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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 Mar 2020 - 22:49

null A Tiger Team

We hacked the system to show how vulnerable it was to hackers. We broke into the gallery and removed the priceless art work to show how weak the security was. We inserted an operative to show how easy it was to infiltrate the organisation.  A Tiger Team is set up to test ones own defences. A bit more aggressive than a mystery shopper or unannounced inspection /audit but with the... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
09 Mar 2020 - 12:12

null How Bond villains convey malevolence 

  Senior managers need the ability to hold an audience, to dominate a room, to make people feel comfortable, as opposed to uncomfortable,in their presence. It’s a skill and like any skill it can be learnt and with practice and coaching improved. So it is surprising so many senior managers neglect this aspect of their role. However things may be about to change. This area of... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 Mar 2020 - 13:50

null Leavism

  How do you know your organisation’s absence management strategy is working? You might assume it was a reduction in absenteeism but this might be masking a problem with leavism. The issue of presenteeism, where employees attend work when ill rather than fall foul of the strictly enforced absence policy or in the case of senior managers concern at being seen as lacking in stamina and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
02 Mar 2020 - 14:43

null The need for curiosity 

I have never seen it written into a management JD or identified as an essential requirement in a person specification but recent events have confirmed the need for curiosity amongst senior managers. I am referring to the  inquiry into the behaviour of a rogue consultant in the NHS and the failure of those charged with protecting patients to ask questions. But it could just as easily... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
01 Mar 2020 - 09:50

null Questions 

The best don’t know all the answers but they know the right questions to ask. Blair Mcpherson www.blairmcpherson.co.uk 
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
24 Feb 2020 - 14:28

null Gaming the System

Not all managers play by rules. The recruitment procedures are designed to ensure candidates are not discriminated against and managers can’t slot in their favourites. The process is designed to be fair and transparent. However the focus is often on the selection criteria and the interview. The candidates application form is measured against the person specification for the post to... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Feb 2020 - 12:23

null Frank Sinatra, Mr Teflon and the Professor

They use to call him Frank Sinatra because he always did it his way. Trying to explain the importance of following the correct procedures whether that be in recruitment, tackling absenteeism or taking disciplinary measures was a frustrating experience. Old blue eyes didn’t ask for advice and  didn’t take it. Either that or he would go round the HR team until he receive the advice he... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
12 Feb 2020 - 12:26

null Morse v Clouseau

Under what circumstances is it ok for HR to go the full Morse on an anonymous letter and how do you ensure clumsy attempts to identify the culprit don’t come over all Inspector Clouseau Recently an NHS Trust was in the news for the lengths it had gone to identify the author of an anonymous letter. These included engaging a finger print and hand writing expert. The controversy arose... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
12 Feb 2020 - 11:59

null Not the best judge

At university I had a lecture who supervised one of my placements and believed students were a good judge of their own performance. I was tipped off in advance by a student in the year above so at the end of my placement I was not surprised to be asked what grade I thought I should receive. I had prepared my answer and my rational in advance. I confidently stated my performance... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
12 Feb 2020 - 17:43

null Winning 

It’s brutal, wrong and dangerous. It’s cheating but if you can get away with it, bending the rules is all part of the game. This is not new no but it’s is a new and disturbing low.   Blair Mcpherson former Director, author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk 
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
03 Feb 2020 - 11:52

null Have we become a society of people too easily offended?

Here’s some advice I read in the news paper recently. “ Don’t quote The Office without explaining the context”. From my recent experience even providing the context won’t stop some people being offended. I recently wrote an article on this web site about the reaction of some views to the karaoke scene in the  Gavin and Stacy Christmas special. My point was those complaining were... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 Feb 2020 - 22:41

null Rogue Monkey

“ If you want to change things you sometimes have to disrupt things.” Dame Sue Campbell Director of Women’s Football at the FA. (Apparently referred to by some in the FA as Rogue Monkey!). Pull it all down and build a new one. We can put in a new kitchen, we can remodel the bathroom, we can knock down a wall to have an open plan ground floor, we can add a conservatory or creat... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
28 Jan 2020 - 14:39

null The Oxymoron Manager

We need to be bold whilst at the same time not taking unnecessary risks, we need to be financially prudent but invest to make the most of technological but not see it as the solution to every problem. We must be more customer focused but we must also be open and honest about the limitation on our ability to meet their wants and needs. Successful organisation value and invest in... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
27 Jan 2020 - 14:54

null From Humiliating to Surviving and Thriving

  I once played in a football team that got beaten 15-1. What made it worse was it was only 2-1 at half time. It was a capitulation and a humiliation. Our goal keepers confidence was shattered and our star striker never played for us again. And yet the core of that team went on playing together for several very successful seasons. People respond differently to major set backs and so... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Jan 2020 - 18:36

null Hire and Fire with Impunity

In 2011 the Harvard Business Review published the findings of 10 years research into management effectiveness. The headlines read, USA managers are the best , and as is so often the case the reaction was to the headline rather than the detail of the research. To some commentators and management consultants this was further support for their view that management skills in the U.K. ... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
12 Jan 2020 - 12:56

null Gavin and Stacy

Taking words out of context and simply banning them as offensive does not take forward the battle for greater awareness and sensitivity in the cause of equality and diversity. If you were in any doubt then just look at the complaints the BBC have revived over the Christmas special of Gavin and Stacy. These complaints are about a lyric in a song two  of the characters sing at a Karaoke... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
13 Jan 2020 - 07:34

null How to start a difficult conversation 

The person you are going to talk to isn’t going to like what you have to say. They are going to take it personally. You are going to challenge them and their reaction may be defensive, antagonistic or accusatory.  As a senior manager concerned with the quality of people management within the organisation I was surprised at how many managers felt ill equipped to have a... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
17 Dec 2019 - 15:57

null Christmas Crackers

A table of middle aged, single, American women were preparing to eat a Christmas meal in the splendid dinning room of the cruse ship as it sailed down the Danube. The table was festively decorated with a Christmas cracker at every place setting. One of the women picked up her cracker and said,” I believe you pull these and they burst open with gifts, hats and jokey messages.” Taking... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Dec 2019 - 15:05

null Christmas and New Year Challenge 

There is an old Mexican saying that if you drink the water then you will stay. Meaning if you stop for even a short period you will be captivated by the place. But in view of the state of the water supply it might be more appropriate to say that you need a strong stomachache to live here. When I think of how local government use to be and how it is now I think of old Mexico and the... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
04 Dec 2019 - 13:48

null The Perfect Crime

In HR they call Passive Aggression (PA) the perfect crime as it involves a variety of behaviors designed to “get back” at another person without the other recognising the underlying anger. I thought they were just “difficult” staff. Now I realise they though of themselves either as victims or some sort of resistance fighters. That is victims of bullying or resistance fighters against... See more
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