We’ve held the last Society of ICT Managers (SOCITM) meeting for the year. It was a bit touch and go at times getting the speakers and the running order sorted but in the end Graham, as always pulled it off. What could have been a bit of a pup turned out to be another interesting … Continue reading Unfolding plans 158 – three great speakers
Unfolding plans 155 – Change Management Institute
I did my pitch to the Change Management Institute last week. The evening was held in the Northumbria University Business School where the Manor’s goods yard used to be. It was the first time I had ever been in the building and I must say it was impressive. I think what I said went down … Continue reading Unfolding plans 155 – Change Management Institute
Unfolding plans 153 – men or women
The presentations at the Women in IT event that SOCITM launched were great. There were lots of similar stories that reminded the audience, if it needed to be reminded, that the job of getting true diversity in the IT industry is far from over. I covered most of what went on in a previous blog … Continue reading Unfolding plans 153 – men or women
Unfolding plans 152 – taking stock
Friday is always a good day to take stock. Today is day five of National Customer Service Week and so it’s a great opportunity to think about what has happened. It was not just ICT Services that got involved. Social Care Direct, Transport, First Contact, Customer Services (of course), Neighbourhood Services, Highways, Regeneration and Economic … Continue reading Unfolding plans 152 – taking stock
Unfolding plans 151 – Employee engagement and culture
This week is flying by. It’s day four of National customer Service Week already. I’m still wearing my Institute of Customer Service badge (with pride) even though I’ve changed jackets since yesterday. Today’s theme is employee engagement and culture which is perfect as we’re having our second day of our Lean Start-Up training. The group … Continue reading Unfolding plans 151 – Employee engagement and culture
Unfolding plans 150 – Wear your badge
Day three of National Customer Service Week. I’m cheating a bit today as I’m not involved in any specific event to celebrate the week and so I’m going to talk about what I got up to yesterday afternoon. Having said that, focussing on customers should be and is a constant activity. Peter told me that … Continue reading Unfolding plans 150 – Wear your badge
Unfolding plans 149 – Customer complaints
Day two of National Customer Service week and the festivities are well underway. Today’s themes are Customer Complaints and MOT. I think the MOT idea was one of our own where a small team of people descend upon a part of the wider organisation to help solve issues and identify learning opportunities. I know it’s … Continue reading Unfolding plans 149 – Customer complaints
Unfolding plans 146 – Simplicity
Life is complicated. The more I think about it the more complicated it becomes. It seems as if complexity is an inherent part of the way the world works. It’s that second law of thermodynamics again. It states that (forgive me for I paraphrase) ‘In any closed system the amount of usable energy is always … Continue reading Unfolding plans 146 – Simplicity
Unfolding plans 145 – Video kills
Video was never my medium. It just doesn’t work for me. I fluff my lines and get all tongue tied. I’m more nervous on video than with any other format. I don’t know why, perhaps it is the permanence of it all. I think I get hung up on how I’m coming across rather than … Continue reading Unfolding plans 145 – Video kills
Unfolding plans 144 – Scrum
Somebody has sent me a copy of ‘Scrum, The art of doing twice the work in half the time’ by Jeff Sutherland. I don’t know who it was. I had my suspects but one by one they are being crossed off my list. It just turned up at work in a manila envelope (C5 in … Continue reading Unfolding plans 144 – Scrum
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 