Reliability ’26

“Ethics is the key which opens big doors to business success. However, once it gets lost, the same access is locked for ever. The newly acquired access gets eclipsed with lost reliability.”  Priyavrat Thareja

This week’s conversation is about “reliability” and according to the Cambridge dictionary this means the quality of being able to be trusted or believed because of working or behaving well. 

Whilst this is most likely essential for many people, it is especially true for myself as a social worker and business owner in my private practice which is based in a regional location.  Given the visibility of being having a public presence in both the private and professional life and all that it entails living and working within the community – reliability is key.

The complexities of holding dual roles in a regional location is also apparent.  This includes seeing both colleagues and/or clients in various locations; at the supermarket and/or my own personal health and wellbeing appointments.  These dual roles also exist for other professionals as we are both the client and the professional at different times. 

There have been times when out in public wearing my “personal” hat that I have had to swap over to the “professional” role.  Two events come immediately to mind; once I was being a paid public member at the local arts centre and watching a performance with my son.  At the break, a person spoke to the theatre staff, and I was invited over to assist.  With the person’s permission, we rang the police and during the wait time, she then disclosed other “issues within the relationship and with this was also provided to the police in attendance.  I utilised my knowledge and skills to assist a young person at their time of need.  Her parents made contact through the arts centre to thank me for assisting her.  The other occasion was a parent wishing to know of what support to provide to her adult son, following witnessing a major event whilst driving.  Friends often need a phone a friend when life’s events happen and I do the same to them.  Relationships are reciprocal.

When being referred for surgery last year, my General Practitioner asked if I wanted to have the surgery locally whilst knowing many of the staff in the hospital OR go and be anonymous?  We both laughed and then she did the referral for a provider in the closest City.  Knowing limits and/or boundaries also help healing.

My self-care plan is also an essential element in keeping myself well and this reinforces my ability to hold myself well.