Today's coffee companion works in the sales team in the UK for a big Cloud SaaS provider. We talked about why I was doing this experiment, and her reflections on a similar experience she had but focusing on lunches rather than coffees, and inspired in turn by Kaley Chu. We talked about the mood of … Continue reading 17th of 100
Category: Projects
Today's second coffee companion is a senior civil servant in one of the larger Whitehall departments. We walked as we talked. We talked about the legacy of the Government Digital Service, and the extend to which it did make a difference and also how it didn't. We talked about the necessary secrecy in some parts … Continue reading 16th of 100
My first coffee companion today is the founder and CEO of a business that provides freelance professionals who can deliver projects. We talked about the challenges of establishing a new business and balancing being clear about what you do with the necessary expedience of being able to turn your hand to anything. We talked about … Continue reading 15th of 100
This morning's coffee companion is a television news journalist. We last saw one another at Loughborough University some 3 decades ago. We talked about how it's totally impossible that 3 decades have passed since we last met. We also talked about how much technology has changed journalism in our working lifetimes, both in terms of … Continue reading 14th of 100
This afternoon's coffee companion is a colleague at EE. We talked about writing, and how I use it to make sense of the world. We talked about my circuitous path which I occasionally refer to as my career. We talked about addiction and the road to recovery. We talked about the challenges of parenting teenage … Continue reading 13th of 100
Today’s coffee partner is a Civil Servant who works in one of the bigger Whitehall departments. We talked about the challenges of being counter-cultural in organisations that thrive on continuity and the status quo. We talked about leadership development programmes and how they reinforce conformity and short-term thinking even if that’s not what the organisation … Continue reading 12th of 100
This week I have learned: the enjoyment of being in the company of others. An annual gathering of friends for a post-Christmas Christmas dinner, people who have been knocking about together for three decades, feeling as young as we did back then even if we have now moved from "falling over" to "having a fall". … Continue reading Weeknote 616 – gathering
This morning's coffee companion is a consultant who has specialised in the world of recruitment but is looking for what comes next and is currently writing two books. We talked about how your name shapes your life, and how disturbing it can be when you have a name you think to be unique when you … Continue reading 11th of 100
Today's coffee companion is an entrepreneur who has founded a social venture to support female founders. We talked about an upcoming trip that she has to take some of their founders to the US, and how weather can impact at this time of year to the even the best-laid plans. We talked about the impact … Continue reading 10th of 100
This week I have learned: that every so often I will get a hold of some piece of technology and it will totally live up to my expectations. The Emeo Saxophone is one of those pieces of technology. Hardware and software combined, and a perfect example of how devices like the Arduino can allow small … Continue reading Weeknote 615 – in person
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