Happy 5th Birthday E-J HR Consulting

Posted January 2023

This month I get to celebrate…which is always a lovely thing to be able to do because January can often be a very difficult month for many of us, me included. This January, I am celebrating.  I  am also appreciating having a lot to celebrate. Though not all will be revealed in this post….

 

Have you ever stopped to think what your life might look like, had you taken a different path?  Made different choices? Done what others (which sometimes feels like ‘everyone’) thought you ought have done/ what they considered ‘normal’, rather than what what was right for you?  I’ve been reflecting on this as E-J HR Consulting celebrates its 5th birthday. 

 

Dr Brene Brown, author of Daring Leadership & Atlas of the Heart (to name a few of her publications) defines fitting in as being about “…becoming who you think you need to be in order   to be accepted” (The Gifts of Imperfection, 2010) .  In contrast she defines belonging as “…being authentic and knowing that, no matter what happens, you belong to you”.  On one level life would be a lot easier if I had done what I should have done, what was expected.  That said, I would have done much less ‘walking alongside’ people managers and leaders.  Life would certainly have been easier, but I am pretty convinced it wouldn’t have been better for me. I may have communicated with a variety of people, but had less connection with them as human beings. I could have stayed the version of E-J that I thought I needed to be to make everyone else feel comfortable with me but left me disconnected and ill at ease with myself. 

 

So, as E-J HR Consulting celebrates its 5th birthday, and all that lies ahead, it is also a great opportunity to say thank you.  To those who have supported me personally.  To my HR and business clients. To the learners and knowledge growers I’ve met on my Management Development Essentials programme.  To my coaching clients. To some of the most awesome suppliers I have ever had the opportunity to work with. For the many people managers, business leaders and owners that I have the immense privilege to work with and support on your development journey.   To all of those with whom I have had the opportunity to walk alongside. 

 

To you all THANK YOU.   Here’s to a year of BELONGING and growing - as leaders of others and of ourselves.