On Friday I drove up with Dr Dave Richards of Bournemouth University's Business School to Warwick University's Science park for the launch of Smart Development Solutions' Youth Map. This is a product that has been developed literally through 'public' demand. Over the past three years whenever I have had educationalists – headteachers, teachers, consultants –Continue reading “Motivating young people”
Author Archives: mappingmotivation
The bee attitudes
My friend David Stephens (http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwstephens) recently joked that I should explore the correlations between bees – tiny insect creatures that I especially like – and their attitudes and the Beatitudes of Jesus as depicted in the Gospels. Hmm, interesting challenge. As for the bees I have recently added my signature to the Avaaz organisation's attemptContinue reading “The bee attitudes”
The Chinese educational challenge
The new book by Amy Chua, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mothers, is instructive. She critiques the 'weak, cuddling Western parenting style' and vindicates the far superior Chinese way. Apparently, she never lets her daughters attend a sleepover, have a playdate, watch TV or play computer games, or fail to be the top student inContinue reading “The Chinese educational challenge”
Opportunities are everywhere, aren’t they?
One thing is sure: the current recession isn't going anywhere soon, and many people are going to be experiencing pain. But I am not saying this as a detached observer: last year we suffered pain. We noticed a slowing down of commitment to projects, and a general avoidance of expenditure. Some long standing clients hadContinue reading “Opportunities are everywhere, aren’t they?”
God laughs
I thought I had heard or read it all. I have a large library of books that I have been reading for 40 years. Surely, all the arguments that could be made have been made and I have seen them? Surely not! Why? Because, apparently, God laughs – God laughs a lot, and it isContinue reading “God laughs”
Visiting the Afterlife
I think everyone is curious about the after life – life after death – what happens at death. When we stop being curious, we have lost something profound and in our nature. Wittgenstein famously said: “Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death.” That is a philosophical position. OnContinue reading “Visiting the Afterlife”
The Green House Hotel
I was invited last week by Mark Liddle of Middletons Insolvency Practice: http://www.middletonpartners.co.uk/south_west_region and David Foster of Winning Business, http://www.winningbusiness.co.uk/, to give a talk at the Green House Hotel, largely to financial and professional services owners and managers, over lunch. It seemed germane to me to focus on resolutions, intentions and goals for the newContinue reading “The Green House Hotel”
The power of politeness
As we start the new year it might be an idea to re-visit simple things in order to be more effective. Things like … being polite! What do you think of when you think of a manager? Often people think of the manager as being their key support to enable them to get the jobContinue reading “The power of politeness”
New year resolutions
New Year's Resolutions – do they work? Are you setting yourself a New Year's Resolution this year? Will this be a positive boost to you in 2011 or will you find your resolution starts well and fizzles after a week or two? What has been your experience in previous years? How well are you settingContinue reading “New year resolutions”
Driven or called?
I recently asked on my Linkedin status bar whether you were driven or called? This is an interesting concept I picked up from Gordon Macdonald's book, Ordering your Private World, which won't be to everyone's taste in its evangelical fervour, but still contains some very insightful comments. I particularly liked Gordon's description of the eightContinue reading “Driven or called?”
