The furore around the workplace style of the former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary is both fascinating and scary. Politically it seems terrifying to me that the party of the establishment, in power for 13 years, might use this episode as an excuse to try to politicise Civil Service roles because of a vaguely-defined … Continue reading Making the hard decisions
Some background hints and tips for anyone working with me. Feedback and observations on the content are most welcomed because I don't know what I don't know! Conditions I like to work in For individual working (writing, jockeying spreadsheets, preparing presentations) I’m happiest in my home office. I find this sort of work hard in … Continue reading My User Manual
Today's coffee companion is an HR consultant. We talked about: The emerging crisis in veterinary care Introducing hierarchy-less structures into professional settings How the exercise of reducing everything to one of three colours sounds like an incredible piece of conceptual art. Yet that's RAG reporting... The importance of cake and exercise The opportunities when technical … Continue reading 57th of 100
This week I have learned: of the death of Pat Fish, who was The Jazz Butcher. They were a band that I loved in my teens. Every time I wait for a bus at Waterloo Station I'm reminded of the album Fischoteque. One of their songs popped up on Spotify a few days ago, and … Continue reading Weeknote 629: Fish
This week I have learned: in one of my #100Coffees conversations a few weeks ago, we talked about my companion's theory that the 70-odd days in the UK between New Year's Day and Easter are the only time any work ever really gets done. The days are short, people are feeling the effects of over-indulgence … Continue reading Weeknote 628 – short measures
There is a danger when one creates a new product that, as the saying goes, if you only own a hammer then every problem looks like a nail. But as I look at the tsunami of hype about generative artificial intelligence that is currently engulfing the world of information technology, and soaking the general media, … Continue reading The time for play is now
Today's coffee companion works with his clients to use behavioural science to improve risk and compliance management. We talked about: being a business at a size where running through procurement and proposal processes simply isn't viable. the madness of big corporations. how problems with process are often symbolic of deeper issues. my theory of how … Continue reading 56th of 100
This week I have learned: Sometimes the harder conversations come from people you don’t know. I had a fascinating conversation with a stage magician this week to talk about the PlayCards. He made me think really hard about the concept because he came from a very different frame of reference. Public holidays provide a strange … Continue reading Weeknote 627: egg break
I was chatting to a friend at the weekend who works in a field about as far away from the hi-tech world of crypto as one could imagine. Her business, a traditional business with a heritage stretching back 100s of years, went "all in" to NFTs last year, believing it was the future of their … Continue reading Components
Yesterday's first coffee companion runs a business involved in managing waste more effectively. We talked about: the importance of finding space to meet with people without agenda the process of "divorcing" from a business partner shifting from being a software business to a professional services business the pressure of tech investment (and how the business … Continue reading 54th and 55th of 100
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