Last year I started working with a new organisation. Freebridge Community Housing. My very first days work for them was running some small sessions at their staff conference.
As Margaret Burnside & I packed up, I decided to keep my name badge as a little memento.
I justified it on the basis that I was back a few weeks later to deliver more formal training. The staff seemed to think it a little eccentric but no one minded. For me though it represented a link to the company & made me feel like I was part of their team. Although an external consultant I was their employee for that time.
Over the last year the relationship has grown and I’ve been back to deliver various pieces of training. Sometimes that has been paid, other times it has just been a conversation with one or other of the team there, nothing formal.
I’ve seen my friends, Margaret Burnside & David Goddin go in & deliver work there. I think it’s fair to say that we all view Freebridge as a great place to work even if we aren’t on the payroll as such. They have allowed us to work independently but also trusted us to manage the commercial relationship such that we are not competing with, but rather complementing each other. Everyone gets a small piece of cake and Freebridge get us as a loose team able to work alongside each other happily.
How lovely today then to get a letter saying that I have been made a “Friend of Freebridge”. Their letter spoke of my commitment to them as an organisation, how I lived their values and contributed to them – all of which is excellent feedback but it was the enclosure to the letter which is the real perk from my perspective.
They gave me a small badge.
Nothing remarkable in that you might say, except for one thing. It is exactly the same badge as their regular employees get. So this little badge speaks volumes. It speaks of trust, it speaks of acknowledgment and also of true partnership.
Moments like this are the reason I went solo. To be part of companies who are changing the way they work, making it better for customers and for staff.
I’m honoured to work with Freebridge and proud to be part of their team.
And of course you had to mention “cake”.
You know me Jacquie, Always partial to some cake
Reblogged this on People Performance Potential and commented:
I’ve recently been honoured as a “Friend of Freebridge” and supported their annual conference (#fchconf) yesterday. The way @Freebridge engage with their organisation, partners & community is quite extraordinary and is a role model for other organisations.
Jon has perfectly captured the essence of working with Freebridge. So at the end of your working week why not take a read and perhaps reflect on what creative & engaging ways you could support your organisation, partners or community.