Lessons from the Field...

What is your current role are why are you involved in your role , what inspires you??

Position: Enterprise Educator and Head of Department (Leadership, Management & HR) for Teesside University International Business School

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It was never in the plan, but it was an opportunity that I seized. I do it because I want to have an influence on those young people who come to university and I want them to know that they can develop the skills and the resilience and the confidence to rule the bloody world if they want to.

?You just need to have the passion and the desire to make a change happen.

And you can make it happen regardless of where you come from, what your postcode is, your background, everything.

What has been your biggest Personal Accomplishment??

My biggest personal accomplishment was definitely achieving my doctorate.? I’m common little Gill from Dormanstown , you know it never occurred to me at all that I would become Dr Gill Owens. I was told by my maths teacher that I was thick and I would never achieve anything in my life, and I’d love to have a conversation with him now. I’d thank him for the fact that he inspired me to go on and prove him wrong, which I’m sure wasn’t his plan in any way shape or form. It took me a long time to get that doctorate and it wasn’t easy, but crikey I’m proud of the fact that I did it.

What has been your biggest personal challenge? (This could be business related or other) How did you overcome this??

My biggest personal challenge was trying to convince everybody that I wanted to donate a kidney to a stranger for all of the right reasons. It took me a year to get through the medical checks, the psychological checks and it was really hard talking to my family about it and I get the resistance that they put in front of me, but in the end they backed me and I managed to save a life and I’m really glad that I didn’t give up with that challenge.

What advice would you give to your younger-self??

?My advice to my younger self is to just not be a dick really. I was a bit of a dick when I was younger, but it’s because I didn’t have confidence and I wish I had more confidence, I do wish I had more confidence and that’s why I do think I try and work with the students on their confidence to make them see that it can make a difference and that we can be bold and I think that’s the biggest thing I was lacking that I certainly don’t lack now.

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What is the best piece of personal growth advice you have to offer? Techniques or tips

?Definitely that the magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone. If all you ever do it stay within what you know you can do and that your good at, you’re not going to grow, you’re just not going to grow and reach your full potential. Take a step, it doesn’t need to be a big step, take a small step, and small steps become big steps, move outside of your comfort zone.?

What do you do to manage your own mental wellbeing? Have you got any tips on this?

?The biggest?thing that I do for myself is to get some peace and quiet, I need time to think, I work with people all day, I communicate all day, I just need to sit in silence sometimes. My husband is really understanding, I give him a look and he says “I’m off.”? But it’s a really biggie for me to just let my mind quiet , relax and rest.

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My lessons from the field...

Former words...

?I love the part where Gill discussed how she used the words of a former maths teacher as motivation. It goes without saying that sometimes the words people say to us (as well as the words we say to ourselves) can have a deep impact which can stop us in our tracks.

There is the ‘invisible lid experiment’ which shows how fleas react in a glass jar. I won’t go into too much detail (but look it up). It is clear our beliefs can often limit us. We can be affected by labels that society place on us and also the labels we put on ourselves.

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In this case, ‘little Gill from Dormanstown’ used such words and turned them into a positive.? She achieved a doctorate and uses her work to inspire others.

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?“The biggest?thing that I do for myself is to get some peace and quiet”

?I can relate to this a lot. I often tell people I have a “leave me the fuck alone space” and this for me, is a camper van in the middle of nowhere, with no social media or contact. It is simply about having time to think. Like Gill, I spend a lot of time working with people and whilst its deeply rewarding, it’s also exhausting sometimes too.

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I say this a lot but self-care is a priority. “Protect the asset” as Greg Mckeown says. Make sure that you are finding a space or the time to look after yourself first and foremost. When you do this, everyone else gets a healthier and happier version of you, which means everyone is benefiting in the long run. Bosh.

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Comfort Zones

?Gill talks about comfort zones, this seems to be something people feel is a lot of ‘self-help cliché’ but it is so true. The way in which we improve and get better is by challenging ourselves and pushing ourselves in situations. There is a reason everybody says it, because sometimes we have to feel a little bit uncomfortable to get better.

?I try to see all opportunities as a learning curve, by doing so, and by taking action, this is how we grow and improve. Everybody's comfort zone looks different, you do not need to climb Mount Everest barefoot, but you can set yourself some personal challenges.

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My experience with Gill

?I have been fortunate to get to know Gill over the last few years through working with the Teesside International Business School. Gill is one of those people that every time I have a conversation with her, I feel inspired or I leave having learned something new or with something to ‘think’ on. It is most certainly always ‘lessons from the field.’ Not only this, she is truly authentic in her work and that with me resonates a hell of a lot.? I am hugely grateful for Gill for opening up doors for myself and my companies, and I have learned a hell of a lot from her. This is why I have such a big smile on my face I think...