Category Archives: People

A Manager’s Manifesto from Bartleby

The ever reliable Bartleby in The Economist has come up with “A Manager’s Manifesto for 2020”. If you can’t be bothered to read the whole thing or even the headings then dwell on the conclusion: Will following these eight rules lead to instant business success? Of course not. None of this will work if theContinue reading “A Manager’s Manifesto from Bartleby”

Stupid behaviour – Gillian Tett – The Silo Effect

“Why do humans working in modern institutions collectively act in ways that sometimes seem stupid? Why do normally clever people fail to see risk and opportunities that are subsequently blindingly obvious? Why, as Daniel Kahneman, the psychologist put it, are we sometimes so ‘blind to our own blindness’?” – The Silo Effect, page ix ReadContinue reading “Stupid behaviour – Gillian Tett – The Silo Effect”

Please, no more stock CVs

New Year – New Job? A client despairing of trying to differentiate between applicants sent me this list, they had received four job applications for an administrator that were almost identical. Key Skills & Qualities  Self-motivated, reliable & responsible worker Very strong interpersonal communication skills Team player with ability to work on own initiative whenContinue reading “Please, no more stock CVs”

The Fish Rots From The Head

“il pesce marcisce dalla testa” – The Fish Rots From The Head The final quarter of 2018 saw me speaking throughout the UK on “Leadership and Management”. In preparation I examined the characteristics of both, the differences between them and where they overlap. This exercise meant that I had to take stock of some of theContinue reading “The Fish Rots From The Head”

Sleep isn’t for Wimps.

I had a nickname in my first year at university – “The Midnight Rambler” – I didn’t sleep very well and used to wander around the halls of residence looking for people with their lights on to share a coffee and have a chat. (I suppose the coffee was a clue…) I finally got aroundContinue reading “Sleep isn’t for Wimps.”

Who do you trust? Who can you trust? from GDPUK

My latest post for GDPUK: One of the main tenets of Professor Onora O’Neill’s arguments around the theme of trust is that we must aim to have more trust in the trustworthy but not in the untrustworthy. She says, “I aim positively to try not to trust the untrustworthy.” Which brings around the questions. WhoContinue reading “Who do you trust? Who can you trust? from GDPUK”

“I wish someone told me” Ira Glass

My thanks to Will Rees for sharing this. “Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me.  All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste.  But there is this gap.  For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. Continue reading ““I wish someone told me” Ira Glass”

Your Job Shouldn’t Kill You…

Excellent Blog Post from the Kolbe Connect Blog. Knowing and understanding your Kolbe A can help to cope with and understand what you do and what you should do. My clients who embrace Kolbe Wisdom get so much more from themselves and from their teams. The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized burnout as a medicalContinue reading “Your Job Shouldn’t Kill You…”