It is time to help those that struggle with their own relevance

Careers can be the most challenging of journeys – whoever you are. Very few enjoy the perfect career. Most experience success but also failure. There are many successful people who note that they live more with failure than success. The difference is that they learn how to be mentally handle disappointments and setbacks and still strive for success.There are also many in all walks of life that want to reinvent their careers, find new purpose and meaning. It is not always about money but about being relevant and being able to add value.Add into mix the fact the level of stress related illness and depression is at an arguably all time high and it can be said that somehow we need to find a sense of fun and adventure at work again.During a conversation with one former leading CEO he noted that corporate life had squashed all his entrepreneurial spirit with the constant need to deliver bottom line results. He noted that the culture suffered under his tenure not because of his desire but because corporate demands had become so relentless and narrow, it created an environment of consistent pressure with little room for innovation or free thought.Simon Halliday noted a similar trend at EP’s Leadership Lecture last week when he recounted the story behind the fall of Lehman’s which was driven more by a need to improve the share price than ensuring that the culture was robust and strong.There is little doubt that today’s work environment has made many executives become very narrow in thinking. The Bank of England noted as much with their own processes earlier this year.If it is becoming unrelenting for CEOs, then really how must be for many others that do not possess the power or ability to influence change. The hard truth is that mental depression and illness is on the rise. Yes many will argue that it is simply being reported more today – and this may be true – but the work environment leaves very little space for fun and adventure anymore.  In very simple terms, at one time 1|:10 will be suffering from depression and 1:4 from stress or mental illness.This presents two challenges:

1. A need for organisations to rediscover a cultural safety valve that does allow for the business to be more adventurous and open minded to what is going in in the world
2. There will be no little talent that needs external support to either find fresh perspective or reinvent themselves or their careers.

The Hospitality Industry is made up of creative and leadership talents of many types – great chefs, great CEOs or GMs, exceptional FOH managers and beyond. During a career, everyone will need help to refresh themselves, their careers and their perspective.Do you have a strategy to help those that need help in your business?EP has been working hard in this field over recent months starting with working and talking to many executives that desire change. Often it is less about developing new skills but more about freeing up the mind, being less narrow and externalising thinking. Too many focus more on internals rather than what is happening in the world and market at large. It is an exciting environment with change all round. People just need the courage to embrace change – but often with a helping hand.If you would like to learn more, please contact Ben.Butler@epmagazine.co.uk