by ‘holding up the mirror’ at traditional employee communications.  I did that confrontationally and with some humour.  I said it like I see it – dead straight.

The reactions were weird.  Some very depressed looking faces and some compliments from the more senior people in the room.

But I was authentic and I believe the content.  Later, I posted a summary of that talk on LinkedIn and got TONS of positive attention for it: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lindsay-uittenbogaard-1a653b_icc19-redesign-hr-activity-6595191772706557952-4SHB

And afterwards I imagined more content I could share like that.  I was in my own role – the Cheeky, Challenging Corporate Rebel that I am.

And what allowed me to go there?  Since we changed our business model, I’m not expecting people to hire me direct.  I don’t need to fit in anymore – I’m running a company that sells licenses to a tool and a process for practitioners to use with their clients.

People laughed at my jokes.

I could be expressive!

I enjoyed it : )

I found my voice!

Mirror Mirror – a comprehensive team alignment diagnostic tool and process in one, helping people align to strategy, as well as with each other.

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