Life on Marz

When the ‘big deals’ collide

It was an August day when I discovered that life was about to change. I’d been offered a new role at work, a bigger role. And one that would need me to make some choices about the balance in my life.

It was great to be recognised in this way, and it came along when I least expected it. I always strived for ‘excellence’, don’t all marketers? but I used to describe myself as the editor of the book, not the author – ironic really given I am writing this blog! This role would need me to look at how that book and its chapters were structured. It was daunting, but exciting too! I swung from panic to elation in the space of minutes but still I knew that there would be choices to made. And amazing marketing to be delivered.

In addition to this pretty ‘big deal’, we were also approaching that milestone in every toddler’s life – the start of ‘big’ school. I totally underestimated how this start for Sammy, would make me feel. My worries were about his age, would he be ready, would he cry, would he make friends. All those questions that all parents think about. For us, he was about to start school in the middle of a global pandemic, which was daunting enough. But despite all that, I still thought, it’s ok, I can do both.

All of this was then compounded by a spell of quarantine post our holiday to Croatia. I knew it ‘might’ happen, we all did, but I hadn’t planned my work diary around having Sammy back at home! Those calls with toddler interruptions again, weren’t in that window. So, Stu and I rallied together and whilst there some late nights again, we made it work.

The ‘arrrgh’ moment

It then happened, the moment of realisation, the moment where you think, oh, this is a lot. A lot of ‘big deals’ all happening at once. No, none of them life threatening of course, but a lot of tabs open in my brain all at once. The stamping of the uniform to questions about budget and plans, all happened in the space of one day. The 135 WhatsApp’s from friends that I hadn’t been able to digest. I knew I would need to quickly decide on where I was going to focus my time and be ok with letting other things get parked. I am lucky, I have a great husband who just got on with it. Washing got done. Dinner got made. Not a single complaint. Until the night where he said to me – as he passed me the cheesy beans on toast for dinner in our home office – “come on now, find your balance”. We call this the red line at work. I was over-stepping the red line and I had only been in role for 5 minutes.

The reason that this is important to me is because I want to role model to my team. All 115 of them. I want them to know that you can do well at work and be a parent (in my case) and a wife and get a workout in too. I can’t be sending emails at ridiculous hours or missing bedtime every night. Occasionally that is ok, but not every day.

To help me in this place of ‘big deals’, I looked at how I wanted to lead. Lead in uncertain and unprecedented times (most used phrases of 2020 there). How did I want people to see me. How did I want them to feel working alongside me. Despite this collision, what was going to be the constant. I was clear on one thing – this was most definitely about ‘how’. There will always be times when it feels hard, or tough. Confusing or pressured. But there will be way more times where it feels exciting, ambitious, excellent and an absolute blast. And I don’t just mean at work. Having the balance of all of those things, both at work and at home, allow you to manage the ‘big deals’. Manage them when they collide and when you least expect it.

The ‘how’

So, this ‘how’ I talk of, it is fairly simple to me. I want to stand for a few core values and have those around me feel those values when they work with me. For those things to be consistent with my teams and business stakeholders. Some may ask, why have I been so honest and open. I know many of the people I work with will read this. Strangers will read this. For me it is about being transparent and authentic. You can still be a leader and have a heart.

So, whilst I navigate the new role, big school and the pandemic, I made the decision to focus on a few key attributes, important me to in the workplace, that would be my north star when the crazy times decided to hit.

• Listening to understand – I used to always be so quick to jump in with a view or a reply. When do we take the time to really understand what is being said?
• Emphasising the importance of ‘why?’ – this is so key to any marketer. Why do we want to do it that way? Constructive and credible challenge is key to healthy discussion about the value marketing brings to any business.
• Simplifying the overcomplicated – if there is a simpler route, not necessarily easy route, that gives us the same result, or better, let’s do it.
• Being authentic over everything – be yourself. Wear your heart on your sleeve, but be polite, professional and constructive. Give others a sneak peek of who you are as a person. Inspire others. But be authentic. We are all human beings at the end of the day.

And what of this ‘attempting to have it all’ – I’d say you can have what you’re able to carry. That varies for everyone. But what we all have in abundance is choice. Choice about what we carry and how we carry it.

For now, the bag I’m carrying has a healthy dose of career, family, friends, the odd workout and a gin for good measure.