Goals, Connections, and the Road to Rome

Thirteen years ago, while working in a demanding governance role, I launched Exceptional EA. I had big aspirations for both the website and the next stage of my career evolution. I remember mapping out my goals to my husband as we walked to the beach on a sunny July afternoon.

I wanted to reach assistants around the globe, people who were focused on performing at a high level, whatever their job titles.

 I was keen to foster a sense of community, and to nurture connections between my readers – people with diversity of experience, expertise and backgrounds – across sectors, countries and continents.

[left: yours truly in Rome this spring … and I took the photo atop this article at Villa Borghese]

I also set a goal of continually earning peoples’ trust and respect, to the extent that I’d be invited to travel, train and share my insights around the globe.

In the process, a number of us have forged partnerships and friendships. Earlier this year, as the result of one of those partnerships, I made my way to Rome for the first time since 2007. That in itself brought back happy memories, even as I forged new ones with IMA – International Management Assistants friends.

I also spent a bit of time on my own in the city and, with good wishes for your weekend, am sharing below one of a number of treasures from this particular journey.

After splurging on a beautiful pair of earrings and then a gelato, I spent much of the day exploring and enjoying the beauty of Villa Borghese. As the sun began to drop, people gathered on Pincio Terrace (Terrazza del Pincio) to soak up views of the city at our feet while a man sang familiar Italian songs. Rather reluctantly, I left and made my way back through Campo Marzio and home to the wonderful Hotel Nazionale. Enroute, I was among many treated to this woman’s stunning rendition of Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro”.

In addition to the video and photos below, I have happy memories of time spent with IMA members and other people I met in Rome; I’m maintaining their privacy in not posting those pics here. What treasured memories have you built as a result of your own career, and the connections you’ve nurtured within your networks?

Below, some more photos from Rome 2024.

If you’d like to see more of my photography and videos, click here for my Instagram feed. For the next while, I’m continuing to concentrate on IG stories (simply click on my headshot to see the stories) rather than posts, and you’ll see plenty of uplifting images from home and afar.