Hope is not normally a word I hear in business....

Over the course of my almost 30-year career in the Recruitment industry I have made a point of meeting all my clients and candidates, simply because it’s a critical success factor in this very challenging industry. In that time, I have met some truly wonderful and interesting people, and I don’t say that disingenuously because I’ve also met some not so nice individuals. Fortunately, those I’ve actually worked with have been people I like and believe in.

Yesterday, following a recommendation on LinkedIn (thank you Helen Lord), I met with the Managing Director of an already very successful business to discuss his strategy for growing his business through his current colleagues and those he wishes to employ. I knew, following our initial telephone conversation, that I was going to like this guy, but I really wasn’t prepared for what I would experience at our meeting.

It was a 2 ? hour drive to the business and as soon as we walked in I instantly knew it was going to be a good visit. We were greeted with genuine smiles and hellos from everyone in the open plan offices – having walked into many offices in my time I was struck by how happy they all seemed to be – and we felt immediately welcomed. After a very short while the MD came down, and he did not disappoint. An open and honest face and someone it would be impossible not to like. What followed was a 4-hour meeting which left me excited not just about our future business relationship, but for this wonderful organisation.

So why am I sharing this story with you. Well, It’s about hopefulness, and how it can visibly inflate those around you, be they friends, family, and colleagues to do and achieve something they wouldn’t ordinarily do. Hope is not a word I often hear used in business, but for those of us who have committed to creating a business and a legacy, I believe ‘hope’ is what gives us the strength and courage to do what others do not. People respond to ‘hope’, and they want to share in the vision of those who have it. This was what I witnessed yesterday. I felt an immediate connection to this MD and his business - as I do with many of my clients – he is affectionately called the ‘Navigator’ and it was very evident that his people are fully prepared to follow him, and to trust in his leadership. It really was a wonderful thing to experience

I wanted to share my experience on LinkedIn because this story is about business, and if you are reading this, thinking about setting up on your own, and you have hope and can deal with the major ups and downs of creating your own business, I hope this story will inspire you to do so.