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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
08 janv. 2015 - 11:29

null In difficult times what type of manager will make it to the top in 2015

These are difficult times for public sector managers some people think the business can do ok with a lot fewer of them. Managers must deliver savage budget reductions, cut services, make people redundant and keep the remaining staff motivated whilst their wages are frozen. When this has been achieved they will find themselves working for smaller and very different organisations and they will... Voir plus
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null 1282 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
06 janv. 2015 - 12:29

null Mouse Tap

The headline read Cold snap and mouse tap boost profits. I read and re read the article but could find no further reference to "mouse taps". Since the article was about finance was a " mouse tap" accountancy terminology, I googled it but all I got was did you mean mouse trap. Then it clicked the article was about increased on line sales boosting profits, more people using their... Voir plus
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null 1346 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
05 janv. 2015 - 12:51

null What's in a name

Lenny Henry was recently the guest editor on Radio 4 Today programme. He followed this up with an article in the Guardian describing the experience and continuing his campaign to address the under representation of black people in the creative industries. He doesn't use the expression  "black people" on one occasion he refers to a person of colour but throughout the article he talks of... Voir plus
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null 1794 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
31 déc. 2014 - 11:52

null 2015 What's the worst that could happen

At the start of a new year it's fun to speculate about what the future holds. More elected mayors, more power to the cities, more budget cuts, more  services outsourced, more contracts to place, more scope for corruption, more bankruptcies and emergency takeover squads.    Elected Mayors with the power to make our cites work,  to cut through the bureaucracy, the... Voir plus
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null 1636 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
30 déc. 2014 - 14:40

null The Silver Slipper Specification

Cinderella had very small feet. This fact is rarely mentioned in the telling of the story but it is the only logical explanation. If her feet were average size then the glass slippers would have fitted most young women who tied them on. Of course it could be that Prince Charming knew all along who his attractive and mysterious dance partner was. The "who so ever these slippers fit I shall... Voir plus
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null 1358 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
30 déc. 2014 - 12:32

null The medium and the message

 As we get excited about the potential of social networking and the social media for local government how do we ensure the message is not lost in the preoccupation with the medium? A recent example would be the US presidential debate on TV aired live in the US and covered worldwide. The TV, the medium for carrying this debate encourages the viewer to look at body language, tone of... Voir plus
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null 1662 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
23 déc. 2014 - 16:11

null Christmas message from the Boss

  The Boss traditionally uses his Christmas message to thank staff for their hard work and support over the last 12 months. Not this year. He used the social media to thank staff but he was very critical of senior managers claiming many had lost their humanity, they had forgotten what public service was all about and they no longer seemed able to inspire optimism in their staff. He... Voir plus
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null 2039 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
19 déc. 2014 - 15:02

null Pot holes

It is nearly  5 years since my boss came back from a budget meeting and said this level of cuts is no longer about reduced services it about a totally different county council. At the time most of us didn't believe it was possible to take nearly 50 percent out of the budget yet that is what happened. Libraries and day centres were closed, grants to voluntary groups were cut, services... Voir plus
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null 1427 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
19 déc. 2014 - 14:26

null The powerful make things happen or do they?

Tony Blair complained that he pulled levers and nothing much happened. It's a common complaint by leaders in a democracy that they have status and authority but not enough power to make things happen. Margaret Thatcher thought  it was the dead hand of the civil service that stifled radical change and the trade unions, she was determined to reduce the power of both. In local government... Voir plus
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null 1563 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
17 déc. 2014 - 12:44

null Tis the season to give and receive

Five more years of austerity, it sounds grime. More services out sourced, more redundancies, more service reductions, it sounds inevitable. But here is  a reason to be jolly, corporate Christmas parties and lavish presents from new business partners. What better start to the festivities than a weekend in London, a posh dinner dance and an overnight in a swanky hotel. Just think how... Voir plus
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null 2029 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
08 déc. 2014 - 11:39

null When things get nasty,and they will, you don't want a nice guy in charge

When things get nasty, and they will, you don't want a nice guy in charge He is intelligent, a commanding public speaker, politically astute and unlike so many council leaders he has insight into how his behaviour effects others. Despite a 40 percent cut in the budget, compulsory redundancies, a wage freeze, the closure of most of the councils libraries, the out sourcing of most of the... Voir plus
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null 1681 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
28 nov. 2014 - 16:21

null Make them laugh

 Make them laugh Whether face to face, in your blog or through your tweets, 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 a laugh and they like people who make them laugh. But it’s risky. Service cuts and redundancies are no laughing matter so your joke may be... Voir plus
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null 2095 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
20 mars 2015 - 11:39

null Pornography and the work lap top

Three Judges are dismissed and one resigns caught viewing pornography on their work lap top.   Does the social media enable staff to share knowledge and experience or share sexists cartoons and racist jokes? The internet opened up a world of information, and  easier access to pornography. Facebook and Twitter allows fiends to share photos and the minutiae of their day, and... Voir plus
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null 2548 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
18 nov. 2014 - 13:12

null F is for fantsay P is for promotion

The police have been fiddling the crime figures for some time (HMIC report) but in this they are no different to other parts of the public sector. This is what happens when performance targets become the measure of success and the means to promotion.    Performance data is suppose to help managers by prompting the right questions. What are the reasons for variances in... Voir plus
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null 1307 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
17 nov. 2014 - 17:14

null Let's work together. Let's not....

Don't really want to work with you but can't say so. Don't really want to be at this meeting but darn't say so. Don't see what's in it for us but better not say so. Don't agree with you but it would prolong the debate to say so. Don't even like you. The this last point may seem unprofessional but in my experience of joint working the biggest factor in determine success is the personal... Voir plus
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null 1218 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
11 nov. 2014 - 12:04

null Below the line and below the belt

The fear of getting shot never stopped me from putting my head above the parapet at work. I couldn't help myself  if I felt it should be said I said it . This did not always make me popular but didn't appear to damage my career, I was only sacked the once! As a social worker and a director I wrote articles. I can think of only two occasions when my boss expressed annoyance at what I had... Voir plus
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null 1505 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
10 nov. 2014 - 16:06

null How you make your staff feel?

The leadership road show where senior managers do the rounds talking to large groups of staff has become part of most organisations communication strategy. The senior manager introduces the event and is expected to energise the audience with a short standup routine. By lunch time your audience will have forgotten much of what you said in your speech. When asked by a colleague the next day... Voir plus
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null 1389 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
05 nov. 2014 - 15:34

null Leadership as a contact sport

One public sector chief executive described leadership as a contact sport. This is a slap in the face to those of us whose management style is more about cooperation rather than confrontation. Boxers talk about imposing themselves on their opponents, the use of controlled aggression,having the right people in your corner and we talk of people and organisations punching above their weight.... Voir plus
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null 1165 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
28 oct. 2014 - 14:12

null argaret Thatcher was wrong and President Kennedy was right t

Senior managers may wish to Do No Harm ( see previous blog) but in this austere financial climate many simply have to pursue the least worst option. In project management there are three elements that must be balanced quality, time and money. Each element pulls in a different direction so it's impossible to treat all three as a priority so two are pursued at the expense of the... Voir plus
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null 1213 vues
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Blair McPherson
a écrit un nouveau billet de blog
14 oct. 2014 - 11:27

null More Adders than Ladders

Restructuring, redeployment, redundancy have become all too familiar to those in the public sector. Employment has become a game of snakes and ladders. Restructuring may mean applying for your own job all be it with a different title. Redeployment may involve a sideways move, a loss of status and a move to the back of the promotion queue. Redundancy isn't the end of your career but it's been... Voir plus
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