He's Only Gone and Done it!

Caught the train to London this morning, first time in 2 years.  I booked first class as I thought it would be quiet, so much for that plan and the wearing of face masks was pretty much non-existent.

When I got to London there was a tube strike so I had to get across to my hotel by taxi.  Whilst it was a long queue at Paddington, it was very efficient and moved quite quickly.  Had a good old chat to the cabbie.

It was the BQF UK Excellence Awards tonight and the business was up for 3 awards and I was up for an individual award.  We got off to a great start with a win in the Excellence in Creating a Healthy, Safe Culture, but then two blanks in the other categories.  And then to the big one, I was one of seven finalists and I won!  I was awarded the Business Excellence Established Leader and I'm gobsmacked, this was the intro to it

"Our next winner has a strong track record of leading change and transformation across a wide-ranging portfolio, developing people and managing multiple complex stakeholders and leading their organization into the future everchanging environments."

To have my young padawan there and another member of my team as cheerleaders was just brilliant.  My young padawan wrote the submission and didn't tell me anything about it, till I got an email out of the blue.  I'm so lucky to have them.

We had a good, open and honest discussion later, I'm glad they know.

It was a late old night and I even had a celebratory whisky, the first time I've drunk alcohol in 5 years because of my kidney troubles.

I started my career with only one goal, to make a difference.  Only other people can say whether I have achieved that, but I feel I can do so much more.

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Being recognised in this way, by my team firstly and then the BQF judges
2.  Having a great cheerleader, who believes in me even when I doubt myself