Chris skinner-I’m always curious; I’m always wondering what’s next.
Author, Fintech Commentator and Trouble maker
I was asked to write about my success story and what businesses and entrepreneurs can learn from this coronavirus.
For starters, I cannot write about my success story as I’m not successful.
You might think I am, but I don’t think I am.In fact, anyone who thinks they are will be a failure,
as when you think you’ve succeeded, you might as well give up.You think you’ve made it, what more is there to do?
You’re a success, so what are you trying to achieve next?
The thing for me is never to think I’m successful as that would make me complacent. Instead, I’m always uncomfortable; I’m always curious; I’m always wondering what’s next. Maybe that’s what makes me look successful, but I’m not a success. I’m just me.
And maybe that’s what we – as entrepreneurs, managers and employees – can take as a walk-away from this financial and health crisis. We are just who we are. We cannot change that. We are who we are. However, this crisis has probably made us far more reflective of who we are than ever before. We have looked in that mirror too much in the past few months. We see our flaws and know our issues. No one else knows them as much as you know them.
I know mine are that I like a glass of wine too much; I haven’t exercised enough; I’m eating too much junk food; and spend far too long on the computer. But then some of these things are strengths.I spend too long on the computer because I’m learning Polish, writing more towards my next book, learning about things I never knew before and more.I like wine, but don’t most of us? I haven’t exercised enough, because I have a bad knee that stops me from running. I’m eating too much junk food because it’s difficult to be healthy when you’re getting take-outs all the time.
In other words, what can people learn from this?
To be happy with who you are. You are you. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You are you. You know what you need to fix, but you also know what your strengths are. You are you.
Now, bearing in mind that you are just who you are, and you are you, you can now use this crisis to think about what needs to change.
What behaviours and habits do you have that you like and don’t like?
What worked well during this lockdown?
What things failed?
What are you strengths and weaknesses?
What needs to change?
You need to write these things down and put a plan in place to change them. The thing is that that recommendation applies equally to your business as it does to you. If, during this lockdown, your business was bad – things failed, things didn’t work, you could see the issues – what are you going to do to fix them? What’s the plan?
Sure, there were urgent things to fix – no office, no people, everyone at home – but there are long-term things to fix – how engaging were you with customers, how did the team spirit survive, what are the things that went well and what things went badly.
All in all, the last few months have been a fantastic time for reflection and engagement. It’s been a time to know your strengths and weaknesses, faults and virtues, both in life and in business.
And if anyone says tell me your success story, just remember that you’re not a success … yet.
HALL OF FAME- SUCCESS STORIES
About Mr. Chris Skinner
Author, Fintech Commentator and Trouble maker
📌He is known as one of the most influential people in technology, and known as an independent commentator on the financial markets & fintech through his blog, the #Finanser.com
📌One of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance)
📌One of the Top 5 most influential people in BankInfoSecurity’s list of information security leaders
📌One of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal’s Financial News and Thomson Reuters.
Mr. Chris chairs “The Financial Services Clu” & “Nordic Finance Innovate”
He is a non-executive director of 11:FS & on the advisory boards of various firms including B-Hive, Moven & Meniga
He has been an #advisor to ;
📌The United Nations
📌The White House
📌The World Bank
📌The World Economic Forum
He is visiting lecturer with Cambridge University &TEDx speaker
He is author of best selling books;
📌Doing Digital
📌Digtal Human
📌Value Web
📌Digital bank
📌The future of banking in a globlised world
📌The future of finance after SEPA
📌The Furure of investing in Europes markets afterMifFID