Categories
Clear All
Tags
Clear All

No results were found.

Search listings
We are too busy
NHS managers are too busy to address staff health at work. So said the headline in the Health Service Journal (HSJ). The report on the launch of the Healthcare Management unit code of conduct...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  23 Feb 2012
0
How to manage the members
Working in local government at a senior level involves working hand in glove with local councillors or elected members as officers most commonly refer to them. Effective chief executives and...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  23 Feb 2012
0
Is your plate healthy?
At Telford & Wrekin Council we are in the middle of a consulation on Shaping Places - Telford and Wrekin's Future which will eventually replace the existing Core Strategy and...
Blog |
By: 
Richard Overy
|
Last updated:  11 Feb 2012
1
Is it alright for a man to wear black eyeliner to work?
I was at a senior manager’s question and answer session at the end of a two day staff equality and diversity awareness course. I didn’t see it coming but I know the sound of a bear trap snapping...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  10 Feb 2012
0
Are Internal comms teams still split over value of social media?
  Back in 2010 Melcom produced a survey of communications practitioners that revealed the level of social media expertise in the profession as poor – with around half unconvinced of...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  10 Feb 2012
0
How productive is hot desking?
I was pleased to learn that my colleagues and I will be moving from Darby house in Telford Town Centre to the new civic buildings in my home town of Wellington. The new offices are attached to...
Blog |
By: 
Richard Overy
|
Last updated:  12 May 2014
3
Who Pays Your Wages?
  The notorious £1m bonus of RBS boss, Stephen Hester, was being defended on Radio 4 on Friday. I'm not going to have a go at the interviewee (Christopher Wheeler, an analyst at...
Blog |
By: 
Adrian Barker
|
Last updated:  30 Jan 2012
3
The value of meetings
  Whether you like or loathe meetings they are part of our working lives, the effectiveness and value of these meetings can vary and will depend on a number of factors some of which are...
Blog |
By: 
Richard Overy
|
Last updated:  31 Jan 2012
0
Management consultancy v Management development
Successive Governments shake ups of the public sector, the fashion for adopting private sector ways and the tendency to name and shame led to years of plenty for management consultants. The pace...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
If staff morale is at an all time low you know you are doing something right
Who would make such a provocative statement? The bullish minister for local government, the no nonsense leader of the council, the over confident and ruthlessly ambitious chief executive? It is...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
1
Where you born to be an online community facilitator?
After extensive and scientific research I can now tell you the years and months that will make you a great facilitator. But first a bit of background to this ground breaking research.  The...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  02 Feb 2012
0
Has your Online Community got a cold?
Everyone seems to be going down with a cold at the moment where I work.  But what happens when your community gets a cold?   What are the symptoms and what are the remedies? ...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  02 Feb 2012
0
Pay up, save thousands, avoid the bad publicity
Pay up, save thousands and avoid the bad publicity that’s the standard advice when faced with a claim for constructive dismissal on the grounds of racial discrimination. I am sure that was the...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
There are many ways to get rid of a Director
You don’t have to wait till the budget is over spent, the savings not delivered, a critical inspection report, performance targets missed or a negative and highly personalised local media...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
National Map of Shared Services
The Local Government Association have used Googlemaps to visualise shared services  throughout England as shown in the map below. Although shared services may not be suitable for every...
Blog |
By: 
Richard Overy
|
Last updated:  26 Jan 2012
0
Racism in the office and in the staff room
We don’t have a problem with racism here. I am not a racist nor are my colleagues. I don’t believe our staff are racist and I don’t believe our managers deliberately discriminate against people....
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
2012 the year for UnLearning management
It is very clear now that the changes taking place in the public sector will make it a very different place to work. For staff there are unwelcome changes in job security, pay and pensions. For...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
Why do you keep banging on about Equality and Diversity?
We live in a modern world so I was not surprised to be contacted by a student through Face Book. She was doing a presentation and referring to an article I had written on Equality and Diversity...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
Who are you calling a racist?
Stephen Lawrence was attacked because he was black. Eighteen years after his murder two of his killers have been sentenced to life in prison. His murder and the inquiry that followed not only...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
0
Can you make a racist remark and not be racist?
According to Manchester United footballer Patrice Evra you can make a racist remark and not be a racist. Was he just saying that the opponent who he accused of repeatedly racially abusing him was...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
2
How to maintain morale when the future is so bleak
The public sector is to foot the bill for economic recovery. The price to be paid in reduced take home pay and job losses will be felt by all those working in the public sector. The news paper...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  27 Feb 2012
1
Managing gay men
This is a work in progress. An attempt to further the discussion on managing a diverse workforce. I am seeking comments and suggestions and I am not afraid of a little controversy.  They...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  20 Jan 2015
0
Let’s get rid of the Chief Ex
Nothing personal but let’s get rid of the chief executive. Not a particular chief executive but all the chief executives in local government. What do they do anyway? There is support from some in...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  29 Mar 2026
0
Casting out demons
 You would not be surprised to be told that some people with mental health problems claim to hear voices and be possessed by demons. You might be a little surprised to be informed that the...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  19 Dec 2018
0
Top tips on Equality and Diversity training
If you have lead responsibility for developing and delivering equality and diversity in your organisation here are some tips you may find helpful. I have been heavily involved in developing and...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  01 Dec 2025
0
Culture eats EQUALITY strategy for breakfast
Culture eats equality strategy for breakfast, well that’s my experience as a senior manager with lead responsibility for equality and diversity. So we shifted the focus away from policy,...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  20 Jan 2015
0
Culture eats strategy for breakfast
We changed the policy .We introduced new procedures. We set targets and introduced monitoring arrangements. We developed a training programme. We provided senior management with regular...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  06 Jul 2020
0
Beyond Samosas and Reggae
What a great title for a book. The book is sub titled a guide to developing services for black disabled people. It was published in 1995, only 48 pages but it must be hard to get hold of because I...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  02 Sept 2025
0
The Americans think they do it better
The Americans think they do it better, no surprise there, but would you be surprised if a European research team concluded that American firms were the best managed in the world? A group...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  18 Jun 2020
0
It’s good to talk-equality and diversity for leaders
It’s good to talk-equality and diversity for leaders No longer a senior manager I don’t have to worry about upsetting social workers, nurses,teachers,housing officers or their managers. This...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  01 Dec 2025
0
Praise for local government deputies
This article appeared in todays Guardian(Public leaders network) ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/public-leaders-network/2011/may/09/local-government-deputies-praise
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  17 May 2022
0
Make them laugh
Make them laugh Whoever the audience, whatever the topic it helps if you can make them laugh. Humour can defuse a tense situation and it’s hard to stay angry if you’re smiling. People like...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  24 Nov 2021
0
Bigging it Up
Am I lying or just overselling?  Am I bigging it up?  Making more of it than is justified?  Am I making something routine and commonplace sound different and innovative?  How...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  10 Mar 2017
0
Are you gay? Do you have a disability? What is your religion? Equal opportunity monitoring.
Equal opportunity monitoring.   Most organisations don’t know how many disabled people they employ, how many gay people work for them or which faiths make up the staff group. All they...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  20 Jan 2015
2
Mentoring as a way of developing leadership skills
Mentoring as a way of developing leadership skills  One very effective way for a manager to continue their development is to identify a mentor. A management mentor is a guide, someone with...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  19 Dec 2014
0
Coaching and mentoring as a way of developing leadership skills
Coaching and mentoring as a way of developing leadership skills Employee surveys plus an analysis of harassment and bullying complaints revealed that many staff thought their manager had poor...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  19 Dec 2014
1
Management in 100 words
Management in 100 words The England football manager claims he only needs 100 words of English to manage the team. On the understanding that like the England team your team understands the...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  18 Dec 2021
0
Leaders expect to be criticised but...
How high your heels are, how often you change your hair style and how much your designer handbag cost are not the type of observations you expect to read about in a serious article about a...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  12 Jun 2020
0
Partnerships under fire
The President of the association of directors of adult social services (adass) had a go at hospital managers and the cheers could be heard across social services throughout the land. Richard Jones...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  10 May 2024
0
How many Chief Executives are truly indispensible?
The announcement that Steve Jobs is to step down as chief executive of Apple for health reasons had an immediate impact on share prices and has prompted discussion about whether it is good for...
Blog |
By: 
Blair McPherson
|
Last updated:  21 Mar 2020
1
Do you still use a cassette tape or phonograph?
Blog copied from CoP. This is my last blog post to Communities of Practice. The site will soon become obsolete (31st March 2012); I am sad that the CoP site is coming to an...
Blog |
By: 
Richard Overy
|
Last updated:  20 Jan 2012
1
Will your Chinese Zodiac Sign make you a better online facilitator?
This is a bit of fun and a follow up to Will your Star Sign make you a better online facilitator? With it being Chinese New Year on the 23rd Jan I was wondering if the year of your birth would have...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  20 Jan 2012
0
Could you use your data more intelligently?
Use your data more effectively to yield insightful information that can help you better deliver your services. Our customer insight series provides the opportunity for you to learn from peers how...
Blog |
By: 
Shelley Heckman
|
Last updated:  18 Jan 2012
0
Communities – The Day The World Stood Still
This is a great post by Phil Wride especially with wikipedia today. Rest assured this isn’t another Community Management post linking back to a film as some of my others have. This...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  18 Jan 2012
0
How will you say thank you next Monday
Don’t forget next Monday is Community Facilitator/Manager Appreciation Day Just in case you don’t know about it check it out on wikipedia ...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  16 Jan 2012
0
14 Days to go – Community Facilitator-Manager Appreciation Day
It's time for the THIRD annual CMAD on the 23rd of January. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Manager_Appreciation_Day What to do? It's so easy: Thank your Community...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  18 Jan 2012
0
What does an online community facilitator actually do?
  This is a question that gets asked a lot.  For all those that are facilitating a Community of Practice you know that it is hard work.  And that you have to be slightly mad to...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  06 Jan 2012
0
Cool Welsh Stats tool
I recently stubbled upon the Welsh Government National Strategic Indicators Viewer; a visualisation application which allows the user to compare data for Welsh local authorities in a map, chart or...
Blog |
By: 
Richard Overy
|
Last updated:  09 Nov 2011
0
The power and peril of online communities
This is a great presentation from Rachel Happe of Community Round Table. Also if you get a chance subscripe to their great newsletter   The Power and Peril of Online Communities ...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  03 Nov 2011
0
The single biggest reason why members leave a community...and what you can do about it
Another great post by Richard Millington over at Feverbee.  I will be remembering this one.  Have we made the group / community interesting?   Richard say "It's not the...
Blog |
By: 
Michael Norton
|
Last updated:  27 Oct 2011
1