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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
20 Aug 2018 - 19:12

null This is not leadership

Naivety and arrogance are not good qualities in a leader. Although the leader concerned would not recognise this description seeing themselves as optimistic and confident. Such leaders compound these faults with a lack in sight into their own behaviour. A recent example is the statement by the prison minister that he will resign if his plan to combat drugs and violence by spending £10 million... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
17 Aug 2018 - 12:31

null That Monday Morning Feeling

The  culture of over work has become a national disease/cause for concern  in Japan. To such an extent that the Government is urging firms to give employees Monday mornings off once a month . ‘Shining Monday” is just the latest attempt to improve the country’s poor work - life balance. A culture of excessive hours is impacting on the nations health, undermining family life and is... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Aug 2018 - 13:44

null When leaders refuse to lead

By which I mean paralysed by indecision, unwilling to make an unpopular decision, reacting rather than anticipating, being tactical but not strategic, investing only in holding on to power rather than using power to progress the vision, having no vision, constantly changing direction to follow the line of least resistance, seeing potential  threats everywhere therefore trusting no one and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Aug 2018 - 13:12

null Like Russian Roulette

Being a director of children’s or adults social services in local government is like playing Russian Roulette with the addition that every so often the government puts another bullet in the chamber.  If you hold your nerve the odds are you will survive but with every spin of the chamber comes the fear that this time your luck may run out. The average tenure of a local authority chief... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
20 Aug 2018 - 12:51

null Can you climb the mountain again and again?

In football they call it the difficult third year. Despite your success in the first two years you get the sack in the third year. It’s as if everyone had given all they had and now you can’t get any more from them. You weren’t able  to build on your success.  I have heard the same speech from a team manager to their front line staff and from a chief executive to there senior... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Aug 2018 - 13:44

null The Careeist

  Even my close friends didn’t seem as happy for me as I expected. I was the first within our group to gain a senior management post. I don’t remember any of use saying we had ambitions to be a director or chief executive when we were training, it would have seem ridiculous, arrogant and hypocritical . We were after all very critical of senior management considering them as a group out of... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
21 Jul 2018 - 13:33

null Facts,Logic and Scientific Management 

“ Every hour spent cycling adds an hour to your life” department of human geography, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands ( advert in weekend papers selling bikes) So as long as you never get off your bike you will live forever- or will it just seem like that.  As my old English language teacher use to say “just because all sheep are animals and all sheep have four legs doesn’t mean... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
11 Jul 2018 - 09:33

null Just because you own a garage doesn’t mean you can fix cars

A friend has just come back from a family holiday in the south of France. They went with another couple and their children who are the same ages.  They stayed at a “gite” complete with a swimming pool and acres of wood land for the kids to explore and ride their mountain bikes. They went via the Euro Tunnel and drove down through France breaking the journey by spending the first night in... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
23 Jun 2020 - 13:49

null Managing a Diverse Workforce 

On holiday in New York, first night go for a drink in the hotel bar with my son in law. The bar is crowed, we eventually catch the attention of the bartender and I order two drinks where apron the bartender asks my son in law how old he is. My son in law is rather surprised by the question he is in his late thirties. His polite reply is greeted by a terse, “ You don’t look it” and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
29 Jun 2018 - 13:26

null No Sex Please We’re Managers 

Another chief executive has resigned following an investigation which confirmed they were in a consensual relationship with an employee. Ok this was and in the US where it is increasingly common for companies to impose a non-fraternisation policy between managers and employees irrespective of whether they have direct management responsibility for their partner. But what happens in US today... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
29 Jun 2018 - 12:33

null Thought for the day 

There are known knowns; that is to say there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns- the ones we don’t know we don’t know. (Donald Rumsfeld)  Try saying that at your next teaming.   www.blairmcpherson.co.uk 
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
25 Jun 2018 - 10:28

null In 2010 we stoped getting older

Some say it is the greatest achievement of modern society. Others say it is the greatest challenge. I am referring to increased life expectancy over the last 70 years. In resent years the focus has been on the cost of this success. The increasing burden on the NHS of an ageing population and the financial implications for pensions. But statistics from ONS appear to indicate  a,”... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Jun 2018 - 14:33

null It’s not the huge confrontations it’s the daily skirmishes 

      Why do people behave badly in team meetings? The same manager who is charming and agreeable to partner agencies is abrasive , argumentative and opinionated to colleagues in team meetings.    In business you don’t go around having massive confrontations. You try and find the things you agree on rather than what you disagree on. The common ground. So your not... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
11 Jun 2018 - 13:26

null Lennon and McCartney plus pizzas equals Walk and Talk 

      Jeff Bezos ,the founder and CEO of Amazon states, your  meetings should not be bigger than can be feed by two pizzas. For creative meeting Susan Cain in her book Quiet  suggests small groups are best more Lennon and  McCartney than the full orchestra. And if you want to keep people to the point then try Walking and Talking like Jed Bartlet in... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Jun 2018 - 14:56

null A picture is worth a thousand words 

The trainer started the session by giving everyone a large piece of plain paper from the flip chart. “I want you to draw what it feels like to work here, just a quick sketch, you have ten minutes”. The trainer walked round the room looking at what people were drawing. After a little over ten minutes, due to some special pleading from those who needed longer, everyone was asked to pin their... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 Jun 2018 - 15:40

null The knife is also a management tool

The biggest cause of stress is your line manager.The next biggest cause is that awkward git who delights in contradicting what any one else in the team says, doesn’t believe in going with the majority, doesn’t see why they should cover/help / do someone else’s work. Bending over backwards to appease them and avoid conflict is extremely stressful for everyone else. Mediating between them and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
28 May 2018 - 16:05

null A Joker and a Cheerleader 

Can a joker be taken seriously? Can a manager be friends with those they manage? Is it unprofessional for a manager to show their emotions in public. Should triumphs and disasters be meet with the same stoicism? Can a manager take too much pleasure in the success of their team?    A high profile manager was recently reported as believing they could  be friends with team members... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
25 May 2018 - 19:02

null Small things in big boxes

What is the smallest thing you can get into the biggest box? It’s not a quiz question it’s a challenge! Working in Amazon’s massive packaging warehouse involves boring, repetitive and tedious work. Not surprisingly a little distraction helps pass the time. Office based staff can risk dismissal by surreptitiously playing games on their computer, emailing amusing links to colleagues or... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
23 May 2018 - 13:30

null Do Social Workers Make a Difference 

Current government recruitment adverts feature a graduate saying “I wanted to make a real difference with my degree teaching allowed me to do this”.  Inspiring teachers, devoted nurses, committed social workers these are the cliches built on myths or a least an idealised past the reality as teachers, nurses and social workers know is different. These professions have had their status... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 May 2018 - 10:55

null Till Death Us Do Part 

Frail, eighty three year old man found at the foot of the stairs by daughter. From the angle of the body and the position of the head he has clearly stumbled at the top of the stairs and fallen head first braking his neck on the way down. Just a very sad and unfortunate accident. Only it wasn’t an accident and he didn’t fall he was pushed. His equally frail elderly wife did it after suffering... See more
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