What will you be remembered for?

This week I attended the funeral of a dear family member. The funeral was a wonderful celebration of life, but I got the shock of my life when I stood up to leave the service and saw what must have been well over 100 people behind me, most of which I didn’t know!

These 100+ people represented work colleagues, yes…work colleagues!  My family member had retired from work a decade ago, from a career that spanned 40 years and started as an apprenticeship.

Most of us spend 40 hours plus in the workplace, add on travelling to and from work, it doesn’t leave a lot of time for eating and sleeping never mind finding time for exercise. We do this for 40 years.

However, it’s our impact on other people’s lives that is our legacy; how we communicate with people, our integrity and our ethical values.

This has left me questioning; how on earth with technology being so prevalent in our daily lives can we even begin to develop meaningful, long lasting relationships anymore in the workplace?  Emails not calls, calls not visits, even when you are in the same building! Or visits but with mobiles turned upright during meetings! (My pet hate).

So the life lesson I have learnt from a man who worked from his van, who earnt his daily bread, who greeted the room with a smile and who always used your name when you met him; is…to take the time to get to know colleagues and customers, never over promise and under deliver, and be reliable every day.

Because one day, I’d like to think my ex-colleagues/customers, friends and family might just show up to say goodbye to me.

 

Jacqueline Lovewell is a commercially focused apprenticeship specialist with over 15 years experience at a management level, providing innovative and creative solutions that deliver apprentice success for organisations of all size.

www.apprentice-employment.co.uk
Jacqueline.lovewell@apprentice-employment.co.uk
T:07717416805     
www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-lovewell-1509251a