Data assets are hard to get your head around. They not like physical assets such as PCs or laptops or services or buildings. I mean electronic data assets here. They hide in the ether. Just like that thing called love ‘You can't see them with your eyes, hold them in your hand, but I like … Continue reading Data assets
Learn from play
Children learn from play. Hold the front page. Who could believe it? Whatever will they think of next? I heard it on the news so it must be true, yet anyone who has ever had children knows this to be self-evident. Children learn the social norms of interaction, collaboration and hierarchy through play. Anyone who … Continue reading Learn from play
A spoonful of humour
A man came up to me after the Socitm meeting. We had just broken for lunch but he clearly wanted to speak to me. I had claimed my seat and was walking back to the carvery when he approached. I had said hello already when he arrived, I try to welcome everyone who comes. I … Continue reading A spoonful of humour
Broader broadband
I'm not involved in the Digital Durham programme as much as I used to be, at least not in the direct provision of broadband. This is testament to the great work that the team is doing back at World Headquarters. They don't need me to poke my nose in. I was reminded at the board … Continue reading Broader broadband
A0
I've been trying to get our ICT strategy onto a page. A single page. It is proving to be quite difficult because of all the complexity and the enormous list of things we get involved in. I've tried words and I've tried pictures. I would really like it to be like an infographic, all modern … Continue reading A0
Cyber security
Cyber is not one of those things I write a lot about. It's not the easiest of things to build a tale around, yet it lies at the very heart of what we do as organisations. It is a hugely important subject and should occupy the mind of anyone who has a responsibility to lead an … Continue reading Cyber security
Random benchmarking
Is comparison with another organisation ever worthwhile? I am not so sure. Every now and then the question of benchmarking raises its ugly head. Ugly to me that is. Tom and I have ended up having a conversation over its merits. Benchmarking in itself is not bad. It is what is done in the name … Continue reading Random benchmarking
Another bad habit
Of the twenty bad habits that senior managers have, according to Marshal Goldsmith, twenty things that they do that hold them back, I have fessed up to three of them. I have re-evaluated that up to four. They are listed in his excellent book ‘What got you here won't get you there.’ I have already … Continue reading Another bad habit
A visit to the Archive
During all of the seven years that I've wandered the corridors of County Hall I have never visited the County Records Office. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps it is because it is somewhere the public go rather than being just an office, or maybe I just have not found an excuse. As if I … Continue reading A visit to the Archive
A rollercoaster
Life is filled with ups and downs. Like grandma said in ‘Parenthood’ it's like a rollercoaster ride. There are highs and lows. Sometimes you feel like your underwater, inundated with too much work, and then you rise to the surface to gasp for air only to find the sun is shining. Once more everything is alright … Continue reading A rollercoaster
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 