thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
23 Jan 2023 - 15:51

null Making Local Government Cool 

“One of the things I think I can bring to the Presidency is make  Government and public service cool again” Barrack Obama. I wish I had said this when asked at interview what I could bring to the post and organisation. If Local Authorities are to effectively tackle their recruitment and retention challenge then chief executives need to make their organisations cool again.  When I... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 219 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
17 Jan 2023 - 21:31

null Bank of Dave 

Have you seen the film Bank of Dave on Netflix. It’s a David and Goliath story where the little man takes on the establishment big boys and wins. It’s a romcom which is not afraid to be political. It’s set in a depressed, economically disadvantaged northern Town. It’s not a hypothetical norther Town it’s Burnley, Lancashire and it’s a true story. If you are at all interested in community... See more
null 2
null 0 Comments
null 193 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
17 Jan 2023 - 14:55

null Always have the right people on the bus.

 It makes a great deal of sense to get recruitment right, to have those on board who are going to be an asset for the journey. Yet the majority of people on the bus got on when the destination was different and before the new driver took over. Some of them are disgruntled passengers.  The restructuring interviews were a revelation most of the candidates had no recent job interview... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 177 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
13 Jan 2023 - 21:02

null Bullying in the movies 

Looking at the video and film clips, film makers in the USA think bullying at school, in the work place and in leisure venues is common place. They also believe all bullies get their comeuppance. But only by picking on the wrong person who violently and with maximum efficiency breaks bones and busts heads using fists and feet. The message seems to be learn to fight.  Does the message... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 210 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 Jan 2023 - 11:59

null Upside down 

We’ve got it all wrong the Private sector should be learning from us not the other way round. For the last 30 years we have had it the wrong way round. Like discovering some famous modernist painting has been hanging upside down in the Louvre ever since they paid a kings ransom for it. For decades the public sector has been told it needed to be more like the private sector . We were urged to... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 227 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
04 Jan 2023 - 12:42

null Are you ready?

How do you know when you are ready to step up to the next level? Is it simply enough to think you can ? You feel ready but can you convince an interview panel? I can do most of the things they want I’ll apply and let them decide or are you someone who decides not to apply because you can’t demonstrate you have everything they require?  Sometimes the advert states but more often... See more
null 2
null 0 Comments
null 240 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
03 Jan 2023 - 14:18

null Be like water in a stream 

  It’s sounds like a piece of ancient oriental wisdom or something from a kung Fu film.   I came across it in the December Human Resource Director (HRD ) magazine in an article by Jenni Field describing how leaders needed to be adaptable. She suggest managers need to be like water in a stream that flows round a rock, always moving forward whatever the obstacles in it path!  ... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 190 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
03 Jan 2023 - 10:28

null Success and Failure  

‘It’s not enough to succeed” said Gore Vidal .“ others must fail”. Some people get as much satisfaction from the failure of rivals as they do from their own successes. It’s not an attractive quality. Team spirit means celebrating someone else’s success like it’s your own. Blair Mcpherson former Director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk   
null 2
null 0 Comments
null 185 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
03 Jan 2023 - 12:34

null Pele, the beautiful game and Local Authorities 

Pele referred to it as the beautiful game. As played by him and the Brazilian team that won the World Cup in 1970 it was. Any team he played in would rather win 4-2 than 2-0 because it was about attack, inventiveness,  creativity and skill. In contrast to the Italian team they played in the final who epitomised the physical, defensive approach whose first aim was not to lose. When I... See more
null 1
null 0 Comments
null 187 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
04 Sep 2023 - 08:27

null White Lotus

White Lotus and Succession  are examples of hate t.v.That is a successful T.V. series in which non of the characters are attractive or deserving of our sympathy. They are rich or are living the life style but they appear to have few redeeming qualities. They deserve what’s happening or about to happen to them. They are either devious with a hidden agenda or weak , deluded and... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 205 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
26 Dec 2022 - 12:39

null Good advice from Richard Branson

“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!” “Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.” “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to.” Richard Branson 
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 174 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
24 Dec 2022 - 10:06

null What’s the difference 

What’s the difference between gaming the system and cheating-integrity! 
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 130 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Dec 2022 - 12:30

null  If you were offered a £millions 

  But you had to be in constant pain, on a good day a nagging pain like a toothache , on a bad day a searing pain that cripples you in agony,would you take the money? Would a new car and four holidays in the sun a year make up for never having a pain free day, never having a good nights sleep, having days when even the strongest painkillers have no effect and all you can do is go to bed... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 134 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
19 Dec 2022 - 12:33

null What happens on a Christmas team outing is never spoken about again. You wish. 

Do they still have office Christmas parties where the alcohol flows freely and people behave badly? Does the ban on alcohol mean it’s strictly a mince pies and coffee get together? Or do you work in a team where everyone gets on well enough to sit down together for a meal out.?  I have never been to one of those wild office Christmas parties where people drink too much, snog a colleague,... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 166 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
16 Dec 2022 - 15:30

null The Sinking of the Titanic 

Does anyone really still believe the captain should go down with the ship? Must someone always be to blame and should that be the person in charge?   As a senior manager I always signed up to the view that when something goes wrong we should resist the temptation to find out who was to blame. It’s not just that a blame culture makes people afraid to make decisions,  inhibits... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 160 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Dec 2022 - 12:15

null No smoke without fire

A few years ago I read an article in the professional press which gave an account of a training programme in support of recruiting more women into the fire and rescue service , not as office staff but as firefighters. The article spoke  of the commitment of senior managers to change the culture within the service. It recognised the historic machoism and the need to challenge sexist... See more
null 1
null 0 Comments
null 129 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
13 Dec 2022 - 11:16

null Profile of a Director 

My pay last year was £3.7 million. My last holiday was in the Maldives and antique hunting in France. For relaxation I go to my beach house. I started in retail with a Saturday job in an arts and crafts shop whilst still at school. I have worked my way up from the basement answering queries about wine orders at Harrods to my present post as the highest paid managing Director a... See more
null 0
null 1 Comments
null 230 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
11 Dec 2022 - 16:20

null Some of my favourite things

My favourite Christmas film is ,” It’s a Wonderful life”. Because it’s about making a difference to other people’s lives often in small ways that can have a much bigger impact than you would ever know.  A Christmas Carol is my favourite seasonal story. It’s a ghost story, it’s a Christmas story, if only the ghost of the future could visit some of present day our politicians it might... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 118 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Dec 2022 - 15:28

null What do I dislike most in other people? Negativity. 

Paul noticed office morale seemed low, staff seemed unhappy and discontent. He was aware of the usual moans and groans about workloads and management but wondered if there was any particular issue that was bothering people. His team leaders confirmed his impression but could not give a specific cause. One of his managers suggested regular open staff meetings with him, no specific agenda just... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 133 Views
thumbnail
Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
01 Dec 2022 - 14:16

null To those who are not racist

Racist behaviour is not limited to those who judge people by the colour of their skin, who think ethnic minorities are inferior or who preach hate. The majority of racist behaviour is committed by ordinary people who are simply insensitive ,unaware and ignorant. Ignorant of other peoples culture and or religion their knowledge limited to lazy stereotypes and myths leading to a lack of awareness... See more
null 0
null 0 Comments
null 178 Views

Showing 101 to 120 of 1,001 entries.