People Project - Round-up

My first few months at Limbs were spent getting to know the business and really understanding my role. Then about four months into it, the People Project was born. We wanted to highlight some of the great people at Limbs whose work may have previously gone under the radar. As someone who was very much in their infancy at Limbs, the prospect of talking to people who are the lifeblood of the business, people who have lived through every high and every low before, was daunting. Here they were having to speak to someone who had been here for four months, all whilst still having to navigate their day-to-day goings on.

But it couldn’t have got off to a better start. First up was Dave in Production. I was immediately put at ease by Dave’s relaxed persona and openness. Even the photos went well, which was a welcome bonus. From there, every interview followed a very similar and friendly pattern. I was quite taken aback by everyone’s willingness to open up and speak passionately about themselves and their role. After all, we’re all aware how busy and fast-paced life is at Limbs, and at no point did I feel I was inconveniencing someone or wasting their time. Every interview and write-up from Dave all the way through to Jamie was genuinely a pleasure. It was fascinating to dive deeper into the intricacies of others’ day-to-day working lives and the inner mechanics of different departments and subsidiaries. Take the aforementioned Jamie for example. Jamie, or Jimmy as I know him, is someone I’ve known since I was five years old, yet the hour-long conversation we had about Limbs enlightened me to so much I was previously in the dark about. I never knew or understood exactly what he did or just how important he and his team are to the business, but now I do.

Not only has the People Project enabled me to understand the business and its facets more comprehensively, it’s also allowed me to forge friendships and relationships that might not have otherwise been formed. Be that discussing Bristol Rovers’ woes with Dave, a catch up with Darryl at his work station, or a trans-Atlantic/Pacific email exchange with Robyn, Natalie or Sara, or a general chat with Tim, Rob or Jonny as they hurry around the Limbs HQ. Not forgetting Vivien and Cat who had me in awe of their knowledge of their respected fields and the way in which they then apply it. It really has opened up a whole new dimension, and whilst the benefits are obvious, what’s less obvious is the positive effect the People Project has had on my everyday working life. The expertise I’ve been exposed to has molded a new way in which I now work. Being able to understand each person, each department and take in their knowledge has given me an enhanced understanding of the business elements, how they function, and how I can construct my work in a way that promotes efficiency and success. It really has given me a new perspective, a perspective where I can now take a step-back and understand what people are working on and how that contributes to the functionality of the business.

In my position I get to see our products develop from an idea into physical training aids. I get to influence how they’re marketed and who they’re marketed to, and then I get to see the joy and relief etched on the face of the relevant Product Manager as their product successfully passes its FAI (picture the Launch Control Centre at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the aftermath of the latest successful rocket launch). Despite this, I can genuinely say the People Project has been the most enjoyable and rewarding work I’ve carried out at Limbs so far, not just the writing of the pieces but just getting to speak to people, learn about them and their experiences, and then hear their feedback. Every candidate was fascinating in their own right and as such, the pieces were incredibly easy to write. My only dilemma was having to decide which quotes to leave out!

Thanks for reading!

Harry Madge