Hi, It’s Harriet here and I hope you all had some time to relax and refresh over the festive break, to get ready for the new year ahead.
2020 was tough, the toughest year I think many of us have ever experienced, both personally and professionally, and sadly the ongoing developments of this awful virus are going to continue to impact our lives in 2021.
But what can we expect from 2021?
It’s time to start planning to build back better.
That’s the core theme of this newsletter and will be a thread running through all of the content I share with you here on LinkedIn this month.
But first, some reflections on 2020…
My 🌟 2020 Year of Wonder Awards 🌟 is a tribute to the individuals & organisations that have had the greatest positive impact on me in this last 12-month extraordinary period.
🌟 FRIENDSHIP & FITNESS FOCUS AWARD
Graham Clarkson & the SuperSonic Divorce Machine for the over 5000 miles of tandem cycling that has been a revelation and joy!
🌟 THE MAGIC OF MARKETING AWARD
Luan Wise for her sensational CMO leadership as we opined, innovated and influenced across different markets and media channels globally.
🌟 SUPPLIERS OF EXCELLENCE AWARD
Jimmy Green & Jenny Peters for their constant supply of extraordinary books which have captivated, enthralled, and delighted me.
🌟 BRIGHT SPARKS AWARDS
Gemma Clarkson & Emma Cleary whose next-gen innovation, initiative, and creativity has helped me stay young with a fresh perspective.
🌟 FORTITUDE AWARD
Sally Bailey whose strength, honesty, courage and as she battles, fights, and day by day just carries on, inspires me.
🌟 THE PURPOSE MATTERS AWARD
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust with whom I spent much time in lockdown 1 & for teaching me new skills & approaches that deeply help others in need.
🌟 THE PRODUCTIVITY & HAPPINESS AWARD
Our Lathbury Bee Community for working so hard & providing such sensational honey all year round for all in our local community to share. Nicholas Holt-Kentwell
🌟 THE INHALE THE FUTURE AWARD
Lin craddock & Leo Bunyard for their wonderful yoga channel & our daily diet of stretching, posing, breathing, & centering during a fractured & chaotic time.
🌟 THE PERFECT HOSPITALITY AWARDS
Browns Hotel, Congham Hall & Buckland Manor – mighty hotels that brilliantly provided wonderful service & memorable experiences despite the horrors thrown at the hospitality sector in 2020! Stuart Johnson, Nicholas Dickinson, Marcellin Hardouin
🌟 THE FOUNDATION FOR IMPACT AWARD
Mission Beyond – Impact Group as we worked to determine our focus & prepare for impactful interventions that work & matter in social mobility in 2021.
Cain Ullah, Manny Amadi,John Godfrey, Michelle Kent, Sean Gabriel, Monika Koziol
Painting by Gemma Clarkson. As we encourage each other to breathe life into our talents, skills, and differentiators, I am thrilled Gemma started painting again in 2020 and love her gift to me in oils – creativity is one of 2021’s most needed capabilities so let’s all dig deep with our hidden talents.
Building Back Better
I believe there are some key areas to building back better, that include both tech and life skills. I have written about these subjects previously and will continue to add to the library of resources on my website. Here’s a few top posts from 2020 that you might like to re-visit:
– Three ways to be more resilient
– Why conscious breathing is so essential to stress reduction
– Expand your appreciating capacity
As we look forward, I would also like to take this opportunity to restate my pledge made over 30 years ago and encourage all of my followers to confront bias, have more inclusive conversations, and become a stronger ally.
As a lifelong advocate and campaigner for inclusion and diversity: “I commit to do all within my power to actively and publicly support and mentor as a passionate ally all within the LGBT+ community such that our unique differences are cherished. That it is because of this uniqueness of age, sex, colour, creed, sexuality, and physical ability that we get on, not despite them.”
Lifelong Learning
Three passions and the intersectionality between them have shaped my career as a purpose-driven business leader: solving complex business problems; creating environments of deep inclusions, and building cultures that embrace lifelong learning and reinvention.
As a lifelong learner, avid reader, mentor, and coach I have daily learnings and conversations that offer powerful insights and stimulate my thinking. I want to make sure that I capture as much of this as possible and commit to a round-up post every Saturday morning throughout 2021.
The book reviews I shared throughout 2020 were incredibly popular and many of you shared your reviews and recommendations, particularly when I posted a reminder about the Gentleman of Moscow just before Christmas and how extra-relevant the main theme of this book about house arrest and confinement feels right now!
You can watch this, and my other book reviews, here: https://lnkd.in/gtNsYHR
And so, for 2021, I will be launching an online book club!
From February 1st each month I will share a book choice – selected from your recommendations – and plan to host a live interview with the author. There will be a page on my website for you to share your reviews too. Please look out for posts with details and join in!
The Skills the World Needs
The World Economic Forum has shared the top 10 skills for 2025, highlighting that 50% of all employees will need reskilling as the adoption of technology increases, but also as a result of the ‘double-disruption’ of the economic impacts of the pandemic and increasing automation.
These are all critically important, and some in particular I want to feature and discuss today:
Creativity, originality, and initiative are deep within many of us but we may not think of them as skills that will land us jobs and new opportunity
But think again…
Creativity, as you stitch, write, draw, or take amazing iPhone photos. Compile a little portfolio of your passions that manifest your authentic creativity.
Originality is owned by all of us deep within our souls. Know what makes you different and special so that you can articulate and build on this uniqueness and market yourself powerfully.
Initiative may be what you use daily caring for others, making the family’s budget stretch to make ends meet. Tell the world in your CV how you do this!
What are your original talents and skills around taking the initiative and being creative? How will you demonstrate this in 2021? What steps will you take today to help build back better this year?
As a critical foundation to building back better, it’s important to look after YOU. Take some time for self-care, self-love, and to expand your appreciation capacity.
William Montgomery captured in a recent email newsletter, some brilliant advice: “Psychologists say it’s important to make a conscious effort to look after your mental wellbeing as everyday activities become less accessible. Planning your time, scheduling in leisure and exercise, and even just deciding when you’ll stop work can give back a sense of autonomy. We recommend setting small goals to give yourself successes to celebrate and spending time alone getting to know your strengths.”
I’m excited for 2021, looking forward to sharing my learnings – many of which flow from your wonderful inputs and feedback – as well as the launch of the Harriet Green & Friends International Book Club next month.
Take care, stay safe and keep in touch,
Harriet.
