Leadership in practice

Why are some people moaners?

2012-10-23T13:51:00.002+01:00

Working with people in large organisations it seems to me that some people exist to moan. I am not saying that they dont have anything to moan about but it can be a direct contrast to those who rarely moan.

At the start of any facilitation event I know there has to be some space for people to simply get their issues/challenges/moans off their chest. It enables me to get a feel for their organisation and it enables them to feel better even when I have done nothing more than listen. Often in a room it is also validation for feelings of frustration and anxiety because others feel the same way.

I do, however, try and shut it down after an hour at the maximum because it is rarely productive. Sometimes there is someone in the group who tries valiantly to be positive and sometimes they succeed. It often makes me consider concepts such as learned helplessness and optimism alongside solutions focussed thinking.

Why do some people simply give up? Why do they want to be told to do things, directed like a child and given all the answers?

I guess it is partly because as humans we most often like certainty rather than chaos. Some people are simply not made for working within a climate of constant change, whilst for others it is the breath of life.

Work can be like a family and the loss of a way of being and behaving can be felt as keenly as the time when children go off to University. For many the organisation they are in is the one they have been in for some time and change is something which is fiercely resisted.

It surprises me how often the same pain is felt though and how rare it is that change is managed in a way which deals with and faces the loss it creates for employees. I often hear executives say, "That's the new business environment" or "we have to adapt to survive," of course but it is the how we do that which really matters and that is the job of management and leadership.

Organisations mostly talk about a blame free culture, where people are their most important asset and everyone is valued but in reality many are geared towards a climate of fear, blame and risk avoidance. Yet every organisation is going through change due to political pressure, economic or even environmental turbulence and how they weather this change is their choice. Whilst recognising that some of this may bring hardship it is very important to address the loss felt by employees in combination with a push for optimism and enthusiasm for change.

Organisations should be spending time on creating resilience in employees and teaching optimism rather than leadership. They should deal with loss in a grown up way and discuss failure. This goes as much for government as for anyone else. If the message from the top is that failure is not an option we are all doomed to pretend everything in the garden is rosy whilst the shadow side of the organisation tells us it is not.

If you want to lead and manage well there is not option but to aim for a climate of optimism rather than pessimism and whilst this doesn't mean no more moaning it should mean dealing with it and moving on.

Transformation is not the same as saving money

2012-10-01T15:48:00.001+01:00

From a box in a garage to an icon of design Steve Jobs transformed Apple, the internet has transformed life and social media is transforming relationships and marketing. JK Rowling transformed her life by writing Harry Potter, Spielberg told a story in scouts through his fathers movie camera and won a prize at 13 with a film called Escape to Nowhere, Shackleton transformed an epic failure into a heroic tale of daring and bravery and Nightingale transformed nursing from a drunken haphazard job into a profession.

All of these people have a story and each of them share something unique, a passion for what they did. None of it was easy and mostly they asked themselves whether they were doing the right thing frequently, they all had failures, they all suffered. I suspect that none of them are or were easy to live with. Not a single one of them transformed anything with the idea of saving money.

Yet I am still hearing the words transformation of services linked to cost cutting measures and redundancies in organisations.

Transforming services is not the same as saving money, it can mean being more efficient but again that is not the same as having a monetary target and working towards it.

So what is Transformation?

I quite like the definition for business found on wikipedia but to be honest I think it a little flat.

changing appearance - by improving services to customers
changing shape – by review and reappraisal of what a business should do, by working with partners and by making better use of all types of resources
changing form – by improving the way the business works, and embracing new organisational structures, skills, processes and technology

I really like some of the mathematical ones which are particularly apt considering that it is not about money; a process by which one figure, expression, or function is converted into another one of similar value.

In scientific terms transformation is almost always accompanied by either a catalyst or a process. Most importantly it is a change which is remarkable not one which is more or less of the same.

The term has been banded around in business for some time and this has often led to the idea that it is fairly common. External and internal consultants tend to use it when they want to sell an idea to a board or for that matter the frontline.

Actually affecting a remarkable change is neither easy nor quick as can be seen in the fortunes of companies such as Marks and Spencer. The changes which have taken place have not seemed to make much of a dent in the image of a company that was once great and is now a little tired.

Tinkering around the edges, using a new font on the Board papers are not transformation, whatever the new logo says. To transform requires new thinking, the capacity to change and ultimately loss.

It's all about the people isn't it?

2012-09-18T13:03:00.001+01:00

Recently I seem to have been asked to do a lot of work around appraisal and performance management. Personally I am not sure that either work in many organisations for a variety of reasons not least because people at the top rarely, if ever, manage to get their message across in a meaningful way to those who are out there facing the customer.

Having said that I dont think that having every employee regurgitate one mission statement line is what I am talking about either. I was once talking to a non executive member of a board who proudly told me that in his car manufacturing company every single person including the cleaner knew what the mission statement of the board was, "to make more money every day". I sighed and perhaps didn't look as impressed as he thought I should be.

I wanted to ask if the cleaner knew how their work contributed to making more money and if they also thought it worthwhile, because if their pay packet never changed they might ask, "where is the money I am making every day going?" I wanted to ask if there was a limit to how much money they made and what they would do if they reached it and I wanted to ask so many things about quality, customer service and whether they were delivering value for money or did that not matter so long as they were making more?

Of course for many businesses making money is central in order to keep the business running but for so many I know it is not the be all and end all. For public sector organisations money and funding are crucial too but so is getting it right and serving the public, or it should be.

Yesterday I sat in Birmingham at a meeting of minds with many other people in the room listening to one of my favourite people Ray Pendleton talk about his latest venture. Ray is CEO of a company called Thirsty Horses Ltd derived from the saying you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink. Thirsty Horses harnesses technology and social media based software to enable people from the cleaner to the executive director to understand their contribution to the organisation and the way in which they can deliver it.

It starts to connect the dots to what has often been an exercise in coming up with a catch phrase like "world class service" without real meaning for either the customer or the manager. Personally I think it is challenging and organisations will have to look at what their values really are and how they deliver their service. It will link people and start conversations which may well lead to managing excellence rather than poor performance and connecting policy to reality.

It may well make appraisal something everyone looks forward to rather than dreads and more than a tick box exercise done in a dreary office once a year to people rather than with people. In many organisations getting people to understand what effect their contribution has on the end product or on others is something which is difficult to put into words and can be essential when austerity measures are being put in place. Let's hope ingenious solutions and the application of technology will address some of these issues.

Olympic lessons

2012-08-13T18:02:00.001+01:00

If like me you were glued to the Olympics it might seem as though now it is over it is time to get on with things and wait for the Paralympics. There were some amazing stories though to come out of the Olympics and here are my top ten inspirational tips.

1. Dont be afraid to fail. According to Ian Thorpe an athlete shouldn't be afraid to fail; they should recognise failure, know what it is and even hate it but never be afraid of it.
Working in healthcare clinical failure can have disastrous consequences but often management failures are brushed under the carpet. It can seem to clinicians and healthcare staff that managers constantly talk up their success and dont really dwell on failure or even recognise it.

2. Drawing inspiration from the arts. Music featured heavily in both the opening and closing ceremonies but what was really interesting was the number of athletes at the velodrome and pool who listened to music prior to events to inspire them. Our performance and strength are drawn from a number of sources and music is certainly one of them.

3. Remember those who have helped us on our way. No one will forget Gemma Gibbons the silver medal winner in Judo raising her eyes heavenwards and saying, "I love you mum". There were many other stories in the games of athletes helped along by relatives, family and friends.

4. Dont let anyone put you off trying for a dream. Sam Murray said it on the last day and Mo Farah made the point that hard work and graft will get you where you want to be. Dont let the naysayers win.

5. Age is not always a barrier. How many of us can forget the Olympic medallists who were in their 50's in the equestrian team and even the Japanese rider Hiroshi Hoketsu who competed in the Beijing Olympics? If you love something, just do it.

6. When all the odds are against you keep trying. There were plenty of stories of injuries during the games and athletes coming back and continuing to compete. The most impressive was Manteo Mitchell who ran the last 200m of the Olympic men's 4x400 relay heats with a broken leg. He said, "I didnt want to let the three guys or the team down, so I just ran on it."

7. There will be pain along the way to glory. I mentioned Sir Chris Hoy in my last blog but every athlete talked about dark days and wondering whether it was all worth it. Many discussed training in the cold and wet or suffering injuries and still keeping on trying to get better. An Olympic medal or even a place in the final is the end not the journey.

8. We all have talent. One of my favourite quotes is from Oscar Pistorius, "My mother used to tell us in the mornings, 'Carl put on your shoes, Oscar you put on your prosthetic legs... So I grew up not really thinking I had a disability. I grew up thinking I had different shoes."

9. Its all in the preparation. Watch Tom Daley and Jessica Ennis explain this.

10. Set goals. The Olympics is a very powerful, visual way of seeing people achieve their goals and work towards something that is meaningful to them. Their goal is Gold and winning a race. In a matter of seconds the work, preparation, graft and training is tested.

There were so many memorable moments and examples during the Olympics of excellence, achievement and of people not getting what they wanted that it was hard to whittle it down to ten. What were your greatest moments and what did you take away from London 2012?

Gold! Inspired by the Olympics.

2012-08-09T10:52:00.001+01:00

The Olympics has captured the imagination of every one of us this month. From the opening ceremony which was not twee and sickly as I had imagined it might be but quirky, humorous and vital to our current symbiotic relationship with our sports men and women it has been inspiring.

Yet at the Olympics what we actually see is a performance, a culmination of greatness and a pinnacle of achievement. We do not get more than a glimpse into the training, dark mornings doubts and injuries which these athletes have overcome to be on that podium.

Sir Chris Hoy mentioned some of his training sessions where he has to be pulled off his bike and lies vomiting for 15 minutes or so because of lactic acid build up and everyone gasped. This is pain beyond some people's imagining. The end might look glorious yet the journey is anything but.

Last night I saw Dave Brailsford interviewed the British teams cycling manager and he said that first they had looked at what makes someone successful and then they had applied it to cycling. He said his philosophy, which had guided the team to incredible success, was one which could be copied and applied to lawyers, police and doctors in equal measure. He has urged politicians not to throw cash at cycling on the back of the Olympics but to target investment where it really matters.

This kind of logical approach to sport and building from the grass roots rather than investing in the top is what every improvement programme should aim for in any business. As Brailsford says it is often the bit in the middle which needs changing and the aim is to improve retention, make things fun and make it safe, ultimately make it easy to choose a sport and go somewhere where quality is guaranteed.

In healthcare this is exactly what so many programmes have failed spectacularly to do. We have tried to improve things in a piecemeal way and thought that throwing money at something equalled success. It doesn't what is needed is logical concerted effort built on grass roots participation and consistency.

The effort to be world class is unreal, there are only so many who can be in the elite, it is the effort to be good, safe and consistent which is needed.

Taking stock mid year

2012-07-15T15:22:00.001+01:00

I have had a bit of a lull in blog writing as I have been mad busy in the last few months but I am about to go on holiday and so along with my reading I am going to do some reflecting.

At the start of the year I set myself 5 targets/New Years Resolutions and I have written a couple of blogs on how I was doing against the targets. For me resolutions are made and then often forgotten and I know that I am not alone.

Actually, they are not forgotten but nag away at me filling me full of guilt or shame which are useless and time wasting emotions. So this year I thought I would make them public and hold myself to account via this blog.

So how am I doing?

My number one priority this year was to triple my income and wow I am on track! In the middle of a recession to be doing reasonably well and get new work is a real achievement for any small business so I am going on holiday and giving myself a massive pat on the back. The result of this of course has been a lessening of my social media presence and since that is what led to me getting more work I need to be careful for the rest of the year that I manage both rather than one or the other.

My second resolution was to study two things and as I remember they were around maths and physics. I have added to my store of knowledge significantly this year but not in these two areas so I am giving myself some flexibility around this. I now have a certificate in coaching so have a piece of paper to prove my experience in this area because that is what many want. Having said that the course was good and I made some great friends and contacts. I have also gained massive experience in sorting social media out for a festival and for businesses and blogging for many of my clients.

My third resolution was again personal in losing weight and getting fitter. This is a work in progress but suffice to say I will end the year a great deal fitter and several stone lighter. I am going slowly on this but it is working. My dog continues to drag me on walks around the countryside and insist on going out daily come rain or shine. We have had some extreme rain this year so far but I am hoping the second half of the year is sunnier and we can get out for some long walks on holiday.

My fourth resolution is a failure in terms of me managing my finances and keeping track so I am paying someone else to do it. Sometimes it is kinder to kill off a resolution and farm it out and it is of course great to know I can. Frankly I cannot concentrate on a spreadsheet when I could be doing something which I think is far more interesting.

My last resolution is a work in progress and my book proposal is coming along with @DrLauraHills. To be honest having a weekly skype date with her has been great and I think we have both benefitted from some wonderful transatlantic chats. She has also made me laugh wearing some wonderful Jubilee hats for the Queen.

So all in all I think I am doing well and having made such a public promise keeping myself in line and reflecting on my resolutions is very helpful. How are you all doing or are your resolutions a thing of the past?

Leadership and Shakespeare

2012-05-30T11:04:00.000+01:00

Inspired by the Bard I work with a company called Theatresaurus on leadership and Shakespeare. We work with teenagers and businesses to improve leadership through studying the plays, improvising and acting in a friendly workshop setting.

This week I noticed that newsnight was running an item on the very same thing. One of the things which struck me was the assumption that everyone was talking about the same thing when it came to leadership and in particular political leadership.

Sir Richard Eyres made a point about political speech making being cynical and manipulative, actors gathered in the studio and discussed the relevance of Shakespeare to leadership but no one actually said what it was they meant by the term.

I have written several blogs on leadership, many on political leadership. I am not sure it is helpful and it is definitely unrealistic to have one definition but it is helpful to have a discussion about what leadership is and what its purpose and value are prior to any discussion on the links between leadership and Shakespeare. Leadership is indeed a "Gordian knot" which needs to be unloosed and made familiar as a garter, to paraphrase Shakespeare.

Shakespeare has many leaders in his plays and highlights the complexities surrounding decision making, change and leading an army, country or "band of brothers"; he understands that there is no black and white when it comes to good and bad and indeed that, "there is some soul of goodness in things evil."

Shakespeare knows that leaders need those that follow them to think "the King is but a man, as I am; the violet smells to him as it doth to me". We are all in it together and whilst some may be in leadership positions they are great leaders because we know they are like us and they make us feel part of a whole.

Caesar seals his doom in his speech, "I am as constant as the Northern star," he defies warnings, denies requests and his ego is highlighted in comparing himself to a star which is fixed and brightest of all. Shakespeare portrays poor leadership in his plays as well as good. At the end of this speech Caesar is stabbed to death by men who break the law to seize power from someone they consider a despot.

Macbeth is a case study in scheming, ambition and hunger for power. Shakespeare is quite clear that no good comes from this kind of behaviour and whilst there is fascination in watching Macbeth unravel, an audience also understands that this kind of leadership will not be rewarded.

In Lear, Shakespeare explores trust, betrayal and ageing and Lear cries "who is it that can tell me who I am?" It is this search for understanding and meaning which is part and parcel of leadership and which makes it worthwhile. When we are certain about ourselves we cease to lead as even Henry V shows when he questions, throughout the play his own course of action. His father in Henry IV states that "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" as he muses on his lot in life compared to thousands of his poorest subjects.

Shakespeare is fascinating when it comes to leadership because any study of his plays shows us that things are not straightforward or easy and that any leader has a myriad of things to understand and contemplate, not least who they are and what they are doing with their power.

Racist reporting on the Rochdale grooming trial

2012-05-14T13:25:00.000+01:00

The news reader on the news says that, "9 Asian men are convicted of raping and abusing white girls" and it makes me wonder whether the headline would be written any other way if the men were white?

Of course it would. Over the years Paedophile rings have been exposed and there has never been a mention of skin colour or race, just the facts around the case.

As I have listened to more and more of the coverage of this truly appalling case I have become more not less concerned over whether or not race is an issue and whether or not race is being used in order to make a racist point. Child abuse is abhorrent regardless of race, gender or class and I need to make that clear before going any further.

Let's start with the headlines because really, that is easiest. If the reporting was unbiased it would not be concentrating on the race of the victims or offenders. Unfortunately every time I hear anything about it on the BBC or ITV or in the papers, the race of both is mentioned in the first few sentences. If I compare this to reporting on other paedophile rings my first thoughts is that race is not mentioned in the first few sentences. So why in this case?

Perhaps it is because the news writers consider this an issue of race first and foremost rather than of abuse; maybe they think that their audience is more interested in the race and gender issue than the crime itself; or perhaps they think that it is crucial for our understanding of the case for consideration of race and gender to come first, before consideration of the crime. Whatever the reason, I am rendered less than comfortable by this type of reporting and it leaves me concentrating on that rather than on the vile nature of what has happened to these children.

These headlines also make me shift attention from other issues such as why the Crown Prosecution Service failed to prosecute for 10 years, ignored the evidence of the girl who came forward and sent her back into a cycle of abuse, along with other children. It makes me forget that these girls have been failed by social services just as badly as in other cases of child cruelty and abuse and that there is a wide spread failure of care and compassion from services which should have been a safety net for these children.

In terms of incidents of abuse of children, statistics show that offenders are mostly white, as are the victims and that most offenders are men. Yet in terms of the limited statistics available on localised grooming 30% of offenders are white and 28% are Asian. None of this shows that there is much more of an issue in one community than another. Of course the issue may be different in both and an examination of culture and conditions which make abusers think that this is acceptable behaviour is not only valid but useful but it is about both white and Asian communities and not simply the commonly quoted Asian men's perception of white women.

If, as Mohammed Shafiq, Chief Executive of The Ramadhan Foundation has said that Asian men think that, "white teenage girls are worthless," then of course that needs to be addressed but it should not be used as a stick to beat a community, or to focus blame when there are other contributing reasons.

As a white woman I am not so sure that British white men do not sometimes consider women to be worthless either. Consideration of any kind on men beating and abusing women or children means that issues about the way they are viewed in society and in particular by the powerful is incredibly important. The Police have worked hard to make things easier for rape and abuse victims to come forward but only after cases where victims were too scared to do so were highlighted; there is still a long way to go and personally I dont want this to become an issue where race, gender or for that matter class takes over. I want to see justice and a system which supports victims rather than blames them and which tackles the reasons for this behaviour in an adult way rather than throwing blame around and focussing on one community or race over another.

Why Dignity is becoming a dirty word in healthcare

2012-05-08T14:44:00.000+01:00

What is it about the word dignity that gets me cross and riled up? There is something I find pompous about the term and it fails to capture what people are really talking about whenever they use it.

Healthcare and charities use it to describe treating people with respect but to me it has come to be a largely meaningless term. Here is the dictionary definition:

the quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect
inherent nobility
poise and self respect
stateliness and formality of manner and appearance
the respect and honour associated with an important position
a high office or rank

Hmmmmm! I can see why I find the word pompous with its associations with position, appearance and esteem. Even respect can be problematic when used wrongly. I have heard numerous people ask for respect without realising it is a two way street and needs to be earned.

The Royal College of Nursing try to define dignity and use a whole page to discuss people feeling in control, valued and confident and treating people as though they are a being of worth. The British Medical Association is a little more concise, "Dignity in care needs to be considered as an integral part of service provision. Dignity consists of many overlapping aspects, involving respect, privacy, autonomy and self-worth."

I am not sure dignity is the right word for it to be honest and the way it is used almost as a rationale for proper care rather than awful care makes it less and less meaningful. The caring relationship is often an unequal one and many patients feel obligated to their carers, there is nothing very dignified about that. Nor is there anything very dignified about many diseases or conditions, examinations or procedures and yet there is something very human about them.

When I used to clean my kids nappies it wasn't about dignity but care; when I help my aged father to get to an appointment he does not feel dignified but cared for and when I talk to my mum with Alzheimer's she is not worrying about her dignity but being able to get through a day without some major faux pas.

Most of the time when people ask to be treated better either as a patient, member of the healthcare team, carer or relative its pretty simple stuff. It's about not waiting ages for an appointment and then when an appointment comes along not waiting three hours after the allotted time in out patients without an explanation; its about not shouting at people in front of other people and generally behaving like a grown up; its about asking people how they want to be addressed rather than calling them "dear" or "love" and most of all its about believing that this person in front of you is someone with a life and a brain and is in a difficult situation.

Personally, I am not sure this is about considering people "worthy" or even respecting them, it is about treating everyone with some common humanity. I do not want to be treated the same as everyone else by my healthcare team. In point of fact I want to be treated as an original, exceptional and wonderful person who needs something a little different from my mum or dad, my daughter or son. I am not the same as everyone else and I dont want one mantra for everyone but I want individual, personalised care which is tailored for me.

That kind of care has nothing to do with dignity and everything to do with customer service. It is about accepting that everyone is different with different needs even if they come in with the same thing. We are not defined by our condition or disease but we are defined by our unique quality as a person and by the things we consider important.

As a user of healthcare services I am of worth because without me there would be no need for the service and a lot of people would be out of a job! Patients, families and carers should define what is and isn't part of the service and it should be their voice and choices which the service works to fulfil.

So let's ask for classy service, elegant service, polished service from healthcare providers and do away with the word dignity because it implies something a little less than what is required and is not the right word at all.

External consultancy and the Magnificent Seven

2012-04-30T10:38:00.001+01:00

Over the weekend it has been stormy and so I settled down with the kids to watch one of my all time favourite Westerns The Magnificent Seven. It occurred to me whilst watching that there were loads of lessons in the film for external consultants like me and so I am sharing them in two blog posts.

1. Showcase your talent
In the second scene Steve McQueen (Vin) and Yul Brunner (Chris) drive a hearse with a dead Indian up to the cemetery and prove they are the men for the job in front of their soon to be clients. They show what they can do and behave like honest men willing to take on a challenge.

2. Charge for your services at a rate the customer can afford
Throughout the film the contract for the gun hire services is a major theme and as Chris remarks "I've been offered a lot for my work, but never everything." Whilst they are not been given much money they know what their clients can afford and are willing to take the job based on that alone.

3. Hire the right people for the job
Chris and Vin collect a team around them of the best they can find. They are chosen for their strength and talent and sometimes have to showcase that in front of Chris and Vin to get into the group. Contracts are hashed out up front and nothing is hidden.

4. Dont compromise your beliefs
The Seven are all looking for something or hiding from someone but ultimately they are allowed to be themselves and stay true to their own identities. Harry even dies with Chris giving him belief in his dream even though there is no gold hidden in the hills.

5. If you are starting out dont take no for an answer
Chico does not accept that he cannot join the group and so follow them until he is accepted and bought into the fold. He wins the others over through sheer tenacity even after a drunken rant.

6. Check out the will for change
Chris asks before accepting the contract, "does everyone in the village feel the same?" He wants to know if they are prepared to accept the consequences of bringing in the Seven and how far they are willing to go.

7.Use stories to paint a picture
Vin tells a great story about someone falling from a 10 storey building to illustrate how well things are going he describes the comments as the guy falls past each floor with people saying, "so far, so good". Using stories is a great way to get understanding and buy in.

8. Understand your clients
Charles Bronson as Bernado explains to the children what bravery is when he says "You think I am brave because I carry a gun? Your parents are brave because they carry responsibility." He understands the farmers and their concerns.

9. Make sure everyone knows you mean business
When the seven get to the village everyone is afraid and has hidden, Chico rings the bell to get the villagers to take notice of them. He calls them cowards (something perhaps a consultant should avoid) and gets them to recognise that things have changed. He says, "prove to us you are wroth fighting for".

10. Work with what you have got
The Seven assess the situation as soon as they arrive in the village and base their strategy and preparations on what they have rather than what they would like in their wildest dreams.

11. Educate
The Seven set about educating the villagers to fight for themselves. They make it clear that winning the battle involves everyone and is not simply a task for the hired consultants.

12. Use examples your client understands
When they are being taught to shoot the villagers are told to squeeze the trigger of the gun, "like when you milk a goat". The Seven recognise and respect the villagers heritage and dont try and teach them to use new tools in language they will not understand.

13. Solve the right problem
When Calvera first meets the Seven Chris is quite clear when he listens to Calveras' list of woes and says, "solving your problems isn't our line". He is focussed on what matters to his clients and is not going to be deflected from the issue at hand.

14. Assign the right people the right jobs
Chris as the team leader gives people jobs even villagers based on their skill set and puts them in the right place. He also chooses a great right hand man in Vin.

15. Make a plan and involve the clients
Chris is great at thinking ahead and he also reminds the clients,"I work for you" as he asks their opinion on how to proceed.

16. If at first you dont succeed
When they are chucked out of the village by Calvera the Seven turn around and go back. They want to finish the job. Chris even says, "we took a contract " in answer to whether or not they should finish the job.

17. Pick your battles
When the old wise man refuses to leave his hut Chris lets him stay and before engaging with Calvera Chris attempts to reason with him rather than fight it out. Both examples show that Chris is willing to compromise.

18. Put on a show
The Seven are masters at ensuring Calvera is both surprised and amazed at their ability to defend the village and believes there are more men and better defences than there really are. They base their primary strategy on surprise.

19. Relax and party when appropriate
The Seven know that fun is important for morale and they enjoy the fiesta and celebrations when Calvera is routed the first time round even though they are aware it is not over.

20. Dont let the bullies get you down
Calvera makes a point of saying that the Seven have given the villagers too much choice and says, "with me only one decision. Do what I say". Yet ultimately the villagers recognise they must stand up to Calvera and the Seven show them how.

21. Finish what you start
Even though some of the Seven lose their lives they finish the job and fulfil the terms of their contract. Partly this is because they learn to care about their clients but partly it is pride in a job well done.

I hope you have found these 21 examples helpful. Have I missed anything or would you include anything else as an external consultant?

Lessons from The Hulk in anger!

2012-04-25T11:41:00.001+01:00

Many people see those who lose their temper as lacking in control whereas often the converse is true. I dislike the term "anger management" mostly because the people who are told to go on courses or get a grip of their anger are often very good at controlling their anger and using it when they can rather than being impulsive or emotional.

Someone who beats his wife or kids may well not beat his boss . Why? Well, because he is great at controlling his anger so that it is allowed to flare up only when he can take it out on someone who will not sack him or beat him back. This is not an opportunity to teach someone more control of their anger but it is time for them to rethink their attitude to those who may be less physically able or in a less powerful position.

Yet anger can be useful. How many times has a fitness coach used it as a tool to get someone to perform better or a great campaign been fuelled by anger at injustice and inhumanity?

The Hulk is a character well known for his emotional and impulsive issue with anger and who literally blazes with it and turns green, his clothes ripping to shreds and giant muscles exploding alongside a grimace of mammoth proportions. His strength is in direct proportion to his anger

Bruce Banner, the character is poor at displaying emotion, even repressed in terms of his ability to express his feelings and withdrawn. Yet it is through feelings that The Hulk surfaces and it is the inner emotions which transform Banner into a green giant of rage and fear. As The Hulk Banner can accomplish feats of huge strength and is resistant to most injuries alongside regeneration and healing. He can jump and run extremely fast and resist psychic control.

Interestingly once overwhelmed by anger The Hulk also loses intellect and intelligence because as Bruce Banner he is considered one of the greatest minds on earth.

So what are the lessons in anger from The Hulk?

1. Use anger wisely - accomplish tasks which require strength and effort through channeling anger. Anger can channel energy and add to your stores enabling you to do more, go further and faster.

2. Open up emotionally - dont wait until a catastrophe happens to consider feelings and impulses because subduing them can lead to anger. Anger can also enable you to understand your feelings and emotions better and to become more aware of them rather than simply expressing them in the moment.

3. Use your emotions to tackle change - often people try to change things through systems, processes and logic but ignoring emotional rationale and the emotions of those going through change is also important. Most anger is about ourselves and it is important to consider what part of the story is ours to own.

4. Impulsiveness can be a good thing when used wisely - when making a decision it is worth thinking with our heart and gut as well as our head. How often do we regret not being more impulsive rather than less?

5. Dont forget to think - when we act in the moment of anger we often lose intellectual capabilities and so remember that thinking is good alongside emotions.

Four MBTI types & their superhero counterparts

2012-04-18T12:14:00.001+01:00

The first four types I am considering are two introverts and two extraverts, two thinkers, two feelers and two sensing, two intuition. Feel free to look back on the blog at the series where I discuss these in more depth and relate them to superheroes.

So here we go with the following:

INTP - Someone for whom logic explains most things and certainly anything interesting. More interested in ideas than socialising they like abstract thoughts and concepts with a pronounced ability to solve complex problems on anything which is in the area of their interest. They can be critical but are always analytical and are quiet, contained, flexible and adaptable.

ENFP - Otherwise known as Tigger! They are enthusiastic, warm and bouncy with great imaginations. For them life is full of possibilities and connections and they can take in information quickly using the patterns they see to solve problems. They like a lot of positive strokes and are very supportive and loyal themselves. They are good at improvising and spontaneous with a flair for words.

ISTJ - Thorough and dependable these serious people are practical and grounded in the present. They are responsible and will work towards their goals in a steady, logical fashion refusing to be deflected. Valuing tradition and loyalty they enjoy an ordered life and organised surroundings.

ESFJ - Working towards harmony, these warm hearted souls love team working and are usually completer finishers. They are loyal and follow through in detail on any job, noticing what others need and trying to give it to them. They like appreciation but honesty and realism in the feedback as well.

So what do these types look like as people?

My INTP is Mr Fantastic, ENFP is Spiderman, ISTJ is Batman and ESFJ is wonder woman.

Mr Fantastic is first and foremost a scientist who is methodical and logical and when presented with a challenge can be so methodical and focussed that he even forgets his family. The powers possessed by Mr Fantastic required extreme concentration to manipulate his body into various shapes and stretches but he managed to make it easier by using mental and physical training. His internal ability to be flexible and adaptable is mirrored in his super powers.

Spiderman loves to be loved and always puts those he loves at the centre of his world His values that with great power comes great responsibility define his whole reason for being and he has learnt this himself without mentoring. He agonises over his decisions always trying to do the right thing but frequently being at odds with authority as a result. Spiderman is clever but finds it hard to concentrate on things for long periods of time. His powers mean that he leaps, bounds and swings in the air moving with agility and sensing danger with his spider sense but he uses his ability to solve problems by adapting his own costume and constructing devices to improve his powers.

Batman is always pursuing justice and the rule of law he enjoys his ordered lifestyle as Bruce Wayne and makes use of what he has in order to carry out his war on crime. Other superheroes who work with Batman comment on his serious nature frequently and his inability to see a joke. From his beginnings as a child Batman uses his trauma to work towards the goal of seeing order established and crime eliminated. He works against his type as Bruce Wayne in order to protect his identity as Batman and is extremely careful to be secretive about his alter ego.

Wonder Woman is a warrior princess who has various super powers and an individual role as a female archetype in fighting for the rights of women but also values the team she belongs to (the Justice League) and fights against evil and the Nazis. Wonder woman wants to establish a just world where people are treated as equals regardless of gender or race. Wonder woman tries to control her powers in order not to harm those around her and therefore rarely removes her bracelets yet she will use deadly force when needed in order to complete her task. She can calm and communicate with all animals and is warm hearted and loyal and empathic.

My next four types in this continuing series will be ENTJ, ISFP, ENTP and ESTP.

What triathlon teaches you about leadership

2012-04-11T11:55:00.000+01:00

Having the attention span of a gnat triathlon was the sport which seemed ideally suited to me. Long distance running gets boring and I love swimming, but was new to cycling. I am not fit enough at the moment to do triathlon so thought I might reflect on the leadership lessons learned from the sport instead.

1. Managing transitions A good triathlon time is all about the transitions from one thing to another. Going from a wet suit to cycling gear, cycling to running is hard work and there are rules to obey such as not touching your bike unless you have your helmet on or making sure your race number is on the front or back. Preparation is key and ensuring that everything is lined up in the order that you will need it means a smooth change between the different parts of the event.

2. Having the right equipment Some equipment is essential such as a bike helmet or the right shoes and other stuff just makes things easier. Having a belt to ensure your race number is on the right way and can be turned easily between cycling and running is not essential but when you are fiddling around with safety pins in transition it makes sense. If you are cycling long distance a better bike makes things much easier. When I started triathlon I used a mountain bike and the difference made by a proper racing bike was unbelievable, lighter, faster and so much easier on my legs.

3. Preparation and practice This one is pretty self evident but honestly practising moving between cycling and running is really important as they are different and use different muscles. A lot of people cramp up here and it is important that you know what to do if that happens to you. Running in the rain is very different to running in full sun for example so you need to be ready to take on more water or understand what you will need in different circumstances. Preparation and knowing the course is so much better than only doing one lap of the cycle run because you didn't know it went round twice! Making sure that you practice all three sports together rather than one on one day is essential to ensuring your body is fully prepared for the exertions of the race itself.

4.Help and mentoring Having the advice and help of someone who knows what they are doing is really useful. If you have never swum in open water it is a really great idea to try it and do a couple of preparatory classes because it is really different to a pool. On the day having support is massively important as you may well be tired or need a bit of cheering on.

5.Motivation and goal setting When you are tired and dont want to go out there and practice you really do need goals and motivation. It is also an essential part of preparation and will ensure you are ready for anything on race day. If you set realistic goals and write down your training plan it motivates you to tick things off and get it done. Considering what you feel like as you finish a race is part of motivating yourself and gearing yourself up for the training involved to get you over the finish line.

6.Resilience There will always be set backs on any training route and resilience is a necessary part of training. Personally I think triathlon is less likely to injure you as you are not using the same muscle group over and over again but still it is a good idea to ensure that whatever hurdles you face in training you keep your goals and motivation spurring you on. Getting back into training after a break is hard but part of that resilient streak you will need to get you achieving better times and even just completing a longer race.

7.Celebrating success Every milestone should be celebrated, even getting out for that first swim or putting it together with your first bike ride. Achievements along the way build you up for the race itself and of course collecting your medal, t shirt or simple race times is a massive cause for celebration. Let friends and family know what you are doing and wait for the congratulations to come in!

These are only some of the leadership lessons of doing a triathlon. I wonder what yours would be or how you could add to these?

What price failure?

2012-04-09T13:33:00.000+01:00

I have had the odd failure in my life and recently some of my friends have failed at something, either business, job related failure or in a personal relationship. What strikes me every time is how devastating failure can be on a personal level but also how much can be taken from it. Every time we fail, we learn, even if it is only that we made a mistake, it strengthens us. Some of my top lessons from failure are these:

1. Let yourself feel the loss We all deal with loss differently, some people get angry, some get depressed and others get very tired. I guess the main thing though is to allow yourself some time to wallow. Too often nowadays we try to make things too cheery but when something bad happens I think feeling down is perfectly acceptable for a while if there is a legitimate reason. Failure sucks!

2. Ask yourself what part you played It is a good thing to consider in any failure whether or not there were things you could have done differently. This is not the same at all as thinking it is all your own fault or even thinking that you are worthless or useless. Being an adult about failure means considering your part in it, rather than playing the blame game, it's not all your fault or even someone else's fault.

3. Consider any lack of skills or knowledge Sometimes we fail because we did not have the right level of skills or knowledge to do the job or even to manage the situation. Ensuring that we gain those skills for our next shot at something will ensure greater success next time round.

4. Consider external and internal influences Often things like the economic climate are against us and we fail because we underestimated their impact or did not consider them. We could have started a business and not managed to grow it in a recession, or been thwarted in a job because of internal politics but these are important elements to consider when we are trying to succeed. Culture, is often an influence in failure which we underestimate at the time, we may join a team at the wrong moment or simply be a different person from everyone around us.

5. Understand the part others played Whilst it is a good idea to know what part of a failure we are responsible for it is also beneficial to consider who else contributed to the failure. It may be suppliers who did not get products to you on time, or cash flow when you are let down by other firms or customers or it could be someone who sabotages your efforts. You may have had changes at the top of the firm and your new boss no longer appreciated you or it may be that the team you became a part of was simply not right for you.

Whatever happens in life failure can be embarrassing and difficult to get over. At the same time it can make you a better person and give you more strength and determination. For many entrepreneurs failure is something they avoid at all costs and try not to consider but considering failure is a key component for success. Looking at a project and thinking, - if this fails then what? - is part and parcel of building for success. Understanding why we fail and ensuring we dont do it again makes us better, stronger and more successful as people.

5 game changers which should encourage you to let your kids use facebook

2012-03-23T13:37:00.000Z

This weekend my youngest daughter Rosa is going to take part in a public speaking competition in Chester, UK. She has already got through two rounds and this is nearly the final. Her chosen topic is facebook!

She wrote the speech herself and then edited it with her teachers. The competition is hosted by the Rotary club and is extremely well run showcasing highly talented young people from the age of 11 up to 18.

Last year she got through to the second stage and I went and watched in shock at the talent in public speaking amongst some very young people; I laughed, thought and cried.

Her speech on why facebook was a good thing, got me thinking about the difference that it has made to young people and to a new generation. It certainly contrasts to much of the negative press that facebook gets for the young and made me consider life before facebook. I know that many of my friends see facebook as a necessary evil rather than embracing the many ways it can help their children.

So here are the 5 game changers I think facebook has bought about for my kids generation.

1. Never lose touch.
My parents traipsed me around the UK and I went to a variety of schools. I came home to live in the North because that was where I thought my roots were. Over the years I have lost touch with most of my school friends although I have kept in touch with my friends from college.

For my kids generation losing touch isn't really going to happen unless they fall out. Only the other day my son caught up with a friend from primary school on facebook who was asking him if he still did ballet and remembering how much flak he had recieved because of being a boy doing ballet.

Their world is connected from day one and it continues that way. Their horizons feel unlimited and the opportunities boundless.

2.Cross cultures and languages.
We have moved a few times and have lived in an area where we were a minority group as white British people because of the high Asian population. It was an area of mixed heritage and different levels of affluence from rich to very poor. We now live in a very white middle class farming community so nothing could contrast more.

Keeping in touch has meant that my kids have a more varied cultural knowledge and understanding. It has ensure that they dont have one world view and that whilst their immediate neighbourhood influences them they never lose the knowledge that there are other places out there with different views.

Even more importantly is the ability that facebook has provided them with when they go on trips abroad and so my eldest daughter speaks French with people she met whilst on a French visit and thus improves her French vocabulary.

3. Keeping up with school.
Even when they are off sick my kids can keep up with school via their friends on facebook. They can find out what went on through chat and messaging and they can get their homework assignments.

The ability to get one of their friends to check timings for trips, lists of ingredients for food tech or whether or not it is a uniform free day is great for me as well. Before facebook it involved numerous phone calls and stressful exchanges with other parents and we now dont go in on the wrong day after the holidays either!

4. Instant sounding board!
School can be a very pressured environment for many young people. When it comes to the school prom is their dress ok? When they are going out what should they wear? If they are going on a visit how much money will everyone be taking?

All these pressures can be taken away with a facebook conversation, photo or message. Suddenly the tension of school and fitting in becomes an awful lot easier. There is a lot less likelihood of a clothing faux pas or finding themselves with more money than everyone else at the zoo.

5. Somewhere to sound off!
I live with three teenagers and sometimes we have rows. I have lost count of the times that my teens have gone away to rant at their friends and come back to apologise now.

This week my son had a row with his sister and his girlfriend told him to apologise and stop being an idiot (actually I think her language was far more colourful). It really helped him gain perspective and it is usually far more effective than being grounded.

All kids need to explore their boundaries and limits and having a raft of friends instantly available to empathise, explore options and rant to means that they have an online community of people they know ready to take some of the weight off my shoulders. It can give them a reality check too when they are getting carried away with ideas for vengeance or bad behaviour and can stop them doing some of the very silly things I did to get attention from my parents.

When one of my daughter's classmates died facebook was a community of support for many of the teens who wanted to talk in private to each other about their feelings and emotions. The pain was shared and discussed and it really helped to have a shoulder there at any time of the day or night.

All in all I think the positives far outweigh the negatives of facebook and I encourage my kids to use it whilst keeping their safety in mind.

There is an I in team! The Borg is not the best team model.

2012-03-14T12:16:00.000Z

I was watching a film and someone spoke the immortal phrase "there is no I in team". Obviously there is no I when the word is spelt out but is there any room for an I in a team? I found myself wondering and as I listened to more and more people spout this phrase considered the ramifications of having no I but only a Borg like whole.

So if a team operated with no individuals but a collective voice what would be the upshot? Are there times when a team needs individuals? I guess these are my two main questions.

In Star Trek (Next Generation and Voyager) the Borg are a race of robotic assimilated cyber organisms that enforce the assimilation into the team of Borgs or the collective as they are known. They are drones and are one of the greatest threats to civilisation because there is no arguing with them as they drive forward in their pursuit of perfection into an emotionless, unified and mechanical workforce which is controlled by technology. Even their homes are cubes, there are no curves or innovations in their space craft.

Drones do exist who resist the collective and survive assimilation. Seven of Nine when removed from the collective is frightened and furious. She wants to be part of the whole and misses the certainty and voice of the collective team. Eventually she comes to recognise her more human side and her unique qualities but at first she is scared and angry.

Interestingly the Borg never run anywhere so most species can outrun them; they are slow and ploddy and can only think in certain ways. There is no room for individuals and definitely no I. Being part of the collective means that they can use group consciousness to adapt and defend themselves and the mental energy of the whole can be used to heal.

It is an interesting idea that a team with no individuals will eventually become a collective all operating and proceeding with one aim, one vision and one mission. I worry that in some organisations that is exactly what managers wish to achieve. Yet is that what is necessary and how will the millennial generation embrace this idea?

In a team with individuals who all think differently, having different ideas, challenging each other and creating space for diverse concepts and ideologies there is much more chance for something novel and innovative to happen. Of course there is also more chance for discord and lack of harmony.

Creating teams which are high performing, self motivated and self governed means allowing individuality to flourish within them. Collaboration is still essential for a high performing team where the views and needs of individuals are considered and each person is allowed the space to grow and develop. This can, in turn mean that the team is flexible and agile thinking able to create new opportunities for the organisation. In a start up this is an essential team attribute.

Allowing teams to function as a self-directed unit and manage their own decisions and performance enables individuals to act in the same adult way that they do in their lives outside work. It also means that work can be directed towards a whole process rather than simply reducing things to the smallest steps. A team which is a collection of interdependent and supportive individuals will see things differently and there is also less scope for error. It means that decisions are taken closer to the customer or product by the people who know what is going on.

De Bonos thinking hats are to me a necessity to consider in any team, the ability to look at things from different view points and consider all angles. In a team with no I this wouldn't happen and there would be no dissenting voice to protect everyone from mistakes or make them refine ideas in order to improve them.

The journey from a Borg mentality to one of genuine diversity and individuality in teams is sometimes an onerous one. It can sound simple but is far more difficult in practice. Teams should not only work together but learn together and be supported in putting that learning to good use. They also need to learn how to hold each other to account and understand each others jobs and roles as well as being adept at setting goals.

Of course everyone needs a common view of what the aims and objectives are for a company and a shared desire for success in any enterprise but personally I would rather work with a collection of individuals than drones.

Captain America - Leadership and politics

2012-03-07T11:19:00.001Z

As you all know by now, I am a little obsessed by superheroes as the new archetypes in cultural life and what they have to tell us about leadership and the psyche.

A couple of days ago I was talking to someone about leadership and they said "I don't do politics". To me that is a little like saying "I dont breathe". Politics is part of life. It is an important skill as a leader to understand the politics around us and be able to work in a political way with others.

The original Greek meaning was, "relating to citizens" so in my book anything relating to people is politics. It is about decision making by groups not individuals, a central tennant of modern leadership practice and ultimately relates to behaviours of groups principally when they are organised.

When politics go wrong on a national scale the end result can be a war where lives are lost, or a breakdown in a political system which leads to chaos and widespread panic. Corruption in politics and repression of political difference mean that people live in fear and terror.

On a smaller scale politics in a company or organisation are important to understand because through the political landscape culture is revealed. We can lose our jobs or work in a climate of fear or intimidation principally because of office politics.

Captain America was a consciously political creation standing up to the moral outrage about the Nazis, said Joe Simon who created him and who made Captain America political throughout the time he drew him. His outfit is unsubtle and depicts his patriotism. During World War II he punches Hitler and always took on the enemies of America during the war such as the Japanese.

Even the name Captain America was chosen as a political symbol rather than the usual Super title. Captain America started out as a weedy geeky man called Steve Rogers who through an experimental serum became stronger and gained his superpowers to help the war effort. He continues this effort throughout the cold war always battling political enemies rather than traditional baddies.

Captain America led the first superhero team (prior to the Avengers) and it is this which really marks him out as different from his predecessors. He knows that in order to win battles real strength lies in working together for a common good and bringing the best people into a team, that is political thinking.

As a member of the Avengers Captain America has battles with team members leading them most of the time although ceding leadership to others when it is the right time. Again this shows a mature political outlook.

When America is bought into disrepute through the Watergate scandal Captain America becomes disenchanted with the power he has fought so long to protect and becomes Steve Rogers again shedding his super alter ego. Many political leaders go through similar issues with the ideologies or issues they fight for and have moments where they question whether or not to continue the fight.

When Captain America finally comes back he has decided to fight not for governments but for his country and its ideals of freedom and democracy. He matures through this period into a political figure who can separate the bad from the good and can fight for concepts and philosophies. He goes through various periods where he battles his political demons of pressure from external forces to work in certain ways and where he gives up his superhero status as a result of refusing to be manipulated.

Even Captain Americas super powers are political including the soldier serum which creates him and his battle experience and training. He is immune to influences such as hypnosis and cannot be drugged or get drunk, he is virtually incorruptible. His most important weapon is a shield a symbol of politics and of his determination to prevent corruption, enemy attack and useful for throwing and attack.

Politics is important in small and large organisations and an ability to understand the nature of the political culture in any field is essential to any leader.

Back to resolutions again!

2012-03-05T10:30:00.000Z

As I said I am revisiting my resolutions every once in a while to stay on track and keep accountable to the promises I made in a flash of confidence at the New Year. I have written an up date in January so am doing another now in March.

1. Was to triple my income so how am I measuring up? So far this year I am making more than triple each month compared to my last year so I am doing ok. Thinking in the long term though I need to plan ahead and bring in business. I have decided today that I will get back in touch with people I mean to meet up with and never do and trawl through the people who have said let's do something together and then we never have. So I am making a list of people and don't be surprised if I ring them or email or tweet them as well. I am also being a goody too shoes and keeping on top of my finance this year having kept my expense sheets up to date and am working on a spreadsheet for all my finance, keeping going with coffee and nurofen.

2. Studying at least two new things is getting lost in the mix. I tend to relax with fiction and find reading non fiction quite hard work. I bought the books to help me study Quantum and decided to consider my second study subject once I was au fait with how the universe was made. My new books are gathering dust and looking at them gives me a sense of gloom as I know I should be reading more. So from tomorrow I am getting up an hour earlier to ensure I read some non fiction for at least an hour a day.

3. I had a step backwards with diet this month and collapsed into bad habits but have pulled it back. I am actually rather proud of this as I usually descend into chaotic habits once I start losing my focus on healthy eating. My dog was out of action for a two week period whilst she was spayed and that didn't help. Now we are back in action together and looking forward to spring and better weather.

4. Managing my company finances better oops I covered this in number one and yes I am actually on top of this for the first time in ages.

5.Talking to@DrLauraHills and looking forward to some great collaboration on writing a book together. I am also talking to @loracenna about another book idea and have even started writing some fiction. I love writing so this one isn't too hard but it does require stamina and staying power. Someone like me with the attention span of a gnat finds completing and finishing things quite difficult.

So I have had a few blips here and there this year so far but I am pretty much on track. How are you doing with your resolutions?

A massive thank you to all my readers!

2012-03-01T12:16:00.001Z

In February the reading figures were over 22,000 so I wanted to say a massive thank you to every single one of you who takes time to read this blog.

When I started out I was unsure, uncertain and unclear but now I love writing and updating my blog. Recently I have not had so much time but this month I intend to blog at least twice a week. Looking at my figures over time is incredibly satisfying but I know I cannot get smug and that I need to find consistent content which challenges me and is interesting.

Here are my 5 top tips:

1. Write about the things which interest you first and foremost. Dont be frightened and give it a go. Many of the people I coach on blogging are worried that they will offend someone or that they will write the wrong thing. Perhaps they will but they might also get it spot on. We all get it wrong sometimes and keeping a watchful eye on figures helps to sort out the weak blogs from the good ones.

2. Say yes to offers of guest blogging! Writing a 12 most blog once a week has changed a lot for me on my personal blog. Not only is it a great site but it has communities of bloggers who help each other out and these are no mean bloggers they are the top people in the world of blogging. So I have a community of writers with whom to share ideas and who will support and inform my own views on blogging. I want to say a massive thank you to Dan Newman here who asked me to blog in the first place and also to Peg Fitzpatrick, Margie Clayman and the long suffering Amberr Meadows who edits my weekly blog at the moment on 12 most.

3. Blogging for others hones your craft. I now write corporate blogs and blog for several very different companies who really require me to get out there and research and consider what I am going to blog about carefully. I have learnt so much about so many different things blogging on subjects from scrap and waste recycling to Shakespeare's the Tempest.

4. Watch the news and keep in touch with what is going on. Being up to date with advances in technology is one thing but understanding what is happening in the world and reflecting on what is going on is incredibly important if you want your content to resonate with anyone at all. Whichever thing interests you if you blog about it you shoudl at least know what is going on and what is current.

5. Enjoy finding your unique voice. Blogging is great for letting off steam, commenting on things which interest, annoy you or make you laugh. Trying to be something you are not won't work because it is you and your views which people want to hear not what you think is the right thing to say but what you really feel and think.

I wanted to add have fun but really it goes without saying that blogging should be fun and that if like me it has become a passion it is something which you can't leave behind ever. I know that even on a walk with a dog I am thinking about the effect of sunshine on my psyche and whether or not that would be a good subject for a blog.

I am happy to carry on conversations or chat via twitter, facebook, linkedin, google + or on the blog if anyone has anything they want to discuss.

Every day you play with the light of the Universe

2012-02-23T13:04:00.001Z

Another blog today influenced by poetry.

I love the poem by Pablo Neruda which starts,

"Every day you play with the light of the Universe."

and ends,

"I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry blossom trees."

It is a love poem but I have used the last line for years to describe my approach to personal development and growth.

I believe that everyone has something to give and that the work of any professional concerned with people and change starts by viewing every intervention as a way of helping to bring out the best in people. This can be hard especially when someone is part of a very bureaucratic organisation, or when someone's boss has an agenda at odds with growth and development.

Of course some of this is solved by great contracting with clients and making sure that everyone agrees about principles and philosophy when undertaking any work together. It can also be about saying no to some things and some work. I dont work well if I am too tied down by convention or rules, I know this and make sure clients do too.

One of my questions I guess to many organisations is whether they really want to do with their staff what spring does with the cherry blossom trees? How many organisations see this as a way of getting the best from people allowing them to blossom and grow?

Looking at the best organisations to work for They all think that making staff feel good makes customers feel good. They put an emphasis on learning and growth, rewards and job satisfaction alongside great career opportunities.

In order to grow staff need to know what is expected of them, what their role and responsibilities are and that all of their skills will be used and valued. People need to feel appreciated and that they do a good job and make a difference in any line of work.

Much of this is down to great management and having the right people in the right place. Work should be stimulating and fun and sometimes this is also forgotten in a business which is attempting to grow itself or survive economic hardship.

Ultimately people are individuals and when they feel they are part of the machine they are unhappy but when they think they are valued for their unique contribution they can flourish and grow.

A Brook in the city

2012-02-19T13:02:00.000Z

The farmhouse lingers, though averse to square
With the new city street it has to wear
A number in. But what about the brook
That held the house as in an elbow-crook?
I ask as one who knew the brook, its strength
And impulse, having dipped a finger length
And made it leap my knuckle, having tossed
A flower to try its currents where they crossed.
The meadow grass could be cemented down
From growing under pavements of a town;
The apple trees be sent to hearth-stone flame.
Is water wood to serve a brook the same?
How else dispose of an immortal force
No longer needed? Staunch it at its source
With cinder loads dumped down? The brook was thrown
Deep in a sewer dungeon under stone
In fetid darkness still to live and run --
And all for nothing it had ever done
Except forget to go in fear perhaps.
No one would know except for ancient maps
That such a brook ran water. But I wonder
If from its being kept forever under,
The thoughts may not have risen that so keep
This new-built city from both work and sleep.

Robert Frost

I am continuing to re discover this wonderful American poet and I think that his poems create an endless opportunity to connect to things which affect us daily. On my first reading of this poem I immediately thought about those people who work in jobs where they are forced to run like the Brook "deep in a sewer dungeon".

There are many people out there glad to have jobs in the present state of employment and recession but how many of us have had jobs where we felt that we were not treated as individuals with something to give? How many of us had our ideas dismissed, creativity stifled and voices silenced when we raised them because things were not being done properly?

In the current climate of change in health there are a number of people who seem to go unheard or be dismissed. Some of them are challenging the reforms, some of them are patients or relatives wanting to get answers and some of them are staff questioning staffing levels or practices which are putting people in danger.

There is often a culture of bullying and denial in large organisations which prevents those with strength who want to leap and flow in sunshine rather than be forced into "fetid darkness". How many of us trust our managers or bosses to actually hear us and listen? It has occurred to me before that the constant requirement to work in a state where we are not allowed to be ourselves or flow where we can is crippling to creativity and innovation.

What is great about the poem though is that Frost asks whether or not the thoughts rise from being kept underground regardless. It has hope in its last sentence and there are plenty of stories of people who have continued to think and be original regardless of being kept confined and who have as a consequence transformed lives and industries.

So for anyone who is in this position this is your poem. Consider that whilst you are forced into the dark there are ways and means to get your voice heard and continue to struggle to break free of organisational or managerial ties which threaten people's health and welfare. You may be the brook but your effect may be felt and your influence may well be greater than you think.

Perceiving and Judging: The Joker and Magneto

2012-02-08T08:33:00.000Z

So at last we arrive at our final two preferences in this series on MBTI and superheroes and I have decided to use these last two to focus on two great super villains. Before we get into The Joker and Magneto though let's take a look at these dichotomies. Both are about how we deal with the outer world.

Perceiving is not the same as being perceptive but is about being spontaneous, flexible and adaptive. Someone with a preference for perception is able to change course at a whim, loves tight deadlines and usually does nothing at all until the last minute when there is maximum effort over a short time span. They love last minute pressure and enjoy the challenge of leaving things open and casual. Perceiving is all about experience rather than control and not making detailed plans or final decisions. People with this preference like to make last minute decisions, adapting to whatever is in front of them.

Judging is not the same as being judgemental either but is about planning and strategic thinking. Someone with a preference for judging likes to know what is going to happen and create short and long term plans to consider every eventuality and outcome. They do not like last minute thinking or for that matter stress at the last moment. Planning is something they love to do and they enjoy scheduling and organising their lives. Having things decided is their comfort zone, getting things done energises them and they like to manage and consider options in advance.

So, over to our superheroes.

One of the main reasons I think Batman can't foresee the actions of the Joker is that the Joker has a preference for perceiving and Batman for judging. Batman actually says that the Joker's crimes make sense to him alone.The Joker is completely spontaneous and lives for the moment he can be whimsical one moment and homicidal the next and no one really knows what will happen with him around. He uses a number of gadgets seemingly pulling one out just because it happens to be there rather than planning which to use and when. He is known for chaotic thought patterns and it is his unpredictability which make him one of the most feared villains of all time. The other super villains also fear the Joker because of his ability to constantly change and his homicidal enjoyment of chaos and destruction.

On the other hand Magneto has a plan and forces it through with precision. He knows exactly what he wants and is strategic and clear sighted about how he will achieve it. Magneto enjoys using tactical and strategic planning against his enemies with one clear purpose and goal in mind which is to ensure mutants superiority over humans in all matters. He plans constantly and this can be seen in the weapons he creates which are made to generate volcanos and earthquakes and block telepathy. He also creates space stations where mutants can live in peace and which are used to create home worlds for mutants free from persecution. Even when he helps humanity Magneto has a strategic plan in place so that in turn good things will come to mutants. In his friendship with Charles Xavier we really see the true preference for Judging as he loves to discuss the future of mutants and their relationships with humans, the pair just can't help planning together.

This is the last blog in the series on superheroes and MBTI discussing the dichotomies. I hope you have enjoyed them. I am going to have a go at doing all 16 types next as superheroes or villains.

Liar, liar!

2012-02-06T09:31:00.001Z

I find the evangelists of truthfulness a little over the top most days. None of us like to be lied to that's certain but alongside that none of us like to be told the truth all the time either.

People who say you should never lie are lying because we have all told one or two in our lives and usually for very good reasons.

Here are my top five lies and the reasons why I think they are perfectly valid:

1. Father Christmas

Every child should have as many years as possible believing in Santa. I used to make magical footsteps up the stairs out of glitter for my kids and their sheer joy at their stockings and belief in the reindeer made tracking Santa on NORAD every year a delight. Nothing is better than taking part in this lie because it is magical to see the look on kids faces and the excitement of a visitor who they dont see or hear but who leaves them presents. I am an atheist but wouldn't give this one up for any money. Once they know it's you some of the magic is lost forever and for all of us finding out about Santa was a huge let down. My youngest wanted to believe so much she wont let us talk about any other option.

2. Does this make me look fat?

No one wants an honest answer to this or the other question which is "do you think I have put on weight"? If you say yes the first question it does invariably lead to the second and a much longer conversation than is necessary or even comfortable. The person will feel let down so we make up a series of lies to fit another truth and so as not to hurt the other person. There are other ways to tell someone that an outfit isn't particularly flattering. Conversations about weight simply are not on in a changing room!

3. Do you like my girl/boyfriend?

You cannot say no I dont as a parent it simply isn't done. It is very often the case that friends or kids will bring someone wholly unsuitable home but that does not mean jumping in with both feet and being honest (unless the person is downright dangerous). Usually it means being incredibly tactful and telling an ever so slight lie. We cannot like everyones choice of partner and sometimes we need to put our friendships first. Disapproval and honesty will cause a rift between you and your friend or child rather than the person and their partner (If my kids are reading this yes I like your girlfriend Ted I wasn't lying)!

4. Forgetting someone who recognises you.

I am useless with names and sometimes people will greet me like an old friend when I havent a clue who they are. It would be rude at best and unkind at least to say I have no idea who you are and frankly we have all been there and tried to appear as though we totally recognise the other person and recall exactly where and under what circumstances we last met.

5. What a beautiful baby!

It is never ok to say anything other than this when a child or baby is in front of you despite any feelings to the contrary.

I am not really a big fan of newborn babies but nothing would make me tell the truth about this because it would be so hurtful and because beauty is after all in the eye of the beholder. I had a friend whose baby had a weird and very large head but commenting on this would not have been helpful so I lied by omission.

In a similar vein I find it good to be nice about other people's children as well and say how wonderful they are. Mostly there is something one can find to admire in anyone if you look hard enough in any case. Being truthful is often counter productive with parents because it can be a question of differing upbringing although of course occasionally it is important to prevent dangerous situations.

As you can see from the above I am pretty honest about the times I have lied and I believe that most people do lie mostly to save their friends and family from hurt. Lying isnt a bad thing in these circumstances and can prevent conflict whilst honesty can cause some real humdingers of arguments and some powerful hurt feelings. The art and science of lying is to know when we do it for someone else's benefit or our own and in the case of the latter it is almost always wrong.

Is non judgemental healthcare even possible?

2012-02-02T11:23:00.001Z

Tonight at 8pm on twitter we are discussing non judgemental healthcare in #healthcarechat.

As I prepare for the topic I ask myself, is it even possible? It is a little like that gem of a term zero tolerance which when applied to people in healthcare makes no sense at all. Of course people get upset and angry when they are ill and of course they dont like being kept waiting in a GP Surgery or an A&E. Why should they? When someone is also in pain or grieving they may well lose it from time to time what use is zero tolerance then and how humane is that?

So after that slight detour back to non judgemental care.

Many healthcare professionals I speak to would say they are professional and no judgemental yet often appear to have no insight into their own bias or prejudices. Everyone has unconscious bias and conscious for that matter but getting people to admit it might alter their care giving is another matter.

In contrast I might expect that when prejudice is blatant it is relatively easy to name and shame but it is not really true. How often does a racist joke or comment go unchallenged in a pub or casual setting? Sometimes we even pretend we didn't really hear anything anyway or that our friend or colleague could not possibly have made that statement. Following such a comment by challenging it is actually quite hard but not impossible.

Often a good place to start is to question the intent of the comment so "when you said ......... did you intend to be prejudiced"? Rather than jumping in with wow that was sexist find out if that was the intention behind the comment. Try to keep things out of the personal and not say stuff like "you made a racist statement there", because attack is not always the best form of challenge. Certainly "I found that statement racist" is better because you are talking about your perspective of what the other person is saying.

Judgements though are not always about the real biggies like sexism and racism they are often about lifestyle choices, hair colour, appearance or accent. We all make judgements about people based on what we see and hear from them.

I worked in HIV/AIDS care for many years in the early 90's and helped to run a clinic testing people for HIV. We often had our judgements challenged in the clinic because we made assumptions particularly when a heterosexual couple came in who were over 70. No one thought they could possibly be serious but they were and for the right reasons even though they had been married for over 40 years as they swapped partners frequently. I use this story simply because it challenges a number of our preconceptions about sex in the elderly, sexuality and marriage. I had made a judgement about this couple which was seriously wrong.

Unless we face the fact that we make such judgements as health professionals we cannot possibly address them or even make an adjustment in our heads when working with people who challenge our perceptions. The fact is that we will come across people who do just that. Another situation I faced when a judgmental attitude I didnt even know I had came into play was when faced with caring for someone with a full body tattoo. I was actually a little scared (he also had a shaved head and was taller and bigger than me) and repulsed by the moving images. I had to deal with that and admit to myself it was colouring my perception of him before I could actually move on and really see him as a person. In the end we got on really well and I did get over my fear and repulsion in order to deliver good care but I could have repressed the feelings and that would not have been helpful.

So I dont think non judgmental care is possible but I do think more work is needed to be done in order to support healthcare professionals to face their unconscious and conscious bias and to support them with challenging their fears.

Thinking and feeling :Jean Grey and Superman

2012-01-30T18:42:00.001Z

Once we have taken in information about the world we have to process it and for this we look at the two ways of processing information or making decisions, thinking and feeling. As in all other parts of the MBTI this doesn't really mean what it says, because you think doesn't mean you cant feel and vice versa. It has also always been clear to me that despite the differences in the two dichotomies often they both come to the same conclusion. It is the route they take to get there that is different.

A person with a preference for thinking is logical and likes to consider the logical outcomes of their decisions. They look at things objectively and think about the pros and cons of decisions, evaluating and analysing in order to problem solve and come to the best solution. They like to find a way of applying a standard or principle to work out applications for anything similar which may crop up. They are fair and want everyone to be treated equally and they are often objective and reasonable.

A person with a preference for feeling considers what is important to them when they make decisions and to those who are involved in the solution. They like to throw themselves mentally into an issue in order to identify with the people involved and make decisions based on their values and beliefs. They look for things to praise in others and often work on gut feelings and instinct. They treat everyone as an individual which may not mean they treat everyone equally. Whilst many find them kind and the sort of person who likes harmony cross their values system or beliefs and they are often ruthless in response.

So how do our superheroes match up to these types?

Jean Gray is both caring and nurturing and objective. She has the power of telekinesis so she can move objects with her minds and has a suppressed form of telepathy. She is one of the most important members of the X-men team and also one of their biggest enemies. As the dark phoenix her immense mental powers mean that she eventually commits suicide to save the universe. In this she is applying a principle that she is fair and objective and will put others before herself. This absolves her of the crimes she commits as well so in essence she is willing to pay the price for her crimes. When she returns to life (as all superheroes seem to do when they are killed off) she finds her husband has re married and uses objective reasoning to tell him to go back to his wife and child. Jean's relationship with Cyclops is reasonable and she only marries him when the time is right she does not give into her feelings she is rational and able to be logical about what is best for her team.

Her powers of telekinesis mean she can grasp and manipulate hundreds of objects at once in mid-air in complex patterns. She can rearrange matter and manipulate timelines. As a telepath she can read, influence and control other minds. She can take the life force from one form and give it to another this sets her apart from most people with a preference for feeling because they would find such actions incredibly difficult logically putting one life form over another.

This brings us to Superman a hero with feeling. Central to Superman's decisions is his love of people which mean that he sometimes will not be able to differentiate between what is good for one person or good for all. One of his most important traits is that he honours moral codes and the social mores of humanity. He often tackles people who break these codes because they have broken the code, he has a strong sense of justice and righteousness. He marries his love interest Lois and has been known to put her before other concerns. Lois is so upset by this that she leaves him at one point. He often chooses to protect the little people rather than address universal problems and this causes others to get irritated with him. Batman tells him off because he identifies too much with humanity and doesn't use his superpowers to lead.

Even Superman's alter ego Clark Kent is known for his ability to care for others and to interact on a human level with people from his high school to the world of work. He keeps in touch and has feelings for his adoptive parents, his school mates and best friends and the photographer and editor of the daily planet.

His planet of origin still exerts an influence over him which he cannot overcome either for good or bad and his links to his home are always with him. Ultimately superman's popularity lies in his ability to empathise with the little people rather than taking on universal causes.