Some things are more important than work.

My brother called to say Grandad was dying. He probably wouldn’t make it to the end of the day. But if I came now there still might be time.

I was delivering residential leadership training in the midlands.

My brother and my extended family were in London at my nan and grandad’s house.

It was a 3+ hours journey if I left right now and I’d probably still be too late.

I told my co-facilitators and I left.

I cried silently to myself for the whole train journey to Marylebone. I can’t remember any of the journey on the tube down to the end of the Northern Line.

I was a snotty, red-eyed mess and I didn’t care.

When I got to my nan’s it was too late. Grandad was gone.

I sat with my dad, my aunts and my cousins while we spoke about Grandad and laughed about his massive baseball mitten hands.

I stayed in the room while my nan prepared his body. She used to be a nurse and wanted to do it herself.

I’ve never seen anything so beautiful and brutal and tender. It was her final act of love and devotion.

I already knew that I’d be too late when my brother had called. A few hours before.

But I wanted to try anyway.

A chance to say a final goodbye to 40 years of stability and unconditional love in my life was more important than work.

Was it the right decision?

This happened four years ago and I know I made the right decision.

Work is cool but relationships always come first. Never forget that.

Build your career like an entrepreneur.

I’m Iesha,

I help leaders career pivot to work they enjoy and create opportunities and freedom. We use frameworks and strategy for repeatable results. 

Engineer → Assistant Headteacher → Head of Comms + Business Owner

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