2 min read
Newsletter
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The public opinion trap
2 min read
The paradox of public leadership (or: just give them the damn picnic table)
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” “I must be cruel to be kind” “The child is the father of the man” Literature is full of...
1 min read
Revenge of the Arts degree
I'm taking a brief break from my "Taking the Boot of the Public Sector" series to tell you something important about education and recruitment. In...
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In defence of the bureaucrat
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You'd never run a business like this! taking the boot out of the public sector volume 2
This week, I continue my 'Taking the boot out of the public sector' series. It's too common to dunk on government, and when even the politicians get...
1 min read
Public services are complex
One of the most popular and least imaginative criticisms of the public sector is that it is less efficient than the private sector. Since the late...
4 min read
You can be the one who changes things
It's never been more possible to do great work You are always free to choose a different path Your employer wants you to shake it up. It's never been...
1 min read
How to ask quality questions
Bad questions kill relationships. When we turn up to a meeting, conversation, or email powered by judgement and annoyance, our questions reflect...
1 min read
A strategic choice a day keeps the existential dread at bay
Do you have everything you want? Do you have the resources to close the gap?
1 min read
Tippity tap, send
Recently, my 9-year-old daughter imitated what people do at work with this handy little phrase: "Tippity tap, send.". With that, she struck an air...
5 min read
Get out of the way: your future is inevitable
My 8 year old waffle chef What if you're the barrier? A new approach to achieving your goals.
4 min read
10 ways to take control of your life
Sometimes, the world spins wildly out of your control, and you forget you have control of your life. Here are ten things you can take charge of right...
1 min read
The consequences of your commitment
Are you struggling to make progress on the most important things to you?
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How to ask bigger questions
Most meetings and workshops are a waste of time. They're full of people resolving trivial issues that could be handled by email or delegation with...
5 min read
Are you impatient? manage daily annoyances with 4 key strategy skills
In this post Four ways to help you calm your impatient farm: 1. Go back to the future. 2. Get some distance. 3. Remember why. 4. Quit everything. Do...
5 min read
You don't know how great you can be: expand your possibilities
My first business was cleaning houses at 17 You don't know how great you can be Aim for expansion, not prediction Be a small fish in a big pond Make...
1 min read
How to deal with all that pesky sh*t in your life
Don't let trivial shit hijack your potential for a brilliant life. It's one thing to get clear on your most important priorities and zero in on your...
1 min read
Get problems you're proud of
Problems are like cockroaches and glitter - they'll always be there, even after the apocalypse. Solve these, and you'll get new ones. Also, your...
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An existential crisis about books, mortality and David Bowie
Two weeks ago, I had an existential crisis. I’d just finished reading Mary Karr’s The Art of Memoir (10/10, would recommend), which closes with a...
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Stave off mediocrity with perspective and purpose
I read this little anecdote by Donald Miller a few years ago, and it’s always stayed with me:
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Push out your payoff
How much time do you spend thinking about the future? How far out are you thinking? An interesting study on mental time travel1, discovered that, on...
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Boost your focus: reclaim your attention in a digital world
In May 2015, a Time magazine headline captured global attention: ‘You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish!’