Claire Deakin

Background

About Claire Deakin

Once, on a long car journey, my best mate and I set a challenge: to describe one another using only one word. He had a good long think and I wondered what he was going to come up with. Would he say "inquisitive?" I love to listen, to ask questions, to find out more. I love to learn: new skills, new ways of doing things, to get stuck in there and find out how things work and why. When renovating my old camper van, I needed all of the seating to be reupholstered, so of course I took myself off on a furniture course and learned how. I taught myself to use video editing software, creating video tutorials and promotional materials. Need a new vase? Buy a potter's wheel, talk to a potter and learn how, Claire! And that leads nicely to my creative side: I love to make things, but I also love the whole process of that. Different techniques, new software, new tools. Can I make things clearer, brighter? There's a home video my mum took when I was a kid. It's Christmas, everyone is pulling crackers, I'm in the background taking my cracker apart so see what I can make out of the components. I write songs for colleagues about their budgies or their lunch choices. I have won branding awards at work for designing logos. I knit jumpers and scarves and occasionally make others wear them. I hate it when people describe me as "bubbly"(I hoped not that). But I am a people person, with far too much positivity and enthusiasm. I'm motivated. I like to make others feel valued, to celebrate success and to urge everyone along. Collaborating with others and being part of a team excites me. And I have ideas. So many ideas! How to make improvements; how to engage others; to motivate them; to make processes run smoothly; to make things better. If I can see a different way of doing things, I'll try it and look at what works and what doesn't. After some thought, my friend came up with his one word to describe me:"capable". At first I was crushingly disappointed! How boring! Annoyingly, he might have a point. I try new things; I don't stop until it's right. I have high standards, I'm efficient, I achieve things, I try hard. I always look to aquire new skills where I can and get it right. I am boringly capable. We carried on with the drive and stopped for fish and chips.