Each week, we ask small firms key questions. Here we speak to Louise Jenkins-Lang, co-director of Banchory-based management consultancy Lindsay & Lang.
How and why did you start in business?
I met Fiona Lindsay when we were both taking a career break and reviewing our options.
It became clear that we both shared the same passions, interests, and strong desire to make a difference within the workplace. The conversation led to what we both wanted to do, our values, and where we could make a difference.
The more we spoke, the more we discovered how our personal experiences had impacted our working lives, and we identified an opportunity to influence and change thinking and doing in the workplace.
How did you get to where you are today?
Our passion and dedication, coupled with hard work and support has got us to where we are today, and is what will drive us forward.
Who helped you?
Throughout my career I’ve been given some great opportunities. From early on, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with transformational leaders who I learned a great deal from. The experiences I have had because of the people who gave me these opportunities have been invaluable.
My family have always encouraged me to pursue whatever I wanted to do.
What has been your biggest mistake?
There’s nothing that I’ve done in my life or career that I regard as a mistake.
My nature is to learn from what didn’t go right – you don’t always get it right first time.
I don’t look back at life and think “that was a mistake”. I instead think “that wasn’t a great circumstance, what can I take from it?”
What is your greatest achievement?
Without a doubt, my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Piper.
If you were in power in government, what would you change?
Personally, I feel a little disconnected to politics at the moment. Professionally, I would certainly like mental health in the workplace to be pushed up the agenda.
The UK is facing significant mental health challenges at work. The 2017 Thriving at Work independent review of mental health and employers by Lord Stevenson and Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind (mental health charity), set out recommendations for the role of government, regulators, employers and the public sector.
It would be great to see this conversation reignited, the challenges that lie ahead for organisations acknowledged and action from all parties taken.
We recently had a great opportunity to meet Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), to discuss mental health in the workplace, as well as the work that the FSB is doing alongside Heads Together (mental health initiative). It was great to hear Mike’s thoughts on these topics.
What do you still hope to achieve?
To be part of the catalyst for change. To influence and drive forward the conversation that aligns the whole-person perspective in the workplace through development, wellbeing and communication.
What do you do to relax?
My time is spent with my family. We spend a lot of time outside, walking our cocker spaniel, enjoying the beauty of living in the countryside and, when the weather is not so nice, swimming.
A box set is always welcome. I enjoy a variety of genres – investigation, comedy, documentaries and thrillers.
What are you currently reading, listening to or glued to on the TV?
I dip in and out of many resources on mindful leadership and transformational leadership resilience – self-awareness topics that feed my mind.
I’m currently reading Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly. I really enjoy her books.
What do you waste your money on?
Some might see this as wasting money but I’m a passionate Scottish rugby fan. I love watching my team play international games anywhere, with family and friends.
What would your enemies say about you?
I’m not a person who spends time thinking about what other people, or my enemies, would say about me.
What do you drive and dream of driving?
I drive a Skoda Superb 4×4 Sport. My dream car would be a gunmetal grey Aston Martin or Marty McFly’s DeLorean in Back To The Future – so I could go back in time and meet my ancestors. I’m a bit of a history and genealogy geek.