Throughout my career in education, there were some very salient learnings that came my way. Some were offered while others were perceptual. In recent times I have been pondering on some of these key learning points. Part of that has been about reflection and remembering back over times and years that have passed into the annals of personal history. Others are brought joggingly back to my memory because the mistakes leaders are making at the moment, remind me of the mistakes I made.

It is not all negative. Many a wise decision being made at the moment brings to mind similar positive and productive outcomes from past times.

One thing is for sure. Careers in any occupation, but particularly those focussing on dealing with people, seem to stretch away into an infinite future when one is starting out. But at the endpoint as one is heading away from work for the last time and into retirement, the starting point all those years ago seems as historical as yesterday.

Some people on retiring rejoice in their careers. Others consider their years at work to have been an unrequited drudge. Then there are the in betweens.

I have been retired from formal work with the NT Education Department for eight years. During those years I learned a lot. Some of these I want to share in coming postings. They may be helpful to others as they have been to me.