My favourite tweet of that week.  And there was plenty more metaphor gold to take for my own learning…

I did something quite exciting – was a best man at my mate’s wedding.  Sussex County Cricket ground, and he was there with his wife, 12 year old son and immediate family and friends.  It was tremendous fun. Most moving moment was a one minute silence for the Hillsborough victims – sadly, still being investigated after all these years.  A conclusion soon, I feel – but a lovely touch on a day of celebration, to remember the people who weren’t there as well as the football fans (It was the anniversary and the obvious link was the sports stadium.  I was very moved and deeply touched – and everyone found it similar to me).  Thanks Rob and Deb (and young Luke for remembering the date of the anniversary…)

But my biggest personal learning was in the dentists chair, having some major crowning work.  Suddenly, from all going swimmingly, he asked for a burr drill.  The item was found but in a sorry state.  “That is unacceptable”  he said, quietly angry.  Steve knows what I do (I have done some work in the surgery) so continued after a reassuring pat on my shoulder and a very quiet ‘sorry’.  I nodded for him to continue, and he did.  I said in the tweet – ‘metaphor gold’.  Just see the possibilities:

1. You need to trust everyone in the team to make sure you get the right results
2. If it goes wrong, (and things always do) then it is easier to fess up and sort it.  It’s no use hiding things.
3. If there is a nettle – grasp it, or they just keep growing
4. Make sure strangers are informed if things are going wrong, so they know what you are trying to do – keep everyone in the loop
5. Letting your emotions out when you are normally happy go lucky, can have a very powerful and almost mesmerizing effect
6. The tools can be wrong – but the people are the ones who can fix things
7. Staying calm and asking for what you want in the future is the easiest way to get things changed.

It was worth the £340 (lab fees) for those golden nuggets!

I had another one of those “I love my work” moments, in a follow up to a recent workshop.  It is just so gratifying seeing people grow with a little bit of a push from me.  Just so warming!

And a final quote:

“I have discovered the key to happiness.  Stay away from idiots”

I enjoyed that too…

Not #WILY.  Not a straight organisational lessons blog.  Just some deep thought provocation.  There is more to life than just work – as I have found writing my daily ‘What I Learnt Yesterday’ tweets!

We were away for the weekend and dropped into Chester Cathedral on the Church’s holiest day.  We were very lucky to arrive for 10 o’clock Eucharist on Easter Sunday – Bishop presiding, all the Deans and loads of incense.  Just a lovely experience. And packed to the gun-whales.

But it was the stations of the cross that moved me,  Each had a photo from WW1  I had to go back later to photograph them.  I am sure their inclusion and what they depicted and the links made were very controversial (As it often is – 100 years ago, no veterans now, but living on through commemoration.  But the poppies at The Tower were a bit controversial. (I wrote a blog about it last year – click ).  And ‘Lions led by Donkeys’ – created a storm from which Michael Gove as Education minister didn’t survive, I seem to remember?)

Stations 9 to 14 

But it was these ones that hit me very deeply. In order, they are:

Station 6 – Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.

Station 5 Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his Cross

Station 13 – Jesus is taken down from the Cross

Station 1 – Jesus is condemned to death.

I hope the pictures do indeed paint a thousand words.

The Kitchener poster as Station one is proudly controversial.  We do need to think big and bad sometimes, just to get nearer to the truth.  (I am just as moved now, writing this and sharing. Proud?  Profoundly sad? Or just glad to be reminded and to remember the sacrifices?)

Station 6

Station 5

Station 13

Station 1 – Condemned to Death

Missed a week – sorry!  And can’t find hashtag on my old MacBook here…

There has been a lot of family stuff.  A first birthday.  A Mothers Day Roast. A wine tasting and food evening.  All very smiley. Hectic, but fun.  The one year old was Finley in Kidderminster.  2 hours in a soft play place.  Great fun – and hard work for the kids who really only lasted 90 minutes before getting a bit grizzly…Wine and food was Sue, newly on committee of local Village.  We are so good at this in the UK, I think.  Community spirit and volunteering.  Not a bad thing to have, and it just sort of happens, doesn’t it?  Easy to support.

I do like the photography too.  Great to send stuff after the parties, and feel the warm glow as the thank you’s flood back.  Nice to do.

My nephews and great nephew

Couldn’t photograph the eclipse here.  Sun came out 2 hours after the event.  Even with full cloud cover though, it still felt like evening.  Birds went quiet.  And it looked lie that sort of muddy grey you get before snow.  You can see why ancient civilisations thought the portents were bad when the eclipses occurred.  A bit out of the ordinary.  I loved the school kids getting excited on TV – you can’t fake jumping up and down with pure joy, can you?

Great quote on a training course.  “It’s best to be you – everyone else is taken”.  Apparently heard on radio that morning – Chris Evans – and I use it a to already – if you are a manager or leader – you can only authentically be yourself.  And be proud of that.  This is not to say you can’t steal with pride from others.  Creative swiping is a great shortcut to betterment.  So is seeing someone in another position doing it wrong.  Learning comes as much from “I’d never do that” as much as “I like that – and will try it myself”.  Sadly, I think the stronger lessons come from the former!

A friend wanted to say good-bye at his mums funeral. She was 104. Czech.  “B” had never learnt.  Another Czech friend was able to help, via me and e mail video – and it really worked.  Proper networking at it’s best.  You only need to ask.