Simon Sinek - Why?

A great video on why “Why?” is so important in life, business and organisations


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

Baying at the moon...

Is this too strong?  Am I getting too edgy, frustrated and annoyed when I see and hear colleagues and friends just shouting "Stop the Cuts!" as though, Canute like, they will stop?

I've just driven home from Somerset (working for another positive group of colleagues trying to work out what they will do if/when made redundant - amazing folk).  A lovely dark night with full moon and it reminded of being stopped in my tracks by an adviser when, as a young agitating teacher, she said,  "John, you are baying at the moon!   What would YOU do?"

So, what am I'm saying?  No, I don't like the cuts either.  I don't want the cuts at all.  In that sense everyone is against the cuts (except a very few extremists)  I accept and believe that some levels of cuts are clearly needed  (even Labour would have cut)  So, given the cuts are needed.  The critical questions are when and how we cut.  But we have to be realistic....  I know people in County and City Halls and Health Trusts who are charged with making them now - in the next weeks.  These officers and councillors and managers are, at this minute, pouring over the detail and making tough decisions.  It does not help them, at all, to be hectored.  We need to help them by arguing for a reasoned approach.  Let me explain....

We were going to our local post office last week.  Outside three folks were asking everyone to sign their petition against cuts to Library opening hours.... most people were signing...  My reaction?  What if the Library hours were being cut to fund a Nursery? A youth club? Meals on wheels?  How can we just be against all cuts?  How can anyone decide on each separate cut without knowing consequences?  We need to see the whole piece....

Before you start - of course it would be lovely if all those nasty bankers gave up their bonuses to fund the cuts.  It would be great if Cameron, Gove, Langsley had a change of heart but (by my judgement is) it is is not going to happen, in the short term at least.  We need to be much more subtle and argue....

1. Hold back/Cut later because (as many Labs. and some Libs. and even some Cons. said) that will keep the economy going stronger and bring in income from tax and spend of those in work.  But cuts would have come later.... so when they do come (as they are now)

2. Look for efficiency savings first - to offset cuts.....
3. Beware of Salami slicing (it doesn't work beyond about 5%)
4. Take a strategic view and look to combine/link/co-locate services and provision
5. Beware of cutting where provision cannot be replaced when funds come back on stream

Just baying at the Moon feels so naive.. was it Brer Fox?

Answers on a postcard please

Maurice-glasman-peer-labour




Good stuff in this piece about BIG SOCIETY and some evidence about it working…  (I am depressed by the majority negative comments following it)  Big Society  is a socialist/christian/humanist/Islamic/Hindu/Buddist etc etc concept.  So, Let’s discuss the ideas and not the person, or the origin of the belief.   The way we all work together as citizens and our ethics in all this is critical.    So, (again) what are our Common Goods?  What do we all believe in?  And most importantly – What will each of us be doing this coming week to help build a more interdependent society?  Answers on a postcard…by twitter….by email….by BLOG…