Today is International Men’s Day
That means, for 24 hours, the world shines a light on the most significant issues facing the male…population in the world today. Issues like: masculinity, body image, mental health, work, and expectations.
But, it’s also a time where society celebrates positive male role models.
To sum it up, the day is about “…highlighting the positive value men bring to the world, their families, and their communities…” [ii]
And as Nowcomm is a global company, we were inspired to write about it.
Up close and personal
To mark the day, we caught up with Richard McLoughlin. Not only is he a founding member of Nowcomm and the CEO – he’s also a trailblazer in the world of tech – and a busy family man.
We put these five questions to Richard, around the theme of International Men’s Day, and this is what he said…
Which boy or man inspires you the most and why?
By far my biggest, male inspiration was my Dad. And in my wider family circle, I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by many positive, male role models who’ve influenced me in some way.
Beyond my family and friends, I’ve always drawn inspiration from the world of sport – particularly football legend Sir Kenny Dalglish. I particularly admire his selfless and personal dedication to supporting the Hillsborough families and victims, in their campaign to uncover the truth.
Nelson Mandela and Barak Obama inspire me. I only wish some of the male, political leaders we have today in the world, could draw inspiration from them too.
David Attenborough’s relentless work ethic, and dedication to publicising environmental damage – the biggest, global crisis we’ve ever seen – always amazes me too.
How do you try to be a positive role model for the men around you?
I try to be human. To listen. To empathise. To demonstrate leadership in a positive and compassionate way – taking others into account as part of any decision process. Which incidentally, doesn’t mean simply doing what everyone else wants.
Every man, woman, and child should live and work by this philosophy: Treat everyone as you wish to be treated yourself.
As a parent of a son, what worries you most about the world he’s growing up in?
The future of the global environment has to be my top concern. After all, we don’t have anything if we don’t have a sustainable planet.
The growing nationalistic and inward-looking attitudes in some countries is a concern. However, I’m massively encouraged by the younger generation, and believe they’ll change the world for the better. They’re so much more informed and connected than previous generations. I’m positive they’ll succeed where my generation – and generations before us – have failed.
What keeps you up at night?
Thankfully it’s not my three children anymore. I’m now able to get a full night’s sleep as they’ve got that bit older.
Ideas are my night time weakness. If something new or exciting bounces into my head – then my mind switches back on.
I keep my old school pen and pad by my bed, to take note of any ideas I have. I then have to tell myself to look at them again in the morning, when I’m recharged.
How do you look after your own wellbeing?
I’m fairly good at looking after my own mental health and wellbeing.
I’m able to wind-down, de-stress, and make sure I take short breaks when I need to. This is because I have absolute belief and confidence in Nowcomm’s services, solutions, and our team that make it happen.
You can’t control what you can’t control. But the things we can control at Nowcomm, I know we’re excellent at.
With our great products and services – we also help take stress away from our clients too, by offering our expertise, knowledge and best practice – so they’re no longer in reactive and firefighting mode.
I’m also a naturally optimistic person. I find it hard to be down or stressed for long. Life is too short, so make something of it. If you’re unhappy or stressed, change things to help both yourself and others.
Family, friends, walking, and talking – play a huge part in my mental health and wellbeing. And heading into 2020, I have a personal goal to up the ante on my physical fitness.
Facts about the men at Nowcomm
Nowcomm is a UK based technology company with dedicated skills and services in the areas of: networks, collaboration, and cybersecurity.
Here are some ‘man facts’ about the guys who work there:
- 75% of the people at Nowcomm are male. Against an industry average of 83%[iii].
- They range between the ages of 21 and 59.
- The oldest male to retire was well into his seventies when he left.
- The longest serving employee has been there for 13 years.
- Over half of Nowcomm’s workforce are dads.
- Favourite pastimes amongst them include: motor racing, football, winter-sports, and shooting!
Contact us to learn more about the men and women of Nowcomm.
[i] https://ukmensday.org.uk/about-imd-uk/
