About
So just who am I ?
A potted history and little insight…
Writing about me is not easy, but… It is safe to say I am a busy person…. and that is good, I like to be busy and keep active. I have worked in the IT industry since I left university which is a lot of years ago now (1994!). I started as a Software Engineer, IT Developer, Software Programmer, call it what you like it, was brilliant and a fantastic way to exercise a mind that enjoys problem solving. When people ask if you are creative, thoughts often turn to art, painting, crafts and activities of that genre. However the elegance and beauty that can be found in a well designed, efficient and subtle piece of code, that solves a particular challenge can equally be as creative. Problem solving is an art form and one I enjoy.
Quite quickly I progressed to team lead and “managerial” roles and what luck. I got to combine my love of problem solving with a passion for leadership. Ever since first being made captain of the School U11 football team I have found myself in positions of leadership. Whether or not I’m any good at it I’ll leave for others to judge, but I will say, with apologies to Thomas Edison for paraphrasing; I’ve found hundreds of things that don’t work.
Leaving behind actually writing code and moving into Solution Architecture and ultimately into wider more Enterprise Management and Direction positions was not easy. The urge to “muck in” never really goes away. Neither does the fact that the skills you need to be a Software Developer move on. I am no longer a developer; to return to that I would have to learn again, I have different skills now. As a leader, a manager, someone in a senior management role, what do you do? It’s hard to quantify. As a developer you have measurable’s, lines of code, progression of solutions, new functionality added, bugs fixed, but as a leader how can you measure your impact?
I guess I’m fortunate in that I’ve always been involved in teams and team sport and usually relatively ok at these sports. Never quite good enough to be a classed as a “talent”, has meant I’ve always got my satisfaction from what we as a team have achieved and that I, as a team member, have contributed to any success. For me, that in a nutshell defines how you can measure your impact. Your role as a leader is to serve the team and do anything you can to help them, be it individually or collectively, become better and succeed. It’s the same, be it work, sport or any other environment, as a leader you are measured by what your team accomplishes.
For a more detailed breakdown of what I have done employment wise there is a summary on the employment page, but recently a step back into Enterprise Architecture has me in a period of reflection. Setting direction and strategy is great but driving a team forward to accomplish challenging goals is the pinnacle.
Just a frustrated teacher!
As has been alluded to above I was not too bad when it came to sport and particularly football, but something that really hit home once I stopped playing competitively was how much I enjoyed coaching. I was asked to help out with a group of juniors (U7’s) and made a promise to myself. I was helping out, not getting too involved, and certainly not running a junior team! By U9’s I was the manager and had passed my FA Level 2 coaching qualifications. Taking a group of lads, imparting a little knowledge, instilling a little discipline and encouraging an enormous amount of self belief was infectious.
I took the lads through the age groups with some league and cup successes along the way, but the biggest buzz came from seeing the players grow and achieve things they didn’t think possible. All it needed from me was some dedication, planning and creation of the right environment. It’s quite addictive and if the financial situation would allow it, cross training to become a teacher would be fantastic… Alas teachers are paid a pittance, especially compared to what they deserve, and it’s just isn’t possible.
Right place, right time. Whether that was me or the Army Cadet Force (ACF) only time will tell. I’d recently finished with coaching the junior football team and was taking a break before contemplating starting again when I was approached and asked about becoming an Adult instructor. Having passed the Admiralty Interview Board to become an Officer in the Navy as a 17 year old, and as someone who loves fell walking, fieldcraft and the activities that the ACF offer. The opportunity to teach those and other life skills to young adults aged 12-18 struck a chord. I was in and I was hooked.
I always wanted to commission and become an Officer (see my thoughts on leadership above) but I wanted to do some time learning the ropes first.
After a few years I applied for and was deemed worthy of a commission. The Army Cadet Force is an amazing organisation that does enormous good. The skills and life lessons that are provided are invaluable. Some cadets are crying out for a bit of structure, a bit of discipline and perhaps someone just to believe in them. I can truly say that seeing cadet find some self belief and some self confidence, to overcome something they never in their wildest dreams thought possible, is the most rewarding thing I have done outside of my family.
As hopefully is obvious leadership is something of a passion of mine and undergoing training whilst commissioning only increased that passion. Recently I have been lucky enough to gain a position in the Initial Officer Training (IOT) Faculty. It’s enormously exciting to think I will be a small part of the team shaping the direction of future ACF Officers and leaders. Equipping them with the tools and skills to lead other ACF staff and potentially change the lives of young adults for the better. I am humbled and inspired.