Many of us are on more calls now. Not all calls are as prepared as they can be. The phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” is spot on. We can get a huge advantage if we start off on the right foot. When a person is prepared, they thinkContinue reading “Better prepared Zoom meetings”
Category Archives: Life Lessons
If Content Is King Then Story Is The Emperor
Writing a brief thoughtful post in this blog everyday is fun. The posts that resonated most all mentioned or contained an element of a story. The best stories have been personal experiences or stories relayed from a point of view. That invites others to share in it with us. I have applied this to myContinue reading “If Content Is King Then Story Is The Emperor”
Walking to think
I have been walking a lot recently, walking to think, walking to get healthier, just walking anywhere with whoever will walk with me. I observed something that happened when I was walking with different people and I thought it had only been me who noticed this. What I noticed was that, I walked with tallContinue reading “Walking to think”
Beautiful prose
My Saturday posts are traditionally where I share a more personal story, something that reveals a bit more than I would on a week day. I have two loves beyond my family. 1. The written Language in all its forms but good old fashioned books are my fave. 2. The ocean, I love being near,Continue reading “Beautiful prose”
Social Dilemma
2020 we can all agree is best forgotten but I am pleased with one thing. I have removed myself from social media and now since last month have not visited certain online news sites either. I read the guardian in paper form or iPad and if I go online it would be the BBC. IfContinue reading “Social Dilemma”
Two thieves both called regret
Saturday morning down the beach hut is a day of reflection for me, a day I look back and try and see the week just passed at arms length. It is important to learn and try and improve but also not to beat yourself up too much. Regrets for the week past on events andContinue reading “Two thieves both called regret”
Your experience is just that, yours!
How many shops and stores do you have close to you? I was on a zoom call with a colleague the other day and we were talking about a new bit of tech which we both liked. I suggested to my colleague could go buy it at weekend. I then learned that where they liveContinue reading “Your experience is just that, yours!”
[Parenting] The enemy of great is good enough
My kids have grown up now and they are forging their way in the world. It is part of the reasons I am writing this blog to reflect on a life which for 25 years was a whirlwind of life lesson. My kids have always worked and even though they did not need to theyContinue reading “[Parenting] The enemy of great is good enough”
Seeing others perspective
Not sure why I remember this but it just came back to me this morning on hearing someone talking about the problems in our country at the moment with Covid-19. I remember travelling to Scotland over 10 years ago, right up to the Northern most tip of our beautiful island. Where I had driven forContinue reading “Seeing others perspective”
My Podcast Episode; Mentoring
I had the pleasure of appearing on the Grasp.hr Podcast a few weeks ago and the episode just dropped. Click on the link above to listen. I talked about my earliest mentoring experience as a caddy to businessmen at 13, my life at Eli Lilly and my eventual move to Veeva Systems. We discussed theContinue reading “My Podcast Episode; Mentoring”
Knowledge Vs execution
When you push into areas that are totally new for you there is a perfectly natural tendency to to feel like you cannot be effective without the full information or knowledge that you are missing. That something which will help you be effective. Knowledge is great, it is key and you must seek it andContinue reading “Knowledge Vs execution”
Feel, Felt, Found
Today, I had the opportunity to talk with a colleague. The discussion was how to handle the situation when a customer is perhaps reacting to some unwelcome news. I shared with him a ‘tried and tested’ technique. Situation: A customer has heard a piece of disappointing news, how to manage this is adopt the methodContinue reading “Feel, Felt, Found”
Sorry, I could not find time!
I hear this stated on occasion, many subscribe to the fallacy of time as this elusive currency we all struggle with, what we actually mean is; “I did not consider this task important enough over my other things.” It ranked low on their list and they don’t like saying it as they have not trulyContinue reading “Sorry, I could not find time!”
Seen it all before
I think we can all agree age is a very high price to pay for maturity, but what maturity teaches you is the feeling so often that you have seen that before, heard that debate before, experienced that moment before. Being married to a historian just cements this assertion. My wife reminds me that weContinue reading “Seen it all before”
Little disappointments
When I was a teenager studying english literature at College I was fascinated by the short stories of Katherine Mansfield, I loved her writing and a collection of short stories including ‘The dill pickle’ and ‘Miss brill’ those tales will be forever a joy to me. I loved the idea that rather than the bigContinue reading “Little disappointments”
Hop reading
I was sitting in Costa this morning “Hop reading”. Its basically where I hop from one subject to the next in an ADHD, Jazz like riff of reading one article or link or Video and then after the hour I have been all over the place, ending up reading a completely different topic to theContinue reading “Hop reading”
No crabby pants allowed only happy clams
As I write this post the bank holiday weekend still has half of Monday left but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it has been one of my best long weekends for ages. I am at peace with ‘the me’ down at the beach. Whether it be short walks on theContinue reading “No crabby pants allowed only happy clams”
No man is an island
Learning of friends losing loved ones and relatives always leaves me a little sad, even if they were not direct friends it effects us all. More than ever this poem by John Donne says how I feel right now. (excuse the use of noun ‘Man’ it was written in 1624) ((Spot the Hemingway title… ))Continue reading “No man is an island”
Vision needs venture
During my days on vacation, my wife Melanie and I walked round ancient english towns. It was just before starting a new role at work. I was exploring this beautiful town and still thinking about starting my new role, (so much for being mindful) I turned a corner and looked at a magical set ofContinue reading “Vision needs venture”
Carpe diem
I offer this quote as a lesson we all know but often fail to appreciate until its too late: “don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of” Charles Richards
Sea's The Day 