About Chris
I’m 58 and find myself re-energised and starting afresh having held director-level roles in the automotive industry for the last 15 years. I’m enjoying the break and have a specific aim to get fit, in order to play rugby with my 18-year-old son. I have also been persuaded by my daughter to emulate her university exploits and post my ‘New Start Diaries’ on social media.
We asked Chris to look back and reflect on his younger self
Q&A’s
How would you describe yourself at 18?
Pretty much the carbon copy of my son today. I had money from a job at Sainsbury’s but no clue what I wanted to do after leaving sixth form. I applied to university as it seemed like the right thing to do, but quickly realised it was not for me. At 18 you don’t need to have your life mapped out – mine still isn’t at 58!
How did you find yourself changing career at the age of 58?
At work and while enjoying my passion for gardening, I’ve always sought to continually improve, transform and grow; and as with a garden, you can reach the point in your career where further improvement is best served by clearing the decks and starting again. This is my new garden.
What three things will you tell yourself as you begin the next stage of your journey?
- Believe in yourself. You’re never too old and you’re better than you think.
- Collaborate where possible and surround yourself with like-minded people.
- Don’t expect to have all the answers.
If you could relive one day, what would it be and why?
In my early 20s, I had the opportunity to drive in a novice race at Silverstone. Basically, I bottled it! I’ve since driven at Silverstone on track days, but not in an actual race, so I would go back to that day in a heartbeat. Sometime after, a friend said: “It’s better to regret something you’ve done, rather than something you haven’t done.” It’s a mantra I’ve lived by ever since.
What are the biggest lessons you have learnt professionally over the last 30 years?
One of the biggest lessons is to recognise when to walk away; when to accept your valuable time and energy would be better focused on improvement and growth elsewhere. Staying too long runs the risk of affecting you negatively both inside and outside of work.
How did you deal with a big mistake, and what did you learn from the experience?
I once secured a deal to supply company cars to a local business. The deal included free servicing, but the manufacturer decided not to support our dealership. I had to tell our owner, but he was calm and said we would still stand by the offer. He simply said: “By being reasonable, I know you’ll do everything you can to repay the faith and make the money back.” And I did, many times over.
What are your ambitions for the future, both personally and professionally?
Fitness is a key objective. I’ve been waiting to get on the rugby pitch alongside my son since I started coaching him at four years old!
Professionally, my ambition is for work and life to be more in sync – supporting each other rather than adjusting each on a sliding scale to achieve the desired balance.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-harbutt-64923b14/
