Archive
What’s your business all about? Do your people know?
Those who delve into the deeper corners f my social media output will be aware that recently I have been working on developing one of my various ventures into the retail arena. So why am I taking on a project like this? Read more…
use what time you have well to try and make a difference
News over the weekend that Mel Smith had died came as a shock, not least because he was two months younger than me. A reminder of my own mortality was hardly necessary as a year ago I was in hospital having just had a narrow escape from ending my innings, but we all have to accept that our time here is limited. Read more…
build trust from the start by trusting others
Writing last week about some of the old projects my teams and I saw through got me thinking about an aspect of leadership that is pretty fundamental. I’ve written about trust before, but this week I want to look at building that with a new team. Read more…
RIP Dorcan House
This week they are clearing the site where Dorcan House stood, the last part of it having been pulled down last week. As most of you reading this will not of heard of the building you probably are thinking “So what?” Well read on. Read more…
monday musings of FM in the boardroom
We talk a lot about getting FM into the boardroom and similar ambitions to further our profession and in these aims we are no different to many other specialist disciplines; when wearing my purchasing hat my colleagues there are no different, but when I have my logistics hat on my colleagues there don’t often have that issue, for they are usually firmly embedded at the top table, so how do they do that and what can FM learn? Read more…
believe in yourself and make things happen
This week I was taken to task for mentioning my age. “You’re always on about how old you are; think young” my friend told me, but were they right? Read more…
musings on the pace of change
I’m writing this at almost 11,000 metres above the Atlantic ( 36,000 feet for those of us who are still partially in Imperial mode), my iPod is pumping 60’s Motown into my ears and I’m comfortable in my window seat. I have a drink and my laptop and have nothing much else to do so writing this week’s missive seems a good idea, but what to write about? Well the fact that I’m doing all of the above is still a source of wonder. Read more…
could FMs become sought after by other functions?
I’ve been thinking a bit about transportable skills over the last weeks or so, prompted by some mentoring activity for someone who is trying to settle into one discipline, but with a background in an allied, but different field. Such issues will not come as any of my readers from the Facilities Management sphere because many of them, like me, came into FM from other functions. Read more…
would you be a leader or a manager, and does it matter which you are?
I write a lot here on leadership issues; it features a lot in what I do and is something that has fascinated me for many years. This week I was reading in an on line forum where the difference between a manager and a leader was under debate.
That there is a difference between managing and leading I don’t think is at issue, but there is no reason for me why the same person can’t be both, and I would go further and suggest that many of the best leaders are also good managers. Read more…
is it unreasonable to be focused?
There was something on one of the internet forums last week about whether or not an “Unreasonable Leader” could succeed in Facilities Management. I did have a quick look, but had a lot on the go at the time and so didn’t follow up and read the post or its follow up comments. However, I would offer the observation that firstly yes they can (and do) and am living proof of the point. Read more…
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