Very busy week indeed…

So it’s Friday evening, 9.00pm, and I am sat in the Peers Academy car park working and waiting for Jack to finish his football training. We’re down here at the minute because of the awful weather we#re experiencing, everywhere is flooded.

So why so busy then??

Monday – brand new client. Worked at Peters Booksellers in Birmingham as part of a lead in from Teresa Morris. Was nervous and meant I didn’t drink at all the night before for Liam Carroll’s 18th Birthday party. Anyway, made it up there fine and enjoyed the day, they definitely need me up there and I was able to book in three more days over the coming weeks so that was good

Tuesday – this was the first of the My Finance Centre training sessions and was at St Albans. I have been fretting about this for so long and was dreading it but the two sessions went well and hopefully that will continue to be the case for the others that I have ahead of me. 13 in total!

Wednesday – I was working with Raintree and had a part in their Sales Team Conference, it was fine and the usual thing. But in the evening I took Lewis back up to Huddersfield. It worked out perfectly because I needed to be in Warrington on Thursday so I slept in Lewis room, he was on the floor. Nightmare sleep, loads of students coming home pissed up at all times through the night making so much noise! Before then, I picked up a Chinese takeaway from Summertown and then we drove up there and I made a wrong turn for some reason so we got their 30 mins later at 10.45pm. I said he could go off with his mates but they weren’t around.

Thursday – left him to stay in bed. Had a hug, gave him some money and then went to Warrington, 90 mins away, for another MFC training session. Bit cosier this time as they don#t have the facilities there and this time Jim Austin was involved. It was fine but I need to polish up the act a bit ahead of the sessions next week I reckon. No idea what Jim thought of my delivery and style – will have to find out one day!

Friday – finally got to work from home. Busy again though but nice not to have to go all over the place

We have a student this week, a lad called Oliver who is from Germany, really nice lad, 27 and an absolute giant. I didn’t think he’d stay because of the size of the room and bed but he was fine with it and he feels comfortable coming down and chatting with us or reading so he’s fine. He’s had to return to Germany today because his grandmother died, expectedly, so he’s going back for the funeral. A shame but he said it was a bit of a relief for her so they’re all okay with it happening. He’ll be back sometime next week

So that’s my week. Probably missed out loads but there you go. I think we have a full on weekend as well, Tash wants me to complete a load of jobs…no rest and all that!

Interesting feedback..

Tough day today at Leicester, I was carrying out training for Lifecycle and specifically two new Lifetime users. That wasn’t the issue, their line manager (Diane) was involved and she’s quite a high profile at the company so I knew I would be under scrutiny and that was certainly the case. I was put on the spot quite a bit and contradicted on a couple of time with information I was passing on. I actually didn’t mind it because it was useful to see it from a ‘proper’ users perspective and what as a management team they’re expecting users to be doing so I was learning at the same time, it certain didn’t put my back up, just made me a little embarrassed that my knowledge wasn’t as hot as it should have been – action points added to my training list already!!

With all of Diane’s input the session lasted longer than planned but that was fine, it was good, but I didn’t feel a little deflated by the end and with the new that Russell is taking on a more sales/training role I was feeling the ground beneath my feet becoming a little unstable…until I left that is…

First Russell came in to explain further the role he’s likely to pursue and apparently when Carlos asked him if he felt he was comfortable to do the sort of training presentation and role that I do Russell replied ‘No way’, and Carlos apparently said, ‘I agree, Julian is different class!’ – so that was pleasing to hear!

I worked late on some other work and as I was leaving at 6.30pm I popped my head around Diane’s door to say thanks and we got talking for 10 minutes or so to get to know each other and she was really quite complimentary saying about my patience, delivery and knowledge (being better than Julie’s) – I was taken aback, I was expecting a much more punishing report to go back to Carlos!!

Although she did comment that I sound a lot posher that Jim!

So that was all very pleasing and a nice turnaround to the day when I wasn’t feeling so tip top.

Got home late as a result and didn’t do too much in the evening