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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
26 Apr 2020 - 09:12

null Simply the Best 

Last year Liverpool were the best in Europe. Judged another way Manchester were the best in England. But if you take into account the amount they spent to achieve this performance then it looks like Sheffield is going to be the best this year. I’m talking football teams but I could be talking Local Authorities.  League tables are a fact of life in local government but that doesn’t... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Nov 2019 - 15:22

null How do you improve performance and make winners?

Everyone has heard about the revolution in British cycling which led to the biggest ever haul of Olympic medals. Every one in sport and any one interested in improving performance wanted to know how they had done it and could it be repeated in other areas, including local government. When asked the secret to their success team GB said a thousand minute improvements non of which on... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
29 Nov 2019 - 10:18

null A managers arrogance is one of the things that make them successful

“ I am the greatest” Mohammad Ali said it and it was arguable true since at the time he was the undisputed world champion. It was certainly boastful and probably deliberately intended to get publicity and sell more tickets for his next fight. He was great box office and he knew it.     Arrogance is usually associated with over confidence and a distain for those less able or less... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 Nov 2019 - 20:27

null ‘To be a manager you must forget the player you were” Valerity Lobanovskyi - Dynamo Kyiv 

Management is different to being a practitioner. A gifted teacher doesn’t necessarily make a good manager, nor does a social worker, solicited, accountant, or housing officer. And yet most LA chief executives come from one of these professional back grounds. To continue the footballing analogy, to be an effective manager you need to know the game but the skills required are different... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 Nov 2019 - 19:46

null The Computer doesn’t like the look of you 

It’s a video interview for a job you really want. But the interviewer is not like any you have experienced before.    The interviewer you are trying to impress is immune to your charms and it might be better to avoid “humours comments” and or irony. They are an expert in analysing facial expressions and body language. They will closely monitor your word choice but you can be absolutely... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 Nov 2019 - 13:34

null The Director and the Local Authority bottle it

The judgement relates to a man with learning difficulties who is described as “having a high sex drive”. A man who has in the past used sex workers and now lives in sheltered accommodation. His disability makes him vulnerable to exploitation and restricts his understanding of the risks but his wishes are clear and he would need help to fulfil them. Social work is about enabling,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
07 Nov 2019 - 15:30

null The Gig Economy

The gig economy sounds very rock and roll. Rock bands do one night shows referred to as gigs. Strolling minstrels, turn up, play , get paid , move on. Free to come and go as they please, work or not work as they feel like it. Not tied down to a 9 to 5 office jobs instead doing what they want when they want, a combination of liberating freedom and fuck the system rebelliousness . Of... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
07 Dec 2019 - 13:07

null Succession

He has been the leader of the council for 15 years. During that time the council’s has acquired a national profile and come to dominate the region. The first to embrace out sourcing. The first to agree a major contract to outsource all back office services. The leader has a reputation as a canny negotiator and a ruthless political manipulator. Which has not always... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
28 Oct 2019 - 11:50

null Super Heroes or just Masked Vigilantes

Difficult times produced heroes, ordinary people who did exceptional things often at great personal sacrifice. But in the USA heroes were bigger and better they were stronger, faster, with special powers they were Super Heroes. These were not ordinary people but extraordinary  individuals obsessed with justice. People who felt that a corrupt and faulty system denied people justice. So... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
24 Oct 2019 - 22:17

null Why chief executives and directors are never off sick

The average number of days lost to absenteeism in the public sector is ten days. But this figure is closer to five days for office based staff and higher for staff who have direct contact with the public. Much energy and research has gone into how LAs could reduce costly absenteeism. How do you tackle frequent short term absences, which are often very disruptive to the service and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
21 Oct 2019 - 16:06

null Play the Wild Card

His fancy dress costume was a white sheet with trigs and leaves attached! No one can remember what he was meant to be but everyone remembers his costume. He had been an operational manager and before that a training officer, he was experienced, restless, frustrated, at risk of becoming cynical and applying unsuccessfully for middle management jobs in the latest round of restructuring.... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
21 Oct 2019 - 16:02

null The Boat Trip

It was a private hire. The four of us to visit the more secluded inlets around the coast for a day of sun, sea and relaxation. The two of us had made the same voyage last year ,on the same boat with the same captain and had enjoyed it so much we wanted our daughter and son in law to have the same experience. It wasn’t to be. When we clambered aboard the captain showed no signs of... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Oct 2019 - 13:01

null Is it always the managers fault?

Disappointing performances, poor results, critical audits, damming inspection reports is it always the managers fault? Budget cuts remove much of the room for manoeuvre. Management restructuring results in loss of experience in critical areas. Redeployment places some square pegs in round holes. Service reorganisation, redundancies and changes in working practises impact on moral.... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
11 Oct 2019 - 15:18

null Social workers don’t fear the inspector

A Labour Government would scrap Ofsted. In response to persistent  and loud complaints by teachers and head teachers that Ofsted creates an environment of fear, anxiety and worry the Labour Party has stated it would scrap the current inspection  body. Head teachers and teaching unions have called the current inspection process punitive, requiring schools to spend a disproportionate... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
09 Oct 2019 - 16:16

null How many communication officers does it take to change perceptions?

Across the country whilst services have been reduced and management posts cut chief executives and council leaders have been increasing and enhancing the role of communication staff. For a number of years there has been a belief amongst council leaders that their councils are misunderstood, the challenges they face are not fully appreciated, that they are unfavourably portrayed in the... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Oct 2019 - 11:20

null Humbug

There is a lot of anger and frustration about. The use of inflammatory language by tabloid news papers, radio shocks jocks and the Prime Minister means that people in the work place feel freer to use the same language and show the same lack of concern for their colleagues feelings. Managers are expected to challenge inappropriate and offensive language but it’s harder if such... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
07 Oct 2019 - 14:18

null Why senior managers and politician so often say nothing of interest. 

In my experience when politicians and senior managers talk they chose their words so carefully they can end up saying nothing of interesting, unless it's about themselves.    As an Assistant Director I would write the speeches for the chair of social services. I would ask him to open a conference or workshop or address a group of staff about planed changes. He would ask what I ... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
01 Oct 2019 - 10:48

null A very British House of Cards

  The narrator and central character speaks direct to camera.   The head hunter was in a gossipy mood. He rang me on the pretext of asking if I knew anyone who would be a suitable candidate for a senior post he had been hired to fill. This is how these management recruiters do business, use their contacts to get names then ring the names and say your name has come... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
25 Sep 2019 - 14:45

null What to say when the Head Hunters call

From your application form / CV they know your career history, posts, responsibilities and achievements. They have enough to know it’s worth a follow up conversation. Having formed a view as to whether you have embellished your responsibilities or over stated your role in achievements what do you talk about? You want to tell them something interesting about yourself that they... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
23 Sep 2019 - 19:51

null What to look for if you want to work for an organisation that embraces diversity 

According to a survey  conducted by the Confederation of British Industry work place diversity is a high priority for young people aged between 17 and 23. Diversity along side pay and work life balance are the most important factors in recruitment and retention for this group. When deciding whether to apply for a job most people’s attention is drawn to the job title and pay.... See more
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