My 2016 highlight

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Let’s face it, 2016 dashed many of our aspirations. We experienced swathes of celebrity deaths, the decision to Brexit and a new leader elected to run the “free world”. But I will always remember that 2016 was the year I saw world-renowned economist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus take to the stage.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, according to Newton’s third law of physics. Can the same be said of thought patterns? Could thinking opposite solve some of the planet’s greatest challenges?

Engaging an opposite mindset is at the heart of Yunus’ business, the Grameen Bank (GB), and his pioneering work in the field of microcredit. The economist won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for proving that lending money to the poor to run their own micro-businesses can transform lives.

Yunus’ own awakening came in 1974 when, as a Bangladeshi economist at Chittagong University, he took his students on a field trip to a remote village. When he met a bamboo-stool seller who was forced to pay back lenders at an interest rate as high as 10% each week, leaving her with pitiful profits, he realised that the kind of economics he taught was fundamentally wrong. Against the advice of banks and government, Yunus arranged microloans at market interest rates and in 1983 formed the GB – “village bank” – founded on principles of trust instead of so-called collateral.

Yunus’ first battle was with other banks. “Bankers told me that lending to the poor was absurd. They said, ‘Banking is a process in which you lend money to people who need it’. But I replied, ‘You lend money to people who already have lots of money but you don’t lend money to people who have nothing’.”

Yunus learnt how conventional banks went about their business – and then he did the opposite. “I created a bank that was almost the mirror image of the traditional bank. They go to the rich, we go to the poor. They choose cities, we choose remote villages. They focus on men, we focus on women.”

And it worked. By 2015 in Bangladesh, GB had 2,568 branches with 21,751 staff serving 8.81 million borrowers in 81,392 villages. Of the borrowers today, 97% are women. The loans are paid back at a higher recovery rate (97%) than any other banking system.

Yunus is often referred to as the “world’s banker to the poor”, but has anyone ever stopped to call a private wealth manager the “world’s banker to the rich”? The value in thinking opposite and what happens when you do is the gauntlet that Yunus has thrown down – something I plan to remember in 2017.

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Stop sleepwalking through life

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What isn’t possible after a good night’s sleep?

Sleep is dedicated time for the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. If you sleep for less than six hours a night, there’s a body of research to show that you will live a shorter life.

I recently explored why the theme of sleep is so popular today.

We’re busier than ever. As technology distracts us and makes information more accessible, the things stimulating our minds all fight against each other for our precious attention. Ask yourself this: would you take yourself off to bed one hour earlier simply to sleep? Or, more likely, would you use that hour updating your social media channels, browsing for your next purchase, or writing your start-up business plan? More often than not, the latter wins, meaning your window of sleep is getting smaller.

The science of attention, and how we can improve it, is discussed in this TEDx talk. It turns out that to improve your attention span, practice really does make perfect. The more you put time aside to concentration on something, the better your brain gets at the process of focussing your attention.

Here are three reasons why you really should stop, think and sleep. Here’s an excerpt from a recent piece with Richard Jolly, Adjunct Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School (LBS).

Why don’t we do the things we know we should be doing? It’s a question that Jolly asks executives daily.

1. Stop

You’re busy. Are you prepared to put on the brakes?

In January 2016, Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum said that people and technology had reached a crossroads. “We should not stay human; we should become better humans,” he said. He meant that artificial intelligence is beginning to occupy the work that can be programmed – forcing people to be more creative, self-aware and empathetic, in essence, more human. What makes people human comes from their brain chemistry, so people have to stop for the sake of their most important attribute in a digital world.

And what are brains for? Thinking.

2. Think

The act of thinking is a lifestyle choice, and one that improves brain health.

When people are thinking, they often take their hands to their temples. It’s the place that generates people’s thoughts, feelings and movements. It’s also the home of ideas.

“Humans don’t like uncertainty. As the world gets more complex, the ability to generate new ideas and adapt rapidly, are vital skills. That’s why we need time to think about the critical things. As we get caught up in the short term, focusing on the long term gets harder, particularly with the distraction of technology.”

Thinking time helps us survive, adapt and prosper. But no one can think without sleep.

 3. Sleep

What’s good for the body is good for the brain, too.

But how much sleep is enough to make you sharp? And how much is too much to make you slow and groggy? “It takes time to test,” he says.

“Ariana Huffington is a prime example of someone who underslept and overworked,” he says. “But today, she’s an authority on sleep.”

If sleep increases productivity and happiness, and supports smarter decisions, why are people still bragging about their terrible sleep habits? Because bad sleep supports the outdated idea that if you’re busy, you’re important.

Size matters: small things make us happy

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It really is the small things that make us happy.

This is what’s made me happy this week.

1.    Treating myself to a coffee on the way to work, and it wasn’t even Friday

2.    Buying My Lovely Husband (MLH) a caramel donut, to make him happy

3.    Having the first draft of a feature signed off with an accompanying email that says, “I like it. I have no changes. Consider this signed off.” Bliss!

These are small, trivial acts. The don’t cost very much, if anything. I haven’t booked a safari trek to South Africa and I haven’t bought a new car. In fact, if I did, I’d only worry about what I’d spent to get them.

So, if it’s the small things that make us most happy, why don’t we do them more?

1.    The treat

Remember the vanilla latte I bought on the way to work? This is exactly what I’m talking about. But what constitutes a ‘treat’? you ask. Well, let’s look at the evidence. Elizabeth Dunn (UBC), Daniel Gilbert (Harvard) and Timothy Wilson (Virginia) wrote ‘If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right’ in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, which summaries research into eight recommendations. One is to buy lots of small-ticket items – my coffee, or a trinket necklace, a new scarf or a car magazine – instead of fewer large items – the TV you don’t need, the reverse cameras for your car (sorry, that’s a private dig at MLH, I digress), the uber-expensive leather jacket.

Studies prove you’ll be happier by the frequency of the purchase, rather than its greatness.

2.    The good deed

If you walk into a shop and buy something meant for someone else, the chances are you’ll feel pleased with yourself. I certainly felt pretty smug with MLH’s caramel donut.

Why though? Again, let’s look at the evidence. In the Journal of Social Psychology’s ‘Acts of Kindness and Acts of Novelty Affect Life Satisfaction’, 86 participants took a survey measuring life satisfaction. Then they were split into three groups. One group performed daily acts of kindness for 10 days. The second simply did something new each day. The third group did what the hell they wanted. The results showed that the groups that practiced kindness and engaged in novel acts were both significantly happier. The third group didn’t get any happier. 

So to come back to the question, why are we happier when we’re nicer? Human nature. The small deeds that make others happy, in turn, dials up our happiness barometer. In addition, the more we feed off others’ happiness, the more likely we are to do more good again and again and again. Oh dear, my husband could get very fat from all the caramel donuts…

3.    The positive feedback

Forget constructive feedback. Sometimes we just need a pat on the back and nice words. Let’s see why. Findings from a study by Harvard Business School showed that when people were reminded of their best work, they work more creative and less stressed. It’s a little gift of confidence. And it’s the difference between a good and a bad day. So why don’t people praise us more, and why don’t we tell the people we admire that we admire them? Because we’re a society that hates braggers. And we all resist the urge to seek praise. It might be fashionable to think that praise is bad, but when it comes on an unexpected day, from an unexpected place, it can be a powerful thing indeed.

What makes you happy? Are you treating yourself to the right things? Partaking in random acts of kindness? And are you giving praise to people around you? Remember, it’s the small things, after all.

Follow me on Twitter, if you fancy it! @akmanvell

Could digital help bring back spontaneity?

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Water cooler chats in the office this week led to the question: what’s your favourite celebrity quote? While some colleagues liked “I’m kind of a big deal” and “If you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me”, my favourite quote remains the same as when I first set up my Facebook profile back in 2008 – John Lennon’s “Life’s what happens while you’re busy making plans”. It resonates because it’s true. Days packed with tasks – like researching breaks away – feel wasted, and they fill me with dread.

At the moment, My Lovely Husband (MLH) is poring over our iPad in search of the perfect birthday weekend for me. It’s very sweet. But, as I’ve just told him: “It’s very annoying.” I’m demanding, I know. But if you take heed of my favourite John Lennon quote – why should we be busy making plans? Let’s just bloody do it!

Last year I wrote a blog about going on a digital diet – which, by the way, I totally failed doing. One blog follower got in touch to say it inspired them to go on a digital diet, too. I’ve since been in touch with her and she failed, too.

Since we’re not in the dark ages, and we can’t go back to the days of our parents’ spontaneity – for their honeymoon, my mum and dad toured Wales in a white van with a mattress in the back, so they could stop where and when they liked. Today, they would be pulled over by the police and asked to “move along” from their suspicious roadside camp – times have changed, so I’m moving on from a digital diet, and proposing the opposite. Can digital bring back spontaneity? I’ve scoured the digital universe to found some apps to help procrastinators procrastinate no more. Choose a place, choose a date, turn up and use these:

  1. Fill your time in more than 37 cities with Utrip – in minutes, you have a comprehensive day-by-day itinerary, complete with maps.
  2. Make last minute dinner reservations in London with Uncover.
  3. Discover the best experiences and activities with Peek – it uses geolocation technology and allows users to select by category.
  4. Find attractions with Eventseeker – it brings you a culture fix by pinpointing specific exhibitions, concerts, food festivals, and shows that are worth your while.
  5. If you’re forgetful, and you’re going to somewhere without, god forbid, the internet, save your activity suggestions to Pocket and search offline.

MLH is still searching for my birthday weekend retreat, meanwhile, I’ve packed our bags and I’m waiting by the door.

Valentine’s Day: Why you make my eyes roll

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You make my eyes roll when. . .

You floss your teeth using a cotton thread from your sock

You polish the kitchen floor and make me skid across the lino

You hoover, just as my favourite TV show starts

You elbow me by mistake because I’m “small” and got “under your feet”

You say I “hoard” when I claim to “collect”

You turn down my dinner for spam, from a tin

You ask me to sing in a lower key

You open my post, which I find in a draw a year later

You use my shampoo as bubble bath

You ask: “Have you brushed your hair today?” Just before I go out

And when you wipe snot on your sleeve. . .

It’s lucky though because I like to roll my eyes. . .

And I love you anyway because you kiss my forehead when you think I’m asleep.

Picture citation: Tatyana A, I love strawberry, (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

10 things I hate about small talk

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Is there anything worse than someone asking you about the weather? Especially when you’re itching to tell someone about your uber cool project or the next big idea you’ve had after drawing inspiration from a bearded man on a train.

I can’t stand it.

Yes, it’s raining outside, but I happen to spend my days inside writing at a desk, and when I’m not, I’m standing, indoors, at an event – the rain is inconsequential and so is your conversation.

Shouldn’t we try and wring out moments to give us droplets of insight? I think so. Anything but inane how are yous when the questioner doesn’t really care and the respondent doesn’t really want to share.

Let’s ask questions we want the answers to. Or, hold the front page; engage in meaningful conversation at the water cooler.

Don’t ask me:

  1. About the weather – you may feel that we have covered this off. But in fact, there’s more to say on the topic. I like clouds, leaves on the floor, wind (of the easterly kind), heat and fog. You won’t get a good answer out of me, whatever your weather question.
  2. “How are you?” Unless you really want to know the answer. I’m afraid I enjoy sharing my latest woe. At the moment, it’s a fractured finger.
Finger

The fractured finger in question

I’m clumsy by nature, so there’s always something to share. Your bewildered face after my (long) monologue answer to “how are you?” which includes A&E trips, splints and index finger bilateral nerve pain – is caused by only one thing, your choice of question, not my answer.

  1. “What do you do?” Are we defined by our jobs? It depends. If you are a writer, then, a little, yes. If you’re a data analyst, with passions for adventure and you’re climbing Mount Everest next week, then no. In fact, read this post by Knowledge at Wharton for more on this alone.
  2. “Do you have children?” It’s none of your business at this stage, is it?
  3. “How old are you?” As above.
  4. “What did you do before the job you’ve got now?” See point three.
  5. “Where do you live?” Are you a stalker? Are you trying to figure out how much I earn? I certainly don’t have a spare bedroom.
  6. “Do you have a big family?” If the answer is no, and in fact quite the opposite, we’ve got off to a bad start haven’t we. So I’ll let you rethink the question.
  7. “What’s your political stance?” Private, until further notice.
  8. “How’s your health?” As mentioned, typically there is something to share about my health. So unless you want the gory details on the stitch accidently left in my foot after an NHS nursing error, in which the skin grew over and then had to be dug out by a nice orthopaedic surgeon chap, just don’t ask.

Instead, ask me:

  1. “What are you interested in at the moment?” Ah. An open-ended question with meaning. It will allow me to talk for two to three minutes about a topic of my choice. Absolute bliss!
  2. “What are your plans for the summer?” Whatever the month at the time of asking, the answer is loaded with adventure, fun, hopes and dreams. Plus, you can tell a lot about a person from the summer they have planned.
  3. “What’s your industry like at the moment?” We’ve just met. You don’t know what industry I work in. Clever. You are covering off, “What do you do?” “How’s business?” and “What are the economic challenges facing your business?” “Is work stable?” as well as “Are you likely to get laid off?” “Is there any freelance work there?” All without the intrusion of asking these things.

What do you like to be asked? Tell me and I’m happy to oblige. Just make sure it’s not about the weather, please.

A guide to clever seating

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You’ll know by now that I get the bus. A lot. More than I would like. But what might surprise you is that when I’m met with an empty bus, I will choose one particular seat.

If a handful of commuters are on the lower deck, I’ll sit as close to my ‘seat of choice’ as possible. But if there is just one person sitting (shock horror), already in my ‘seat of choice’, I’ll revert to my second option.

This psychological game plays out in other aspects of my life too. It may be that I’m slightly kooky with behavioural rules that I’ve created in moments of boredom. But gym lockers must be even numbers only – and there are only ever really two choices. I ponder over left, versus right side-of-the-road walking. And ask; where to sit at lunch?

We each have psychological safe areas, you know, those social norms we set out for ourselves and absolutely need to adhere to. We think, what’s going to serve me best? How comfortable will I feel? How will others perceive me?

But how does this translate to the boardroom?

I’ve been looking into it for you, so here’s your guide for social cues to benefit you in the game of seating chess.

  1. The power seat

You know which one it is. It’s on the end. If you’re chairing the meeting, sit there. It says that you’re in control.

If you’re chairing a brainstorm or discussion, why not get rid of the table all together? Circular seating creates a better dynamic for equal and open dialogue.

  1. I’m a team player seat

If you are a part of a team and you are there to collaborate, sit in the middle, away from the power seat and as close to the centre as possible. Your central position says: I’m approachable and open to talking.

  1. The face-off seat

Eyeballing your colleague (or a client) is never a good idea. Research shows that to assert our authority, we often take up a defensive seat, opposite the person we are at odds with. Try sitting diagonally to them, to encourage communication, but avoiding antagonism.

  1. The dead-space seat

For this reason alone, never be late to a meeting. If you sit next to the power player, you’ll never be seen, or listened to. Ok, slight exaggeration, but it’s certainly harder than anywhere else to have a strong point of view.

  1. Taking notes?

Sit at the table. You’re important. There’s no need for you to feel ousted and to sit at the side of the room. Did they invite you to take notes via skype? No. You are physically there, you can’t hide. You shouldn’t have to.

Picture citation: Reynermedia, Empty Boardroom CC BY 2.0

The stories making me proud

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I’ve recently had the opportunity to interview and tell the stories of some incredible people. I’d like to share some of the most thought-provoking with you now.

Care with the personal touch – HomeTouch

“When Dr Jamie Wilson MBA2011 left the medical profession to study for a MBA at London Business School (LBS) in 2009, he’d already caught a bug of his own: the entrepreneurial bug. After working as an NHS psychiatrist, he knew in 2007 that he wanted to have a greater impact on healthcare. Dr Wilson left the profession and forfeited a steady wage to start HomeTouch, which back then was a tablet-based solution to care, but is now a marketplace for finding a carer. The care is personalised, patients are ‘clients’ and the business is “much like a care concierge service,” says Dr Wilson.

Everyone has heard of ‘fail fast’ but if there’s one thing Dr Wilson’s learnt, it’s that you’ve got to fail first. His idea, HomeTouch, which launched in 2012, was a tablet-based software platform – a dashboard to check your family member is receiving the right care. But because tablets weren’t widely used at the time, and Wi-Fi penetration in the demographic (the elderly and the informal carers, aged between 40 and 60) was low, the product wasn’t ready to be widely used. At this point, Dr Wilson changed the business model, re-launching HomeTouch in December 2014 as a marketplace that connects self-employed carers to people looking for home care. The platform allows care-seekers to search for help by postcode, allowing them to browse carer profiles, send messages directly to them and book the person they want.”

How robots are helping humanity

“Around 71 per cent of the earth’s surface is covered in water, so how do you  save  people in hurricane winds and torrential rain without putting other’s lives at risk? The answer is EMILY: the robotic lifeguard that works hand-in-hand with first responders. She’s an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), capable of moving without human controls that can travel at more than 28 mph in hurricane conditions. The robot – which belongs to Bob Lautrup SLN18 (1986) and Tony Mulligan, Co-founders, and Executive Vice President and CEO respectively, at Hydronalix – saves lives not only in the US, but in countries with a high risk of tsunamis and floods such as Indonesia and Mongolia tsunami and flood response.

The company recently won a Tibbetts Award for innovation and was presented the prestigious accolade at the White House on 15 June 2015. The award recognises the late Roland Tibbetts who is widely acknowledged as the father of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programme for his contribution to innovation. From over 7,000 ventures shortlisted, just 23 won an award. Bob says: “The SBIR programme enables start-ups to apply their research, creating successful businesses with important jobs and products.”

No computer can replicate human judgement and experience, but Bob believes that with the help of Hydronalix products, humans can concentrate on integrity, empathy and humanity: three traits that he applies to both work and life.”

The harmonious cycle of change

“Every five years, China’s policymakers reveal the direction of the country’s long-term social and economic policies with the aim to boost the economy. The five-year blueprints were adopted in China in 1953 and are implemented by central, provincial, local, and district governments, along with industry regulators. Dr Gus Chow, CEO at Harmony Asset, guides his business strategy to align with China’s focus.”

Picture citation: Jill Clardy, John Steinbeck on Story telling CC BY-SA 2.0

Digital diet anyone?

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Do we have too much information?

Yes, if you read this article from Professor Simona Botti at London Business School. I recently interviewed and ghost-wrote this short piece which throws up an entirely new idea; what if we have too much choice? But it’s this specific section I want to refer to:

“As customers and citizens, we’re surrounded by choice. Think about the number of choices we make every day – what health treatment to undergo, where to travel, how to customise our latest electronic device.

What if freedom of choice comes with too much information? We’re living in the digital era where information is cheap, so access is on the up. But how much information do we need? Do we really want to know whether our movements measured by a mobile phone will predict the likelihood that we’ll develop Parkinson’s disease?  Do we need to ask someone on a date just because an app tells us that we’re well matched and sat at the same bar? If we’re hungry, do we need to see all the restaurants within a five mile radius? Psychologically the cost of choice can be higher than we realise.”

And Professor Botti is certainly right. It’s hard to fight through all of the junk to get to a story, or feature (or blog post) that you actually want to read – and by the time you do, you can’t remember what you were searching for in the first place.

The consequence of more choice is that yes, people can make decisions to fit their specific needs, but what about situations where decision-making just instils pickiness?

Here’s an example. My very intelligent, witty and may I say beautiful friend is dipping her toe into the world of internet dating. But it’s a sad state of affairs when that very same friend received feedback on her texting ability. Yes. She was told off for “not using enough Emojicons”. Let me just intercept the flow of the anecdote with the Emojicon tag line: “Your one-stop plot of internet land for every ლ(╹◡╹ლ), ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, ಠ_ಠ, and (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ you can possibly imagine.”

When did words in a text message become just not good enough? What happened to phone calls and love letters, even an email has got to be better than sinking to the depths of replacing a thoughtful word or two with a fancy icon; hasn’t it?

I have been grabbed by the fear. The fear of too much digital information, too many social short cuts and far too much choice. Having said that, I just popped a thumbs-up icon, as I often do, into my text message. If you engage in a digital diet, I’ll join you too (I can keep my phone though, right?).

Making mentoring magic

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I recently had two experiences with people at opposite ends of the age-spectrum which made me stop and think. We all know about reverse mentoring (if you don’t, read my article Mentor Matchmaking), but how many of us actively seek to set these meaningful relationships up?

My wise encounter

This is the story of my revaluation on a bus. I was running through my extensive (isn’t it always?) to-do list, when a man of around 85-years-old sat down next to (and slightly on top of) me.

After a few minutes I discovered his name was Jay, he was travelling to the hospital and he’d got on the wrong bus. The route would still take him to his destination but he’d decided that he wanted to talk some more to me.

He said: “Would you like to make the journey go a little quicker Anna?”

Of course, I said yes.

He suggested that we can ask each other important questions; if I answered correctly, I’d receive £5, but if I was wrong he’d get £500. If he was right he’d get £500 and if wrong, we’d call it quits. I agreed in theory – fully aware that I was set up never to win £500 and he’d never part with a penny.

He started. “If the moon is at its highest point in the sky, how far away is earth?” I didn’t know. He was already £500 up. He asked, “If a three legged animal goes up a hill but comes down with four legs, what animal is it?” I didn’t know. It was a doomed strategy. I let him know I was nearing the end of my journey and he grabbed my arm and explained the point of the questions: “Young people often underestimate older people, Anna.”

Let that be a lesson. I wasn’t supposed to know the answers; there was never £500 at stake. It was demonstrating the art of being listened to. Taking carefully constructed sentences and making a stranger stop and think.

My magic encounter

I’m sitting in front of my friend’s toddler and she stares right into my face and says. “My eyes are special.”

“Oh!” I say, “Why’s that?”

“Because I can’t see in the dark,” she says. Adding, “You should never trust people who eat tuna sandwiches.”

And there you have it. The door into a world where everything is reasonable. Her eyes were magic because of their inability to share the world with her in the cover of darkness and tuna was bad, well just because.

In the space of a month I learnt how to capture someone’s imagination, and keep it, from two people who are both wise and magic in their own rights, at very different stages of their lives.

How do you translate this into a traditional work environment? With reverse mentoring.

The longer you work for an organisation, the more you know and the less you need to learn, right? No. Not anymore.

Young workers just entering the workplace have exactly the skills and expertise that their more established colleagues need to know. Think social media, emerging customer habits and even technical skills like coding. Intelligent teams know that top-down learning is outdated.

I’d like to see reverse mentoring expand into the social environments outside of work, helping us all build skills and bridge generational gaps.

What can the 28-year-old learn from the elderly man on the bus who uses language as his tool? Imagine the depth of perspective a senior executive reaching retirement could share with a graduate starter. And even the toddler with magic eyes, wouldn’t we all like to exhibit enchantment like that?

Picture citation: Maiara Bolsson CC BY 2.0

A holiday from pre-holiday packing?

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Sometimes we need a holiday from preparing for our holiday.  Read the inner workings of an under-holidayed mind…

I have discovered something.  I don’t go on holiday enough.  People should have a drawer where they put their holiday requisites.  I don’t have such a drawer, because I don’t holiday enough to justify the use of space.  I haven’t been on holiday outside the UK since 2013 and my lack of pre-holiday drill experience shows.  Where’s my plug adaptor, kindle charger, Buzz Off spray and loose Turkish Lira?

kitchen-drawer

Why did write wet wipes on my shopping list again?  I haven’t bought wet wipes since I was last in hospital.  Ah yes!  It’s to clean my hands I imagine, after applying copious sun cream to my grey-pale skin.  That brings me on to sun cream: factor 50 – do pharmaceutical companies make factor 60? I’ll check google.

Now, what else? What’s a ‘waterproof paster’? I see: a waterproof plaster. That’s a funny story actually.  I had a mole removed from my ankle which, though cauterised, has taken up residence as an ulcer.  I shouldn’t swim, but in case a miracle healing epidemic casts its magical wand over all ankle injuries, I’ll need ample waterproof plasters.  Now, on to my swimming hat.  I have big hair. The only hat that keeps my bleach-based hair dry (and in so doing, avoiding a blue-green tinge) is one that Amazon recommended to me – I’d love to know the data Amazon’s collected on my shopping habits to lead it to recommend such a thing.  The cap has an interesting knob attached it, for people with not one, but two hair buns.  When hair and hat are assembled together, my head looks like The Hunchback of Notre-Dame – it’s quite a sight to see − but as my husband says, it makes locating me easy if there’s more than one pool in the holiday complex. So, I’ll pop the swimming hat in the suitcase.  Now, my prescription goggles: essential in avoiding swimming pool people and wall collisions – let’s face it, I’ve crashed into many a wall before, I blame the pool current…

What else have I written? Insurance.  I should have been more specific here. My life, wedding rings, flat, husband, car, fish (dead now, I must cancel that), bicycle and legs (I jest) are all insured.  I’ll assume that I had meant holiday insurance – I’m scanning my emails for the policy wording now and it’s nowhere to be seen. I must have flagged it somewhere smart.  I do that.  Let’s search ‘flagged’. Nope. How about, subfolder: ‘holiday’? Slight issue here, I don’t have a holiday subfolder because I don’t go on holiday enough.  I must make a note for my husband: we should go on holiday more and create a holiday drawer. Let’s try ‘travel’. I’ve just found a host of complaints emails that I’ve sent to national rail about my terrible, mostly-delayed, squashed and smelly commute to work. I digress. It should be under the ‘insurance’ category surely? No? Ok − What about if I just type, ‘cover’?  Bingo!  I’ll print it now. Or, should I be more tech savvy?  I’ll save it to Pocket or Bluefire Reader so that I can just show my policy on my iPad.

Add iPad to the list and the iPad charger. This brings me back to my original question, where on earth did I put my plug adaptor?  If I had a holiday drawer…

I’m going to make a new list.

Things to put in my new holiday drawer

Check and print the following before you travel, and put in the drawer:

  • Valid passports (mine had expired, that’s another story)
  • Holiday insurance – print it out immediately so you don’t have to search for it
  • Car hire − print it out immediately so you don’t have to search for it
  • Airport parking − print it out immediately so you don’t have to search for it
  • Visa − print it out immediately so you don’t have to search for it.

Put everything on this helpful, extensive list in the holiday drawer. If space becomes too tight, create a holiday cupboard.  Alternatively move out from your one bedroom apartment, into a five bedroom house with more space. Why not build a holiday annexe, or put a holiday admin chalet in the garden? Or, just holiday once every few years.

Why inspire?

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Trucks and women don’t normally go together. Japanese owned Isuzu Motors makes world-renowned trucks; its Japanese executives did not expect to meet a woman when the new CEO stepped off the plane in Tokyo, 1996. Such was the confusion of her Japanese hosts, that to celebrate the company’s latest deal they took the very feminine Nikki King to a transgender nightclub.

This week we celebrated International Women’s Day and I was lucky enough to attend London Business School’s student-run annual Women in Business Conference.  You know what?  I left feeling inspired.  It makes me think: where does the inherent need to be inspired come from? And what do we look for in those who inspire us?

For me, Nikki King, keynote speaker and chairwoman of Isuzu truck firm inspires.  I can pinpoint two reasons I admire her: she’s successful in a male orientated industry and she’s funny as hell. If you need more reasons than that: during her keynote speech she swore – for the good of her story. As I interviewed her, she made no apology about eating a biscuit as we spoke, candidly I might add.  She has mentored a company called ‘Women with Waders’ – enough said about that, I think.  She answered my opening interview question “what car do you drive?” with humorous acceptance, as I hoped she would.  And most of all, she knows her stuff.

The science bit: mirror neurons

So, I’m inspired and I have a new role model in Nikki.  But why do I need to be inspired? In modern neuroscience the discovery of mirror neurons is a big deal. They are cells that fire during both the observation and execution of an action or behaviour. It’s worth saying now: the research is still to be understood fully. Nevertheless they have been linked to behaviours and abilities, from empathy to learning by imitation.  In other words, we all scientifically need role models to learn from.

The idea of role modelling, as a way of learning  how to behave and think optimally, could be the key to how we learn a new skill quickly, and perhaps, succeed.  We don’t just learn knowledge, and understanding, but we absorb the attitude of the person we learn from.  Their enthusiasm for a subject can spark a new passion in us that we didn’t ever have before.  For me it’s ‘Women with Waders’.

A charismatic force

One of my many reasons for admiring Nikki is her charisma and her ability to make an entire room of 200-plus women laugh. Raina Brands, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School recently answered the question: what is a charismatic leader?

“A charismatic leader is really someone who is very transformational. So it encapsulates a lot of different things but it is somebody who can really set a vision for the organisation and inspire people just through sheer force of their personal charisma.”

Interestingly Brands goes on to explain that being charismatic is in the eye of the beholder.  So, we are all inspired by different people.  Which makes sense – I’m sure mentoring ‘Women with Waders’ and driving trucks won’t do it for everyone.

“Some people will feel charisma and some people will see you as very charismatic, but some people won’t be affected by you at all.”

Scientifically-speaking we need role-models. Remember, our nerve cells work by copying what we see and our motor neurons replicate that behaviour.  The good news is that there are role models ‘out there’ for all of us, plenty enough to go around. There are also plenty of anti-role models, typically in the public eye, for us to choose from.  I’m interested, who inspires you?

Picture citation: Benjamin Lehman, Woman’s Work, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Kindness in-deeds

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I’m a terrible wife. I did not have a pen on my person when my husband most needed it. The scene unfurls with patting of clothing compartments, and tutting from the queue of shoppers behind us. “Sorry mate, she’s normally got a pen on her,” my husband says. But alas, my pen – which I later found in my jacket pocket – would not reveal itself for the Saturday ceremonial writing of lottery numbers.

But then a good deed happened. A lady with a questionable hat came out from the nearest food aisle and handed my husband a pen. Just like that. Our hearts warmed. Smiles exchanged and the queue moved on.

On 15 March it will be international Good Deeds Day. You will feel the frost melt a little with the warmth of a kind act. All over the world, on Good Deeds Day thousands of people choose to volunteer and help others, putting into practice the simple idea that every single person can do something good.  Businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison says:

“Good Deeds Day has become the leading day of giving and this year individuals, school children, students, soldiers and employees from many businesses are joining in for the annual Good Deeds Day with the aim of doing a good deed for others.”

Moral bank

So, what constitutes a good deed? And what does this mean for our moral bank?

Let’s see if London Business School’s Dr Margaret Ormiston can shed light on the subject.  Take a look at this.

Her research examines the underlying psychological processes that influence team and organisational performance as well as top management teams. Dr Ormiston explains that even mundane choices – like an apple or a burger – can have greater consequences. “Every day we face choices between good and bad,” she says.  The more we consciously say no to the burger and yes to the apple; we fill up our healthy, moral bank.  But after research, she discovered that the more responsible decisions we make, the more we feel licensed to undertake in morally questionable behaviour – moral licensing. She directly relates this to CEOs and leaders by saying that when Corporate Social Responsibility is high up on a firm’s agenda, it is often those companies, or their CEOs that carry out bad behaviour.

“Once we are morally full, we can take credits from our moral bank account.” So, if we do a good deed, we will do something bad as a result?  Not necessarily, but perhaps we need to be more committed to good and suppress this feeling of moral licensing.

Banning bragging

Jonathan Z. Berman, Assistant Professor of Marketing at London Business School recently published a paper, “The Braggart’s Dilemma: On the Social Rewards and Penalties of Advertising Prosocial Behaviour” explaining that people often brag about, or advertise, their good deeds to others.

His seven studies investigate how bragging about prosocial behaviour affects perceived generosity. It reveals that bragging signals a selfish motivation and a desire for credit that undermines generosity. Think of the Facebook do-gooders, brag once and you are a hero, brag twice and you’re a . . .

True altruism is rare. Being kind, in my opinion, is not something that requires a deed.  So perhaps we need to say goodbye to good deeds, and concentrate on committing ourselves to being better humans?

Picture citation: José Pestana, Apples… CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Exercise yourself happy

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It’s been the month of juice diets, 5:2 eating and new exercise regimes. If you follow my blog, you’ll know that I think Mindlessness, as opposed to Mindfulness, is the healthiest way forward, and hence, we must move more! So, as I drink in the fitness decisions taken by friends and loved-ones around me, I start to think: when is the best time to exercise?

Inspired by a recent talk by Richard Jolly, Adjunct Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School on happiness at work, I’d like to explore what role exercise plays in our happiness.  Stay tuned to become happier!

Jolly said:

“95% of senior executives I work with tell me they are ‘Hurry Sick’ – addicted to email and disillusioned with inefficient meetings.

“Realising that they have achieved everything that would make them happy, but finding they were unhappier than they had ever been is at the heart of the mid-life crisis. This pattern is not what is going to inspire the next generation of employees to join and stay loyal to an organisation.”

Stress the body and de-stress the mind

Stress, over time, can:

  • Cause key connections between nerve cells in your brain not to function well
  • Impair your memory and the ability to take in new information
  • Increase your risk of suffering from depression and anxiety.

So, how can exercise-stress trigger happiness?

  • As your heart-rate goes up, say hello to feel-good serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – these are good folks to have around
  • A substance to protect your brain from emotional disorders and repair damage that stress and depression cause − Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – appears
  • Now for the good bit: opiate-like endorphins kick in, leading to a happy-sigh state of well-being.

Did you know that 20 minutes of exercise can produce mood enhancers that last as long as 12 hours?  Cambridge University studied of 334,000 people and Ulf Ekelund, who led the study, said:

“This is a simple message: just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive.

“Although we found just 20 minutes would make a difference, we should really be looking to do more than this – physical activity has many proven health benefits and should be an important part of our daily life.” 

When to exercise?

So, hopefully you’re planning to work-out, but when should you do it?

Your body’s circadian rhythm determines whether you’re a lark or an owl, and I’m afraid there’s not much you can do to change it! (I’m a lark, and can be found quietly flagging between 16.30 and 18.30.)

Circadian rhythm is affected by the 24-hour pattern of the earth’s rotation. These rhythms influence body functions, like: blood pressure; body temperature; hormone levels; and heart rate, all of which play a role in your body’s readiness for exercise.

I may be bias, but experts have said that morning is your best time to exercise.

“Research suggests in terms of performing a consistent exercise habit, individuals who exercise in the morning tend to do better,” says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer with the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.

“The thinking is that they get their exercise in before other time pressures interfere,” Bryant says. “I usually exercise at 6 a.m., because no matter how well-intentioned I am, if I don’t exercise in the morning, other things will squeeze it out.”

Summing up

If you stay sedentary your body can become more sensitive to stress, so even minor triggers – you know, the washing machine breaking; organising a Hen Party; or having a crap date ­− leaves you mentally exhausted.  Look, I’m not the ‘fit and fun police’, but if you can squeeze in 20 minutes exercise a day and you’re physically able to, why not try it and see if you land sunny side up?

Picture citation: Jeanette Goodrich, Fitness and health concept in tag cloud (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Most depressing day of the year

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I’m feeling bright and I’m feeling breezy, but wait: it’s officially the most depressing day of the year.

This year Blue Monday – the day that researchers say is the most depressing day of the year – is today and will be a foghorn for all mental health illness. The hashtag #bluemonday24 (for 24 hour posts) is set.  So use it!

The world health organisation says that in 2030 mental health will be one of the biggest concerns. And we know that one in four people experience a mental health problem each year.  Many will come into contact with the police either as victims of crime, witnesses, offenders or perhaps when detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.

Police are now working with a wide range of agencies, such as health services and voluntary sector services, to ensure there’s an appropriate response which meets the needs of individuals with mental health problems. But, there still isn’t enough support for mental health services and governments need to sit up and take notice, like Mind is already doing.

The mental health charity recently received an accolade in recognition of the valuable work it does – via its helpline – to support those affected by mental health problems. Recent figures show demand for the Infoline has risen by 55 per cent in two years. Since 2012 the number of people contacting the Mind Infoline for advice and support has risen from 51,300 to 79,600.

I’m trying to do something good on the most miserable day of the year, so, if you want to do something great too, please share this, or join in the conversation on social media, using #bluemonday24.

There is a stigma for those in ‘possession’ of mental health of feeling alone, so today, spare just five minutes – on the most depressing day of the year – and help others feel a little bit brighter, and maybe a little better.

Picture citation: Natalie Schmid, Eyes Closed, Mind Open (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Celebrating contortionists

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My ears are still ringing from the low punched-gut ‘ooh’ growl of a man’s bass voice, which was a mere accompaniment to rocking-out drums in bizarre nod to surrealism, made cool.  Of course, I went to see Cirque du Soleil perform KOOZA.

Combining acrobatic skill and sheer physical human performance, it made me think: how do you discover that you can bend like that?

The running commentary of my fellow audience followed a theme. We watched a male gymnast stack 25 wooden chairs, whist he shifted upwards in various elegant two handed, gravity-defying poses (and the occasional headstand).  But, I’m ashamed to say, my prominent thought, instead of ‘wow’ was: is that your party trick? The punched-gut music was the soundtrack to two men on two rotating wheels; they jumped, back flipped, in, on and around the very fast (and very large) copper wheels. How do you find out you have that skill?  What party do you have to be at to discover that you can run on a wheel? (Perhaps some kind of Romany Gypsy event on a fair ground site?)  That being said, the most bizarre act of all was the brilliantly named – by myself, even if I do say so – Bendy Ladies.  Of course, if you’re going to be pedantic, they are called contortionists. I came away in awe, and simultaneously, in disgust at the Bendy Ladies’ performance.  But I was determined to discover whether their skill was a party trick gone too far or in fact, a combination of nature and nurture.

Bendy Ladies uncovered

I have discovered that Bendy Ladies, as a rule, are either ‘frontbenders’ or ‘backbenders’, depending on the direction in which their spine is more flexible. Relatively few performers are equally adept at bending both frontwards and backwards.  I know what you are thinking; phew, at least we can agree that even Bendy Ladies have their limits.

I have also discovered that they performed what is called an ‘adagio’ act, which is an acrobatic dance in which they work in partnership to lift and carry the other partner as she (or he) performs splits and other bendy poses.

Now, I have grown quite attached to my Bendy Ladies and so I’ve uncovered some myths which should be put to bed right away.

Contortionist myths

  1. Myth: Contortionists apply snake oil to their joints.

This was a popular myth in the 19th century.  Bendiness is of course the result of both genetics and intense physical training. If there was oil on offer, I’d be applying it so that I could eventually touch my poor forgotten toes.

  1. Myth: Double-jointed people have more joints than most people do.

The term double-jointed is incorrect; it is actually hypermobility, and not two separate joints.

  1. Myth: Contortionists have to dislocate their joints when they bend.

Most extreme bends can be achieved without dislocating the joint.  In fact, dislocations make the joint more unstable and prone to injury. Bendy Ladies one, bendy haters nil.

  1. Myth: You are either born a contortionist or you’re not.

Muscle flexibility is a result of persistent training, as long as the shape of the bone in the joint does not limit the range of motion. So they are hardworking Bendy Ladies.

  1. Myth: Women are more apt to be contortionists than men.

The average woman tends to be more flexible than the average man (I do not include myself in that), but contortionists throughout history show equal numbers of males and females.

So, there we have it.  Contortionist myths uncovered and a glimpse into the wonderfully random KOOZA show, which, ear-ringing after-effects aside, was brilliant.

Picture citation: Eric Vardy “The Contortionist Series”, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Like this post?  Read my post: The ordinary do the extraordinary.

Can you define your customer?

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I recently watched Bruce Hardie, Marketing Professor from London Business School deliver a marketing masterclass which, in part, aimed to define the word ‘customer’.  He said that the closest he could come to defining a ‘customer’ was by using a quote about marketing from theorist and academic, Tim Ambler:

 “Marketing is the sourcing and harvesting of cash flow.”

After searching for an alternative ‘customer’ definition, I discovered that the Oxford dictionary was pretty close to the mark:

“A person who buys goods or services from a shop or business.”

Hardie ran an exercise, which I have reworked and will share with you now.  Read the short paragraph below and simply count the number of touch points at which I am a customer.  Don’t forget, just count as you go.

“I arrived at Euston train station, in London, at 13.00, on 22 December to catch my train.  I logged onto the free Wi-Fi using my iPad (which I bought in 2012). The free Wi-Fi wasn’t working well so I paid to log onto a hotspot called Kizoom.

Whilst waiting for the train I bought a Costa latte coffee, a Tracker Bar from W H Smith and picked up a free Metro newspaper.  I called my colleague on my work Blackberry, which operates on the Orange network, and asked her to turn off my Dell computer which I had accidently left running.

I started to daydream about what I would eat that night at Wagamamas restaurant – chicken gyoza most probably ­– until my Virgin operated train arrived to take me to Birmingham.”

How many customer references did you count? 13?

Wrong, I’m afraid.

Now, read Hardie’s preferred marketing definition once more and count the touch points again:

“Marketing is the sourcing and harvesting of cash flow.”

Hopefully now you’ll see that I am only a customer at five touch points.  I’m a visitor of Euston train station, a user of free Wi-Fi, I have been a customer of Apple (in 2012 when I bought my iPad), my employer is an account holder of Blackberry and I’m a traveller, but in order to be a current customer, I must exchange money (cash flow).

Hardie’s point is this: you need to be ultra-clear who your customer is and a generic definition will never suffice.  If you can’t define them, you can’t count them, or segment them, and if you don’t know how many customers you have, you can’t possibly analyse their behaviour and you’ll never truly understand them.

Create your own customer definition, in your own way and on your own terms, so that when you’re asked, ‘how many customers do you have?’ you can say something a little more analytical than ‘lots’.

Picture citation: 10ch Customer (CC BY 2.0)

New Year’s Resolutions

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The good the bad and the fluffy.

I vow to complain more next year.  2015 will be the year that I’m compensated for bad customer service.  I will act on the list of names I have diligently added to my iPhone notes section. Victor from ‘Marks & Spencer’, thank you for wasting ten long minutes of my time complaining about your terribly inconvenient rota to your fellow employee, rather than executing my refund.  Bridget from ‘Homebase’, thank you for being so awkward about the simple exchange (with receipt), I enjoyed our frosty exchange (sorry about the pun).  Finally, thank you Croydon Council for painting lines on the road so that now my husband and I cannot turn right without entering a yellow box and receiving a £65 fine — twice so far in 2014.  I now add two minutes onto my drive by avoiding the yellow box, and I have to admit, I never turn right. I will be communicating with all of you in the New Year. And, well, I have already begun.  Each complaint letter is scripted out in my mind.  I’ll write something witty about Victor’s job title, the ‘Shop Assistant’ who seriously lacks in ‘assisting’. Bridget, I wrote down word for word your awkward manner with me after the sad event, particularly the amount you referred to me as ‘she’ in front of me.  I will improve the customer service landscape and in doing so I’ll make 2015 a better year — hopefully a year that allows me to turn right at will.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?  Do you have something tangible in mind, or perhaps something fluffy, something more obscure?

Tangible 2015 vows

I’ve taken to Twitter and checked the news.  Here are some of the best and most tangible vows I’ve seen, take your pick.

  • Reconnect with old friends
  • Explore new cuisine’s
  • Lose weight and keep it off (for most of the year)
  • Spend less
  • Save more
  • Learn something new.

Some fluffy resolutions for next year

I hate to say it but some of the most fluffy and vague resolutions often come from some of the most powerful people of the business world.  Here are a couple of fabulously vague resolutions.  I really hope you manage to conjure up more of a palpable pledge.

  •  Arianna Huffington, Editor in Chief of The Huffington Post wants to restore her sense of wonder. You can do that by adding a question mark to everything you know Arianna.
  • Caroline Ghosn, Founder and CEO of Levo League hopes to cultivate happiness. I feel happier by just reading that one, thanks for cultivating the happiness Caroline.

The best of

  • Hubspot CEO Brian Halligan has vowed to nap and meditate more. Fantastic.
  • Ben Lerer the Thrillist Media Group CEO wants to simply make sure his child is happy. Perfection.
  • About.com CEO Neil Vogel wants to learn code. Yes, yes, yes, as do I Neil.
  • And finally, Hedge Fund Manager, entrepreneur, and author James Altucher says it’s impossible to hope for anything in the future.

Now, I disagree with Altucher, but I like his scepticism.  You can hope and dream, but life throws up challenges, and it’s your job to dodge and deal with them as best you can.  Perhaps we should all make a resolution: simply deal with stuff better in 2015.  Or perhaps I’m being a bit too fluffy.

Picture citation: Sally Mahoney New Year, CC BY-SA 2.0

Christmas: it’s not too late to shop

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‘Tis the season to shop ‘til you drop. Britain’s John Lewis’ #MontyThePenguin  has made grown men weep whilst Debenhams’ #FoundIt campaign has all but failed.  We are all managing our manic tick as best we can, but if you’re like me, you continue to flick on your phone to monitor online trackers, only to discover that no, in fact the present due to arrive on Friday, still hasn’t – even after paying an extortionate Prime Speedy Amazing Delivery service.

Let’s start a shopping revolution

Britain’s ‘Black Friday’ shopping surge saw retail sales grow at their fastest pace for nearly 27 years, CBI figures showed on 19 December. The survey found 71 per cent of firms reported sales volumes up on a year ago, the highest since January 1988. If only we could all change how we shop.  What a revolution that would be. My husband notoriously buys my present on Christmas Eve each year, so he always gets the best possible deal ­­– romantic, I know. Like him, I’ve tried to shun online (apart from where absolutely necessary) and I like to think I’ve injected my earnings back into the high-street revenue cycle.

You’ll be just fine

I’ve written before of having a digital detox in regards to education, (Stop MOOCING around) but how about a Christmas shopping revolution. Consider this; it’s not too late, I think you’ll find the shops are open.  In fact the shops are open later and longer.  You just have to rid yourself of the panic, and you’ll be just fine.

What I’m not going to do

I have a set of rebellious statements for you:  I’m not going to give out cards with glitter on them anymore.  I’m going to buy perfectly nice mince pies rather than bake them.  I’m going to buy one present for my loved ones and no stocking fillers.  I’m going to avoid the magnetic pull of shopping on the iPad for ‘just in case’.  Most of all, I’m going to be calm and I’m going to ignore the inner nervous pulse that I have forgotten something or someone.

What are you going to do for the next five days, don’t tell me it’s to shop ’til you drop, please?

Picture citation: SimplyPanda Presents, CC BY-SA 2.0

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