I suffered the agony of trying to work out how to do double-sided copies on an unfamiliar machine with a baffling control panel. While behind me was a line of huffing and puffing colleagues, just about managing to control their photocopier rage. I beeped a few buttons. Panicked a bit. Thought I’d worked it out and hey presto, the machine purred into life. I looked around at the approving looks behind me and joined in the smiles. Phew!

Then there was a jolt and the copier juddered to a premature halt. ‘Paper jam’ read the touch-screen readout. And it showed a picture of the photocopier with all sorts of pulsating hot spots, like when you’ve hammered your thumb by accident, showing which trays I needed to un-jam. Needless to say, the queue had evaporated. The people had huffed back to their office in dismay, while I opened and closed a load of secret doors and hatches. Alas, after several minutes of slamming and putting my fingers where I probably shouldn’t, the control panel had decided that it needed a technician. It actually called him itself, like a mayday distress signal you’d send out if you were attacked by pirates. Not sure who arrived? Probably the same bloke who fixes my Mazda?

And my point? Sometimes I feel like that photocopier! Maybe you do too? People are pressing the wrong buttons on your control panel. It’s all too much. Too many instructions. Too many negative people. Too much change! I’m flustered. I’m struggling! Help! That folks is why we offer ‘The Art of Being Brilliant’ workshops and coaching. Plus twice yearly support in the form of 2%er seminars.  And, yes, it’s some bloke with a laptop. And he plugs in and gives you a reminder of how to stay positive in a negative world. And then you’re released back into the wild. Until next time.