The topic for this round of presentations has been ‘Out of the Toolbox’. The title is an obvious reference to thinking outside the box but also attempts to draw us back to the work that we do. It was Saul Kaplan who said that we need to take our ideas off the white board and … Continue reading Unfolding plans 178 – Out of the toolbox
Unfolding plans 171 – Document management
So, one of the best things about going down to the Local Government Forum in Manchester earlier this week was the drive there and back. I know it was awful. I said so in my blog. We got stuck in bad traffic both on the way down as well as the drive home yet it … Continue reading Unfolding plans 171 – Document management
Unfolding plans 168 – I wouldn’t start from here
It’s an old joke when asked for directions to reply that ‘I wouldn’t have started form here’ yet it is a truism that we arrive where we are because of where we started from. I am thinking of this in context of this year’s planning round. We’ve started on our service plans which, while covering … Continue reading Unfolding plans 168 – I wouldn’t start from here
Unfolding plans 166 – War and Peace
I’m not sure if I remember this correctly as it is a long time since I’ve read War and Peace. I’ve always loved the way that the Russian classics were written and whilst it is a long book, (my version was in three separate books) it is well worth a read. I think I have … Continue reading Unfolding plans 166 – War and Peace
Unfolding plans 156 – No secrets
Would the world be a better place if there were no secrets? There would be no need to hide anything, no need to keep things under lock and key and no need to encrypt our precious or most dark information assets. If there were no secrets there would be no cyber-crime. There would be nothing … Continue reading Unfolding plans 156 – No secrets
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 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 133 – summit else
The motorcycle outriders held the traffic up at Thinford roundabout. Their blue lights cut through the dank morning air. Helicopters hovered above as the threat level was set at high. The limousines with their blacked out windows sped through the empty roads before screeching to a halt outside the Educational Development Centre. The delegates hurried … Continue reading Unfolding plans 133 – summit else
Unfolding Plans 131 – A SOWE
I’ve been thinking about how we create a self-organising work environment. A SOWE. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I saw Sugata Mitra’s work at the first Dynamo conference and that was well over a year and a half ago. How do you get your teams to come together and deliver what is required … Continue reading Unfolding Plans 131 – A SOWE
Unfolding plans 127 – change management
I’ve got myself a new gig. Mike from Sogno said that I should get involved with the Change Management Institute and put me onto Craig who organises things locally. We met up and he’s signed me up for one night only. It is going to be on the fifth of October at a venue to … Continue reading Unfolding plans 127 – change management
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 