How I Do It: Managing Almost 1,000 People, Three Children, Aging Parents and Working Part-time

How I Do It: Managing Almost 1,000 People, Three Children, Aging Parents and Working Part-time
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

Like many people, I have a complicated life. I lead one of my company's largest business units, Accenture Digital, in the UK and Ireland, sitting on the UK/Ireland Executive Board. I manage a team of almost 1,000 people, have three young children, aging parents, a working partner, live 120 miles from the office, and work part-time. When you write it all down, it sounds like an impossible equation.

But I am lucky enough to work for a global professional services company that recognizes the challenges of modern life and has brought in technology and working practices that help me live the life I want rather than always having to compromise. This technology means I can always stay connected. I can manage to be in two places at once when I need to be because of conflicting demands on my time. Presenting at a meeting via video link 20 minutes before a parent-teacher meeting would have seemed impossible a few years ago, but fast broadband and collaboration technologies make it a reality for me today.

Some of my friends ask me whether being "always on" is a problem-I don't believe it is. It is critical to create firm boundaries, both physical and mental, when working in a culture that embraces remote and flexible working. There is no point being enabled if you don't feel empowered to protect your non-work time.

If I am at home, my laptop stays in my study. I never look at e-mails when I'm spending quality time with my children. Actually, it is my 80-year-old mother who is the worst for constantly checking her smartphone at the dining table. She has embraced modern technology to an extreme level and is starting to set a bad example to her grandchildren regarding acceptable use of devices!

2016-10-18-1476803056-7248889-160184_1200x800_ArabelBailey_v3.jpg

Close

What's Hot