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Wednesday, 20 June 2012, 07:03
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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Wednesday, 20 June 2012, 07:04

DSC04786.JPG

I came across this on the rear page of 'World War' a partwork pubished in 1936/1937. I was struck by its clarity. This is an age where the 'working man' left school age 14. My grandfather started work the day of his birthday having got through 'Standard 7' the term before. He had the mind, he survived the First World War as a machine gunner, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and qualified as a Fighter Pilot and went on to be a Regional Manager for the North Eastern & then Scottish & Newcastle Breweries. But he always deeply regretted not having a more enduring education. At least he saw his daughter through Durham University with an M.A.

Is this what the OU offers? To man and woman alike? This chance to 'engage the brain'?


 

Tags: world war, education, office, labour
Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Maxwell Lewis Latham, Wednesday, 20 June 2012, 07:39)
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Design Museum

Collaboration in most things

Wednesday, 22 Dec 2010, 06:35
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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Monday, 21 Nov 2011, 08:18

Experiences here, lessons learnt and studied, has me now appealing to friends and colleagues to collaborate on all kinds of things.

What strikes me, having spent a few years buried in my writing and alone with the task, is how I have always worked best in a team, if only in a team of two. I do well as number two, I like to have someone working to, for or with me, I like constructing larger teams.

The intention therefore is to throw several balls into the air, but rather than juggling alone there will be a troupe. These will be formed into formal teams (businesses, projects) and less formal ones (writing, thinking teams and partnerships).

The outcomes?

  • Results
  • Credits
  • Reputation
  • Income
  • Contentment
  • Pride

Whilst supported online I know too that for the sake of cohesion and commitment there will need to be face-to-face meetings and shared offices. As soon as I can get an office in town, I will do so. I am looking for a space at the University Innovation Centre and for the first time in a decade will get an address in the West End, back to Newburgh Street or Newman Street, or in Covent Garden.

Ask me in 12 months time how 2011 has been.

Either way I'll keep you posted here.

Tags: mmb, learning, e-learning, collaboration, video, london, office, media, business, teams, communications, face-to-face, virtual, real, covent garden, west end
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Design Museum

Getting Organized

Friday, 17 Sept 2010, 05:35
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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Friday, 17 Sept 2010, 09:43

Getting Organized in the Google Era

by Douglas C. Merrill and James A. Martin

(Broadway Business, 2010)

A book I've just bought based on a pithy review in the Harvard Business Review. In brief Douglass Merill and Jame Martin suggest:

Stop chasing work/life balance and start focusing on

work/life integration.

For example, keep a list of five-minute tasks to tackle while in line at the grocery store, and if there’s a lull at the office, ditch your desk for a bit to mentally refresh.

Realize that filing information is almost always futile.

Our brains aren’t built to recall data out of context, but, lucky for us, many new technologies are. They rely on search, not sort. You should, too.

The authors, say Rasika Welankiwar reviewing the book for the Harvard Business Reviews says that the book makes good use of Merrill’s Google expertise (he's a whizz director of something at Google), offers 21 principles of organization, and includes 'a sprinkle of song lyrics'.

What next? A podcast and a sketch on YouTube?

I'll keep you posted as I consme and digest.

Tags: rasika wlankiwar, h808, social networking, organise, office, google, week 2, life balance, file, wk2, harvard business review, store, manage, merrill, martin, broadway business, work balance
Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Vicki Morley, Friday, 17 Sept 2010, 17:15)
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