In the last blog, back in January (stop carping, I’ve been busy) I wrote a piece about my aims for 2021. Third on a list of eleven was ‘finally publish that book.’ Well, on Friday 16th July, providing I can manage to find all the right links and press all the right buttons, I am
Read MoreI grew up in a noisy family. There weren’t fireworks going off at all hours, or music being blasted out of the windows (well, not that often anyway; sorry, Mum), but we were – how can I put this without offending my sister and brother? – a very talkative family. My mum could talk about
Read MoreNetworking. /ˈnɛtwəːkɪŋ/ Noun. “The action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.” I don’t know about you but I’ve always been told that networking is important for career progression and development. Regardless of which profession we’re following, it’s sound advice, even if, in my case, I got
Read MoreDuring the lockdown period I’ve referred in these ramblings to three individuals in sport whom I hold up as really good examples of leaders. Two of them – Mike Brearley and Duncan Fletcher – I’ve covered before. Today, fittingly, this being FA Cup Final week, with the team he led to no fewer than seven
Read MoreThe job market is about to become mighty busy, for young people in particular. I read an article yesterday about a receptionist position in Manchester which had attracted over a thousand applications in 24 hours. There is evidence that young people are the group most likely to be impacted in terms of the job market. And as
Read MoreAppraisal. The very word seems to send shivers down so many spines. Quite apart from the fact that I hate the word (I prefer the term ‘performance development review’), I’ve never understood why so many people so dislike the annual appraisal. It’s anticipated with all the relish of a visit to the dentist for some
Read MoreIn a previous blog I referred to there being three people in sport to whom I looked up and learned from as leaders. None of the three were flawless. But they each demonstrated, to me at least, so many of the traits and behaviours that I consider so important in anyone in charge of a
Read MoreI’ve always been fascinated by the concept of what constitutes a good team. Even more so, since studying my Masters and entering the world of organization development. Talent? Of course. Essential. Hard work? A given. But there is more to it than just talent or hard work. The actual chemistry is hard to pinpoint, and
Read MoreA departure from HR and related issues this time. Hope you enjoy anyway. In case you’ve missed it (which, given the fact much of the media seems to be talking about little else, would be something of a surprise), the Premier League is back this week. Or at least a version of it is. There
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