Gosh – we are almost half way through the year, in real time.  Themes of my instant wake up thoughts of What I Learnt Yesterday – are proving illuminating, to me at least.  The discipline is quite enticing – a bit addictive.  It’s hard to stop once you have started!

Saddest news was for the well loved politician, Charles Kennedy.  Seemed to be universally liked across the spectrum.  best result since 1920’s after he took his own stance against the Iraq war – speaking on the protest march.  A conviction politician who was incredibly articulate bright and flawed.  Some of his humour was scathing.  Like “Only Paddy Ashdown was a trained killer, of all the politicians I knew.  Mrs Thatcher is good too – although she was self taught”.  There were many quotes and much affection.  I suppose the metaphor for me is sticking to your core beliefs – and it is hard to work with people who don’t share them.  He was against the Coalition with the Conservatives.  Maybe he was proven right again, as I believe history will show with the Iraq war?

The FIFA debacle rolls on.  Some of you will have been in organisations that had similar things going on – perhaps not at that level.  But I bet when people resigned with that much circumstantial evidence of wrong-doing, they were escorted from the premises?  It happens.  So why is the man still in post?  Surely you don’t need 6 months for shredding? (Allegedly).

This story shows how ephemeral news is.  Kennedy was bounced off the front pages by the Blatter story.

Sport does give me pause for thought in organisational life too.  Seeing the obvious passion and sadness at the result, of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Aston Villa fan – makes you realise that passion is an important commodity.  I don’t think we have enough in work life, do you?

At work I was in awe of graduate candidates for a job in an information organisation.  They were all native Russian speakers – all from what was the old USSR.  All had been doing extra jobs in their time at University.  All spoke many languages.  Hard working, smart committed and highly impressive.  Great to see.  And a quote from Paul Chu at Windsor Speakers, “You can stay in your comfort zone, but you won’t find growth there”.  That could apply to each of us as individuals, or to whole organisations?  remember the quote “There are 3 types of organisation:  Those who make things happen; Those who watch what happens; and those who wonder what happened”.  The last will go out of business.  The middle majority will be OK, but not make the most of their opportunities.  The top 20% (it is nearly always Pareto 80:20 split in these things) will stand out among their competitors, and will end up household names – because they didn’t stay in their comfort zones.

Helped out with the DIY bit at my nieces house move.  Just commented that t is so easy to get gratification from the instant result and feedback you get when assembling furniture or putting up curtains.  If only more of corporate life was like that! Can we make it so?