Seth’s Blog: Moving beyond teachers and bosses. I love reading Seth Godin’s thoughts on his blog (me and millions of other people). Earlier this year I read his book ‘Linchpin’ and recommended it to people who I work with, because it gives insight into the need to go beyond procrastination. We don’t get round to … Read more
I found a completely new idea, startling me as I considered it, and it appeared in a fascinating conversation with a colleague. We had co-created it. I am looking for the point of balance between head and heart. It’s the dance between the known and the unknown. I have written before about the way in … Read more
I was asked recently how it is possible to create real impact. How does anyone create a larger than life presence so that they can truly make a difference? There is a huge literature on the idea of the charismatic leader. Some argue that this charismatic nature is born into the person and manifests as … Read more
The New Economics Foundation has a page which highlights the five ways to well-being. I really like this. There is more information at the site, but in summary the five key factors are: Connect Be active Take notice Keep learning Give The more I mull over these factors, the more I realise that they are … Read more
This is the first of a series of posts in which I will describe some of the podcasts I listen to. I spend a lot of time travelling, often by car, so have a lot of potentially dead time in the average week. A few years ago I realised that a good use of this … Read more
Spinoza said, “Nature abhors a vacuum”, by which he meant that empty or unfilled spaces are unnatural as they go against the laws of nature and physics. If we create a vacuum, nature will conspire to fill it. What does this have to do with coaching? There are many ways in which we can use … Read more
OK, it’s a simple and almost silly question, but let’s frame it in a useful way. Imagine you have woken up on a Sunday morning, checked your lottery ticket and you are the only winner of this week’s jackpot – £4.3 million. To quote the presenters of the Lottery programme, “it’s a life changing amount”. … Read more
I know this isn’t terribly original, but it is very important! First a comparison: When we take a walk, and we don’t know the route – the walk out always feels slower and longer than the walk back. Of course it isn’t, it’s the same length. Because the route is unfamiliar and there are no … Read more
If you have encountered pay scales in the NHS, you will be aware that they were overhauled a few years ago. This was done using something called the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) which was the basis on which comparative grades were built up in the service. The theory was that skills could be compared … Read more
Here I am, sitting on a train travelling back from London on a Friday afternoon, writing direct to computer. I’m thinking about some of the things that have pre-occupied me this week. There is so much chaos around for me at the moment. As an antidote to all the upheaval I am meditating regularly. I … Read more