12The Toughest Job of All
When we talk about CEOs, we can't help but think of business leaders and those shaping the country's economy. But we are all CEOs of our own lives.
Over the last three years I've been CEO of DIAL Global, CEO of my home, and CEO of my family. But in that time, it's been my responsibilities outside of work that have shaped me far more than the responsibilities in the office.
Do you remember when we started this journey together, right at the beginning of the book? I pointed out that while some facets of our identity will be with us our whole lives, many of our facets change and evolve.
When I first started the rough notes for this book, I was struggling to get pregnant and my parents, although having had health challenges, were fit and well. As I write this, I am now mum to an 18-month-old ball of energy, my beloved son, and I'm still grieving the loss of my darling dad – having helped care for him for the last few months of his life.
Both those experiences have shaped and changed me like no other. Throw in IVF and juggling the ups and downs of being a business owner, and you can imagine my stress levels of late.
As I'm sure you will have realised by now, I very much believe in authentic leadership, and have been nothing but honest about my personal situations over this tumultuous time. I've been very open on LinkedIn, for example, hoping that whatever I post will help others.
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