So, it’s day one of this year’s National Customer Service Week. I’ve already told you what our plans are but like the best laid plans of mice and men I haven’t got off to the greatest of starts. Perhaps that’s a little unfair. I had planned to go down to Durham to meet up with … Continue reading Unfolding plans 148 – Know your customer
Unfolding plans 147 – What have you planned for National Customer Service Week?
I covered this in Unfolding plans 106, some seventy five days ago, and here it is. The first week in October has arrived already, the time we set aside to recognise and celebrate our customers. Time is really flying. National Customer Service Week has come around again. It doesn’t seem like five minutes since the … Continue reading Unfolding plans 147 – What have you planned for National Customer Service Week?
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
Unfolding plans 143 – Leading the way in Open Data
I’ve been at another conference. This time it was presented by the Federation of Small Businesses in conjunction with Dynamo and Sunderland Software City. It was titled ‘North East Leading The Way In Open Data’ and I was asked to speak. You know that amongst my interests is helping to develop the region so that … Continue reading Unfolding plans 143 – Leading the way in Open Data
Unfolding plans 141 – Teaching people how to learn
At work I would like to teach people only one thing. I would like them to learn how to learn. Once you have learned how to learn you never need to be taught anything again. Give a man a fish or teach him how to fish. I’m sure the same thing applies to women. I … Continue reading Unfolding plans 141 – Teaching people how to learn
Unfolding plans 140 – be mindful of others
A couple of days ago I was telling you about Lee and his stories. His tale of children and coasts tugged on a few strings. It brought back memories of childhood, happiness, helplessness and an innocence lost. It gets me every time I hear it (and I’ve heard it a few times now!). He has … Continue reading Unfolding plans 140 – be mindful of others
Unfolding plans 139 – we need fewer rules
First break all the rules. That is what the book said. If this is a rule then should we break it? First stick to all the rules? It’s all a bit confusing. There are too many rules, too many regulations. I can’t be expected to know them all yet every time we are faced with … Continue reading Unfolding plans 139 – we need fewer rules
Unfolding plans 138 – we need more entrepreneurs
I’ve heard it said many times that entrepreneurs are a special breed. They are vital to the health of the economy. They create the wealth that this nation relies upon to pay for its hospitals, its roads and all the other good things we’ve come to expect in a modern economy. I agree. Those people … Continue reading Unfolding plans 138 – we need more entrepreneurs
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 