These posts are thought-pieces which I am developing for a longer manuscript
We talk about networking as though it is something which comes naturally to some people. Are you a good networker, is a question people often ask. But like many things it is a skill which can be developed. Often people think of networking as being all about how we build up contacts and make best use … Read more
The brain works best when it has a pattern to recognise. When we are young this is how we multiply the capacity to learn. Rather than seeing everything as fresh and having to decode it, we search through our neurone connections for something that resembles what we are seeing. So, when we see a dog, … Read more
The key to great biography work as part of a process of self-development is to ask great questions. A few years ago I met Rennie Fritchie who shared with me the ideas she had about Biography Work. She published on this. I tried the exercise which focused on 9 key questions – and the results … Read more
There are two principles which have helped me to increase my productivity recently. They occurred to me during a coaching session. The inbox isn’t our work For those of us who spend a lot of time working with email it is easy to become caught up in the illusion that the inbox is the workplace. … Read more
What do I mean by ‘Reflective Practise’? This is the regular habit of asking yourself questions about how you are going about your work, your daily habits of living. Finding the opportunity to step back, and take a critical (but positive) look at what is working, what is not working, and what the key learning points … Read more
BUGS & BUZZES – an ice-breaker exercise for a group meeting. What it does This is a great warm-up exercise for the beginning of a group meeting. It can also be used in a one-to-one situation. In a group, it will change the atmosphere in the room and create a co-operative energy to prepare for … Read more
Many of you will already be aware of a book by David Allen called ‘Getting Things Done’. This book, published in 2001 has become something of a phenomenon over the years. Allen has gone on to publish a couple of other books which build on the concept. The approach, ‘How to achieve stress-free productivity’, is … Read more
People new into post often have big knowledge gaps as they work to understand the context in which they are working. This is not necessarily a problem in itself. We all climb up steep learning curves when we are new. The issue then is not the lack of knowledge alone. There is also the issue … Read more
My head is full of ideas at the moment – a million ideas. Like a million stars in the sky. And that set me to thinking about the power of the metaphor. which ones shine the brightest which ones are dying which ones are new born which ones are nurturing life with their brightness which … Read more
It was 1997. I had heard of the concept of a Learning Set. It was something that appealed on a number of levels. For example, the idea of a community in action is one where it is possible to build links, to establish a ‘fraternity’ which can provide mutual support to managers who can often … Read more