Show 28: In this show, Mike speaks with Richard Dennis on his transitional journey and learns of what he's up to now, 6 years after a 37 stretch of service (!) What is humbling about this podcast, is the facts Richard shares with us, of a pitfall or two he identified on route to the 'Richard Dennis Consultancy' (RDC). Richard shares with us his thinking, his acknowledgements and his advisories, on how you can generate the right conditions and mindset for leaving and crucially, how to continue the momentum, motivation and drive once you are out. This then, is Richards 5 top tips and............ his story.

1 - PREPARE - you shouldn't leave it until resettlement to start preparing to transition. Expand your thinking creating personal resilience, by undertaking courses of study and professional recognition whilst still in service. Service life 'does' lend itself to learning and education, if you make it so! Higher level degree courses are available to you such as an MBA - ask your RCMO or local AEC for further details.

2 - NETWORK - yet again, this vital aspect of transition 'and' continuity of professional life crops up - Networking. Richard makes it very clear - start doing it if you haven't already, volunteer for Special Interest Groups or Business Panels - Richard was a Non Exec Dir (NED) as a Brigadier but even a Private Soldier could become a member of a professional panel - Board of Governors for an academic trust or school, PTA, Sports Referee, Activity judge. Think wide, laterally and beyond the uniform............ even though you still wear it!

3 - IDENTIFY - you might have some knockbacks settling on your ideal job or career opportunity and when you come across that, how do you react if you are not appointed? Richard shared with us what was undoubtedly a difficult recall, on how at the time, he logically approached the situation, with his good lady wife (Sue), identified and evaluated what was the bottom line? He identified it as 'Risk' being accepted by the business on him, his background, his knowledge, expertise and business nuance. That helped him forge his own path - RDC! If your own consultancy is a route you want to take, "Do what you're good at, work with people you want to and avoid those you don't respect"

4 - LAURELS - don't rest on them. Wear your 'Military Piece' very lightly - understand you are back to square one, in terms of establishing your credibility. YOU ARE YOUR OWN BRAND - PROTECT IT, you don't need to wave around the "When I was..............." and if you do, know now that it is unlikely to produce the desired result unless linked specifically to the military - Reserves, Cadets, MOD etc. Understand that your operational experiences are understood only by those who have trodden the same ground. For many civilians, it is 'scary stuff', to know you may have been involved in operations around the world. They simply don't understand.

5 - VALUES - your values and standards that shaped your moral and physical being in service will be extraordinarily important to you as a civilian and offer sage and sound direction. Richard reflects on the V&S of service and of his own 'Professionalism, Communication & Care'. These are not just buzzwords. These words have depth, meaning and provide a robust moral, ethical, physical and emotional framework of behaviour.

Read more about Enterprise 50k and how it aims to help families and spouses in service life here: http://catterickhive.blogspot.com/2020/11/enterprise-50k.html