Parenthood

Truly this is one of my favourite films, and has been since I was a teenager. I think I can quote it word for word. As I've got older it's become funnier and much closer to my reality. What is parenthood? Juggling a full time job, a child, a home, a partner, my family, his family, the cats, day to day admin to exist (who actually understands their pension - please help me?!), the 'big shop', friends, a social life, being mum the taxi, remembering the ￡1 for 'this' at school today, buy school shoes, occasionally taking time for self maintenance, being expected to turn up and look the part.... the list goes on. And all of the time worrying that you're not doing any of these things well enough.

The nice thing about this film, other than the Hollywood happy ending, is that it shows how even though we all have different worries and struggles, different aims and goals, that is what makes us human. We all experience highs and lows, but the key is to have the people and the tools around you to support you.

I think Grandma is my favourite character:

"Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster. Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!

Gil: What a great story.

Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it."

Being a parent is a roller coaster. It can make you "so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together". And I don't just mean the child birth!

Last week my daughter had a minor operation. She was fine (and is fine). I, on the other hand, managed to hold it together until after the anaesthetic kicked in and they wheeled her away and then I cried. She was in for 2 hours. It felt like months... 'so frightened, so scared, so sick'. And when she came round she was so excited to be being wheeled in the hospital bed, and I was so thrilled she was OK. Down, up, back down again when stitches were removed, back up again when I saw the smile on her brave little face, when she reached to hold my hand to cross the road as we left the hospital. I wouldn't swap it for the world. And I know I am lucky to have the support of my partner, my family, great friends and the best work team I could hope for.

Working in sales is also a roller coaster. The lows of the project being pulled, the deal that got away, the waiting for a decision, the unable to contact someone at the key time, the lengthy tender responses, the working every hour to deliver exactly what is needed against a customer strategy and the pressure to win. The highs of success, of seeing your customer's ideal world become a reality, of changing how people work, of making a difference, of being a team, of being rewarded. If you work in a position that involves you being 'sold to', please do remember, sales people are human too! We're all on the same roller coaster.

At RingCentral we work through these highs and lows together as a team. I am lucky to be part of a company who are supportive not just of my career, but who support me. I'm given the tools to work from anywhere, to allow 'parenthood' and to have a work life balance.

But again back to Grandma. I agree with her daughter-in-law. "I happen to LIKE the roller coaster, okay? As far as I'm concerned, your grandmother is brilliant."

Gil: "Yeah if she's so brilliant why is she sitting in our NEIGHBOUR'S CAR?"

Getting in to the wrong car is exactly the type of thing that I would do in the midst of the chaos of life (or fall over my own heels; put the post in the fridge; try and get out of the car whilst my seat belt is still on - to name a few recent incidents...) When you're on the roller coaster, juggling everything that life throws at you, you can't be brilliant all of the time! Don't just go around on the merry-go-around, join me on the roller coaster, because as Grandma says - you do get more out of it.

Enjoy the ride.