tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81284776358163184622024-02-19T01:45:05.035+00:00The Power of ThreeHelping people and places to improve.
Also, blogging about the nature of work, leadership, HR, OD, life, sport and family (in no particular order) - and my attempts to make sense of it all.Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-68658136676651524832017-11-25T09:12:00.000+00:002017-11-25T09:12:03.227+00:00Moving site...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This site is closing and will no longer be updated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the content has been copied to a new site, and that site will be regularly updated with new stuff too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To catch up with my blog and other happenings please visit my new site. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click <a href="https://garycookson.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-12427156706165205482017-11-17T14:57:00.002+00:002017-11-17T15:04:09.138+00:00Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the last few months I’ve contributed to the #cipdbigconvo on flexible working and working families. It’s fair to say this discussion has had a major impact on my thinking and sense of priority, and whilst I’ll update on that separately here’s a follow up blog on the concept of flexible flexible working. <br /><br />You can see the output from the #cipdbigconvo <a href="https://cipdmcrbigconvo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. I contributed a blog at the outset, and an Ignite talk at the concluding event. Both were on my role as a parent at work. <br /><br />In the discussion, a lot focused on the need for flexible flexible working and the need to avoid a one size fits all approach to flexible working. I have <a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/let-get-flexible.html" target="_blank">blogged</a> before on such subjects. I’ve also <a href="https://youtu.be/EPHWCZ3ES2U" target="_blank">spoken</a> about my approach to work life balance.. <br /><br />But what is flexible flexible working? <br /><br />I prefer the term working flexibly. I think it neatly captures that everyone’s circumstances are different, and that there should be an element of choice and control in how everyone works, balancing the need to deliver business to customers and the need to have a happy, productive employee who contributes to their family life also. <br /><br />Indeed, it’s good to see some organisations and CEOs embracing this. Philippa Jones, CEO of Bromford Group, recently wrote <a href="https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/moving-away-from-traditional-office-workplace-thinking--53153" target="_blank">this article</a> and Nick Atkin, CEO of Halton Housing Trust, wrote <a href="http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/halton-housing-trust-our-default-position-is-trust" target="_blank">this article</a> also.<br /><br />But it’s not everywhere and it’s certainly not considered normal. <br /><br />And there’s the key. We need to normalise it. <br /><br />I want my children to grow up in a world of work where they are expected to work flexibly, and that this is the default position. <br /><br /> We should all work flexibly. <br /><br />For some this might be Mon-Fri 9-5 in an office and if this works for the business and for them, then let them. But work is something you do, not somewhere you go, and I've always said to my teams that I don't mind where or when work is done, as long as its done. <br /><br />Organisations often stipulate that they encourage flexible working. But how many really do? Organisations should instead state that they expect people to work flexibly and to manage this in an adult-adult relationship with them. <br /><br />There's plenty of research available that makes the link between working flexibly and productivity, and loads of recent articles including some in Hays Journal and theHRDirector, so I'll not replicate those here other than to say there IS a link and working flexibly improves productivity. <br /><br />So why don't we just ask people how we/they can structure their work to make them more productive? <br /><br />I know I'd have immediate answers to that if someone asked me. Its something I've given a LOT of thought to over the last year. <br /><br />My final advice to organisations is to trust people to be adults and work responsibly. I've come across a lack of trust too many times when people are trying to work flexibly. So… <br /><br />Don't say "if I let X work flexibly, it'll set a precedent and they'll all want to do it" - encourage all of them to do it. Why would you settle for just one of your staff being more productive when they all could be? <br /><br />Don't say "homeworking means homeworking, you can't work anywhere else other than the office or home" - let people work in coffee shops, on trains, in shared workspaces, and from other people's homes. <br /><br />Don't say "one day working remotely is enough, the rest of the time you have to be in the office" - use technology to help people interact with others in different ways. <br /><br />Don't say "we have the technology to allow people to work remotely, but its really only for emergencies if they can't get to the office" - let people figure it out for themselves and encourage it to happen. <br /><br />Don't say "I need you to let me know if you're going to work remotely each time you do it, or vary your normal hours, and give me a reason for doing so" - because that implies permission is needed for going outside a normal practice - make it normal practice and encourage staff to JFDI. <br /><br />Don't say "permission is needed from the Chief Executive for working flexibly" when its not - why would the Chief Executive get involved in such things when managers should be managing? <br /><br />Rant over. <br /><br />Make working flexibly the norm. <br /><br />Till next time… <br /><br />Gary <br /><br />PS in other news, I've hinted at some major thinking I've been doing, and in my next blog I'll be able to explain what this means and how I'm pulling together lots of themes from recent blogs in doing so…</span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-13236897268680657582017-11-13T21:12:00.002+00:002017-11-13T21:23:21.364+00:00The 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Last week I announced that my wife and I were expecting another child - my fourth. If you'll forgive the personal nature of this blog post, here's my reaction to the impending arrival of the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">That morning I'd done an Ignite talk at #cipdACE17 and, as I often do, done it poetry-style. It was on being a working parent and its challenges, and I ended the rhyme by surprising the audience, many of whom knew me well, by telling them I was going to be a Dad for for fourth time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">My first child came as a bit of a shock. He wasn't planned, and even though I was 26 at the time he was born, I didn't feel in any way ready, and those early years remain a bit of a blur to me. When my second child was born, a daughter this time, I was 29 and still didn't feel ready to be a father.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I felt that my role was to just work hard and often enough to ensure they were provided for, and this meant I wasn't the best example of a parent I could have been when they were very young. As I mentioned in my Ignite, what kind of a parent was I if I was never there? What kind of a Dad was I really, if I showed them family time was rare?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br />So I changed, around the time I got divorced, and became a much better parent, spending a great deal of time with my (then) two children and ensuring I managed work-life balance so my time with them was ample.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">When I got divorced I thought I'd never have children again, and to be honest that didn't bother me, until I met Katie, who had no children and wanted and deserved them. Even so, my third child, another daughter, came as a total shock to us both and I wasn't sure I was ready to be a father again at the ripe old age of 39.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">If only I knew.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I had forgotten everything I knew 9 years earlier and had to start almost from scratch, but found I was much better at being a parent this time - my life was more balanced and I had a great deal of control over how I worked. I'm a decent parent, but I honestly don't have a strategy or really much of a clue what I'm doing - I just wing it most of the time and it seems to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">And now...as I said in my Ignite...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">"<i>And me, well I feel I just about manage - I do what I can. I balance things day to day, there is no long-term plan.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>It takes a lot of effort, but they're worth it all and more - only now I have to cope with the arrival of Number 4...</i>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">This time, for the first time, I have a child whose arrival has been planned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Yes, at age 42, I'll be a Dad again - but to be honest I've got it down to a fine art now and am not worried, plus I'm in a better position financially and physically than I've been for any of the other three.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I didn't make it easy for myself by moving jobs at the time we got pregnant, even though it was a planned thing. My wife, as per last time, has been very ill and I've needed to support her by doing everything at home when she has been unable to (and that's been almost everything for nearly two months) - consequently that's made me exceptionally tired and not able to focus as I'd have liked at work, as my attention has very much been elsewhere. Its put an enormous strain on the whole family but thankfully in the last fortnight her pregnancy-related sickness has begun to settle - its not all gone yet but its better, and I've been able to focus more on work. But moving jobs and being brand new and time off and flexibility - it really does feel like a crime. And don't remind me that I won't qualify for paternity leave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">And I figure my logistical issues - like the multiple school run and sorting childcare - are only going to get worse, but I've got a plan to try to deal with them and I know everything will be OK in the long run - the health and happiness of my family are very important to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">And we're thrilled at the arrival of Number Four, due 9th May - it will make our family complete, and our capacity to love will grow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">And I promise when this one is born I'll get myself a hobby or something - there's no more coming after this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We're looking forward to May and know that life will be great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Even if its a difficult thing to manage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Love finds a way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Love will find a way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">PS in other news, please forgive the personal nature of this post - back to more professional matters next time</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-52972092098614743482017-11-12T21:27:00.000+00:002017-11-12T21:27:12.365+00:00#cipdACE17 - summary post<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this week its been the 70th Annual CIPD Conference and Exhibition, referred to this year as #cipdACE17. I was thrilled to be part of the Blogsquad again covering the event on social media on behalf of CIPD. Here's my summary of the event.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I should start by saying a big thankyou to my current employers at the Disclosure and Barring Service for allowing me to see through this commitment that I'd made some months before joining them, despite it being a busy time, for not once moaning or making me feel guilty about going, and for recognising the huge development potential #cipdACE17 had for me and the potential it had to reflect well on them through me raising their profile. Thankyou for that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was my 14th year running attending the event, and although some years I've just made it to the exhibition, I've come to enjoy the conference itself just as much. The conference this year was about "Embracing the new world of work" and many sessions were focused around this theme. As usual, I found it hard to select the best sessions to go to and its a shame I had to miss more than I attended because of clashes etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the blogs I did of the various conference sessions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/cipdace17-blog-1-introductions-kn1.html">http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/cipdace17-blog-1-introductions-kn1.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/cipdace17-blog-4-session-c3.html">http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/cipdace17-blog-4-session-c3.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed each of these sessions and although I missed the final two sessions, including the closing keynote, because of needing to attend to a work-related matter, I found there had been sufficient to stimulate my interest across the bits I had attended. I went away with a big long list of actions to take back into the workplace and am looking forward to doing them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The exhibition seemed larger, and that's a good thing. There was a good variety of exhibitors and a range of free to attend sessions. I was disappointed in the overall lack of quality of free gifts - in some years gone by I'd return home with bags full for my kids but this year I filled half a bag - my kids don't want mints, pens or stress balls unfortunately.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was also disappointed - again - with the lack of engagement some exhibitors had with social media. Not all, I should add - some were excellent - but some others did nothing to try to engage with attendees on social media and some, when asked, did not even know their own Twitter handle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly I didn't get as much time in the exhibition as in previous years, and felt I didn't do it justice - next year I'll try to redress this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However the general atmosphere in the exhibition hall and in conference sessions was excellent, something many commented upon. The only thing I thought went wrong was the Members Lounge in the CIPD stand was poorly organised and cramped, and should perhaps be separated back out next year. Otherwise, everything was great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And this translated well into the fringe activities but again too much clashed for me to be able to get to it all. At least 3 things happened Tuesday evening, at least 3 things Wednesday evening and at least 2 things Thursday morning - now that's good in one sense as it caters for the interest that must be there, but scheduling them all at the same time makes it difficult to attend them all. And the fringe is an important part of the Conference - its still not quite what it was in Harrogate because of the sheer size of Manchester, but its improving and can improve further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed speaking at the CIPD Manchester fringe event on the Thursday morning #cipdbigconvo - doing an Ignite on the subject of being a working parent - and strangely this prompted a lot of reflection from me on my current priorities, something I'll update you all on shortly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like many people, I got as much from the conference through networking with people and generally catching up with ex colleagues, old friends and new contacts. I'd like more space built into the programme for this - the gaps between the conference sessions were sometimes 30 minutes - and there isn't much time to get to the toilet, grab a drink, look round the exhibition AND network in just 30 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But it was great to see so many friendly faces and to talk to as many people as would listen about my current situation and how I can resolve some inherent conflict in it. Also great was the ability to input into other people's discussions and help them improve their own situations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was also a very tiring event as usual, made worse by the transport difficulties caused by rail and bus strikes on Day One getting there, and the closure of the M6 when going home on Day Two.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found myself thinking a 3rd day, as used to be the case years ago, would have given me and the conference the room to fit everything in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it time to go back to 3 days?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a great conference and exhibition and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS a time of upheaval for me in many ways - watch out for two imminent blogs updating on my personal and professional lives...</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-89333207601189170252017-11-09T12:02:00.002+00:002017-11-09T12:02:51.291+00:00#cipdace17 blog 6 - session E3<span style="font-family: Arial;">After another too short break I’m back in another session. This time it’s about Connecting HR, Finance, Operations and Business Leaders, with HR acting as an organisational facilitator to help the organisation achieve its shared goals. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This will be my final blog from today as I have some work matters to attend to this afternoon and won’t be attending the afternoon sessions. I’ll do a summary blog in a few days though with some wider observations on the whole event. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Graham Smith from Devon, Cornwall and Dorset Police started off. The two separate forces are due to merge and he had a challenge to bring together two different organisations from a people perspective. He highlighted the Daimler Chrysler merger as one that failed because of an underappreciation of the cultural and people dimensions of such transformational change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Andy Boulting, Assistant Chief Constable, took over at this point and explained how HR act as facilitators in things like workforce planning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I liked this figure of 8 approach as it ensured all parts of the business are included in workforce planning, and that there are strong links to organisational vision and takes account lots of different supply and demand factors. The HR practitioners have to have the right skill set and right level of trust and empowerment to be able to make this all work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Interesting though that on this plan, analysis of supply comes before analysis of demand, and I think this is something many organisations get the other way around. They can be led by demand, and then work on matching supply to it without having first got a real handle on what supply looks like and the volumes therein. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gill Quinton from Buckinghamshire County Council then spoke about collaboration across professional disciplines. Her role now encompasses more than just HR and that gave her a unique perspective of how HR could and needs to work with other functions to improve the organisation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She ran through Bursins HR Maturity Model and described each level within it to outline what is required from HR teams at each level. She feels that HR needs to do a few things to drive organisational effectiveness: customer focus, business acumen and simplicity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I agree with these three things. HR teams that I’ve had experience of have usually had one or two of these three and we have worked hard to develop the third, but it’s been a different gap in different teams in different organisations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, as Quinton pointed out, HR can’t develop and be excellent at these three things on its own. They need help and input from IT, Finance, and business leaders. True collaboration is required. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This was an interesting case study in how to encourage and develop collaboration and one that is also relevant to current challenges I face. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now it’s lunchtime...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary</span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-20885360465557125582017-11-09T10:33:00.002+00:002017-11-09T10:33:40.107+00:00#cipdace17 blog 5 - session D2<span style="font-family: Arial;">So here we are on Day Two, and as predicted I’m a little more tired than I was yesterday. The evening fringe activities last night were all excellent, and then I’ve been speaking this morning at a breakfast seminar on flexible working. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I may have used the platform to make a big announcement too, something it’s been hard to keep secret. See the Twitter feed for details. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And now I’m in session D2 on enhancing your brand and attracting the right talent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">First up is Jane Graham from Wiltshire Council. She talked about the journey they went on from a traditional to innovative approach to talent acquisition and what worked for them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The financial challenges faced by local government are well documented, and so the ability to attract the best talent is something that is also difficult. Her first case study was on social workers, where demand exceeds supply at present and there are numerous problems around recruitment and retention. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">They worked with an agency to understand their current employer value proposition and to get to know their target audience more. This proved helpful because it showed them the kinds of things that attracted social workers and helped them to understand why some previous campaigns had not worked. They moved away from using stock images in their campaigns and used images of actual staff, actual things happening at work and used this to refresh their offer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The results speak for themselves. They increased the number of applications, reduced turnover, reduced agency spend and filled more vacancies. They also had softer results that improved engagement, and helped them to move into the 21st century!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This approach seems to have worked really well and is one of several organisations I’ve seen who have been on a similar journey and really embraced new technology, analytics and a thorough approach to talent acquisition and employer brand - but in my view you get out what you put in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Put in the right amount of effort and you’ll be rewarded. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Next up was Jon Dawson from Mandarin Oriental Hotels. They had a strategy to become one of the best known employer brands within the UK hospitality sector, separate from their parent company Marriott. They had zero presence in the UK at the time, and were doing this at the same time as recruiting 250 people to actually open and run their hotel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The photo above shows the journey they were going on, and he outlined a challenge where the various creative people who worked with them were great in generating excitement and buzz around the brand, but the technical side of having a candidate portal wasn’t ready in time to manage this demand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This was an interesting talk of how to create an employer brand and whole new organisation from scratch, and to me highlighted how many organisations are hamstrung by their own history and how, if they started all over again, they would end up with something completely different and at the same time more appropriate for who they are and what they want to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As refreshing and developing our employer brand is something we are about to work on in my current organisation, this was a very relevant talk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But now I need a coffee. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ps in other news, check out my recent big announcement...blog coming soon on that </span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-74996866302032254662017-11-08T16:52:00.000+00:002017-11-08T16:52:38.279+00:00#cipdace17 blog 4 - session C3<span style="font-family: Arial;">After the afternoon break and some more hurried networking I’m in the final session of the day, session C3, on creating an organisational culture to support flexible working. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The introduction centred around the fact that the technology is there to allow and support flexible working, but that the barriers are usually cultural. I’ve found this in more than one organisation, although have found technology (reluctance to use) to be a barrier in one or two also. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Speakers from Forster Communications and Nokia gave examples of how this has been addressed in their workplaces. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Up first, Gillian Daines from Forster. Forster are a small company, and flexibility of and by employees is crucial to their success. Daines cited some examples of how flexible working has helped with the organisational objectives, and gave some statistics on how flexible working impacts on employee absence, wellbeing, retention and engagement. A lot of this was setting the business case for flexible working though, which although valid and accurate, is not really what I came to this session to hear. And thankfully she recognised this and moved onto talking about the challenges they faced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Daines took us through a step by step approach to making flexible working work which I’ve included below. </span></div>
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<img alt="" id="id_3625_1eac_8cb2_d894" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y83Ko2GIcauUzg6WvlQ3su-txz7jXU97ICMUSxYujACMvBOZ5nx9VsbAFTGCrITl0MUO56-QBu8zlY8EMBqgYSaREB102alXpsdUWbjG3ja4xCwBZGvKXeQR115fYQ6nnmFD6ykyp-89/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 974px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Forster, with just 25 employees, went through this process and around half of their employees now work flexibly in some way. That’s a healthy percentage as long as all employees are able to access flexible working and those who haven’t, have made a conscious choice not to. Therein lies one of the cultural barriers - many employees do want to work Monday to Friday 9 to 5 in an office with other people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Let them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As long as it works for them AND the business. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Up next was Gareth Davies from Nokia, who opened by admitting to be a Health and Safety professional. Brave. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gareth talked about some for the generational differences around flexible working. Whilst he is right that there are different approaches to flexible working, I don’t think these are mostly generational differences - I think they are mindset differences, and there can be some correlation to generational origin but not necessarily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He then talked about how connected we all are now, and highlighted the sheer range of flexible working tools that are on almost every smartphone or tablet. These pose dangers to individuals unless they are properly equipped to manage and deal with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another good example of this was managers benefitting from flexibility and choosing to send emails late at night or at weekends. It’s a personal choice and absolutely fine, but when their direct reports receive these emails do they feel there is pressure or expectation to respond at a time they may not suit them? Something I’ve relatively recently switched myself onto is setting emails to send the following morning, so that I don’t interrupt colleagues home lives. It allows me to work flexibly and do what I want to do when I want to do it, but without creating pressure on anyone else who reports to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Davies offered some cultural tips to make flexible working work. Stopping rewarding the wrong behaviours (like working long hours) was a good step they took. They made flexible working visible and something people could and should talk about, and they gave coaching to line managers on making it work, amongst many other actions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This was a good finish to a session that looked at how to overcome some of the cultural barriers, and a good end to a good day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time...</span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-19488615438236558682017-11-08T15:24:00.002+00:002017-11-08T15:24:37.645+00:00#cipdace17 blog 3 - session B4<span style="font-family: Arial;">After a much needed lunch I had a chance to talk to some people from CIPD about their challenges in developing new and relevant content, particularly around OD. I was pleased to be asked to help and hope that my ideas are taken on board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Time just gets away from you at this conference and already I’m back in another session. This time B4 and a panel discussion about adopting an ethical approach to HR. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">First up was Ben Yeger, who shared his illuminating stories from his time in the Israeli army, particularly around how he almost lost his humanity through an unethical choice he was presented with. This was such a powerful memory that it was difficult to capture here, but his main point was that you need to act from a stance of peace in order to retain your own humanity and behave ethically. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Siobhan Sheridan, newly crowned most influential HR practitioner in the UK by HR Magazine and a thoroughly nice person to boot, picked up next. She drew on her own research about ethics. She felt that in her early career she was too scientific and not human enough, and recognised a point in her own career where she felt she had to change and become more human. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I had a similar Road to Damascus moment in my own career several years ago and have been on a similar journey, but I think with less success than Siobhan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Siobhan urged us to consider the human element in everything we do, and it appears to be a hallmark of her recent and very successful career. She advised to consider the impact on people, as individuals, in everything we do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Roger Steare from Cass Business School, author and academic, took over nmext. He likened the decisions we all take to the decisions Ben had to take in a war zone, and Siobhan had to take as a high profile HR professional - all choices and decisions have a human element and all have an ethical dimension to them. He made a good point that although computers can now make very complex decisions, they struggle with the ethical dimensions because the computers don’t feel fear, shame or worry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He then went on to describe the moral character of the HR professional. He said that in our personal lives we are usually very ethical, but are influenced often by the workplace and the fear factor inherent in many workplaces and lose our human element because we wish to conform to the organisational culture and prevailing order. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The bad news is, he says, we are close to Banking but even closer to the Media and Politics, and a long way from Healthcare and Nursing as professions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He said that where workplaces are modelled on lines of feudal control, then ethical behaviour becomes difficult. This leads to fear and coercion in the workplace and diminishes the ability of the HR professional to behave ethically. But workplaces are human communities and systemic entities that can only be understood at a very local, eg team, level - and therefore can be influenced at that level. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Essentially, boil the kettle not the ocean. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Leaders need to create space and safety for individuals and teams to be open and honest with each other and challenge ways of thinking and ways of behaving, in order for us to create room for ethical behaviour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In my career I’ve seen unethical decisions be taken, and have been called upon to defend such decisions. I am not proud of that, but it backs up the assertion by Steare that one is influenced by power held by other people and the prevailing culture in an organisation too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Siobhan made a point that people are people wherever you go. You need to stay close enough to people to bring them with you, but not so far away as to alienate them to what you’re trying to achieve. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As someone who often has to wrestle with such dilemmas, irrespective of the ethical dimension, I found this an interesting panel discussion but one that perhaps needed longer to allow us to get into more depth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mark Hendy posed a question from the audience about whether we have seen a tipping point in seeing unethical business behaviour, citing lots of recent examples. Although the panel agreed with the hope and sentiment, a view expressed near to me was that we haven’t, because nothing appears to have changed in the last ten years since the banking crisis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s hard to argue with the evidence on that, but I too agree with the hope and sentiment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Off to the afternoon break now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time...</span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-47170555566472611052017-11-08T12:56:00.000+00:002017-11-08T12:56:51.724+00:00#cipdace17 blog 2 - session A2<span style="font-family: Arial;">After a rapid break in which I somehow managed to speak to more people in 25 minutes than I thought possible, I’m back in a session. This time it’s A2 on continuous performance management, and a very well attended session too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We start with Paula Leach, Chief People Officer at the Home Office, of whom my current organisation is a subsidiary. We share a lot of the same policies and IT platforms, so their journey around performance management was extremely relevant for me and some of the challenges I currently face. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The challenge faced by Home Office was to move away from a process that was driven by completion rates and more towards one that could demonstrate the business impact of good performance. What they had was too bureaucratic and not very engaging. They wanted to move away from performance management being seen as an HR process and one that was owned by the business and driven by the Board. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Paula ensured that all representative and other employee groups were fully consulted throughout the process and that regular blogs were published to ensure all employees could be kept appraised of and participate in the ongoing discussions. She reports a high level of engagement because of this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Coming from the engagement sessions it was clear that staff wanted something that was employee initiated, conversational and frequent, that had a flexible structure that could be adapted to various situations. However it wasn’t an easy model to develop and this is what they did:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">- changed the process by removing forced distribution, creating model conversations, and including a new assessment and standards framework</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">- invested in learning by providing coaching skills for managers and a two day workshop for senior leaders</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">- developed leadership by focusing on accountability and assurance, and correlating ratings distributions to business performance</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">- changed the culture by enabling rather than policing, and realising its a long journey to encourage ownership and not an overnight fix</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Next up was Nebel Crowhurst from River Island talking about their own journey, which had some similarities. The drivers for change were quite similar despite the major difference in sector and culture, and the main need - for increased coaching - was also very similar. She shared some telling statistics from within their business - 95% of managers were dissatisfied with the process, and 90% of HR people questioned the accuracy of the process. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">River Island are further ahead on their journey than Home Office are, and could demonstrate some valid success measures around engagement and performance that show their journey is having an impact. Home Office are about to validate their own journey metrics but detail shared from both companies suggests that the journey is worth embarking on and will bring success and much needed culture change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Having taken a couple of organisations down this route I can attest to this but can also attest to how difficult it can be. Some organisations don’t have a culture that is ready for this and I’ve blogged separately about this before. My advice is work on the culture before you embark on changing the process, otherwise the process change may not work. This is mirrored by advice from Nebel and Paula. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This was an interesting session and very relevant to a journey being embarked upon in my current organisation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And to quote The Gruffalo, now my stomach is beginning to rumble...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary</span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-17592132779690949342017-11-08T11:21:00.000+00:002017-11-08T11:21:15.531+00:00#cipdace17 blog 1 - introductions, KN1<span style="font-family: Arial;">So here I am again at the CIPD Annual Conference, known this year as #cipdace17. I think this is 14 years in succession I’ve attended and it remains the best development available to an HR professional in any year, in my opinion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m again part of the Blogsquad for the third year running and I’m thrilled to be given access to all the sessions and everything to do with the conference. Being part of the Blogsquad is often tiring but it’s such a great opportunity and one I am happy to support CIPD by doing. I, here for a day and a half and will be sharing content on this blog and via Twitter and LinkedIn in support of the conference. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We start with Peter Cheese giving his usual introduction. This year’s theme is embracing the new world of work, and after a nifty introductory video (a new thing in itself), Peter commented on this as he usually does. He gave a quick potted history of the 70 years of the conference, and what things were happening in society and the world of work around 1947, which included some strikingly similar things to what are happening or could happen now. He also commented on the amazing developments in the world of global politics in the last year, many of which couldn’t have been predicted just 12 months ago. His view on this is that populism and nationalism is on the rise, and attributes this to the need for people to have a voice and a perception by many people that they don’t. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A challenge that arises from this is how do we create safe environments for people to have a voice. A happy and productive workplace will do that, and be inclusive at the same time. The CIPD are working with lots of other organisations to influence how work and employment will look in the future, and Peter outlined some of their key objectives and partnerships in doing so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">CIPD believe that the best way to predict the future is to help create it. Peter asserts that HR professionals are ideally placed to leverage all the different bits of research and discussions and projects and to shape the future world of work. It’s clear though that there are many challenges ahead, and more of these challenges will be immediately visible in our new digital age, but he’s right that we are well placed to influence what happens from now on...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The keynote speech was from Baroness Martha Lane Fox. She has had a stellar career and has a CV with some enormous highlights. She started off by talking about how weird it is to be in your 40s (she’s two years older than me) and how difficult it can be to relate to our children who have grown up in a different world to us. She highlighted just how far we have come in the use and development of technology in the last 15-20 years, and it really is scary to try to remember how we used to operate as recently as the mid 1990s before the explosion of the internet and the rapid development of technology. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">She also talked about how bad hires can impact on a company. She commented that it’s often the case when you recruit at pace and in great volume. She gave an example of one person who had a great track record and was a competent professional in his previous job, but was simply the wrong fit at the wrong time for lastminute.com and how this helped her to think more about fit when hiring people and not necessarily look at their existing skill set. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">From lastminute.com she moved on to working with the government about digital inclusion and skills across the UK. She started to understand the makeup of how people used the internet because of this. Many people are great at using it, and take these skills for granted, but too many people did not have the access or skills that were needed. As part of this she began to realise that government itself needed to change how it uses technology, and how much of a challenge this was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">She passionately believes that everyone should have the same level of access to information. And right now that’s not the case. She sees this in her daily life and highlighted a big gap between the general populace and those making decisions about how society operates. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">She believes that the gap around digital understanding needs to close. She believes that inclusion is key, right down to an individual level. She also highlighted the forthcoming legislation (GDPR) which will give more power to individuals to control and manage their own data and how organisations use that data - this will help shape the future of technology itself. Her third point was about closing the gender gap to help fill unfilled vacancies and challenging the existing cultures in digital sectors - not enough women and other diverse groups are underrepresented in technology sectors and this is currently holding those sectors back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">She closed by saying we are at a critical point in our own development, but that we are at the slowest point of the development. The pace will only increase. People with digital skills are useful now but their skills will be out of date quickly. People with entrepreneurial skills and people skills who are curious and resilient are critical for the future and we should seek out such people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And then we are off to a break. I’ll do another blog on the following sessions later today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">PS in other news, I tried helping my son with his GCSE Maths revision last night. I really wanted to help and could see he was struggling but despite remembering being good at maths when I was at school, I couldn’t help with his particular struggles as I just didn’t grasp it myself. Never have I felt so powerless and useless as a parent. Never. </span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-32427299725819832472017-10-24T20:53:00.002+01:002017-10-29T20:44:51.822+00:00#myfirsttimetraining<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">This is my own response to others’ blogs on this subject (for example </span><a href="https://pabial.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/myfirsttimetraining/" style="font-family: Arial;" target="_blank">Sukh Pabial</a><span style="font-family: "arial";">) which have prompted my own recollections. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">As a trainer, I don’t do anything like the volume of delivery nowadays that I used to. In days of yore, I could perhaps be doing delivery several times a week, anything from short one hour workshops to 2-3 day courses. These days I may do something once a month, and sometimes less than that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I find I miss delivery. It’s something I get a lot of enjoyment from doing, and even though as an introvert it can often drain me of energy afterwards it’s accompanied by an inner feeling of satisfaction too. But as my career has progressed its been something I have done less and less of for various reasons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I started out as a secondary school teacher, way back when I had hair. Those of you who have or know teenage children know exactly why I don’t teach any more, and I didn’t last too long. I just didn’t enjoy teaching teenagers who didn’t want to be there, but I found I actually enjoyed teaching per se and was good at designing and delivering lessons, so my first corporate job was in L&D designing and delivering training to employees instead, who at least wanted to be there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">So when I think back to my first time delivering training, it’s a moot point whether I hark back to my first experiences delivering a lesson to a class as a teacher, or my first experiences doing any corporate training. To be honest, the teaching experiences I genuinely can’t recall in any depth and they all tend to blur into one in my memory, so this memory is from my first real corporate training delivery instead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Bear in mind I was a qualified teacher by this point but hadn’t trained adults before. My entire training experience was with hormonal teenagers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And I was 23 years old. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Raw doesn’t even begin to describe it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And here I was, helping to deliver a two day process improvement workshop to a group of middle managers in my new business. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I say help - this was a long established workshop with a very experienced lead trainer, and I’d been involved in some of the scoping and tailoring for our business, but because of the numbers involved an additional facilitator was required, and I was it. Most of the time I was just supposed to play it by ear and help with keeping to time, but there was one slot where the lead trainer knew in advance he had to be elsewhere for an important meeting and I had been prepped (thoroughly) to lead, solo, a half hour slot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I knew my stuff. Inside out and back to front. 19 years later I can still remember the content and have recently re used some of it. It was good stuff. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And I was supremely confident. After all, I’d taken everything a group of 30 teenagers could throw at me (sometimes literally) for an entire academic year and come out smelling of roses, so how could a group of 15 adults be difficult for just half an hour?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And then she started to cry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">One of the middle managers. About ten minutes into my slot when it was going bloody well, too. She started crying and left the room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My professional training kicked in. I got the rest of the group doing a task and said we would shortly take a break but I’d be back in a few minutes when I’d been to check on the recently departed manager. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I found her at the water cooler getting a drink and still in floods of tears, physically shaking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I asked what was wrong and it turned out some personal problem had occurred and she had just found out about it about an hour previously, and she had become overwhelmed. Entirely unrelated to my delivery I should say, which was nigh on awesome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In my teacher training we had been taught how to deal with upset teenagers, and to be honest this happened more often than you’d think. With safeguarding at the core of what we do, we were given training on how to console those who were upset without breaching anything to do with intimacy or anything like that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">For example hugs were out. I can’t remember much else nowadays but the one area of the body that it was considered OK to touch - at least in those days - was the elbow. In my teaching career I never did, I was too worried, but I figured with an adult this would be ok, so I decided to console her by touching her elbow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Except no one had shown me how to do this properly. And although that sounds odd now, in my panicked state I couldn’t think what to do or how to do this sensitively. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">So I just stood there vigorously patting her elbow, quite hard at times and in no way sympathetically. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">For quite some time too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Until she stopped crying. And started hitting me for being so damned weird. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">At that point the lead trainer returned and my brief solo stint ended, thankfully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Another mishap took place an hour or so later when, taking a break, I draped an arm over the flipchart. Without realising it was one of those flipcharts (which I’ve never seen since) that could rotate from portrait to landscape orientation and it was currently unlocked. The flipchart spun like a windmill and I ended up on the floor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Honestly, I’ve delivered better sessions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Ps in other news, my youngest daughter Poppy turns 3 this week. That 3 years has gone SO quick…</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-31148203850015957692017-10-19T08:13:00.000+01:002017-10-19T08:13:59.825+01:00Branded<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In recent weeks I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about employer brand, prompted by a few different things including speaking (last minute) on a PM Jobs webinar on the subject. In this blog I’ll explore a few of my thoughts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It struck me how few organisations have a really well defined employer brand. Many, or most, will have an excellent customer brand but often the employer brand is indistinguishable from that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We hear about the rise of Trip Advisor style reviews for companies on sites like Glassdoor and Indeed, and these are indeed (pun intentional) very helpful to a potential job seeker, as well as giving the employer a chance to see how they are perceived and try to influence that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I recently spoke at an event where I lightheartedly asked what, if anyone was going on a date with someone for the first time, they would do before they met that person. Almost unanimously, they said they would attempt to stalk them on social media. We laughed about this but honestly I believe it to be true and a valid action too - it’s research, or due diligence, before you make any kind of commitment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And I further developed this point by saying potential job applicants would do the same thing about potential future employers, and in doing so would usually go well beyond the jobs/careers pages on the organisational website. This seemed to be a surprise to many, and yet it’s just as valid, possibly more so, than stalking a potential date on social media. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In my time I’ve done both. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But what do you do as a potential applicant if you can’t find anything? What if the organisation is, for all intents and purposes, invisible for the purpose of research beyond their own website? What if the organisation is so unconcerned by its employer brand that it relies wholly on its own website?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In most cases, people would try to speak to someone they know works there, or has worked there in the past. And there we have the best, but also hidden, bit of employer branding possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Your own employees. And past employees. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">How you treat your own employees, how the employee experience is for them, will have a direct impact on your employer brand, like it or not. They are all ambassadors and they will talk regularly to a small group of family and friends about your organisation. You have to hope they say good things but sadly that probably isn’t true. And that small group of people are each individually connected to another small group and may share your employees view with that group if asked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So my advice is focus on the employee experience. Make it as good as you can for each individual as it increases the chances they will say good things about you when asked. They are, consciously or not, branded by you as an employer and they WILL share your employer brand whether they choose to or not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Past employees too are a source of employer branding information. Exceptionally few companies keep in touch with ex employees but they’re often a good source of data for a potential applicant. More than once in the past I’ve spoken to an ex employee of a company I was considering applying for, and their responses have put me off. Obviously you have to bear in mind the circumstances of their exit, and how much you trust their opinion, but even if you don’t trust them they are still out there sharing these views to others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So I think we should actively manage this group of ex employees, by keeping in touch and sharing information from time to time. Very much like Universities do with their alumni. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Of particular note is how they feel they were treated during their exit. I know of one person, my friend Zeus (not his real name) who was neutral towards his employer during employment, but at the point he resigned he began to be treated very badly and was hurried out of the exit (albeit paid up in full). That treatment has affected how he views that employer now and he will happily share that experience with anyone who asks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Interestingly, Zeus had another interesting experience when joining said company a couple of years previously. The person who rang up to offer him the job, and would later be his line manager, tried to talk him out of accepting the position during that conversation, and then again in another conversation a week or so later. They felt that Zeus would not be a good fit and would be unhappy - which begs the question why offer the job in the first place, but that aside, it’s an interesting dynamic - a current employee trying to talk a potential employee out of coming to work there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Who knows how many other managers, when making job offers, let slip their views about what it is like to work there and, consciously or not, influence the potential employees view about the employer brand? Is that something we could or should actively manage?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Zeus being Zeus, he ignored this discussion as he felt he had no reason to trust the person giving the information and was determined to prove them wrong in any event, so took the offer. In hindsight though he admits that they were probably right and he should have listened to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">How much employee turnover and lack of engagement could be avoided if we were more explicit about such things?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I know of another friend - let’s call her Hera - who had a similar experience during the Onboarding phase when a member of the HR team (yes, really) was really explicit with her about how bad the employer was. Again, Hera proceeded anyway but again now she suspects the person was right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And that was from HR!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But it reinforces the point that your employees, current and past, are constantly spreading your employer brand around. Free marketing in a way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But is that a good or a bad thing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">That depends very much on you as an employer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What will you do to manage this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ps in other news, home life has been packed with events both good and bad in recent weeks, and there are barely enough hours in the week to deal with them all, and it’s been a difficult and stressful time. Some of this I’ll share in an upcoming blog. </span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-4440090931526482202017-10-07T16:21:00.000+01:002017-10-07T16:21:04.361+01:00This means nothing to me...<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is the seventh and final post in a series of blogs discussing the concept of motivation and what its sources might be. Its prompted by a conversation I had with Bee Heller, from The Pioneers. Bee asserts that there are seven different sources of motivation, and is writing about each of them on <a href="http://thepioneers.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Pioneers</a> website. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We decided I'd write a commentary piece about each one on my own blog, and look at what's happened in organisations I've worked in and with - whether the source of motivation Bee's blog discussed has been used to good effect or been neglected; what's worked well in terms of creating an environment that enhances that motivation; and what's not worked so well or undermined that motivation for people? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's Bee's <a href="http://thepioneers.co.uk/blog/give-people-enough-sources-meaning/" target="_blank">blog on meaning</a>. In it, she suggests that employee retention becomes much easier when organisations provide a sense of meaning for their work, and contrasts two differing ways of doing this - one overarching purpose, which she says has good short term effects but potentially damaging long term effects; and a pluralistic approach where lots of different ways of doing meaningful work are encouraged, which she suggests is a better long term approach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I agree in part with Bees thoughts. I certainly agree meaningful work is a source of motivation and can therefore help with employee retention. But I’m less certain that having one overarching purpose in an organisation is only a short term fix, and that a pluralistic approach is therefore the best way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have usually been able to find meaning in what I do. I’ve often recounted the story of telling my 3 year old daughter that my job was to help people be happy at work, and I guess that’s what my meaning and overarching purpose is. When I’ve worked in places where I’ve felt a connection it’s usually because the organisation has a similar ethos and let’s me do my thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s also why I often dislike doing operational HR activities as, although they’re needed, they aren’t necessarily linked to my purpose, although may well have a contributory hygiene factor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I was in my favourite job for 11 years. This was an organisation that had a purpose to improve the lives of its customers, and that resonated so much with me that we just understood each other and could see common ground. I did my thing there for 11 years before the organisational purpose changed and I felt I no longer had that connection, and left. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have been in other jobs where the organisation and I had a complete disconnect about what they saw me doing and what I felt was right to do, where my role was expected to be about compliance and regulation, and no focus given to helping people feel happy at work. I have never lasted long in such places. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have had various bits of freelance work over the years too, and the beauty of that is that I could pick and choose work that matched my purpose. It’s no surprise that I got a lot of energy out of those bits of work and consider them some of my best work too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So when I get meaning from an organisation, I stay. In that sense I agree with Bee. The search for meaning is a motivating factor, and has been a motivating factor in my leaving some roles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I don’t necessarily agree that the overarching unitary purpose is only a short term thing though. Uber, cited as an example, are perhaps the exception rather than the rule and I know many organisations who have maintained their unitary purpose successfully - I would suggest that the growth of Uber brought with it people whose purposes didn’t match the original meaning, and this contributed to what has happened. Had they got their recruitment right, and found people whose meaning matched their own, what did happen might never have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A pluralistic approach can have many benefits, as Bee does suggest, and I’ve seen this work also. But an organisation needs to have sufficient size and maturity to cope with and make the best of this. It’s no better or worse than the unitary approach, just different. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ultimately though, my own sense of meaning comes from helping people to be happy, whether that be through my HR work, my PT stuff, and any voluntary or freelance work I do also. It can be a motivating factor in getting me to stay at places, and getting me to leave places. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It is possibly also why my ideal jobs are (or would have been) a professional wrestler or a Man Utd footballer, as both have immense potential to create happiness for people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Somehow I ended up in HR instead. But I still hope. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ps in other news, I now have a 16 year old son who is technically and in some regards legally an adult. This makes me feel very old. </span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-79663558686967190952017-09-22T20:44:00.000+01:002017-09-22T20:44:24.807+01:00Embrace at CIPD ACE<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m thrilled to have been asked to be part of the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition Blogsquad for the third year running, and am really looking forward to attending it in November. Here’s why. <br /><br />The annual conference and exhibition, this year known simply as #cipdACE17, has for a long while been the highlight of my professional year. I make every effort to get there and haven’t missed one since 2003. For me, no other event comes close in terms of the potential learning opportunities for an HR professional, nor the networking and connecting activities. <br /><br />Once again it’s being held in Manchester, and the city and the event have really grown into each other in recent years. The event now makes much more use of Manchester as a venue than it ever did, as witnessed by the growing number of fringe events and social activities on the mornings and evenings around the event itself. This is a good thing and makes it feel quite special. <br /><br />For the third year running I’ll be part of the Blogsquad, which is great, along with other more talented bloggers. I’d be going anyway and I’d also be blogging anyway as that’s a key way for me to learn and get my thoughts together, so for CIPD to recognise this and ask me to do it from within the tent is awesome. <br /><br />I’ll be sharing content from the conference and exhibition on social media, and capturing my thoughts in more detail in my blog. Both of these I’d do anyway, and many many people do and will here too. Social media is a great way to engage with an event and really feel a part of it, so I encourage you to follow and use the hashtag #cipdACE17 <br /><br />The days, for blogsquadders, tend to be quite long and, to many peoples surprise, tiring but it is an effort to try to manage ones own learning as well as sharing relevant content for others and trying to be in several places at once. It’s a great opportunity for me, and almost every attendee, to catch up with people we’ve not seen for ages, connect with potential new suppliers and customers, make new contacts, and hear from the very pinnacle of the profession about what they are doing. <br /><br />And this year is no exception. The theme this year is Embracing the New World of Work, and I fully expect to hear Peter Cheese tell us when he opens the event that there really is no better time to work in HR. The conference had a similar theme last year, only last year it was future focused and the implication this year is that what was once tomorrow’s world, is now here. <br /><br />Last year I talked a lot about the need to personalise the world of work, and the rise in technology and AI is helping us to think this through and look at new possibilities but I don’t think we’ve done more than scratch the surface so far, so it will be interesting to hear from practitioners and academics who have done more. <br /><br />A running theme in my writing is about asking employees how we can structure work, and structure contracts, to get the best from them. I know how employers can get the best from me, but how often do we in HR ask others? I’m hoping to hear from some who have at the conference. <br /><br />The conference and exhibition normally get the balance about right with practitioners who’ve pioneered something new, academics who are researching what’s coming, and exhibitors who are offering a new solution, sometimes to a problem you didn’t know you had. <br /><br />I’m expecting more of the same. <br /><br />Check out the full programme <a href="https://goo.gl/97Ji16" id="id_9dbd_f34b_8540_fc6f" target="_blank">HERE</a>, and I’d be interested to hear what you are particularly interested in or any specific thing you’d like me to try to find out and share. <br /><br />If you’re an exhibitor, then I’d repeat my advice from last year and encourage you to engage with the Blogsquad on the various media and in person, and use the platform that social media at conferences gives you to reach out to delegates. <br /><br />If you’re an attendee at the event, please hunt me down and say hello, there’s plenty of breaks and networking opportunities and it would be great to chat. <br /><br />Above all though, enjoy yourselves! <br /><br />Till next time… <br /><br />Gary <br /><br />PS a difficult time recently as one of my two 17 year old cats, Gizmo, became ill quite quickly and passed away. Having been with me since a 5 week old kitten I have found this hard to deal with. She had been with me through a lot and I miss her loads. 17 years is a good age for a cat and she had had a good life, but you kind of never think this final day will come and it’s a shock when it does. Her sister is lonely now and it’s weird just to have the one cat and not both. RIP. </span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-52196078598419541852017-08-17T21:09:00.004+01:002017-08-17T21:13:24.584+01:00Turkish Delight<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’ve just returned from a holiday in Turkey and have been mulling over one of the main cultural differences between there and the UK, namely that of tipping for service received. In this blog I’ll explore this and in particular some themes relating to recognition and feedback. <br /><br />I’ve just had a wonderful family holiday in Turkey. I’d not been before but it was my wife’s fifth trip and she had alerted me to the “tips expected” culture we would encounter. This was reinforced by the rep on the coach transfer from Dalaman airport to our resort and so it proved. <br /><br />In Turkey, when you receive service of any kind, it seems to be an expectation that you will give a monetary tip to the provider. This isn’t only if you receive exceptional service that you are really pleased with, it appears to be service that could be by and large ordinary, ie people just doing their jobs and not necessarily going the extra mile that might justify a tip. <br /><br />I’m always reluctant to tip, and in fact I’m notoriously tight with my money, so the idea of being free and easy with my tipping was a little alarming. Service normally has to be outstanding for me to even begin to think about it. I certainly wouldn’t normally consider tipping a waiter for simply bringing me a meal, the waiter would need to do something exceptional to get a tip. <br /><br />Maybe I’m the one in the wrong. I should add, in my defence, that I'm reluctant to part with money, and not necessarily reluctant to recognise good service - it’s the financial element I dislike that's all. <br /><br />But in Turkey tips are so much a way of life that if you don’t leave a tip, it is the equivalent of actually making a complaint about poor service. The provider feels they have done something wrong or to upset you and that their service had been substandard. <br /><br />This is obviously different to the prevailing culture in the UK and of course neither is right or wrong, just different. Other countries will have their own versions of this too but I’m focusing on Turkey as that’s my most recent experience. <br /><br />And of course I might be in the minority here and be the unusual one. My wife certainly thinks so. <br /><br />But this got me thinking about how this could work in organisations. <br /><br />The culture in Turkey is one where feedback (in the form of a monetary reward) is both expected and required for anyone providing a service. The absence of this feedback is considered to be negative feedback in and of itself. Feedback doesn’t have to be earned, and is a reward for simply doing ones job. <br /><br />Feedback in organisations in the UK is not as easy to come by. Some organisations claim they have an open and honest culture and good luck to them if that’s the case, but perhaps we can learn something from the Turkish culture. <br /><br />I once worked in a job for 15 months and in that whole time I counted only one piece of positive feedback received from my line manager. <br /><br />One. <br /><br />And I did plenty of things well. The one occasion I got positive feedback it looked and felt like the manager felt uncomfortable delivering it, and it was only because I’d done something outstanding that couldn’t be ignored that they felt they had to say something. The other stuff I did, the things that I did well but got no feedback for, they were “just doing my job” and the culture was that I didn’t require or need any feedback about those. <br /><br />But I also made a couple of mistakes and I am honest enough to admit them. And did I get negative feedback for these? <br /><br />Absolutely. <br /><br />Lots. <br /><br />And regularly revisited even when in the past too. <br /><br />That said a lot about the culture, that a couple of mistakes seemed to far outweigh competent delivery of almost everything and a few outstanding contributions. You’d think this would balance out at least, and possibly tip the other way, but no. <br /><br />Still though, I made sure, and continue to make sure, that I give feedback to my direct reports whenever I can, even if it is just for “doing their job”. It may not be monetary feedback, but we all deserve to know when our efforts are being noticed and recognised. People shouldn’t have to go the extra mile to get some positive feedback. <br /><br />And I think this is where a lot of managers, and organisations, fall down. <br /><br />Its too easy to ignore decent work done well. You don't have to save your feedback for exceptional work. I like getting feedback and even though I *KNOW* that sometimes people give me positive feedback just to make me feel good, it still works nonetheless.<br /><br />People work hard every day. Occasionally they may produce wondrous work, and at that point yes that should be recognised appropriately - but recognise the daily efforts they make - the little things. <br /><br />Say thankyou. <br /><br />Say well done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Show appreciation that they are doing a decent job.<br /><br />Tip people verbally, and see what difference it makes. <br /><br />Till next time… </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gary <br /><br />PS in other news, we're already looking at next years' potential holiday destinations, but lots of potential complications to overcome first…</span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-69564906396963615892017-07-28T20:19:00.000+01:002017-07-29T21:11:20.465+01:00Above Average<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've recently completed two linked qualifications - Level 2 Gym Instructing and Level 3 Personal Training. In this blog I'll discuss how I found them and what I learnt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I discussed my reasons for starting the qualifications back in October in <a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/back-to-school.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>. Since then its been a long, hard slog completing both qualifications back to back and managing them in and around a full time job, other bits of self employed work and being with my family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But I've enjoyed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Level 2 Gym Instructing course covered the basics of nutrition, anatomy, and planning/instructing gym sessions. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then I did the much longer and more in-depth Level 3 Personal Training qualification, which covered more. It did nutrition again but looking specifically at the links between that and fitness and wellbeing / energy levels. It did anatomy and physiology again but in far more detail and looking at how different parts of the body work together and react under pressure. It covered different ways of delivering personal training too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I learnt a great deal and am indebted to the teaching staff at Trafford College for helping me through this qualification, aswell as to Donna Hewitson, Damiana Casile and Alison Morton for being willing test subjects and case studies at various points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've developed my skills in a range of areas and of particular note I've really honed my coaching techniques as essentially that's what PT is. I've added huge rafts of knowledge around nutrition and anatomy that have proved useful in both my personal and working life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And I've discovered that not only do I *really* enjoy PT work, but I'm actually pretty good at it too. Its a damn shame there's not loads of money in it otherwise it could be bye-bye HR.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And yet I think there's space in my life for both HR and PT, and think the two are complementary. Without my existing HR (and L&D/coaching) knowledge I'd not have been able to grasp some of the basics of PT and instruction and knowing how to motivate people. And without my PT knowledge I wouldn't be able to coach in business as holistically as I can do, or to look at employee wellbeing in a new light.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So there's definitely room for both and I'll be using my HR skills in any PT work I do, and my PT skills in my HR work too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />But how much PT work will I do? Very little. Its something I may fit in around any full time work I do, and pleasingly is something that can easily be done in evenings and weekends. But I have given my philosophy some thought and know how I’d do it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Above average in physical fitness is achievable for most people. Olympic standard isn’t. I would want to work with people who aren’t happy with who they are and want to change. Those who recognise they could be better and want to learn all the various things that need to happen to be better, from nutrition, to focused training and objectives, to understanding physical limits and work life balance issues, to understand the rules and the need for support, the need to make lasting lifestyle changes. Those who want to be “above average” and harness the Power of Three.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />I would want to work with people who are interested in becoming Above Average, without the pressure of trying to be the best - who want to be a bit better than others, without the commitment needed to go out and win races and competitions - who want to feel good about themselves but don't think they have time and energy to completely transform themselves.<br /><br />I think I can use this philosophy in my main HR work too, and look forward to doing it.<br /><br />Right now I've finished with formal learning though, but I don't think I'm finished forever. I do enjoy learning and have a few other qualifications and accreditations in my sights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For now though I'm really looking forward to putting what I've learnt recently into practice, both in PT and in HR.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PS in other news, its almost holiday time...</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-42464308196408228712017-07-17T18:31:00.001+01:002017-07-17T18:31:38.716+01:00 On the move <div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As many will know by now, I’m due to start a new role soon. Here’s my thoughts on what’s happening. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m taking up the role of Associate HR Director at the Disclosure and Barring Service in Liverpool and I start on 1 August. I’m excited by the challenges ahead and it promises to be great for my own development and is a really good opportunity to make a noticeable difference to an organisation that wants to transform itself and sees HR as critical to that transformation and overall journey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I joined Trafford College as HR Director since February 2016 and learnt an awful lot in my time there. I shall miss the HR team, who I really enjoyed working with and who are a talented and enthusiastic team who anyone would feel lucky to lead. They are partway through their own transformation and are well placed to see it through. I shall also miss several of the Leadership Team with whom I’d forged good, strong relationships, and I hope to keep in touch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">That was also where I was lucky to undertake my Personal Trainer qualification, which will be the subject of a separate blog, and I can highly recommend that particular course and the staff involved in teaching it. My PT qualification is 99% complete with just one assessment left and that’s to be done next week. It’s been a great learning experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But there comes a time in any role when it’s time to move on, and it has been an interesting time leading HR within Further Education, a sector which has its own share of challenges and many from an HR perspective. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Just as when I left my role before this one, I thought long and hard about going self employed / freelance, something I have blogged my thoughts on before <a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/independence-day.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I had the same debates with myself again and reached pretty much the same conclusions, although confess I got closer this time than previously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I still want to work within an organisation, with a team around me, and help to change and improve people, processes and organisations from the inside. I still feel I’ve got a major contribution to make to organisations as an employee and as a senior HR leader. I know I can make things better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And that’s what I’m doing from 1 August. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Let’s get started. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ps in other news, I turned 42 today. I remember my Dad turning 42 and he finished work at that age through ill health, so me getting to this age and about to start a new role has made me quite reflective on where I’m going and so on. I wouldn’t mind retiring at age 42 though…</span></div>
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-5625191978567939702017-07-11T20:22:00.001+01:002017-07-11T22:04:19.273+01:00Baby its cold outside<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some musings on change management, prompted by a story told to me by a close friend, who we will call Zeus in order to protect their identity and that of their organisation. It concerns how organisations </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">can overlook group needs at the expense of satisfying individual or organisational needs. And h</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ow too much effort is put into Refreezing a new state of affairs and not enough into Unfreezing in the first place (to use Lewin's model):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Zeus worked for one particular organisation as a senior HR leader for a long time and says it felt like being part of a family. A big change happened to that family that upset Zeus and which affected a large group of people within it, and he left when he felt he couldn’t influence what was happening any more. Zeus says he had a lot of conversations at the time that were supposed to help him deal with his feelings, and that he thought were helpful at the time - but developments since have made him realise they didn’t fully resolve those issues. He feels the organisation missed a trick in its change management programme by not allowing him to talk with others with similar feelings in the hope of resolving them for their entire group. <br /><br />In short, there was a larger group of possibly up to 100 people who needed therapy, and no amount of re-positioning by the organisation and focusing on new values or new directions was going to make an impact on how that group was feeling, as it ignored the elephant in the room. <br /><br />So Zeus left, and one by one lots of others have left too. When each person since has left, Zeus says there’s been a social gathering. Always in the same place at the same time, and he says these have felt a bit funereal, in that they were all there mourning the loss of something they all shared, but at the same time celebrating that life goes on. <br /><br />He says that the social gatherings are nice events, very informal and very easy to be at, and the family feel they all had when working at that place carries on into the social setting. At times it’s easy to imagine they all still work together, or so he says.<br /><br />But they don’t. And Zeus says they often spend some time discussing why that is and how they feel about it. Lots of people, lots of conversations.<br /><br />To him, and to me, it’s clear that as a group they haven’t let go of their feelings about what happened, about why their family had to change and what that change was. Zeus says there were good business reasons for the change, but it’s clear that there’s still feelings of resentment and hurt about a lot of things, and that no individual has successfully managed to deal fully with them. <br /><br />When we talk about models of change management we often recognise the change curve in individuals, and create strategies to manage that curve for those individuals. As organisations we look to models like Kotters Eight Steps or Lewin's Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze to help us move forward with change at a strategic level, often successfully. <br /><br />But I wonder whether in these models of change we focus too much on the individual and the organisation, and ignore the groups and collective social sets. And if we focus too much on the Change-Refreeze and not enough on the Unfreeze, in helping people get ready for change.<br /><br />The social gatherings Zeus attends are lovely (he says), and are always helpful because he get to talk to others who feel the same way. Who understand. It helps them all to move on. <br /><br />But I wonder whether, if they had done this whilst they all still worked together, whether they would in fact STILL be working together and actively helping the organisation grow and change <br /><br />When they did still work together, although some individuals like Zeus did get to talk about their feelings, they never did so together - only, he says, to "outsiders", and only post-change, never pre-change, and when they were together they ignored the elephant in the room and ignored how they were all feeling without tackling that head on. <br /><br />Organisations provide EAP schemes for individuals, and have well crafted change management programmes, but we may be missing out the middle here - we might be missing a trick around group therapy. <br /><br />So in managing change in organisations, yes - consider the organisation as a whole and it’s culture and structure. Yes - consider the individual and their approach to the change curve. But also consider the group or team, and how they may have a collective change curve to go through and a real need to talk to each other, not to people who they don’t know very well, about how the collective feels.<br /><br />And when trying to change a culture, spend time Unfreezing people and groups from their current mindset before making any change and before trying to Refreeze in the new culture and mindset.<br /><br />As Lewins model asserts, Unfreezing is as important as Refreezing, as individuals and groups need to be ready for change, and I’d argue that it’s even more important. Without doing the Unfreezing, any subsequent Change and Refreezing won’t entirely work. <br /><br />Unfreeze for individuals, for teams and groups, and for the organisation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Zeus' case, there was a clear change happening and a lot of effort went into executing that change and Refreezing - but hardly any went into Unfreezing in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Small wonder the change left Zeus and his peers feeling cold, and on the outside of what was going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Baby, its cold outside.<br /><br />Till next time. <br /><br />Gary <br /><br />Ps in other news… </span><br />
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Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-23133126311270976902017-07-01T08:34:00.001+01:002017-07-01T08:36:17.848+01:00Who is the fairest of them all?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the sixth in a series of blogs discussing the concept of motivation and what its sources might be. Its prompted by a conversation I had with Bee Heller, from The Pioneers. Bee asserts that there are seven different sources of motivation, and is writing about each of them on <a href="http://thepioneers.co.uk/">The Pioneers</a> website. <br /><br />We decided I'd write a commentary piece about each one on my own blog, and look at what's happened in organisations I've worked in and with - whether the source of motivation Bee's blog discussed has been used to good effect or been neglected; what's worked well in terms of creating an environment that enhances that motivation; and what's not worked so well or undermined that motivation for people? <br /><br />Here's Bee's <a href="http://thepioneers.co.uk/blog/want-introduce-funky-new-hr-policy-make-sure-fairly/">blog on Fairness</a>. In it, she focuses on the introduction of flexible working practices to illustrate how some HR policies can be implemented unfairly, and makes the point that HR policies shouldn’t necessarily be about equality and treating everyone equally, but should create a culture of fairness, allowing for individual differences in the workplace but equality of opportunity. She also makes the point that fairness in the workplace isn’t a motivator in itself, but can be a significant demotivator. In this sense, it’s one of Herzbergs hygiene factors. <br /><br />I agree with a lot of what Bee is saying here. <br /><br />In my career I’ve often outlined new or revised HR practices or policies and been met with comments from senior leaders or union representatives that they were concerned about the potential for a lack of consistency in its application. <br /><br />I recall debating the introduction of a small scale recognition scheme with trades unions where managers had discretion to award recognition gifts to the value of £25/person. The unions were not in favour of the scheme because of its potential to treat people differently. <br /><br />I also recall debating a new approach to flexible working with senior leaders and many of them not being fully supportive because they were concerned that across the organisation people would be treated differently. <br /><br />For many years in my career, it seemed all people wanted from HR was to ensure employees were treated the same. <br /><br />Then, and now, I can’t think of anything more demotivating at work as to be treated the same as everyone else. <br /><br />Who would want that?<br /><br />My standard response in the face of such concerns was to say it isn’t about treating everyone the same, and it isn’t necessarily about equality either. It’s about having a set of values that underpin your policies and in fact are the main bit of your policies, and behaving in line with them. <br /><br />One of my values is fairness. <br /><br />I believe that in life, and in work, one should be fair to people. <br /><br />Of course people’s circumstances are different. This means we can’t operate policies entirely in standard format. <br /><br />But is that such a problem?<br /><br />No I don’t think so. As long as we are fair to each individual based on the circumstances they present at the time, we are treating people as people and behaving in line with what I believe should be a core value for all organisations. <br /><br />And this does mean that there will be different approaches to reward, and to flexible working. It’s inevitable. It’s part of employing humans and treating them as humans. <br /><br />So do we need standard practices and total consistency? No. Only consistently fair practices perhaps. Not the same. <br /><br />Bee also says that fairness isn’t a motivator. And she’s right, it isn’t. I’m not motivated to join an organisation that markets itself as fair. It’s often just spin, as I’ve found out - I’ve seen promises to let people use the full extent of their skills and knowledge, and to operate without being micromanaged be broken for one person but fully granted to another without any rationale whatsoever and with what seemed to me as gross unfairness. I’ve seen people leave organisations because they feel they are being treated unfairly, and I can’t blame them for doing so. <br /><br />So organisational culture can get in the way and it is up to us in HR to ensure that the need for equal treatment doesn’t outweigh the need for fairness in organisations.<br /><br />A lack of fairness can be a significant demotivator as Bee rightly points out. <br /><br />My advice - talk to people. Treat them as individuals. Ask them what motivates them, what drives them. If they don’t seem happy, ask what is making them unhappy and do your utmost to help them with it. <br /><br />Above all, don’t ignore someone if they say they are being treated unfairly. <br /><br />We are in the business of managing human resources. Let’s treat our resources like humans. <br /><br />Till next time…<br /><br />Gary<br /><br />Ps in other news, a big career announcement due from me shortly which I’ll discuss more in my next blog. Also, youngest daughter has chicken pox…</span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-36368790813690016252017-06-22T20:17:00.001+01:002017-06-22T20:17:43.281+01:00What are you up to on the evening of 13 July?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This blog is about the ongoing review by the CIPD of its Professional Standards Framework, and your opportunity to contribute to this and the future shape of the profession. </span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shape-the-future-322-tickets-35373190164" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Here's a link</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to the event details on 13 July.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I've blogged twice about professionalism, <a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/the-professionals.html" target="_blank">here</a> on my own blog and on the <a href="http://www2.cipd.co.uk/community/blogs/b/profession_for_the_future/archive/2017/04/13/because-professionalism-matters" target="_blank">CIPD site</a> also. I've got strong views on it and had been looking forward to this event taking place so I could contribute in person. <br /><br />But Sod's law is in full effect and I can't go to it. Any other day or evening that week would be fine, and even during the day would be fine that day but not evening, where I've a prior commitment. <br /><br />This really frustrates me given the amount of noise I've made about professionalism and the role of HR in this. <br /><br />I feel like a bit of a hypocrite telling you that you need to go, and having made so much fuss about it all, only to not turn up myself. <br /><br />The good news is that there are other opportunities to contribute and if you want to do so by emailing <a href="mailto:psf@cipd.co.uk">psf@cipd.co.uk</a> to register your interest in other events and via non face to face means if necessary. I've done that.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I desperately want to contribute, and want as many people to contribute as can too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its important. There's plenty of us in the HR game, and plenty more who need us to get it right for everyone. We're all workers, employees or in the gig economy - and if we can't rely on HR to be professional and focus on enhancing the employee (etc) experience and creating amazing workplaces, then we may as well all give up and go home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The importance of understanding what HR is as a profession and how we influence the wider workplace and indeed society through our behaviour, ethics, skills and knowledge cannot be understated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're important. You might not think so, but we are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here's a chance to shape what our profession looks like in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who say that the current professional qualification isn't fit for purpose - you're right - so come along and help reshape it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who say that the current CIPD is too HR based and doesn't recognise or give equal importance to some of the existing and developing specialisms - you're right - so come along and help sort that out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who say that the CIPD is too London-focused and doesn't do enough around the rest of the country - you're right - so come along and show them that us in the North West have a massive voice and role to play too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who say that there are many hugely talented individuals who operate in the HR sphere who've never felt the need to become CIPD qualified or members - you're right - so come along and help make CIPD attractive and beneficial to those people too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're important. Your views, your opinions, your thoughts and your lovely face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd normally finish by saying See You There, but as I can't make it and am slightly hypocritical I'll finish by asking you to be as open and honest as you can, and to report back to me afterwards. I'll be contributing in other ways but I'd like to hear your views to help me develop mine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS in other news, I've started work dismantling my current shed and that'll be finished in a day or so, so the next job is building the bigger new one. I've never seen so many woodlice and slugs, but not one spider, not even a dead one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PPS in other news, far FAR more people have mentioned the shed to me after it appeared in PS in my last blog than have commented on the blog itself. This may say more about what appeals to people than anything else.</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-33091204470236824872017-06-14T15:56:00.000+01:002017-06-14T15:56:36.904+01:00A Perfect Day<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last week I did an Ignite talk at #cipdnap17 on the subject of Work Life Balance and how I go about creating A Perfect Day. Given that it is, by coincidence, Go Home On Time Day on 21 June, the timing seems apt to expand on this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm grateful to Gemma Dale for publishing her own excellent </span><a href="https://hrgemblog.com/2017/06/14/go-home-on-time-or-whenever/" id="id_bda_2f63_bbfb_4ffd">blog</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> on this subject which made me think about writing this one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Read hers, then come straight back here. I'll wait. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Done? Good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My Ignite talk was again delivered as a rhyme, and I really enjoyed doing it. I drew some inspiration not just for the talk but for my whole approach to work life balance from Nigel Marsh's excellent TED talk on the subject some years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My talk was filmed and you can watch it </span><a href="https://youtu.be/EPHWCZ3ES2U" id="id_afec_4447_7bb8_8768">here</a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> if you like. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In it, I'm making, in a fairly haphazard way, a few key points which I'll expand on here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. That there is something that approximates a perfect day for everyone, but it is a rare and unusual thing. Too often we don't make efforts to create it, as we are too busy or (worse) don't realise what we need or (even worse) do realise but do nothing about it. My point was that by making some very small adjustments to your day, and helping others to do the same, our organisations and our families can reap huge rewards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. In HR we could take a leading role in educating managers and employees on the benefits of flexibility. However this doesn't often seem to happen, and even when leading by example I've encountered suspicion and mistrust. But our ability to influence is there and should be used. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. The demands of modern family life are often largely incompatible with the demands of the traditional working day and traditional organisation. So one of these sets of demands has to change, and the only one we in HR can realistically influence on behalf of others is the latter. But again by leading by example we can show people how to manage the demands of both. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. Organisations who tell their staff how to work, how to dress, when to take lunch and for how long, what hours to work etc are going about it all in the wrong way. They can't unlock the engagement and discretionary effort they want from their staff unless they change. Too many organisations judge people by how many hours they are sat at their desk, and not by the quality of output they deliver. If someone wants to take an hour or so off to do the school run and help their kids with their homework, and then will log on late at night and catch up, does it really matter as long as their work is done?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. Working in the evening or at weekends is a personal choice and not one that should be encouraged or expected by organisations. Too many see emails sent late at night or at weekends as a sign of being some kind of workplace hero, as working harder or more than someone else. If you want to do it, fine - but set your emails to send first thing in the morning so you don't impose your lifestyle and working patterns on others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">6. You are never too busy to spend time building working and family relationships and a coffee catch-up with someone is time well spent no matter what else you need to be doing. Telling someone you're too busy to grab a coffee says less about your workload and more about you as a human being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So if it's Go Home On Time Day, I suppose this will mean different things to different people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And that's ok, because everyone's perfect day is different. Everyone's perception of work life balance is also different. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But in organisations, as HR professionals, we need to be encouraging people to explore what it means for them. To adopt a trial and error approach and, as I've mentioned before, present successive drafts of themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We shouldn't judge anyone for trying to get themselves balanced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Till next time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Gary </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">PS in other news, I've recently built a large climbing frame. I am reminded why I hate DIY and also how poor I am at it. I would happily outsource all of this if I could. And I have a new shed to build next…</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-19354536692213939782017-06-02T09:48:00.001+01:002017-06-02T09:48:42.577+01:00If you're happy and you know it...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the fifth in a series of blogs discussing the concept of motivation and what its sources might be. Its prompted by a conversation I had with Bee Heller, from The Pioneers. Bee asserts that there are seven different sources of motivation, and is writing about each of them on <a href="http://thepioneers.co.uk/">The Pioneers</a> website. <br /><br />We decided I'd write a commentary piece about each one on my own blog, and look at what's happened in organisations I've worked in and with - whether the source of motivation Bee's blog discussed has been used to good effect or been neglected; what's worked well in terms of creating an environment that enhances that motivation; and what's not worked so well or undermined that motivation for people? <br /><br />Here's Bee's <a href="http://thepioneers.co.uk/blog/can-happy-work/" target="_blank">blog on Happiness</a>. In it, she quotes research that suggest that happy people can be lazy thinkers, too trusting and less persuasive. She concludes by saying that there is such a thing as being "too happy" in a workplace, and that organisations shouldn't continually seek ways of making people happier, and instead look into a broader range of motivational techniques and tools.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bee's blog reminded me of this quote from John Lennon.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjk_JaoC5AvZI1Du48ewDRgYTEdXdamEI-r_GJ92vSQ8V3v8coH6R71mP9BvkL-XXOmV6YYVDCSomHri1YZde3pXOpeAitgSKEUb8XxsCG7kW3_WyJyvAa9HSEWvEAahY7SJTGA_xdVtqQ/s1600/happy-by-lennon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjk_JaoC5AvZI1Du48ewDRgYTEdXdamEI-r_GJ92vSQ8V3v8coH6R71mP9BvkL-XXOmV6YYVDCSomHri1YZde3pXOpeAitgSKEUb8XxsCG7kW3_WyJyvAa9HSEWvEAahY7SJTGA_xdVtqQ/s320/happy-by-lennon1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I have to say I'm more in agreement with Lennon's quote than the quoted research, although I'm no academic and can't quote any contradictory research. Lennon's quote just feels right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is happiness at work? How do you know if you are happy, and what happens when you are?<br /><br />I've been very happy in a number of different organisations and roles. I can usually tell I'm happy because of a few things. I'm productive, I find enjoyment in what I am doing, I make jokes and wisecracks, I challenge others to be even better, and more than anything else I find my thoughts drifting to work issues when I'm not at work. I'd go so far as to say that when I'm happy my performance is sharper than ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do my best work when I'm happy. And I know many others who do too. And in fact I'd say that a group of happy workers make for a good team, and can collaborate with each other much better than a group of grumpy workers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVzmyCDrNnQ" target="_blank">Amazing Workplaces talk</a> I say that we don't want a company full of Tiggers, or a company full of Victor Meldrews, we want a happy medium. And I do hold to that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So in a sense I do agree that there may be such a thing as being "too happy". Its acceptable to have and display a wide range of emotions, and I'm conscious that many people will be able to use unhappiness as a motivator too. Putting such people together with the overbearingly happy is a recipe for disaster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've also worked in places and roles where I'm been unhappy, in some cases desperately so. In a strange way these experiences of being very unhappy both motivate and demotivate me. In work when unhappy I have definitely been disengaged and not produced my best work, but I've also been able to use my general sense of dissatisfaction to fire me up to do even greater things - even if this is a very limited fuel source.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And unhappy people can be contagious. Often they will search for someone else to share their unhappiness with, someone they can have a good old moan with about how bad things are. Neither of these people are too productive when that happens, unless you count moaning as productivity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But despite all of this I still don't agree with Bee's quoted research that happy people can be less effective in the workplace, or that organisations shouldn't try to make their employees happier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I often quote the story of when my middle child was aged 3 and she asked me what I do at work. Its hard to define HR to an adult, let alone a child, so I struggled for a while before settling on this description:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"My job is to make people happy at work"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She went off, satisfied with this, only to come back with her paints and brushes - she told me that painting is what made her happy (and thus, could we do some right now) and she thought - and still thinks to this day - that my job involves getting people to paint in some way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I think its still a pretty neat definition of what HR is, and what organisations should aim to be doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make people happy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From my own experience I know I'm close to giving 100% when I'm happy, but I know that mostly when I'm unhappy I struggle to give even 50%.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By coincidence, on 14 June I'm speaking at the <a href="https://happymanifesto.com/2017-happy-workplaces-conference/" target="_blank">Happy Workplaces Conference</a> in London. The conference is pretty much what it says on the tin. I'll be talking about what organisations can do to make their workplace a happy one, whilst still respecting the balance of emotions necessary for an effective workplace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will be interesting to hear other attendees views on happiness in the workplace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till next time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS in other news, I've been clearing out the garage and garden in recent weeks, and am simply amazed at how much stuff I've been able to get rid of. How did we end up with so much stuff?</span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-7694982349793357492017-05-24T21:18:00.002+01:002017-05-24T21:46:42.043+01:00The Winning Mindset<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've recently completed <a href="http://www.sportingedge.com/programmes/the-winning-mindset/">The Winning Mindset</a>, a digital coaching programme from <a href="https://twitter.com/thesportingedge">Jeremy Snape</a>, ex England cricketer and now sports psychologist. Here's my reflections on the programme.<br /><br />Jeremy contacted me out of the blue and asked me to participate in the programme and give him some feedback on it, given my interest in all things performance and motivation, and the links between doing so in both sports and business. I jumped at the chance and have really enjoyed the whole 30 day programme.<br /><br />The programme itself is easy to follow and take part in. Its a 5 minute video clip each day from a famous world-class sportsperson, followed by some analysis from Jeremy, and some links to related material and more videos along with worksheets to complete if you want to embed the learning.<br /><br />The allure of learning from world-class sports people is obviously what sells the programme, and I have to say the insights are worth it - at least from my perspective given my aforementioned interests.<br /><br />So what did I get from it?<br /><br />A lot of the early days were standard coaching stuff about goal-setting. That doesn't make them any less valuable, and for many people they'd have been exceptionally useful, but for me it was going over old ground to a degree. Interesting stuff, but not new. There were insights about envisioning your "World Cup moment" and how you can break down this vision into short and long term goals before fully defining what it is you want to achieve.<br /><br />This process was quite helpful as at that time I was reflecting quite a lot about what I wanted from my life and career and being prompted to go through this thought process did help me get a lot of clarity about what I wanted in the future and some of the steps I needed to take to get there.<br /><br />It was also useful to get a reminder of some simple concepts like finding three things you do each day that move you towards your goal, and making sure you do those things first whilst you have more energy, and don't waste the day doing things that don't move you towards those goals.<br /><br />Something new AND interesting was the idea of process goals, which I found a great concept to explore - however I found I could apply it far more easily to my triathlon training and other sports than I could my work in business.<br /><br />There were several insights looking at the concept of Mental Toughness. The speakers had a firm belief that it isn't something innate to us that we are born with, but it is something that is shaped by experience and is therefore a skillset that can be developed. I've found this to be true with my own experiences, and I know that some of the things I've experienced in recent times would have broken me in the past, but I've somehow become tougher.<br /><br />A few speakers talked about making mistakes and learning from them, something I covered briefly in my <a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/mental.html">last blog</a>. Those with Mental Toughness need to be able to start again, rebuild and acknowledge the factors that made them less successful first time round. They also need to be able to make sacrifices in order to achieve their goals, and this really did make me think. Over my career I've made sacrifices in order to be successful, but they haven't always worked out - and this made me think that some of the choices I've made in the past weren't the right ones, and made me resolve to make better ones next time, and to rebuild accordingly.<br /><br />A speaker said that true Mental Toughness is about being comfortable with who you are, being humble but also being agile, being brave and knowing when to change direction. Hearing this really made me think.<br /><br />As I mentioned in the last blog, I really loved the idea of presenting successive drafts of one's own performance and its something I've really taken to heart. I'm 41 now, and although I'm much better at everything than I was aged 21 or 31, I also fully expect to be even better by age 51 and 61. Just watch me. Likewise, I talked briefly about isolating any setbacks in their true context, and that's also something that's really helped me.<br /><br />The programme encouraged me to think about what I'm proud of - and I came up with a decent sized list. It encouraged me to have confidence in my own ability, something that has been lacking sometimes.<br /><br />We then looked at what champions do that is different from those who are simply good. One factor was being accountable for your own performance, whether that's good or bad. I reckon I'm good at that in sport, and am improving at that in business too. But a key factor was champions accepting a penalty for not achieving their targets, and that's something I've never considered - but am doing now...<br /><br />Champions also surround themselves with high performing individuals who can give them feedback and hold them to account. This is really similar to <a href="https://twitter.com/KingfisherCoach">Ian Pettigrew</a>'s concept of a Personal Board of Directors which I've shared previously, and is something I've tinkered with on occasion but never really put into practice - but I need to...I just need to decide who my Top 5 are. I tried getting some feedback from people as the programme suggested, but most of those I asked really struggled to give me any.<br /><br />Another couple of speakers looked at the concept of wellbeing - something I've blogged about a few times. They spoke about being able to switch off and disconnect from work in order to focus on something else important, and vice versa - and these are things I've done well in the past. Its important to schedule downtime into my life and to schedule other things like exercise, family time and of course work. This programme also made me realise that I rarely seem to get a good nights sleep BUT that doesn't seem to be affecting my performance - so how good could I be if I did get a good nights sleep regularly?<br /><br />Some other useful simple insights were about the importance of preparation. I used to remember something in my teaching days that if you were short of time and had a choice of doing lesson preparation or marking students work, you should always choose preparation every time. There was more to it than that but I've carried that forward into every aspect of my life and work - I always prepare well, it builds confidence and puts deposits into my confidence bank account, and leads to greater results. Similarly, the importance of positive self-talk is not new but the insights gave me some ideas how to use that to structure preparation for important meetings and events, and how to use fear as a motivator.<br /><br />There were a few speakers talking about the power of visualisation and pre-match preparation, something I do on occasion and it does produce better results, but I only tend to do in sporting situations and it then baffled me why I've never done it in a business situation. So, I promptly did so - and got an amazing result which I'll talk about in due course.<br /><br />The programme finished by asking us to network and connect with those who we consider the very best in our field, and to talk to them about the secrets of their success. I'm encouraged by this and will seek these people out. If all of a sudden I start asking you questions, you know I consider you one of the very best in your field...<br /><br />The final insight from the programme asked me to reflect on what are the two or three things I'm currently doing that are delivering the greatest success for me - a version of the Pareto Principle I suppose. I know what these things are now. I know when and where I get a chance to do them, and I know when and where I don't. Its up to me what happens about that though.<br /><br />So the programme is finished and I've come away from it with a mass of thoughts, ideas and practical tips, many of which I've already begun to put into practice and have begun to generate some interesting and really positive results.<br /><br />There's more insights now available to me for a period of time and I'll be accessing these as soon as I'm able. I will be able to use all of them in my day to day work with other people, and to help me become even more effective at the various things I do.<br /><br />I'd like to thank Jeremy for inviting me onto this programme and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in applying the principles of world-class sporting performance into the business world.<br /><br />Till next time...<br /><br />Gary<br /><br />PS in other news, my wife, my son and I did a Relay Triathlon on Sunday - obviously I do 7/8 individual triathlons every year but it was their first, aswell as my first relay, and we did amazingly well - we'd all done our own individual preparation effectively, and worked well as a team on the day. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I've ever had and made me really proud of my whole family, not just those two but my two daughters who came along to support us too. A real family moment. And we want to do more...</span>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-75909549034653940042017-05-13T20:50:00.000+01:002017-05-13T20:51:46.581+01:00Mental<div><font face="Arial">It's been </font>Mental Health Awareness Week <font face="Arial"> this past week and it's been hard to escape the mass amounts of publicity raising awareness. I've found it really interesting to read so many examples from both famous people and people I respect in my PLN about their struggles with mental health issues. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">It's made me reflect on my own experiences. I don't think I've ever had any long term mental health issues, although I've certainly had some very short term adverse reactions to events, but I tend to be able to spot when these happen and take steps to deal with it. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I think I'm more fortunate than others in that respect, but I admire anyone who has the courage to talk about their issues. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">My one episode of any kind of mental health issue came when my first marriage broke down unexpectedly and in very public and extremely difficult circumstances. I know for certain I suffered a depressive episode and struggled with lots of things. I've talked before about how my employer at the time and particularly the Chief Executive supported me wholeheartedly. My judgement was very much impaired, I made lots of bad decisions, my mood was all over the place and I didn't think there was a way to recover. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">But time heals. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Slowly. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Nowadays I can tell when I'm feeling stressed or coming close to anything like a depressive episode. There are headaches, a feeling of blood rushing round my head, and heart palpitations in extreme cases. I'd have trouble sleeping, or staying asleep and would wake very early with my brain very active. If any two or more of these or other symptoms show themselves, I know I'm getting stressed and I know if I do nothing about it then it would make me ill. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">So I tend to do something about it.</font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Sometimes it's about doing something physical to expend some energy. I'm lucky enough to be fit and active and I use that to help me in times of stress. It gives me time to think as well, which helps too. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Sometimes it's about talking or writing. I find both incredibly useful to manage my emotional state. I'm a big believer in the power of counselling and other similar techniques, although I was brought up to think that men shouldn't show emotion as it was a sign of weakness, and I should hide it all away. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">This means I do struggle to show emotion, and do keep it all internal, so talking and writing gives me an outlet. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Whilst I have times of difficulty nothing has come close to the depressive episode around my divorce, although I know that if I didn't have coping mechanisms I'd be in greater difficulty. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I also am more aware now of situations that can cause me stress. It's usually when people think something about me that is untrue, or argue with me from a position I can't understand, or when I feel a very strong sense of injustice. These situations create some of the symptoms I've described so I have to try my coping mechanisms. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">An alternative is to avoid these situations altogether but that's not always possible, and another technique is to not let them stress me, but that's easier said than done as well. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I read an interview in </font><a href="http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hr-most-influential/profile/mental-illness-can-boost-capability-long-term" id="id_309e_6955_bbd6_61fe">HR Magazine this week with Alastair Campbell</a><font face="Arial"> talking about his own mental health issues. He mentally rates each day at its outset according to how he feels it is going to go from what he knows he is doing that day, on a scale of 0-10. He says he is comfortable if his days are no lower than 2 and no higher than 7 but he struggles if he knows days are going either side of those scores. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I quite like this approach. He's planning ahead, and if he knows he's in for a 2 day, he knows he has to plan out his coping strategies and to be honest on reflection I can see that's what I have been doing, albeit without any scoring mechanism to quantify it. I'll always schedule a run after an event I know may cause me some difficulty, and it does help. Or I'll make sure I make contact with someone I can talk to during the day. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I've also read about some places, e.g. in France, where companies can't send emails after a certain time and employees can't read emails whilst on holiday. When I first heard about this I didn't think it was workable, but over time I've come to appreciate what a good move it is in terms of mental health and work life balance. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I blogged </font><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/incommunicado.html" id="id_cf13_6968_4b38_276">here</a><font face="Arial"> about my experiments with it and I've continued them. When I'm off work for anything more than 24 hours I deactivate my email from my phone and tablet so I'm not disturbed. And I try my best each evening to switch off my work communications and focus on other things like family, and I'm mostly successful in doing so. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">There was once a regional union official who used to send me very abusive emails late at night. He would never send these during the day and in person he was not as nasty either. But he seemed to get a kick out of sending these because he knew the effect it would have on me (a very negative emotional reaction because it hit all the triggers I mention above and I had no available coping mechanisms due to the time of night, and he knew that), and he would also cc in the Chief Executive and as many other union officials as he could, which would further exacerbate my stress reaction and is a part of the reasons why I'm so anti cc. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">These experiences taught me the downsides of using email late at night, and I often encourage managers who do need to complete work and send email themselves late at night to set them to send at 8am. They get their bit done but without the negative impact or intrusion into someone's home life. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I'm halfway through The Winning Mindset digital coaching programme via ex England cricketer and noted sports psychologist Jeremy Snape and it's really good. Highly recommended. I'll do a longer blog on it when it's finished but a few of the daily coaching episodes have focused on mental health and in particular how to develop mental toughness or resilience. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">It's been interesting to hear from world class athletes and their coaches about how they manage work life balance, how they manage their mental state and how they cope with setbacks or criticism. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">One thing I particularly liked was a top athlete suggesting that you shouldn't view mistakes or bad experiences as something to dwell on, but instead view them as successive drafts of your ever increasing performance. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Another was to put setbacks and such things in context. Rarely do setbacks affect your entire life, usually just one portion of it and often they're no reflection on your whole self or your direction or anything, they're just one isolated bad incident that is already in the past and therefore it shouldn't affect your sense of self worth. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Really good stuff and I'm enjoying the coaching programme and have got a lot from it. Watch out for another blog on this soon. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">But I still can't shake the feeling that I'm not supposed to be anything less than strong and focused all the time. That as a man I should never have emotions and certainly shouldn't ever feel like crying. I'm a senior manager too and I still often think that's not what we do. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Those kinds of views are wrong but they are what I was brought up believing and what many people still do believe. It's only through campaigns like Mental Health Awareness Week and the stories shared by those a bit braver than me and those who have gone through tougher times than me that I can even begin to feel it's ok to talk about feeling stressed and being less than my best from time to time. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">In this blog I've tried to explain how I cope with difficult times and how it's been helpful to read others stories and to learn from external sources too. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">I hope that I'm able to help others in doing so. </font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Till next time…</font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Gary</font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial">Ps in other news, I've had the wetsuit out today and have been open water swimming for the first time since last August when I caught a nasty bug doing so. I felt great except for the first few minutes when I had brain freeze. Glad I'm back in the open water. </font></div><div><br></div><a href="https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week" id="id_ca41_5ce5_9e97_7730">Mental Health Awareness Week </a>Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128477635816318462.post-21404305490369121962017-04-26T21:49:00.000+01:002017-04-26T21:49:06.743+01:00100 not out<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've now done 100 blog posts. This is a reflective piece on how the blog has developed since it started.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Technically its 101 posts - this one being 101st - but as I only realised after I'd published the 100th, tough. Noticing I'd passed my century made me look back at the start of the blog and reflect on how far it has come since those early days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started it for a few reasons. I'd had it in mind for a long time, and had actually started work on a blog site a couple of years earlier but got nowhere with it. What prompted me to get it up and running was a big change in my ex-organisation, and me moving jobs within it. I realised I didn't want to be in that place (on many levels) any more, and a blog could help raise my visibility and profile within the profession and help me determine my next steps. I also had loads of (what I thought) were great ideas about HR that my ex-organisation didn't seem to want, so I wanted to share these with a wider audience and help to develop my own thinking and see what happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I kept it going for other reasons. I discovered that people read, and interacted with my thoughts. It helped me to develop them further but helped me make new contacts, new friends, and through all of this become a more rounded professional and human being (or so I hope).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has attracted some negative feedback at times. There haven't been many online debates about the content of the blog, but a few times people have come to me offline and in person and asked questions about it. When I first started it, someone in my ex organisation who was on maternity leave read it and got in touch with her own manager to ask a question about my blog. At that point it was a new thing, and no-one else in that organisation had come across it. Suddenly, news of my blog spread like wildfire across the organisation and I was duly hauled in to explain myself. And yet I'd done nothing wrong, other than perhaps not let the organisation know I was starting a blog and what it would contain. So I got into trouble and to be honest that helped me move on in lots of ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But there's been overwhelming positive feedback, both on and offline, to things I write. Some very kind and talented people have said some really kind and honest things about what I have written, that has made me realise I might be doing some good and might actually be a reasonable writer too. Its for those people and others like them that I keep going. I learn a lot from all the comments I get and enjoy entering into debate with people about my thoughts, as its only through debate that I learn and develop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blogging has led onto lots of other things, which I have listed <a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.co.uk/p/other.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. These are all great things and I'm really proud of all of them, and there's a bit of a snowball effect as one thing tends to lead onto another. I'm immensely excited when a conference organiser gets in touch and wants me to speak on a topic because they've read a blog post I've done - or when a journalist gets in touch for a comment because they've done likewise. I've a massive ego as many know, but it is nice to know people are reading it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also surprises me when people I don't expect to say that they read it. Lots of people in my ex-organisation who I bump into from time to time tell me that they read every post, which amuses and pleases me, even people I didn't expect to bother. I have found close friends who have admitted to reading it and I also know that my mum reads it (hello, mum). Quite why, I'll never know - it is aimed squarely at HR professionals and yet it does seem to appeal beyond that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the posts that have proved the most popular in terms of numbers of reads:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2015/10/connectinghrmcr.html" target="_blank">#connectinghrmcr</a> - published October 2015, this detailed my first foray into the #connectinghrmcr world and how I, as an introvert, coped with networking</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/07/tail-wagging-dog.html" target="_blank">Tail wagging the dog</a> - published July 2016, this looked at how performance management was changing and what I was thinking at the time about it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-professionals.html" target="_blank">The Professionals</a> - published January 2017, this shared my thoughts on the development of the CIPD's new principles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/06/ignite.html" target="_blank">Ignite!</a> - published June 2016, this was a lead in to a talk I was giving at #CIPDNAP16 and hinted at what was to come...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/04/let-get-flexible.html" target="_blank">Let's get flexible</a> - published April 2016, this was my views on flexible working and why some organisations struggle with it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-spark.html" target="_blank">The Spark</a> - published May 2016, this covered my developing thoughts on employee engagement and what happens when it is lost</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/06/rhyme-time.html" target="_blank">Rhyme Time</a> - published June 2016, this covered the reaction to my rhyming Ignite at #CIPDNAP16 and shared the backstory of it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/01/moving-on.html" target="_blank">Moving on</a> - published January 2016, this shared why I was leaving one organisation to join another, and what that felt like</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/08/wedding-bells.html" target="_blank">Wedding bells</a> - published August 2016, this was a personal post talking about my imminent wedding to Katie in Cyprus</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hrtriathlete.blogspot.com/2016/10/bazuka-that-vucapart-1-of-2.html" target="_blank">Bazuka that VUCA...part 1 of 2</a> - published October 2016, this was an expansion of thoughts I'd shared in a CIPD webinar on the future of HR</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoy blogging. There's no grand plan about when or how I blog, or on what subjects. I enjoy writing - it helps me organise my thoughts and provides me with a record of them and how they've developed. It enables me to interact with my Personal Learning Network (PLN) and to generate debate and learning via them. I've learnt loads about HR and leadership by blogging, as it forces me to research and to expose myself to new ideas, and I'm definitely a better HR professional for having started this blog over two years ago.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course I'm not new to blogging per se, having had a wildly popular anonymous blog detailing my single man dating exploits 5-6 years ago, and that one really did have a life of its own, but in this blog I'm me - nothing more, nothing less - and its all that's needed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not sure where the blog is going, other than it will keep going - as long as it keeps getting read and responded to, as it needs that kind of fuel to survive. Right now I'm enjoying it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I hope you are too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for sticking with me for 100 posts, and a really big well done if you have read even a third of them over that time. Thanks for all the shares, retweets, comments, and debates. Thanks to you for being part of my PLN and helping me more than you know.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Till next time...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gary</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS in other news, I'm taking part in the Winning Mindset online coaching programme delivered by Jeremy Snape (The Sporting Edge). Its a nice complement to my personal training journey and also how I see HR operating within businesses in terms of organisational effectiveness, so watch out for some blogs sharing some of this content and reflecting on its use.</span></span></div>
Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02301187203217021619noreply@blogger.com0