How did you choose to work in your industry?
Writing about being boiled alive by degrees was just an analogy – I have lived experience.
Working hard, playing hard: all is fine
The journey to working in healthcare is one such story. I was unbelievably fortunate. I was working in an internal technology company on the project of the decade – turning broadband from a little black box into a consumer product.
In fact, our chair, George S Blumenthal’s vision was: “turn it into a utility – just as important as electricity”. How did we do?
At this time, work was office-based, having laptops rather than desktop computers was somewhat of a rarity, and working from home was done via “dial-up” connections. Dial up was the problem. Broadband was the solution.
The team that we assembled was just fantastic. Code writers, project managers, accountants, a marketing team, a network architect and even a PA. High level sponsors (George), significant exec visibility, and a seven figure budget.
What a privilege, working with amazing people doing amazing things & the salary was amazing also.
Not fine actually
It was not enough. I was not being authentic with my value of being of service. I tried hard – too hard – to be authentic. This trying too hard actually manifested as toxic behaviours – I was seeking to inject “life & death” import into the work.
Which didn’t work well for me.
In a quirk of fate, I was on an executive leadership development program & received one-to-one coaching. In this coaching we established I was:
- In the wrong working environment (big teams)
- In the wrong industry (“big” tech)
- making people tens of millions (now hundreds of millions) of pounds/dollars wasn’t “me”
Wow.
By exploring the most meaningful experiences of my life, we established “me” as:
- Being of service saving lives
- Working in small teams
- Working in challenging environments
Frozen
So, sitting in my beautiful flat in central London, surrounded by many of the trappings of a very high salary, I had a crisis. A crisis of confidence, of self & of future.
These deep revelations can be debilitating. For a few weeks, I was just that. Shattered & frozen. Dual emotions: grieving my future (executive) role & terrified of making the change that seemed so rational. Grief and fear. Two very powerful emotions, and two I was poorly equipped to deal with.
Just one step to grow
It really was that simple. Those 12-15 hour office days (the terror of having your leaders work in a time zone five hours after yours) had meant there had been very little physical training.
One day I just found an old pair of trainers, put them on, and ran around the block.
Within two months I was running to work a few days a week – a good 45 minutes each way. The Central Line delivered me home of course.
Whilst this return to running odyssey was taking place I was doing the work to shift to working in a small team saving lives in challenging environments.
Saving lives: healthcare
Challenging environments: search & rescue/prehospital care
I was sad to find out that mountain rescue is unpaid & my eyes (& age) weren’t right to join the RAF Search & Rescue. Ok, pivot, what’s the next best?
Of course I joined the ambulance service!
The new win
The result was a new job as a trainee ambulance technician, a new county (West Yorkshire, what a gem), and a new circle of friends and colleagues. My journey into paramedicine had commenced.
As it turned out, I spent time in RAF SAR helicopters (shout out to Andy Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-doyle-6bb88149/) and even supporting a mountain rescue team (shout out to Carol Otley & the wonderful folk at Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-otley-04a7186b/).
Those are stories for another day.