We were making our way into the Metro Centre from the Debenhams end when we saw a very young boy getting into one of the fun buggies that can be hired from the customer service desk. The buggies are shaped like cars and can be pushed around while the child sits inside and pretends to … Continue reading Unconscious bias
Atlas Shrugged
Spoiler alert. I have been reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I still am, it is a long book yet it has left me in a dilemma. At times I think it is the most fantastic of books while at others I don’t agree with some of the sentiments it contains. Perhaps that is the … Continue reading Atlas Shrugged
Our greatest resource
Rachel, a friend of mine from my Durham days posted on Twitter ‘It may be a snow day for some, however for those who are freelance and self-employed, snow days can often mean no pay days.’ She is right. For many of us who are working in the gig economy disruption can have significant consequences. … Continue reading Our greatest resource
Chimps in the Snow
The snow is such an inconvenience. It gets in the way of modern life. It messes up with our plans and turns our daily routine on its head. While it looks beautiful it is not compatible with the way that I want my life to run. As it falls and the world around me grinds … Continue reading Chimps in the Snow
Rural Cultural Business Innovation Programme day 2
The ‘Beast from the East’ tried to do its worst and dumped a large amount of snow on Hexham just in time for day 2 of the Rural Cultural Business Innovation Programme. The clouds had been gathering during our time at Alnwick the day before but the sky remained, in the main, blue on the … Continue reading Rural Cultural Business Innovation Programme day 2
Getting on in life
A reunion meeting of old school friends was an opportunity for us to vent our spleens over some of the things that get us wound up these days. It seems that the older us men get the more we rant and rave over the most silly of things. I find myself shouting at the television … Continue reading Getting on in life
#CyberNorth Think Tank
The first of our planned events for the Dynamo cyber work stream was the Think Tank held earlier this week at Accenture’s offices in Cobalt. We had been planning it for several months and then suddenly it was upon us. The idea was to relaunch the work we had undertaken while raising our profile by … Continue reading #CyberNorth Think Tank
Marshmallow challenge
One of the ways we got the delegates to engage with each other at the Rural Cultural Business Innovation Programme, was through the Marshmallow Challenge. I love it. It makes me laugh every time I see it run. It is quite simple. Each group, it is essential that there several people in the group, has … Continue reading Marshmallow challenge
I didn’t get the job
One of the things that I have struggled most with when working for myself is saying no to new work. When I set the company up I thought about a reasonable sales objective for the year and I am happy to say that I passed it quite comfortably at the half year point. Perhaps my … Continue reading I didn’t get the job
My ethical dilemma with Oxfam
The recent events at Oxfam have highlighted, once again, the role that ethics has to play in modern organisations. It is impossible and indeed not right, to separate purpose and the ethical stance of those businesses and charities that we deal with. The scandal that has rocked Oxfam over the last few weeks has made … Continue reading My ethical dilemma with Oxfam