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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
25 Mar 2022 - 12:37

null Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas 

The latest example of bullish Senior management thinking is from the Chief Executive of P&O who in a Commons hearing said there was no point in consulting  because ,  “ no Union could accept our proposals”. This is not the first time I have heard a Chief Executive state there is no point in consulting employees because we know they won’t agree but we are doing it any way.... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
23 Mar 2022 - 13:02

null “ So long and thanks for all the fish.” 

The dolphins kept it simple when they left the planet just as it was about to be destroyed to make way for a space super highway. (Hitchhikers’ Guid to the Galaxy).  Keep it simple is good advice for the standard resignation email. Just announce your giving in your notice, you’ve enjoyed working here, even if you haven’t, you appreciate the support provided., even if it was in short... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
21 Mar 2022 - 16:42

null Fear,  Favour , Fortune 

It’s the 50 th anniversary of The Godfather probable the most famous and many would say the best film about the mafia. Films and t.v. series set in the world of organised crime are often referred to in articles  to illustrate the principles of effective business thus spicing up what otherwise might be rather dull academic accounts. In any discussion about leadership, strategy,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Mar 2022 - 11:21

null Every one knows what bullying is and that it’s wrong or do they?

Shouting ,swearing, ridiculing and “losing  it big time” not as a one off or isolated experience but as a daily occurrence, a regular feature of the way the manager behaves would be unacceptable and considered bullying in most organisations.  But how hard can you push someone to deliver, how high can you set your expectations and how critical can you be before it is considered bullying?... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 Mar 2022 - 11:56

null Professionalism 

What shocked me was not that he threw up all over her Jimmy Choo’s but that as a professional footballer on a night out he had drunk so much as to be uncontrollably sick!  www.blairmcpherson.co.uk 
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 Mar 2022 - 11:41

null Middle managers are part of the solution and part of the problem

  When it comes to getting the message across and driving lasting change  are middle managers the problem ? Is the solution to bypass them and appeal directly to their staff?    I found my self  agreeing with an article in Human Resource Director ( February). The authors were saying how important it was to engage with middle managers if an organisation wanted to drive lasting ... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
04 Mar 2022 - 12:40

null  “ won’t make a difference”

My initial response to the white paper on integration was a flash back to being a young inexperienced trainee social worker. I was sitting in juvenile court as the magistrates told my young offender that basically they would give him another chance to show he could make something of his life. My initial relief that he wasn’t going to get a custodial sentence turned into panic as he... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
01 Mar 2022 - 10:12

null Better to fall on your own sword 

The origins of the expression come from Ancient Rome where a disgraced soldier was expected to commit suicide by stabbing themselves in the stomach , literally falling on their  sword. Today to fall on your sword means to do the honourable thing and resign rather than wait till you’re very publicly dismissed.  It’s a specific skill to persuade someone to, “ fall on their sword”. A... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
01 Mar 2022 - 10:07

null A few bad apples 

You don’t want management that is distant and detached but neither do you want management that is so tight with their staff they can’t see the faults and so are dismissive of criticisms and complaints.    Senior managers are often accused of being detached from the front line and therefore out of touch with how the workers on the ground feel with no real understanding of the challenges... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
26 Feb 2022 - 15:52

null Why do organisations appoint the wrong people? 

There are many reasons why the wrong people get promoted but its not a new thing. Disgruntled employees used to say ,”It’s not what you know but who you know “ to get on in this organisation. Academics identified a tendency for organisations to promote individuals to their level of incompetence,  meaning people were promoted as a reward for their performance in their previous post... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Mar 2022 - 11:24

null A hard look at soft skills 

  There is nothing “ soft” about a police interrogation in Line of Duty. It’s intense and systematic . There is no shouting, verbal abuse or threats of violence. The aim is to get the individual to talk, to give an account that can be tested out against the evidence. Any inconsistencies will be probed. To do this effectively the officer must demonstrate empathy to gain the suspects... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Feb 2022 - 14:42

null How to survive  in a ruthless organisation 

A successful financial planner finds that his business partner has been doing the books for a Mexican drug cartel. What’s more he has been skimming off the top to fund an extravagant extramarital affair. The cartel kill his partner only sparing him and his family because he persuades them he can repay the stolen money. He will use his financial planning skills to set up a money... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Feb 2022 - 12:26

null The Borg don’t do Diversity

  In Star Trek when the Enterprise first encounters the Borg they announce themselves with the now infamous phrase   “  We are the Borg,  resistance is futile , you will be assimilated.”   Is your organisation like the Borg seeking out people from different cultures and backgrounds to add their knowledge and skills to benefit the company  but expecting them to give up their... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Feb 2022 - 11:50

null Another reorganisation, another major change initiative 

Those made redundant , relocated or required to apply for their own job  have long suspected that leaders of organisations are often guilty of change for change sake. The new chief executive wants to make their mark and what better way than a reorganisation, a modernisation, a downsizing, or a merger. This is not to deny that organisations need to respond to a fast changing world,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
09 Feb 2022 - 16:15

null  Lack of career obstacles for the incompetent and over confident.

The best way to smash  the glass ceiling, the most effective way of getting  a diverse senior management team and how to ensure managers have good people skills.    Organisations that want to promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion should stop appointing incompetent managers.    I believe most HR professionals would describe their role as removing obstacles to... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
30 Jan 2022 - 15:08

null Should I stay or……..?

Even if your employees think the organisation stinks , senior management are incompetent idiots  and the work life balance is all wrong they will stay longer if they feel their line manager values them because people leave managers not organisations. This fact is very relevant when you consider that the biggest challenge facing HR over the next year is employee retention and... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
20 Jan 2022 - 16:24

null Managers you want to do well for.

I consider my self to be very self motivated when it comes to work. Even if I had lost faith in the organisation and fallen out with my line manager my professionalism would not allow me to just go through the motions. However there were some managers I worked for who really got the very best out of me. Managers who I really wanted to do it for. They were very different individuals,... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 Jan 2022 - 12:32

null Survival of the friendliest 

As we know it’s not the fastest, the strongest or the cleverest that survive but the friendliest. Admittedly in reference to evolution it’s survival of the fittest , those who adapt most quickly to their environment  but I am referring to the workplace. People who are seen as friendly, cooperative , easy to talk to and get on with tend to survive and prosper. They survive the... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 Jan 2022 - 11:31

null Probably the best….

Once upon a time management was about managing budgets and people plus possibly but not necessarily buildings and equipment. Information management would be missed off many people’s lists. But now Big Data is the big thing. It’s advocates are evangelical in their enthusiasm for the benefits of bid data, not only does it tell us what we have done in forensic detail but if used... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 Jan 2022 - 09:46

null With a little help from my friends 

I read an article that asked the question, “ Is HR ever your friend?” My first thought was this must be a reflection on how HR’s first loyalty is to the organisation despite presenting themselves as the people who will help you if you have a bully for a manager, experience racism in the workplace or fallout with a colleague. Whilst I wouldn’t  tell my HR colleagues,” Your my best... See more
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