The Blogworld of Poppyfish People Development

I've written and spoken about it so many times that to some people I must be starting to sound like a cracked record. But just in case this is completely new to you then let me crank the gramophone handle one more time.... The most amazing thing about critical incidents that impact organisations is not that they happen but that they do not happen more often. Turn on the news and you'll find one in an instant. Right now, somewhere in the world, an organisation is experiencing a critical incident. And you only have to look at the "Wall of Terror" below to see some potential consequences. So if there is a certain inevitability surrounding the fact that the organisation that you work in will experience a critical incident then what can leaders do to ensure that their organisation will survive?  Here's our suggested top 5 values, attitudes and behaviours: Communicate the vision Organisations that keep going through critical incidents have a strong...

We've all seen it. It's one of the most famous cinema sequences of all time. Luke Skywalker is hurtling at high speed along the narrow canyon around the Death Star. On his shoulders rests the last hope for a bright future for the galaxy. If he succeeds in targeting his torpedo on the tiny exhaust port target then the explosion will cause a chain reaction that will lead to the destruction of the Empire’s most deadly weapon. Skywalker will be a hero and his friends will live. Should he fail, his friends will suffer a terrible fate and the rebel base will be destroyed, plunging the galaxy into endless torment and suffering at the hands of the evil Emperor and his even more sinister minions. Tough call. Skywalker is piloting a state of the art space ship, crammed with targeting systems and computer guided what-nots designed by experts to maximise the chances of the all important direct hit. Others have tried to hit the exhaust port before him, but all have failed. Now, with t...

  Maybe using different words can bring different outcomes  This short entry is inspired by, if not directly stolen from, a quality conversation I enjoyed on the Riverside Terrace Cafe of the Royal Festival Hall this week.... The words we use are important. Many words have connotations and meanings that influence the way that we feel about them. Consider this conversation for instance: Tom: "I don't like change" Sally: "Oh really? So what would happen if you won the lottery tomorrow?" Tom: "You wouldn't see me for dust" Sally: "So you do like change?" Tom: "Well no, I don't like change, but that wouldn't be change as such, that would be a win" Sally: "So a change can't be for the better?" Tom: "Not like that, I mean, it would be great to start something new, something I could really make a go at" Sally: "So change is OK if it improves things?" T...