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I still can’t quite believe it. I didn’t see or hear the nominations, as I was convinced we were not going to win. Instead looking down at the table and turning inward. It was Jennifer sitting next to me that giggled and then I heard. What follows is a blur as one walks to stage, greets the host Nayha and Valentina, Businesswoman of the Year 2023 and an award judge. Photos on stage before returning to our seats, I don’t think I spoke for about half an hour.
There were so many wonderful organisations in attendance, large, medium and small. Their achievements I have only the simplest knowledge of all of which showed me that PPWD is on a wonderful pathway. It was so refreshing to sit on a table with others who thought the way we do. Dan Archer and his senior leadership team from Visiting Angels in Yorkshire. They are a domestic caregiving company. The founder lost a family member due to poor care and decided to change the industry. From his dining room they have grown to 71 offices and 1300 carers across the UK. The carer comes first in whatever they do. Humbling. They won 2 awards in the evening for most innovative culture and best company to work for. I also had wonderful dialogue with Israa and Anousha who founded Apax as a values driven, non-profit, social enterprise providing assisted living and supported housing services. Anousha went from being a materialistic driven individual riding the wave of about to sell his business for £1.5 million to an overnight set of circumstances that saw him instead sitting on £300k in debt. This presented him with much soul searching and he came out the other side with an award-winning company, with Best Team Culture.
Anousha put me on the spot to explain what is different about cultures that enable people to give their best, to thrive and flourish. My response was to say that there is a shift within the organisation. Instead of people talking and shouting to be understood, they listen, intently, intimately to understand. The focus shifts from work-as prescribed to work-as-done, what is it we can do for you to be your best, to be most effective at what you do. I think this is compassionate safety in action, it is a commitment to all of one’s interactions to be kind, caring, useful and helpful. I wish I could have bottled these conversations and the atmosphere in the room and then sprayed it into every boardroom and government department. I think it would make the world a better place.
