The Incisal Edge

Monday Morning Quote #587

“There is great meaning in life for those who are willing to journey.”

Jim England

Sunday Summary 200105

A collection of things that have entertained, informed or annoyed me over the past week or so.

1) Are at-home DNA tests worth the privacy risks?

I have got deeper into tracing my family tree over the past few years and whilst it would be “interesting” to know more, there aren’t that many unexplored or unexplained branches. Or so I think. That said I know someone who has recently found sisters they didn’t know they had and that’s a “win” in anyone’s language.

If you’re pondering it, read this from the people at ExpressVPN – HERE.

2) Quest for the perfect smile is putting Instagram generation at risk.

Coordinated by “tireless” Tony Kilkoyne, a letter signed by 1,000+ dentists. Daily Telegraph HERE.

3) New HPV saliva test may speed detection of mouth, throat cancers.

From the journal of Molecular Diagnostics via Dr. Bicuspid.com HERE

….and because it’s the new year and everybody is extolling the benefits of change, plus trying to sell you something that helps.

4) No more routine scaling and polishing on the NHS.

Finally another heartsink news item suggesting that everything you believe is wrong, because of its cost. Produced by a team called “RAINDROP” presumably named after a round of a new party game “fit the title to the acronym”.

Here’s the LINK via the good people at GDPUK

In praise of…ParkRun

Since 1981 my exercise of choice has been running. Until I was 24 I hated running anything longer than 400 metres – this included cross country, my introduction to which involved wading across the river Rhymney close to my school in Cardiff. Rugby training at university started with laps of the pitches or a run around the Town Moor Only in my final year I realised that something had changed and I was overtaking most of the others during the final mile.

In 1981, after 30 odd months of hospital residencies, possibly the least healthy environments, I found myself working in general practice – a stressful shock to the system – plus living with my parents for 6 months, giving my mother an opportunity to feed me and the pounds began to pile on.

What to do? I took myself to a quiet, straight flat road close to my parent’s home, parked my dark green Triumph TR7 and set out on a “run”. After 200 yards or so I had to stop, clearly fitness had deserted me, or me it. There started the “hobby”. Every evening after work I parked up, chose a point that I could see, a tree, a gate or a telegraph pole and ran towards it, when I could achieve that non-stop I ran back to the car. Next time I upped the distance. Six months later I had moved to a house in Peterborough where the flatlands encouraged running and was managing 3 to 4 miles a few times a week. The solitude of living alone in a new town meant there was little to distract me and the habit became set. As winter came and went I was doing 6 miles, 4 times a week and had a place in the 1982 London Marathon. Unfortunately my first running injury meant that I had to withdraw and was never fit enough or lucky enough to get a place until the year 2000 when I ran London for the first time.

Running for me, organised runs excepted, half marathons and 10Ks, was a solitary exercise, non-competitive and above all a chance to unravel the mental spaghetti after a day’s work.

In 2013 we moved to rural West Cork which is very hilly and my running took on another dimension, more challenges and more injuries. Then a couple of years ago I read about “Park Run” that was free, took place every Saturday morning, seemed to be well organised and welcomed runners (and walkers) of all shapes, sizes and abilities. The next Saturday I turned up at Rineen in Castlehaven to join a welcoming collection of athletes. The course at Rineen is different from many Park Run courses it is run on forest trails and paths and apparently has one of the largest altitude differences in Ireland going from sea-level up hills and back again.

Unfortunately because of other commitments (of which more next week) I can’t run every week but I’m up past 50 odd runs and looking forward to reaching 100 this year.

My advice, go on give it a try, I guarantee you won’t be the fastest, or the slowest…and it’s Free for Everyone for Ever.

Here the website link

2020/4

The Weekend Read – The E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

On the inside cover of my copy I see that I bought this in February 2001 – it was first published in 1995 and I wish I had read it even earlier than that, it would have saved me much pain and heartache and probably saved me a small fortune.

Its subscript describes the book, “Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It”. This is one of THE books (possibly THE one book) that anybody contemplating going into business for themselves should read, and then re-read.

I return to it every couple of years, it is packed with wisdom and sound advice. It is invaluable.

One review says, “Gerber points out how common assumptions, expectations, and even technical expertise can get in the way of running a successful business.” and continues…“shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether or not it is a franchise.”

I quote below from Sam T Davies’s review which you can read on his website HERE and where you will find reviews of other good business books.

The Book in Three Sentences

Most small business owners work in their business rather than on their business.
People who are exceptionally good in business are so because of their insatiable need to know more.
Understanding the technical work of a business does not mean you understand a business that does that technical work.

The Five Big Ideas

“If you are unwilling to change, your business will never be capable of giving you what you want.”
That Fatal Assumption: if you understand the technical work of a business, you understand a business that does that technical work.
The Entrepreneurial Seizure occurs the moment you decide it would be a great idea to start your own business.
“Everybody who goes into business is actually three-people-in-one: The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician.”
We all have an Entrepreneur, Manager, and Technician inside us.

The E-Myth Revisited Summary

Michael believes that the people who are exceptionally good in business aren’t so because of what they know but because of their insatiable need to know more.

“If you are unwilling to change, your business will never be capable of giving you what you want.”

That Fatal Assumption: if you understand the technical work of a business, you understand a business that does that technical work.

The Entrepreneurial Seizure: the moment you decide it would be a great idea to start your own business.

The technician suffering from an Entrepreneurial Seizure takes the work he loves to do and turns it into a job.

“Everybody who goes into business is actually three-people-in-one: The Entrepreneur, The Manager, and The Technician.”

You can buy the book from The Book Depository HERE

2020/3

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

Read more here

Book Depository

2020/2

A Happy and civil New Year to you.

“Civility”: formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour or speech.

2019 was a year of change, so will 2020 be and 2021, 2022, 2023. I think you get the picture. Get used to it, there is little point resenting change. No matter who you are or where you are you have choices in response. Anyone who has read “Man’s search for meaning by Viktor Frankl” (and there is no better way to start your year) will be familiar with his experiences in concentration camps which led to his belief that you are always free to choose your attitude in any set of circumstances.

My blogging has been reduced and distracted this year because of one person’s criticism of something that I wrote and their persistent and personal attacks upon my integrity. Briefly, I wrote a blogpost following the death of Chuck Berry and told the story of how I had once seen him in concert – the post mentioned the date, the venue, the set list and an event which Chuck was famous for in the way that he conducted business.

The individual concerned contacted me, said that I had libelled and defamed them (they had been involved in organising the concert) and was seeking damages. I apologised for any mistakes, firstly edited the post and then when they persisted, took it down. Sadly this wasn’t sufficiently contrite for this individual and they persisted in making accusations. I blocked their emails but they were still able to contact me via the blog site.

Incidentally I stand by what I wrote but that is now academic, the complainant has consulted with his “learned friends” and there is no case for me to answer.

What upset me about this occurrence was the lack of civility with which the complainer behaved and how they decided that I was somehow driven by greed and malice. At all times I tried to show civility to them in the face of unpleasant personal accusations. There are many things wrong with the world in which we live but this event crystallised the lack of civility the definition of which is at the top of the post.

If anything, on reflection, this event has made me more determined to be civil, to be an ambassador of goodwill and to not be distracted from the work that I do, the life that I choose to live and the way that I live it.

So thank you Chuck for this reflection, and helping me come to a conclusion, may you Rest In Peace and Rock ever on.

2020/01

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 when required
Flexible, adaptable, someone who pays attention to detail
Helpful, accommodating, friendly and courteous
Good keyboard skills
Computer Literate, good knowledge of all packages
Full Driving Licence
DBS checked

“What should I do?” was the question, “when we interview we have to ask identical questions, and can’t tease answers out of people. If we go in any way “off piste” we run the risk of having a complaint levelled against us from an unsuccessful applicant”.

It’s not easy and I felt for them. The challenge is there no matter what post you are seeking to fill. A few years ago I sat in on the recruitment interviews for an associate position in a private practice. Again the CVs were all laid out in the same way. “Self-motivated, team player etc”. The individuals had all brought portfolios of their work, all showed lovely post-treatment photographs but none had any taken 5 years down the line.

From what we could judge they all had 100% success rates – but in their position what would I have done? In hindsight one question we should have asked was, “tell us about your failures” and then taken note of their body language. Anyone can look good on paper and will always show their best photographs. It’s what someone does when things go wrong that marks them out.

At my first interview post-qualification I was grilled by a panel of professors and consultants. I had decided before I sat and faced them, that I had no hope of being appointed so I told the truth, warts and all. I was then sent for a chat and a look round with the Dean’s secretary, who found out far more abut me.

I got the job. 20 others did not.

Tips on interviewing:

Avoid cliches – people know what to expect.
Don’t be afraid of people who are not an “exact fit” – beware love at first sight.
Focus on behavioural and situational questions.
Beware of biases – know yourself.
Shut up and listen.
Prepare and give of your best.
Don’t make your mind up until after the person has left. There is little to be gained from rushing.

As for the CV – there are hundreds of sites on line telling you “how to”, why not ask someone who is in the business of reading CVs regularly what they look for and how you can differentiate yourself.

Finally don’t forget what you have put in it – it’s embarrassing when you are asked about a claim that is false, I have seen that happen too.