MOMENTS THAT MATTER
There is a lot of buzz these days about finding the balance between personal life and work. Still, I can’t really see the benefits of this double-life perspective that comes with the territory when accepting to be part of this conversation – some say I have spent too much time in the entrepreneurial world :). Working for so many years in the services sector I learned that neither culture nor style work if they only happen between 9:00 and 17:00. And trust me with one thing: no matter the service you deliver, culture and style are the only true “weapons” you possess. Instead of trying to use rules in my approach to both personal life and professional activity I choose to apply “action and reaction logic” to both since I am strong believer that every moment can change your life in a dramatic way. This approach is also fundamental to who and what Benefiq is and plans to become. It’s all about the moments that matter.
MOMENTS THAT MATTER ARE MOMENTS THAT CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FOR YOU, FOR YOUR TEAM, FOR THE FUTURE.
Before moving forward to explaining how the Moments that matter theory actually works, I first need to admit something: I love business – and I don’t (necessarily) mean the money part. I mean the “POWER” aspect. So those of you – although I imagine there are not so many – that are not interested in “debating” how we can increase the ability of influencing everything around us should probably stop reading this post.
I deal with “people related challenges” all day long. That’s something I am confident we all have in common. In addition I work in HR – which implies a new level of depth: I am constantly asked to find “solutions that work”. This is not just my job. It has become my way of thinking.
Moments that matter are real life interactions, some simple other more complex in terms of reach, coverage and impact (e.g. first day of work for a new employee, the monthly payroll, the annual salary increase process, a management meeting etc.). What we do is develop scenarios for how each interaction could turn-out and start working to deliver on the selected outcome.. and adjust if necessary. I have met a lot of service providers that oversell their solutions based on a proven track-record. Don’t take it the wrong way: experience is something fundamental for our team also. The difference is how we choose to use that experience when working for a different client. While most tend to replicate a formula, we always start by revisiting the formula and check for factors that could dramatically change the result (e.g. is the company ready for a high level of automation of their daily activities?).
Moments that matter are tailor made interactions. And if you decide to take this path – and it seems we did, you can’t set a time limit in terms of availability. Because taking a specific call, even if it’s late at night, might not be something your current contract covers, but it might be a moment that matters (not to be mistaken for a constant approach :)).
Going back to the so desired balance between personal and professional life, I guess what I am saying is pretty simple: I believe balance and success both are all about selecting the objective. Picture your life not just on long term but every day. Imagine how you want your day to go along. That’s how you get in the front seat of the car, driving towards that image 🙂 Now you are in control. Then, try to work with people who do the same – this saves a lot of time that you would otherwise waste in counterproductive interactions. Be willing to give in order to receive. Be patient. Don’t react before thinking and don’t over react when something unexpected happens. This is how, in my personal opinion, instead of leaving a fragmented life, you get to live your life always being truth to yourself. And this comes from someone who has struggled her entire life to find the balance just to discover the wonderful benefit of incorporating this journey in everything that she does – including business.