May 1, 2008

Late Adopter

In keeping with today’s adopted persona, I am suitably behind the curve on trying out Twitter.

We’ll, I’ve signed up and had a bit of a faff with it, I’ll now set my subconscious on thinking of internal comms applications for it.

I was very interested to see how organisations are using it - particularly Downing St.

May 1, 2008

Today I am Mostly

Harriet Schulenberg

…channelling Harriet Schulenberg from the Green Wing.

Whereas usually I try to channel Sue White, obviously….

April 29, 2008

Womble Wonga

Warwick Wombles Poster

If you haven’t yet given to our ultra-marathon competitors in training then empty your pockets into www.justgiving.com/warwickwombles immediately!

On the 19-20 July 2008, 4 individuals of questionable sanity will be taking part in the Trailwalker event organised by Oxfam and the Queen’s Gurkha Signals Regiment. The event consists of teams of four walking 100 kilometres (62 miles) in less than 30 hours along the South Downs Way.

In order to ease the pain (at least psychologically) we’re trying to raise a minimum of £2000 for Oxfam and The Gurkha Welfare Trust. We’ll have a support crew on the ground to help deal with blisters and any sense-of-humour-failures, but we desperately need sponsorship from good people like you in order to make this endeavour worthwhile.

Money raised during Trailwalker goes to Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) to fund their work tackling poverty and suffering: giving hope of a better, more secure future to people and their communities. While Oxfam works all over the world, GWT works specifically in Gurkha communities in Nepal.

Trailwalker is the largest ultra-marathon in the UK (the equivalent of two and a half marathons and an ascent of Ben Nevis - all in one go) and it is really going to hurt! We’re hoping that as a result of our physical efforts and the generosity of our sponsors, the event will assist communities to achieve a self-sufficient and safe environment in which to live.

All proceeds/profits will be donated to Oxfam. 

April 23, 2008

My Dad will Laugh at This!

Stolen from Ellie’s blog: http://ellielovell.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/im-a-leader/

I am a supervisor.

The four aspects that make up this personality type are:

Planner, Facts, Heads and Extrovert

Summary of Supervisors

  • Bring order to their home and work life
  • Like to act on clear, achievable goals
  • Think of themselves as stable, practical and sociable
  • May be irritated when people don’t follow procedures

More about Supervisors

Supervisors like to make plans, organise people and get things done efficiently. They are natural administrators who dislike chaos and strive to bring order to every aspect of their lives. Supervisors like jobs where the goals are clearly defined and there are proven work methods in place.

Supervisors use logic to solve problems and believe in being open and direct in their communications with others. They prefer to work and socialise with like-minded people.

In situations where they can’t use their talents or are unappreciated, Supervisors may reject the opinions of others and insist they are right. Under extreme stress, Supervisors may feel cut off from the people around them and lose confidence in their own ability to cope.

Because they like to take charge and organise activities, others may find Supervisors too bossy.

Supervisor Careers

Supervisors are often drawn to jobs in management or administration that require logical planning.

April 18, 2008

Self-Help Culture

What is the boundary between a healthy self-help culture and an organisational silo?

And, where do you go next when your central/corporate advice has been politely but flatly refused?

A degree of self-help is healthy in any organisation - but guerilla activity of varying quality can create an uncoordinated messy communications environment with clogged channels.

And this can make even your perfectly-managed and manicured corporate channels uneffective.

So, in my book, before you get to your funky all singing and dancing web 2.0 portals and pull-only information, a bit of pruning and air traffic control is needed.

My solution. An Internal Communications Network. Let’s break down those barriers and encourage guided self-help along prescribed channels.

So, what does any Internal Communications Network offer?

  • A chance to meet other people, from all levels of the organisation, who play a role in communicating to staff (either across the organisation, or within particular parts of the organisation)
  • An opportunity to co-ordinate your activity with others so that certain stakeholders aren’t inundated with conflicting messages at particular times
  • Access to training opportunities including cross-training from other members of the Network
  • Input into organisation-wide communications approaches, project and channels
  • Relationship building with owners of key institutional channels

And what’s in in for the Comms Manager?

  • Relationship building with  those important people so they are less likely to refuse your advice
  • Opportunity to upskill those important people
  • An insight into what’s going on in the organisation
  • A feed for stories for publications
  • A sounding board for ideas
  • Honest info about how people are feeling and what they are thinking

My final top tips is to keep it informal, relaxed is best - you’re more likely to get undefensive honesty rather than party line backwatching.

So, the inaugural lunch of the IC Network at this organisation is next Thursday…

April 15, 2008

Whimsy Plc

Pushing Up Daisies

I was quite looking forward to Pushing Up Daisies - there was a lot of advance publicity and it looked fun.

I watched the first episode aired on UK terrestrial on Saturday night and was very disappointed.  It seemed to me to be a commercialised rip-off of Amelie.

And where Amelie, and even to a certain extent Ally McBeal and My Name is Earl were fresh and natural, this seems confined and forced into a parody of the paradigm.

Even down to the omniscient narrator telling us how many years, days, hours and minutes ago things happened….

La vie n’est que l’interminable répétition d’une représentation qui n’aura jamais lieu.

April 14, 2008

Another Look at Appreciative Inquiry

Writing about:

The last is particularly valuable at it explains AI in action in a given context.

Making it Happen used the application of appreciative inquiry in a complexe employee consultation exercise called “Just Imagine”.’

Basically a large series of conversations seeking to solicit ideas for change from staff.  For this it sounds like an effective methodology.  “A way of asking questions building from a base of positivity.”

So, in essence, a giant suggestions scheme based on the concept that your staff know best what needs to change and how.

I’m all for a practical application!

Not a million miles away from Warwick’s Future (an extended and polished version of): Keep reading →

April 14, 2008

Determination

“A failure establishes only this, that our determination to succeed was not strong enough.”

Christian Nestell Bovée

But it’s OK - because determination is one of my strong suits!

Having proved to be an abysmal failure at Guitar Hero round T&Ns recently, I have placed an order for a copy.  I was devastated because I really wanted to be good at it.

Practice will make perfect.

Guitar Hero Screenshot

 

 

April 10, 2008

Trailwalker Briefing

Notes from Gurkha briefing at Oxfam House.

Over 2000 people taking part.

Health & Safety

  • Red Cross - Emergency medical cover at all Check Points
    • But blister care is the team’s business
  • The equipment on the Essential list is mandatory
    • There will be a formal kit check at the beginning of the race
  • 2 mobile phones - a combination of Vodafone & O2 give trhe best coverage
  • Map and route - team needs to be able to give a grid reference in case of emergency
  • For minor injuries go to the nearest Check Point (CP) and be collected by your Support Crew (SC)
    • SC to let Race Control know if a member drops out
    • 3-member teams can carry on, 2-member teams must find another team to sponsor them
  • If there’s no phone signal leave at least 1 person with the casualty and report it to Race Control when you regain signal
  • Road crossings are marshalled by Gurkhas - you will need hi-vis vests
  • Drink frequently
    • You must leave each Check Point with at least 1 litre of water each
  • Take warm kit for heights and nights
  • If you contact Race Control in cases of difficulty they will need your race number
  • If you get lost go back to the last place where you knew where you were
  • Familiarise yourselves with the route, identify the bits you will be walking at night and try them out at night
  • Watch fellow teams members for hot and/or cold injuries Keep reading →

April 10, 2008

Start with a list

A long list!I like to start any given activity with a few basic lists.  It helps me to feel in control!

So here is my master-list for Trailwalker so far - it will eventually be divided up into shorter more managable lists!

  • Head torches
  • Spare batteries
  • Cameras x 2
  • Tents - at least one big one for checkpoints
  • Mobiles - 02 & Vodafone - a set for the team and a set for the crew
  • Spare footware for each walker
  • Torches for crew
  • Agree kitty
  • Label all gear - consider a box for each walker’s kit in boot Keep reading →

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