Fiona Blayney spends a lot of time travelling, but her reflections lie closer to home. What does family teach us about business, and how do we make sure all our sacrifices are worthwhile?
THE NEXT time you watch the planes overhead, commuting people from state to state, country to country, holiday to home and business to office, you may be interested to know they are not owned by a myriad of companies across the globe. Each and every one of them is owned by me. Yes, that’s right, me; I own those planes.
I’m not sure that the formality of ownership factors into the equation, but for my daughter these are my planes. You see, as we come to the end of conference season, my two- year-old has seen a year of my travel commitments and has taken to calling any plane she sees ‘mummy’s plane’. I’m not sure what she thinks I do up there all day, but she thinks they’re mine and that’s all right by me – for now.
You may think that’s cute, or sad, depending on your opinion of being away from home and a small family. But either way, you’d agree that to build a strong family in today’s aggressive business world is no easy feat, and for all of us there are sacrifices made along the way.
I get a lot of time to think while I’m travelling on my planes, and one thought is the constant confirmation that what I’m doing is mapping to our team plan. Which team do I think about – my team at home or my team at work? Perhaps both.
My home team is a pretty solid team. We’re clear on our goals, we know our roles (for the most part) and believe the effort made is moving us one step closer each day. Of course there are performance reviews, but every couple has those, right?
Yesterday on my travels my taxi driver shared with me various aspects of his culture; the non-negotiable values for himself, his wife, children, siblings, extended relatives and wider community, and how these values drove the functionality of his life. He told me about the significance of the ‘community’ and the connection that its unity plays in the raising of great members of society. He shared with me the process when someone doesn’t follow the rules, the interventions that occur and ultimately the price one may pay for not being on the same page as everyone else: exclusion at the highest level.
I’ve been pondering these details. I’ve shone a light on business goals, the importance of teamwork and the need to take action if someone is not ‘on board’. I remember my conversation with my new friend and how everyone deserves support and the chance to ‘get back on track when they have lost their way’. While it seemed harsh to isolate a family member, I can see the position in acting swiftly when an individual’s action is damaging and there are repercussions for not meeting expectations. There is a lot to learn from family in business.
In 2014, we have met thousands of industry practitioners, business owners, contractors and employees locally and abroad. Each of you, at some level, are a part of a team with goals and values. You make sacrifices every day in pursuit of your goals, both individually and combined. The question is: are you making every moment and opportunity count?
Each person we’ve met faces business challenges. Goals may be unwritten, unrealistic or unknown, rendering them unachievable. Values may follow the same pattern, or perhaps be non-existent. Even worse, the values may be there, but are not ‘lived’.
When it comes to the team there are many lone rangers, attempting to single-handedly create an amazing business, or expecting the team to follow the leader blindly into the future. There are teams whose members don’t know the part they play or don’t realise their importance in the plan, irrelevant of how big or small the contribution.
A well-functioning team shares a set of values that govern its actions. These values must not just be known, shared and believed; they must be lived.
Perhaps as you board one of my planes for your holiday vacation this festive season, or even if you look up to the sky, you may stop for a moment and consider your business: the values, the team and the goals. With the holiday season around the corner, now is a good time to reflect on the work you need to accomplish to realign your business and family for a successful 2015.
