Race To The Finish Line!

Welcome to December, the month that typically feels like everyone is in a race to the finish line.

Recalling my mini breakdown in 2019, I decided that ‘this end-of-year madness’ needs to change. I need to take back some control.

It was late December 2019...

Having just delivered my final series of sessions I disembarked from my last flight for the year. Hooray!

Despite the many challenges and setbacks, it had been another amazing year of great achievements for Proteus. Personally, I was incredibly proud of the sheer number of workshops, keynotes and programs that I’d delivered and the impact we were having on 'Creating Great Leaders', as we helped people transform their workplace cultures. What a privilege!

After arriving home very late the night before (my flight was delayed – yet again!), I got up early and into the office for my 'race to the finish line.' Exhausted and overwhelmed I should have been celebrating, however I still had a massive 'to-do list' before we closed for Christmas in just one week.

R U OK?

Des Penny, my business partner (Proteus Founder), looked at me and asked, “R U OK?”. I blurted out, “No, I’m not okay. In fact, I can’t do this anymore.” Des looked on incredulously as I went on to emphasise, ‘I love what we do, but I’m cooked. I can’t sustain this. I think I’m done!’

Now I’m not one to catastrophise and in my heart of hearts, I was not really done. But I did declare, “That’s it. Things are going to change for me, and I won’t let this happen again.”

And by the way, “I don’t want to fly again for the next 12 months. Some of our team members can ‘sub-in’ to run my interstate sessions next year.”

As they say, be careful what you wish for! In March 2020, the Covid pandemic was declared, Face-to-Face sessions were no longer an option (especially in Victoria). Flying was now a rare expensive treat!

As we transformed Proteus into a Virtual learning company during 2020, (adding eight studios around Australia) delivering world-class ‘hybrid’ education, I kept on reminding myself of the famous Winston Churchill quote, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

For me it became, “Never attempt to ‘bounce back’, Bounce Forward!” Time to get working now on designing and building the right team and workplace that we want and need for the future.

It’s now late December 2023…

This year, I’m not in a rush to the finish line. Rather, I’m incredibly excited about our plans for 2024, replaced with a genuine hope for the future. Sure, I have lots to do, and I’m particularly looking forward to my summer break, but I’m not overwhelmed or so exhausted that the only option and priority available is one of recovery.

Holidays should not be just about recovery. It should be a time for rejoicing and refuelling, a time to connect with family and friends.

However, I know for many clients that I’m working with, you’re like me in ‘December 2019’. Right now, we need to prioritise what’s important. So please rest up, recover, and look after yourself over Christmas.

Remember that only you can take back the controls. Identify the changes that you need to make in order to transform your situation. As you move into 2024, make it your year of bouncing forward.

Have a wonderful week,

Richard Dore
CEO - Director of Partnerships
Proteus Leadership