Vacations Aren't A Luxury!

I'm on a cruise.

Not hiding it. Not apologising for it.

Part of me used to want to hide my vacations
(Even when I was a litigation barrister, vacations were a priority.)

Deep down, I knew some didn't think I was serious about my career.
- They thought success meant always being "on".
- That working long hours and saying yes to every brief proved I was committed.
- That if I wasn't always available, I couldn't be trusted.
(I was told—"people only want to brief 'busy, ie 24/7 available barristers.”)

Here's what I know:
Reputation isn't built by being constantly busy, available 24/7, and never taking a break (until things slow down).

 It's built by how you treat people when no one's watching.
— Keeping your word, even when it's inconvenient
— Defending people in rooms they're not in
— Saying no to things that don't align with your values
— Owning your mistakes without excuses
— Giving credit to others and taking the blame when things go wrong
— Treating a junior who messed up the same way you'd treat a KC who did
— Refusing to throw someone under the bus to save yourself

That's how you build trust.
That's how you earn respect.
That's how great businesses grow.
That's what real high performers are built on.

So yeah, I'm on a boat.
Not to prove anything.
Just working in a way that matches the trust I've built.

What do you think builds trust most—how available you are, or how you treat people? Click HERE and let me know. I personally read all of your responses