Ted Baker

Peter Collyer

Personally, I always enjoy the break between the festive holidays and the New Year – I always have done. I think it stems from being part of a family where reflecting on what’s gone before and setting out new hopes for the future have been common practices for many years. Those practices, over time, became an embedded part of our family culture and, from a personal perspective, have served me well over the years (a subjective view, of course!).

A new year brings new possibilities, new beginnings, and the opportunity to reflect on personal goals, development, and growth, not only for me but for what I can bring to my family and my career. We live in a world where everything is now on-demand, instant, and immediate. In my humble opinion, we are missing out on those moments of reflection, learning, and recognition, when we pause for breath and take a moment to consider what we have achieved throughout the past 12 months.

Many things, like the war in Ukraine, the pandemic, and the cost of living crisis, happen outside of our control - Life sends us to curve balls, sets us challenges, and stops us in our tracks when we least expect it. Each of these examples creates an opportunity for us to reflect, regroup and reconsider what is important in life and how it may shape our thinking for the next chapter we are about to write.

When we commence our working life, albeit straight from college or upon leaving university, we don’t always set out on a clear career path. The truth is, we often don’t know what that career path will look like in those formative years, and that’s absolutely fine. We utilise these years to explore, discover, experiment, build new networks, and find our inner-self in terms of what truly motivates and inspires us. That’s the exciting part. Nothing is more exciting and moving than when you hear a motivational speaker talk from the heart, eloquently connect with their audience and consciously (and sub-consciously) connect with that heartbeat that ignites your inner flame as nothing has before – these are the memorable moments which we then seek more of, go in search of.

Our social circles and our families greatly influence how we progress, pursue opportunities, consider risks and start in those early years. We sometimes get distracted in the tailwinds of life, which either keep us on the path or lead us down unexpected routes.

My journey so far has been rich and enlightening. Born in a loving, working-class family, I came from a solid grounding of strong family values, hard work, and the pursuit of freedom, allowing me to explore what I felt was right. I recognise not everyone is that fortunate. I, too, would have loved a better education, to have gone to university or traveled more in my teenage years, but the reality is my ambition to do well, be successful and strive for things I never thought possible were all sparked by my early life experiences.

In my early twenties, I made bold decisions to write to CEOs and leaders who inspired me at events and conferences. I would openly ask them for the opportunity to meet with them to develop my leadership capabilities and ask them about their struggles and early mistakes so I could learn from their experiences and understand new perspectives. It mostly inspired me, and even those with whom I was disappointed or underwhelmed allowed me to question what I had seen in them in the first place, which grounded me at the same time.

“Life sends us to curve balls, sets us challenges, and stops us in our tracks when we least expect it.”

I am a big believer that” behaviour breeds behaviour” and helping others in the early stages of their leadership journey can make a difference to tomorrow’s companies, leaders, and politicians. Helping others on the journey allows you to reflect on your style, ambitions, and motivations at the same time. Replaying the interview you just gave and reflecting on the wisdom we pass onto others is therapeutic in itself – back to that reflection and witnessing oneself, sometimes with a smirk or a smile because of a funny moment or awkward question which I might not have wanted to answer, or even be asked J.

I have been fortunate to have a highly transferable career in other sectors. My journey has taken me to fashion retailing, consumer products, tourism, hospitality, and investment banking. I could NEVER have imagined this when I started my career as a chef apprentice in the 70s (sadly, no career advisor ever mentioned that to me in those early days – sadly!). Those formative years taught me how to be commercially minded, be part of a team and treat people with respect and dignity, without judgment or bias. Topics are very relevant to our emerging generations today!

The other fundamental point, which I am delighted to see is more prominent than I have ever experienced to date, relates to having a clear purpose, either as an individual or for the company we want to place our faith and trust in, to make the world a better place!

Those organisations who have found that golden thread to weave their values, mission, and culture directly to their purpose are in a much stronger position for the future (which starts today). Their proposition will be much more attractive to those entering the workplace, provided it is backed up with values-driven leadership, effective management, and on-going communication. All of which should be transparent, authentic, and inspiring for it to be accepted and bought into.

As we begin the new year – I encourage you to reflect on your journey, the relationships you have built, and the companies in you have made a difference to. Think about those who helped you along the way (have you ever thanked them?), and think of those you have helped succeed. Explore the areas which have been less successful; any failures? Recognise the impact of your travels on your decision-making, be it work or pleasure. Recognise those family moments, smiles, moments of laughter, of sadness – all of which we experience along the way, and finally – think about what 2023 holds for you. Where can you make a bigger difference? And what do you need to let go of to achieve it?

Enjoy the process -