Monthly Archives: June 2012

Expanding your horizons

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I have just got back from a fantastic conference!

It was run by and for CIMA members in practice – i.e. management accountants who run their own businesses just like me (collectively known as CIMA MiPs).

For the first time I ran one of the workshop sessions. I have to say it went down very well, although I was more nervous talking to this group of people I knew, than when I present to complete strangers!

Next year I am co-chairing the whole conference. This means organising the speakers, sponsors, venue and publicity. A big job!!

My good friend Trevor Lever asked a very pertinent question when we were talking about it – WHY?

At first I was not sure of my motivation other than I was put on the spot and could not think fast enough of a reason why not! However, over the last few days I have realised why I said yes – someone had to!

I am passionate about helping fellow MiPs and the conference is a wonderful way of doing so. As a training event for MiPs it is second to none, the networking is great and, for people who often work on their own, is a fantastic form of support.

There is also a more personal reason for getting involved. My work life can get fairly humdrum and repetitive from time to time. Having this focus away from me and onto a wider ‘community’ project helps me to get some perspective and excitement into my work life.

My horizons are expanded by making this commitment.

So if you are asked to do something outside your comfort zone, which is connected but not directly related to your business life, don’t say no right away. Think about reasons why you should do it.

We need challenges in our lives or we go stale.

Every time we take on a challenge and complete it successfully our confidence increases – and this makes us better equipped and rounded individuals.

Fiona 🙂

That Jubilee feeling!

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I don’t know about you but I got a great buzz out of the Jubilee celebrations.

These Royal celebrations are something we Brits are great at, although we always surprise ourselves at how fully we get behind them. You only had to look at the crowds around Buckingham Palace and The Mall to get a full sense of the occasion. Wherever, the Queen was crowds lined the streets to catch a glimpse.

I find it incredible that we Brits, who are usually a pretty unexiteable bunch, go bonkers whenever there is a big Royal event.

Of course, we had the weather to complain about – but then it sort of made the weekend in a way that unbroken sunshine would not have done – and there was the odd comment on whether people had to take the extra bank holiday as part of their usual leave entitlement or got an extra day.

But generally it was a fantastically good natured build up and four days of events.

From a business perspective, yes a day’s work was lost but this must have been more than made up for on a national level by the resurgence of the flag and bunting industry!

Seriously though, I think these occasions where we re-build a sense of togetherness and solidarity are great for business. If we can stop thinking about our own problems – if only for only a short time – and focus instead on what we can achieve together, I think we can get through the recession and re-build our economy.

Fiona 🙂