When we first conceived of the idea of a Farewell Fund, it was because there was so little conversation, let alone action when it comes to the idea of renewal in civil society. By renewal we mean the natural cycle of life and death – things fade in their relevance. What was once seen as…
Unwritten rules Liz Fosselin and Mollie West Duffy talk about the power of making explicit the unwritten rules that determine ‘how things are done around here’ and suggest working together to create lists using ‘It’s okay to …’. Practices for productive teams Thomas Seager offers some new ideas for how small creative teams can work…
Thus life satisfaction is not just an individual affair, but depends substantially also on the quality of life of one’s fellow citizens. (Tay and Diener, 2011) Given all the recent upheaval I suspect the things that motivated us back in January 2020 are not necessarily the things that are driving us now. It feels like…
A usually temporary state of diminished mental capacity marked by inability to concentrate or to think or reason clearly. Merriam-Webster I have been talking to a number of people lately who have been feeling like they are not able to concentrate or focus in the way they would ordinarily expect, or that they want to…
What value culture? A wide range of events covering collaboration, evaluation and the place of young people in cultural organisations. Join us for ten days of free online events probing and questioning the value of culture through a series of discussions and interactive workshops. All events will have live transcription. My start up failed, now…
The Practice Seth Godin has a new book coming out: – The Practice: shipping creative work. Definitely one if you are looking for great, grounded and inspirational thinking How to Decide Thinking about how to make good decisions is becoming a big theme in my work (and life). In the face of uncertainty and what feels…
Jon & Steve’s blog post on Monday was certainly thought provoking and when Susan and I chatted about it a whole range of things were brought to mind. Two issues in particular came up for us: Defining ‘mission’ success is hard Permanently failing organisations (PFOs) I’ve picked up on the first one and Susan shares…
I am really delighted to welcome two guest bloggers to join our conversation this morning. They both bring expertise in acquisitions and mergers and very kindly took up my invitation to share their experience of working with different sectors. If this piece prompts any comments or questions do feel free to share them, I’m sure…
Managing a hybrid team Some timely advice on building a fair and equitable workplace in the world of hybrid teams. Principles to Remember: Do Set clear priorities and objectives so that everyone on your team focuses on what’s most important. Be inclusive. Even if some people are in the office, hold all-team meetings online to…
Esmee Fairbairn Esmee Fairbairn launched its new strategy this week focused on three independent aims We aim to improve our natural world, secure a fairer future and strengthen the bonds in communities in the UK. People often ask me for examples of good practice in developing and communicating strategic plans – this approach definitely joins…
As I was meandering through Etienne Wenger’s website (which is well worth a visit if you want to explore Communities of Practice further) last week I came across his thinking around levels of participation and I thought it was a really useful approach for exploring the different ways people get involved with social learning. I…
Start small and be patient… You can’t move faster than you can build trust and ownership, without making the network reliant on you. (Jamie Pett, London International Development Network.) Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as…
From the Margins to the Mainstream: how to create the conditions for new operating models to thrive Some great research from nesta and Collaborate CIC into how innovative practices at the margins can be a catalyst for change in public services from the inside out. The self-assessment tool looks at eleven essential enablers of innovative practice…