Learning a language can be hard especially if you are fluent in your mother tongue. Foreigners speak in different ways. They construct their sentences in ways that seem alien to the English speaking world, with strange word order and an ill-defined use of the definite article. What’s the matter with them? I’ve been struggling with … Continue reading Unfolding plans 31 – the concept of separable verbs
Unfolding plans 30 – Are we living in parallel universes?
Are we living in parallel universes? I was due at a meeting of the North East ICT Managers and was a little early so I did what I always do and looked for somewhere with free WiFi. It was at Newcastle Civic Centre and the city centre offers a lot of choice for the online … Continue reading Unfolding plans 30 – Are we living in parallel universes?
Unfolding plans 29 – customers are our core business
Account management can be difficult to justify, especially in these straightened times. It is an overhead that we can ill afford. When we are being asked to watch every penny and cut out all waste, having a team of people who work with the customer, both internal and external, can be seen as a luxury. … Continue reading Unfolding plans 29 – customers are our core business
Unfolding plans 28 – tech in meetings
Some people get really hung up about tech in meetings. It grates on them that someone can be tapping away on their laptop, tablet or smartphone and give the impression that they are not paying attention. I’m not one of them. It doesn’t really bother me. It just seems to be the way things are … Continue reading Unfolding plans 28 – tech in meetings
Unfolding plans 27 – a bit of town planning
Digital, is it a curse or saviour? I mentioned last year that a group of us had come together to see if we could use online technologies to help with the regeneration of Stanley. I’d put a report together to try and generate some interest and this week it was my opportunity to present it … Continue reading Unfolding plans 27 – a bit of town planning
Unfolding plans 26 – There are those that tell and those that ask
There are those that tell and those that ask, apparently. No human system is so binary yet most of us fall towards one end of the ask or tell continuum. We may prefer to ask but from time to time find the need to tell. We may feel that we ask when indeed we are … Continue reading Unfolding plans 26 – There are those that tell and those that ask
Unfolding plans 25 – Something has to give and the technology is going to help
I’ve noticed a subtle change. Services are coming to us asking for help. The drive to use technology is growing at pace. I don’t know if austerity has helped but it has certainly sharpened our focus. As the cuts have gone deeper and deeper there is an increasing realisation that we can’t do the same … Continue reading Unfolding plans 25 – Something has to give and the technology is going to help
Unfolding plans 23 – bad data gives off the repulsive odour of decay
Aren’t graphs great? You can make them say whatever you like. Play about with the x and y axis and you can make things look better or worse as you wish. Alan showed us some at the extended management team to do with channel shift. The optimists amongst us saw the lines getting better while … Continue reading Unfolding plans 23 – bad data gives off the repulsive odour of decay
Unfolding plans 21 – I’m not one for using sporting analogies
So Andy Murray was the runner up at the Australian open. It was a shame. He’d been playing as well as he had ever been but he was up against a formidable opponent. Number six in the world was playing number one. It was sublime tennis. The match ebbed and flowed with each player gaining … Continue reading Unfolding plans 21 – I’m not one for using sporting analogies
Unfolding plans 20 – coming back to apprentices
I said I would come back to apprentices. I’ll keep coming back to them throughout the year as they are important in so many ways. They are also the seventh thing I want to achieve this year. According to the North-East Chamber of Commerce the region faces a "ticking time bomb" due to a lack … Continue reading Unfolding plans 20 – coming back to apprentices
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 