News & Blog
Unnecessary worry
Worry can negatively impact our professional, social and private lives. I have been challenged recently to view life more positively and to look for “the wonder” in everyday experiences wherever I find myself. Thinking about this brought back a memory of a little plaque that used to hang on the wall of my grandmother’s house which read “today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday”. It was very common at the time and I have to admit that I thought it was exceptionally corny. But I have come to realise that...
read moreThe Hedgehog Concept
The idea of categorising the world into hedgehogs and foxes has a long and distinguished past. An ancient Greek poem (possibly written by Archilochus) concluded with: The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing. In this poem, a cunning fox wants to eat a hedgehog. He fully understands his surroundings, and spends hours plotting the perfect attack. In contrast, the simplistic hedgehog is unaware of the imminent attack but when it happens just rolls himself into a spiny, impenetrable ball. The fox keeps coming up with new...
read moreCharities and Overheads – have we got it wrong?
I would encourage any reader of this blog who is working in, or interested in, the Voluntary and Community Sector to spare 18 minutes and watch the following talk by Dan Pallotta on TED. It is compelling viewing and although the facts and figures he quotes are from the USA it applies equally to the Voluntary and Community Sector in the UK. Dan’s talk is really about the need for social innovation. He passionately believes that the not for profit sector has a critical role to play in dealing with some of the massive social problems of our...
read more10 Steps to Surviving Change – Step 5 Helping Design & Development
Practice makes Perfect Step 5 – Helping to Design, Develop and Test New Capability You have a plan, so now you need to work through it – easier said than done. Step 5 takes a lot of effort, ability and determination to complete to time, cost and quality. Here’s a thought. Some work will go well and you will be confident of success, but what about: Risky tasks Unforeseen issues Controversial issues Acceptance of change Ensuring your design is fit for purpose. You can use walkthroughs to mitigate against these types of...
read moreFirst say to yourself ‘what would you be?’
In my previous blog, The Acts of the Apostles, I discussed the need to act as what we do is what people will remember about us. This blog takes a different approach and starts from the point of view that we are first and foremost human beings, not human doings, and it is who we are (ie our character) that matters. Epictetus was a Roman slave born in Turkey who was exiled to Greece. He became a Stoic philosopher, whose teachings were written down in his Discourses. He taught that all external events were determined by fate and...
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