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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
13 May 2016 - 15:23

null The Performance Coach

  You think HR is for softies! Mr and Ms reasonable. The nice people who ensure you do the right thing, the ones who resolve conflict and get managers out of the holes they have dug for themselves. You think HR is about softening the blow of redundancy or putting a human face on absence management. Then you wouldn't expect a Performance Coach to be part of HR. A performance coach is... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 May 2016 - 14:01

null How to behave like a leader (number 74)

Which US president was so unlikable  that even his dog had to be bribed with biscuits to go anywhere near him? The answer is Richard Nixon or "tricky Dicky" as he became known. So being likable  is not a criteria for the top job. Can you be an unpopular leader and still be an effective leader? A lot of leaders like to think so.  www.blairmcpherson.co.uk See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
09 May 2016 - 11:52

null How to behave like a leader (number 89)

  Push, Praise and Push again. www.blairmcpherson.co.uk See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 May 2016 - 11:23

null Your CV of failures

Success in business is often based on failure. So say the successful. Would you expect to get the post you were applying for if you sent in a CV that listed all your failures, the posts you applied for but didn't get, the times you were overlooked for promotion, the exams you failed,the courses you didn't get on, the unflattering annual appraisal from the boss you didn't get on with,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 May 2016 - 08:27

null How to behave like a leader (number 65)

Some jump before they are pushed, but when you live by results sooner or later they are going to go against you. Saying the right thing won't save you if the performance dips, if the budget won't stretch and if you ask the board for one thing and are given another. What you need is bounce back ability. www.blairmcpherson.co.uk See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
03 May 2016 - 13:23

null Champions

League tables are not everything they don't tell the whole story but successive governments have put their faith in this easy to understand way of judging performance. If you are in the top half of the table you are performing well. If you are habitually mid table you are coasting and need to try harder. If you are in the lower reaches of the table you are failing and urgent improvement is... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
02 May 2016 - 14:31

null How to behave like a leader ( number 98)

Never entirely switch off even on a bank holiday. www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
29 Apr 2016 - 08:50

null How to behave like a leader ( number 27)

  Leaders give permission to say the wrong thing, open out as opposed to close down discussion and are prepared to manage the emotions stirred up. Leaders put the same emphasise on values as budgets and performance (and are prepared to be challenged where these appear to be in conflict for example staffing levels and budget cuts). Leaders creat opportunities for direct face to face... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
28 Apr 2016 - 15:15

null How to behave like a leader (number 12)

The difference between managers and leaders is managers don't always own the agenda they say things like " the board has decided", "the senior management team wants this done" or " the chief executive expects". Leaders always make it personal, "I am committed to this", "I believe we can do it", "I believe we can make this work" , some say do it for me ,some say do it because it is the right... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
27 Apr 2016 - 09:49

null How to behave like a leader (number 53)

  Those who have the intellectual ability to understand complex issues and see the bigger picture but are unable to harness the views of others who have the experience and insight they lack are often described by colleagues and subordinates as overconfident, even arrogant. Alternatively, those who simply follow the advice of “experts” are often accused of abdicating responsibility for... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
26 Apr 2016 - 15:18

null How to behave like a leader ( number 23)

  We spent an enormous amount of time thrashing out a common understanding of the type of management behaviour we wanted to model and the type of manager the organisation wanted/ needed. What we identified was that the organisation was rather confused about the type of managers it wanted claiming to want leaders with good people skills who could inspire staff and who were innovators and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Apr 2016 - 14:24

null All Managers to be Leaders

  Under the banner of " all managers to be leaders" a management development programme was commissioned around executive coaching, mentoring and management learning sets. What was unique about this was that it was systematic, it was to involve all managers ( and latterly people who aspired to be managers) it was deliver throughout  in partnership with two management consultants over... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Apr 2016 - 15:56

null Belt required Braces optional

  Coaching, Mentoring and management learning sets are the belt and braces of leadership development, which a manager uses is a matter of personal preference, opportunity and local circumstances. In this case the organisation decided coaching was required and mentoring was optional.   As director of Community Services I took the lead for management development within a Directorate... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Apr 2016 - 10:03

null Winter is coming

  There is a constant threat of decline and sense of wrongness in the world. There are kings and king makers, trial by combat, scheming and betrayal and a delicious habit of bumping of the biggest stars. This is not some medieval fantasy or an episode of Game of Thrones this is the modern day public sector in a time of prolonged austerity. Temporary alliances form and reform, local... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Apr 2016 - 11:25

null The poor need an accountant more than a social worker

  I remember a lecturer on the social work course who was fond of saying " The rich and powerful have their own accountant but its the poor and those on benefits who most need them ". Her point was the rich employed an accountant to reduce the tax they pay even though they could afford to pay it. The benefits system is as complicated as the tax system but the poor have to rely on free... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 Apr 2016 - 11:29

null Culture Change

The aim was to change the management culture and the way things are done has certainly changed. It was not however the cultural change programme with its emphasis on management development that has resulted in new thinking and new ways of working. Executive coaching, management mentoring and leaning sets didn't change relationships or shift priorities. Investing in corporate communications,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
28 Mar 2016 - 11:40

null The Johan Cruyff method

Good team work requires everyone to play their part. Everyone knows their role, no one tries to do someone else's job, experience has taught how to respond to different situations , training has reinforced best practice, the team is well organised and as a result is effective and efficient when dealing with routine circumstances and predictable challenges. Even so it can become a sterile,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Mar 2016 - 19:03

null Is this Leadership or Bullying

  One participant, a young woman , immediately volunteered an account of how she had confronted a member of her team about the standard of their work.  " I challenged her and she left - walked out of the building the same day". The woman said. " I had really prepared using feedback from the role play we did . It was really effective. I think I was able to stand my ground better. I... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Mar 2016 - 14:15

null When Harry met Sally

  Passion is an over used word in local government especially in job interviews. Candidates for management posts are always "passionate" about the service, passionate about empowering staff/ citizens, passionate about choice, passionate about quality, passionate about equality but mostly just passionate. But do you need to be so passionate, is it enough to be a competent... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Mar 2016 - 16:35

null Career Myths

That after the big post the next move is the big LA.  That being forced out of one LA means you won't be welcome in another.  That playing the political card and echoing the views of the leader will increase your survival chances. The big Mets and the large county councils tend to dominate their regions but this just means you have more enemies than allies.  Some senior... See more
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