Our director Lynsay reflects on lessons learned in 2019 and the sense of clarity and perspective gained from the life-changing experience of bringing a new human into the world.
For me 2019 was defined by the birth of our son, Howie, who we welcomed to the world in April. Funnily enough it was the same day that the building contractors turned up to start works on our new house, all impeccably timed! My maternity leave was less lattes and cupcakes and more ‘builders tea’ and tunnocks tea cakes. Nevertheless, my 6 months off has been an incredible experience both personally and for the business.
Being solely focused on the business for the past 8 years the prospect of leaving LBA for any length of time was terrifying…‘how on earth will they cope without me?’ I look back on this and chuckle as the reality of my absence was very different. On my return the studio environment was relaxed and had a real sense of calm, the team had bonded on a deeper level, everyone seemed fulfilled and happy. Giving the team the space to make their own decisions, take more responsibility and do their jobs has allowed them to thrive and grow. No more micro-managing has also allowed me to regain control of the business and shed the worries that I had created in my head but actually didn’t exist. By letting go, I have more time and space to be creative, deal with issues effectively, have fun and plan ahead. I have also gained a sense of clarity and perspective, allowing me to approach situations with a stronger mindset. I appreciate covering maternity leave can be difficult for some businesses, however I am always amazed at how negatively this is perceived. Are mothers less committed to their careers or less competent if they take time off, or, are they less caring parents by not taking time off? What would happen if we viewed maternity and paternity leave as an amazing opportunity for personal development, similar to that of a sabbatical which of course conjures up feelings of adventure and discovery. What could be more special and transformational than bonding with your new baby and why isn’t this celebrated more?
In our profession, staff are consistently expected to be flexible; working later and longer. There needs to be more consideration towards offering staff back that flexibility, empowering and supporting mums and dads to be parents whilst still able to carry out their profession. So what does 2020 have in store for me? I want to be a more understanding, effective and inspiring leader to our amazing team and sharing my life with baby Howie has definitely set me on the right path towards achieving this!