People will have often heard me say, ‘I’m just making it up as I go along!’
I use the phrase consciously & purposefully, so that everybody knows the achievement isn’t unobtainable. Everybody has the potential to be a manager, lead a conference, get that job, do a PhD – if they want to.
In saying I, or anybody else, is just ‘making it up as they go along’, I acknowledge that you have to be an expert in your field & know your area forwards, backwards and sideways. You can’t make it up unless you know what you’re talking about! You have to draw from your knowledge, skills, experience & expertise and be ready & able to flex it & adapt it to the situation at hand.
COVID is a case in point. We’ve all just been making it up as we’ve gone along, & in doing that we’ve drawn from the toughest experiences & the most brilliant minds to help us wing it, day by day.
I’ve always said, I will never give a presentation on a subject unless I know it well enough to be able to wing it, in answer to a question that the audience poses. To wing it means a passion, dedication & commitment to the subject & an understanding of its history, story & direction.
I forever aspire to know my subject well enough to make it up as I go along!