Someone very dear to me recently retired. She worked as a civil servant in Spain all her life. During her time there she opened an international relations department, was demoted a couple of times (you can't fire a civil servant, so when governments change, so do the higher roles), moved between ministries, shook the King's hand a few times, joined the Union's committee, left the Union's committee, represented Spain at meetings in Strasbourg and Brussels, etc etc.
Her cv certainly became impressive but her most impressive achievements were the fact that she was always proud of her work, always gave 100%, always demanded 100% from those reporting to her - and from those she was reporting to - and she knew and respected those who have the less thankful but most important jobs - like the janitors, concierges and those in charge of maintenance.
During the last two years at her ministry she was treated appallingly, partly due to her age (in her 60's - that's really old!!!) and partly due to her unwillingness to ever play the political game. The person who had recently replaced her (underqualified, but friend of boss - and this was stated as the main reason for bringing him in, yes, true) was recently demoted too. After not receiving any kind of send-off from the ministry, this man told my mother that at least, she was leaving with the warmth and affection of the ministry, as two big leaving-dos had been organised for her. She replied: "Do you think I didn't work for it?" The send-off was not a "leaving-do", it was a big thanks from everyone she had worked with in the civil service for the last 40 years.
The biggest testament to her leadership qualities was the fact that her first secretary recently told her with tears in her eyes that she was the friend she loved most in the world.
My mother never considered herself " a leader" - but she truly helped people's development, she got results, she had everyone's respect (friends' and enemies' ) and the Spanish civil service is just that one bit worse-off without her.
Connected Pages
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Friday, 17 December 2010
Adrenaline rush caused by Nine Dragons
Nine Dragons
by Michael Connelly(Detective Harry Bosch)
I had this book sitting on my bookshelf for about two months before I finally decided to pick it up - it's often the books I most want to read that take the longest to be opened, as I want to make sure that the time is right. Nine Dragons arrived after The Scarecrow, which I am glad of, as The Scarecrow left me a little bit of a bad taste, due to the plot not the style. (Still worth reading though, there was something incredibly addictive about it.)
I always look forward to a Connelly book - not sure why, I think his novels have a mixture of contemporary and noir feel, although to be honest, I think this is more prevalent in his Heller novels.
Harry Bosch, like most fiction detectives, is a little bit anarchic (a bit like doctor House) and will do anything to get the job done. Here, Bosch goes to Hong Kong, in search of the members of a triad gang. It's always fun to travel somewhere else - even if it is in your imagination...
I'm not sure it's one of the best written works I've read but it did have my heart racing - 9.30 am and I could already feel the stress! And it hadn't been caused by the delays on the Circle line!
I discovered Connelly when listening to a BBC4 podcast on books, I think it was Open Read, and they were indeed talking about Nine Dragons. Thanks to that programme I now know where to go if I want to read a book that will transport me somewhere else in an instant.
And while I'm at it, let me recommend Lost Light.
Dealing with Conflict - The Skilled Facilitator
Because I have quite a high locus of control and I can't stand moaning about something while not trying to make it better, I've joined forces with the other residents in my block of flats, to form a Residents Association. To be accepted formally by the housing company who manages the building, we have to submit a constitution, which includes a code of conduct, an example of which is provided by the housing company. I was horrified.
It seems to me that most of the points of the code of conduct have not been included to resolve conflict but to suppress it. The one that worries me most is:
"Avoid naming individuals."
Right, so we are back to the old "some people" which tends to go unnoticed by those it refers to and pisses off those who are tired of hearing the same indirect criticism. And so nothing is resolved as resentment continues.
If I am doing something that annoys someone else, I like to be told. And I don't want to be included in a "some people" directed vent that has nothing to do with me. I know it's hard to let someone know you disapprove of something they've said/done etc, but if you don't talk about it, and find out their reasons for it, you cannot move on!
I've seen conflict being suppressed by venting and gossiping, building up resentment over months - when what really needed to be done was tackle the problem head on, suffer for a bit while trying to find a solution and then move on.
If you work with groups where you encounter conflict frequently, I recommend you read The Skilled Facilitator. Its "ground rules" are based on a principle of transparency. As such, it is an exposing process, but one that should deliver long-term results.
I leave you with the link to the book as I have been distracted by the snow. Please post any avoidance conflict stories or other suitable literature my way.
It seems to me that most of the points of the code of conduct have not been included to resolve conflict but to suppress it. The one that worries me most is:
"Avoid naming individuals."
Right, so we are back to the old "some people" which tends to go unnoticed by those it refers to and pisses off those who are tired of hearing the same indirect criticism. And so nothing is resolved as resentment continues.
If I am doing something that annoys someone else, I like to be told. And I don't want to be included in a "some people" directed vent that has nothing to do with me. I know it's hard to let someone know you disapprove of something they've said/done etc, but if you don't talk about it, and find out their reasons for it, you cannot move on!
I've seen conflict being suppressed by venting and gossiping, building up resentment over months - when what really needed to be done was tackle the problem head on, suffer for a bit while trying to find a solution and then move on.
If you work with groups where you encounter conflict frequently, I recommend you read The Skilled Facilitator. Its "ground rules" are based on a principle of transparency. As such, it is an exposing process, but one that should deliver long-term results.
I leave you with the link to the book as I have been distracted by the snow. Please post any avoidance conflict stories or other suitable literature my way.
Monday, 13 December 2010
Currently Reading: Direct from Dell
I love a "success story" - I particularly like those where the hero/heroine has to battle through, wading against the odds. In the case of autobiographies/memoirs of business leaders, the "odds" come from the competition or others saying "You'll never make it; you can't do THAT!"
I've just finished the first part of Direct from Dell and that is what I have enjoyed most. His constant drive and belief in himself. Of course, he got it right. Like Bill Gates, he had a vision that was aligned with how Western Society was developing and so was able to push his dreams through.
Like most entrepreneurs, Michael Dell began doing business early on in life, by the age of 12, auctioning stamps. His love of computers and his desire to make them more effective were already prominent at the age of 15, in 1980. At 15 he convinced his parents to let him buy an Apple II, only to take it apart the moment it was delivered - much to the fury of his parents who didn't share his curiosity about how the machine worked.
By the age of 17, he was obsessed with how to make personal computers more effective and was already upgrading them for others in his bedroom. By the time he got to university, he had turned his computer-driven obsession into his own small business.
Of course his parents were keen for him to "leave that computer stuff" and continue with his studies. I'm definitively glad he didn't.
Having led a life of diverse self-employment and what some have called "entrepreneurship" myself, I completely share the sentiment of wanting to do something a little bit outside the norm and feeling misunderstood. So I really enjoyed Michael Dell's story of creating his place in an industry that was pretty much in its infancy and seeing opportunities where others just saw a big waste of time.
I am curious though, to see how retail selling (introduced for the second time in 2007 in the USA) has changed the business. Abandoning Dell's policy of only selling directly to the customer is referred to by Michael Dell as one of his greatest mistakes, so I would very much like to know the process that led them to try it once again. I imagine the experiment was successful the second time as Dell computers can now be purchased in stores in the UK.
Anyone with info on this, please post it my way.
I've just finished the first part of Direct from Dell and that is what I have enjoyed most. His constant drive and belief in himself. Of course, he got it right. Like Bill Gates, he had a vision that was aligned with how Western Society was developing and so was able to push his dreams through.
Like most entrepreneurs, Michael Dell began doing business early on in life, by the age of 12, auctioning stamps. His love of computers and his desire to make them more effective were already prominent at the age of 15, in 1980. At 15 he convinced his parents to let him buy an Apple II, only to take it apart the moment it was delivered - much to the fury of his parents who didn't share his curiosity about how the machine worked.
By the age of 17, he was obsessed with how to make personal computers more effective and was already upgrading them for others in his bedroom. By the time he got to university, he had turned his computer-driven obsession into his own small business.
Of course his parents were keen for him to "leave that computer stuff" and continue with his studies. I'm definitively glad he didn't.
Having led a life of diverse self-employment and what some have called "entrepreneurship" myself, I completely share the sentiment of wanting to do something a little bit outside the norm and feeling misunderstood. So I really enjoyed Michael Dell's story of creating his place in an industry that was pretty much in its infancy and seeing opportunities where others just saw a big waste of time.
I am curious though, to see how retail selling (introduced for the second time in 2007 in the USA) has changed the business. Abandoning Dell's policy of only selling directly to the customer is referred to by Michael Dell as one of his greatest mistakes, so I would very much like to know the process that led them to try it once again. I imagine the experiment was successful the second time as Dell computers can now be purchased in stores in the UK.
Anyone with info on this, please post it my way.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Why eye contact matters
One of the things I used to notice when using public transport in Madrid, was that the bus drivers seemed much happier than those in London. One of the reasons must be, of course, that the London bus drivers are stuck behind a glass pane. But I am sure that one of the reasons why Madrid drivers are happier is that passengers actually say Hello on their way in.
Granted, one of the things that struck me as odd but sweet when I first arrived in London all those 20 years ago, was that some people would shout Thanks Driver! as they left the bus. Quite pleasant, but they are in the minority, considering how many people don't say anything when they leave.
In Madrid, however, the driver always looks at you as you step onto the bus and most people say Hello. It's just an extension of saying Good Morning to a neighbour you pass by on the street. (I was saddened to see that some buses have recently added a glass to the driver's compartment - I hope it doesn't change their mood.)
It can't be all the Oyster card's fault - using this pass means that you don't need to interact with the driver to get on the bus. In Madrid we've had passes and Metrobus (carnet style) for ages.
So, intrigued by whether the lack of eye contact and Hello factor of London bus drivers, I decided to see whether there was something I could do to make my bus journey in London as pleasant as that in Madrid. And you know what? I could and I did.
It's very simple, you should try it. As you step onto the bus and touch your oyster card on the reader, look at the driver. If they make eye contact, say hello. And you will be pleasantly surprised most of the time. Granted, some times, around 5% of the times, you won't make eye contact as the bus driver will be looking at their mirror to try and see whether everyone who needs to has got out, or sometimes they will just not look at you. (In this last case, these are the drivers most likely to be unpleasant, drive off when someone runs to the bus stop etc...)
But in 95% of the times, you will get a Hello and probably a smile back.
And once you've made eye contact, if you need anything else later, it will be easier to communicate. Today, for example, I got on a bus with those annoying monitors downstairs which show the footage from the CCTV camera. The monitor kept flickering. I waited my 5 stops and as no-one was saying anything to the driver, I let him know the screen wasn't working before getting off. He smiled, he thanked me and hopefully, he turned it off!
On a related travel matter, if you board a plane and sit at the emergency exit, a member of the crew will come and ask you to read the instructions, so that you can save your fellow passengers should the plane crash (no pressure! - no pun intended....). I wonder, whether in addition to making you aware of your responsibility, they are also making eye contact with you so that if something happens, you have already had some sort of connection with them and are more likely to follow their orders.
Eye contact - I know, it's nothing new that it's essential to conversation, but if we used it more often, the world would be a better place.
Granted, one of the things that struck me as odd but sweet when I first arrived in London all those 20 years ago, was that some people would shout Thanks Driver! as they left the bus. Quite pleasant, but they are in the minority, considering how many people don't say anything when they leave.
In Madrid, however, the driver always looks at you as you step onto the bus and most people say Hello. It's just an extension of saying Good Morning to a neighbour you pass by on the street. (I was saddened to see that some buses have recently added a glass to the driver's compartment - I hope it doesn't change their mood.)
It can't be all the Oyster card's fault - using this pass means that you don't need to interact with the driver to get on the bus. In Madrid we've had passes and Metrobus (carnet style) for ages.
So, intrigued by whether the lack of eye contact and Hello factor of London bus drivers, I decided to see whether there was something I could do to make my bus journey in London as pleasant as that in Madrid. And you know what? I could and I did.
It's very simple, you should try it. As you step onto the bus and touch your oyster card on the reader, look at the driver. If they make eye contact, say hello. And you will be pleasantly surprised most of the time. Granted, some times, around 5% of the times, you won't make eye contact as the bus driver will be looking at their mirror to try and see whether everyone who needs to has got out, or sometimes they will just not look at you. (In this last case, these are the drivers most likely to be unpleasant, drive off when someone runs to the bus stop etc...)
But in 95% of the times, you will get a Hello and probably a smile back.
And once you've made eye contact, if you need anything else later, it will be easier to communicate. Today, for example, I got on a bus with those annoying monitors downstairs which show the footage from the CCTV camera. The monitor kept flickering. I waited my 5 stops and as no-one was saying anything to the driver, I let him know the screen wasn't working before getting off. He smiled, he thanked me and hopefully, he turned it off!
On a related travel matter, if you board a plane and sit at the emergency exit, a member of the crew will come and ask you to read the instructions, so that you can save your fellow passengers should the plane crash (no pressure! - no pun intended....). I wonder, whether in addition to making you aware of your responsibility, they are also making eye contact with you so that if something happens, you have already had some sort of connection with them and are more likely to follow their orders.
Eye contact - I know, it's nothing new that it's essential to conversation, but if we used it more often, the world would be a better place.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Absorbed by Sebastian Faulks
Engleby and A Week in December
I discovered Sebastian Faulks about this time last year when I bought the airport edition of A Week in December (I do love those big sized paperbacks) - 4 for 3 offer, I bit excessive but couldn't resist Juliet, Naked, The Complaints and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
A Week in December had a number of stories running through the novel, almost a chapter per character. I have a very thin memory for plots. I never remember the plot of a novel even a few weeks after I have finished reading it. I remember how much I liked it, its atmosphere and some images. I loved A Week in December and remember the depth of its characters, their solitude and the fact that I couldn't wait to open the book and continue reading it.
I have now finished Engleby - what a treat! It's the perfect commuting book - the stations whiz by and you can't wait to commute in the morning as it means uninterrupted reading time for a while (ok, maybe that is going a bit too far, but you know what I mean...)
The problem with writing about Engleby is that if I share what I most enjoyed about it, I will spoil it.
Written in the first person (my favourite kind of novel), we share Engleby's life from his childhood until his 50s. The tone of the book changes accordingly but we constantly feel like we are almost inside his head. I can still see his room in his boarding school, his university campus and the office where he interviewed Ken Livingstone.
Faulks is not a descriptive writer but the protagonist's thoughts are so strong and the action so well narrated that the story unfolds in your mind just like a film.
I loved it and can't wait to read more by Sebastian Faulks - any personal favourites, please post them my way.
Sebastian Faulks
I discovered Sebastian Faulks about this time last year when I bought the airport edition of A Week in December (I do love those big sized paperbacks) - 4 for 3 offer, I bit excessive but couldn't resist Juliet, Naked, The Complaints and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
A Week in December had a number of stories running through the novel, almost a chapter per character. I have a very thin memory for plots. I never remember the plot of a novel even a few weeks after I have finished reading it. I remember how much I liked it, its atmosphere and some images. I loved A Week in December and remember the depth of its characters, their solitude and the fact that I couldn't wait to open the book and continue reading it.
I have now finished Engleby - what a treat! It's the perfect commuting book - the stations whiz by and you can't wait to commute in the morning as it means uninterrupted reading time for a while (ok, maybe that is going a bit too far, but you know what I mean...)
The problem with writing about Engleby is that if I share what I most enjoyed about it, I will spoil it.
Written in the first person (my favourite kind of novel), we share Engleby's life from his childhood until his 50s. The tone of the book changes accordingly but we constantly feel like we are almost inside his head. I can still see his room in his boarding school, his university campus and the office where he interviewed Ken Livingstone.
Faulks is not a descriptive writer but the protagonist's thoughts are so strong and the action so well narrated that the story unfolds in your mind just like a film.
I loved it and can't wait to read more by Sebastian Faulks - any personal favourites, please post them my way.
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