I came runner-up in a race last week. The race was to find a new role. No medals for a second place though and so I need to get back in training. This post reflects my thoughts on the role and the feedback I got. But really it's more about what it teaches me about authenticity.
First a bit of context. The role was to run marketing for a PE-backed spin-out. It's an already at-scale organisation that needs to establish a distinct identity in a crowded market. The culture is "big company" and there is need for new, transformational leadership. A case of no lack of competence (low current recognition but there is clearly an ambitious roadmap) but with a need to increase confidence, with clients and partners but importantly within the organisation too. Leaving home for the first time is a big deal, after all.
Most of the above could have been understood even before I arrived. I did my research into the company, its backers, the market and all its players. I trawled everything from social media to industry analysts' reports. I did my homework. I liked what I found. I was sure I could be a great head of marketing for them. I even interviewed the company driver on the way from the airport. I was ready.
What is more difficult is knowing what matters most in making the decision to hire. There is what the company asks for and then, there is what it needs and feels. They are not always the same. There is what is explicit but, in this case, there was a set of implicits. This is where someone else did better than the "polished" me that arrived that day.
They said I met the competence brief. I hit all the right buttons, with good empathy on what the likely challenges would be. I knew the market, the technology and enough of the customers. I seemed to have good energy and a sense of humour. But the winning candidate was "more edgy" and that got the role. That was the implicit factor that mattered.
I looked up "edgy". It means tense, nervous and irritable! What? But, when applied to music, it means daring, dangerous and exciting. The winner was just more exciting.
I posted something at the start of the year about what I called R.A.P.P.O.R.T - how to sell yourself in headhunter /interview situations. I still think it mostly holds true and, looking back to how the discussions went, I do think I used it pretty well. But it didn't work.
In hindsight, I went from the "R" to the "T" of rapport, but was not "aRTy" enough to succeed. My music was too smooth - too lounge and not enough garage. Maybe coming across a little too rehearsed. Singing the song but not connecting with the words.
Preparation is critical. Technique means a great deal. But there is a big learning I have taken from this encounter - the importance of authenticity. I was authentic. I did care about the potential role and I do still think I will be the best head of marketing this company never had.
They believed in someone else more than in me. A good lesson indeed.
Friday, 26 April 2013
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
In-Yer-Face (Interface) My Best Friend's a Robot
I have spent the last 3 days at the Innorobo event in Lyon on a mission to change the world, get rich and meet committed people. This is the place where the great and good of the robotics world, primarily from Europe (even if the Koreans won the cutest hair prize), come to show off, find inspiration and maybe a future.
There is a second event being held in Lyon in parallel. Called eu Robotics Forum, it's maybe a bit more in depth. The French Government is a sponsor, so I guess they are worthy. The organisers wanted 350 Euros to have me along, and that was enough to pay for my hotel. I am quite new to robotics - mad keen but learning my route - called SLAM for those who know. Maybe I will go next year?
I am on a start-up friendly, strict budget and staying at the Campanile close to the TGV and a short tram ride away from the conference centre. I mention the hotel only as it has an example of one of the main issues that robotics seems to face (no pun intended) today. It's about the in-yer-face interface - aka getting the best out of a product with the greatest utility and potential.
I woke early yesterday and went to shave, trying to fill the sink with an ecologically aware depth of hot water. Failure. There was an interface problem between the size of the plug and the size of the plug hole. The plug was too big (or the hole too small?).
I managed to shave in the shower with only minor cuts.
Robotics is fast becoming an area of special importance. The French government announced a package of initiatives this week to drive investment and innovation. France also boasts to be the home of Aldebaran and their famous Shanghai dancing Nao robot: but even this company is small with under 300 employees worldwide. Nice to see their CEO today out of that dark suit and playing ball with his robot (expect cute pictures soon on the site?).
The market is growing fast - supposedly a US$ 40Bn market in service robotics by 2015 (dixit GIA via eu Robotics Co-ordination Action and FP7 money). That gives room for a dozen or more players at real scale and a couple of giants! Professional service robotics is growing at some 85% a year. That's gotta be attractive! Most of these types of robots end up with the military (a post of its own, given the debate on human-out-the-loop robotics nicely captured here) or in milking parlours.
Well, we will always drink milk and, sadly, probably keep fighting. So, it's a dairy farmer or a soldier. The availability of good, empirical data is critical to making good career decisions!
The personal robotics scene looks less attractive compared to that of its professional cousins - even if every exhibitor seems to have developed a use case that fits. Sort of Corporate Social Responsibility baked into every start-up. Clearly, the current economic straits are an issue with less disposable income afforded to edutainment robots and the like. The growth here is much more modest and the associated market sizes hardly move the dial.
And as for robots that make life easier, outside of having your lawn manicured or your 4 year-old prepared for their GMAT, don't go there.
So where's the issue? What's getting in the way? So far I can see 3 big hurdles. None seems impossible to clear. The first is a negative public perception of robots; the second a set of issues around safety and product liability and the third seems to be the lack of a workable industry structure and business model.
As yet, I claim no grand insight but, through the eyes of children, emperors sometimes lose their clothes.
Robots scare us. We don't really want them in some key parts of our lives. The European Union did a large study on the public's attitudes to robotics across the 27 Member States, surveying those over 15. This work is current, published in the last 6 months. Overall there is a generally positive view on robots - with a more than 50% approval rating and the Nordics just love them with a whopping 88% positive view - cuddling a robot on those long winter nights perhaps?
But close to two thirds of Europeans see no role for robots in mainstream education, care of the elderly or healthcare. They have a view robots can be dangerous and unpredictable, best restricted to roles where humans might see themselves potentially endangered (rescue etc) or where dull repetition is needed. This may need to change over the very near term. We are going to have over a billion people aged over 60 around in the coming years. We will need new ways to care for them, as they age further.
Are robots to be seen as slaves? For now maybe but perhaps we will need emancipation sooner and not later.
And let's also hope those slavery folks don't get too familiar with (Technology) Singularity Theory from Vinge, Van Neumann and with the more recent musings of Kurzweil and Storrs-Hall. Basically, we meet the machine cleverer than we are around 2045. If that's true, someone needs to stop Fiona getting out of her cyber-bed or at least brush up on their Spanish!
Adoption needs Acceptance and that needs Education. As one expert may have once remarked, you may be afraid of robots being allowed to help you, but think of that every time you ride in a lift!
Now what about product liability and perceived danger? Progress takes bravery. Around 150 years ago, the UK passed the Locomotive Act, restricting horseless carriages (cars) to a speed of 4mph and demanding they be piloted by a crew of 3, with one of them carrying a red flag in front of the vehicle. At Innorobo, I have seen several robots still following this legislation!
And there was a bill in Pensylvannia, thankfully vetoed in 1896, that required any car encountering a person or livestock to be stopped, dismantled and hidden behind a bush. No bushes at Innorobo!
Clearly, personal assistance robots need stringent safety regulation. This is so important. It cannot be left to individual companies and cannot be afforded by them either. Is there no European-level idea on assisted testing? New industries need support, and surely this is one area where we could make the investment at the European level. There is aligned work in ISO standardisation on this topic. I came across this upbeat assessment from Dr Chris Harper but still need to understand where we now are. Such work is worthy to be supported and accelerated. It seems too important to fail and the effort to get it right is clearly worthwhile.
Talking to exhibitors, it is the business model that perplexes me most. I attended the panel on Investments in Robotics. I heard a lot of truisms and worried at the sound of people scribbling and feverishly noting down these apparent pearls of wisdom and religious truths. I felt we'd been here before.
I heard Dmitry Grishin of Grishin Robotics explain three ways to make money in robotics - sell them, rent them or give them away and make money on the services. He made a lot of valid points - especially about affordability and beauty - but his philosophy seemed reminiscent of the mobile phone industry of the Noughties.
Robotics looks too like an industry that wants to maintain a vertically-integrated business model. My strong sense is that to grow that this industry has to find a way to split the robot body from the rest of the application/use case and to do that quickly. Clearly, open source software helps massively, but I had a bit the feeling that open source support was a rite of passage to the robotics community and not yet a real lever for success. This could just be about maturity and the academic focus of many concerns here. Perhaps, we need to be patient. They will come and build it!
I read a great book lately that sought to explain the dramatic shifts brought about by what could be called the democratisation of technology - albeit it's rather a first world view. The book is called L'Age de la Multitude by Nicolas Colin and Henri Verdier. It is strongly written, drawing on top class and recent research to make its points.
Bottom line, the authors argue persuasively that technology is cheap; this fuels an innovation and change ACCELERATION; and most importantly this innovation is external - no entity can hope to manage all the ingredients of success anymore. Innovation to be successful is becoming Open Innovation. This is where the literal and actual multitude takes centre stage.
The world is learning to code. It's seemingly the new Latin and the major Internet players are right behind it. And those building the internet are supporting too. We have a capability revolution coming fast.
To make the most of these new capabilities, robotics companies need to build clean technical architectures that focus on abstraction and virtualisation and then couple that with resilient tool kits that promote the mass adoption of robots. This is how almost all successful software companies work. A long time ago in technology speak, the rules that split platforms, applications and integration were written. Through the many changes we experience every day, these rules have stayed in place.
Do not try or expect to do everything anymore. The product architecture should support the desired business model. Keeping control of all the levers is as impossible, as it is eventually undesirable.
In this way, we may overcome many of the issues associated with fear of the robotic unknown. We will garner the capability of professionals to develop more and more relevant vertical applications and create a virtuous flywheel effect. It's amazing but it seems over 80% of Wikipedia's content is generated free and anonymously. It's mostly, but not all, about the money.
There are angels out there. Finding them? Well that's going to need a lot more than just an ordinary App Store business model.
I did succumb and bought a small personal robot. There are many other robots available but this matches my desk. Delivery is only at the end of April, so I'll need to wait a few weeks to begin my new robotic future!
I took a decision not to paste pictures of all those cute creations. We need to make robotics a serious topic.There is a second event being held in Lyon in parallel. Called eu Robotics Forum, it's maybe a bit more in depth. The French Government is a sponsor, so I guess they are worthy. The organisers wanted 350 Euros to have me along, and that was enough to pay for my hotel. I am quite new to robotics - mad keen but learning my route - called SLAM for those who know. Maybe I will go next year?
I am on a start-up friendly, strict budget and staying at the Campanile close to the TGV and a short tram ride away from the conference centre. I mention the hotel only as it has an example of one of the main issues that robotics seems to face (no pun intended) today. It's about the in-yer-face interface - aka getting the best out of a product with the greatest utility and potential.
I woke early yesterday and went to shave, trying to fill the sink with an ecologically aware depth of hot water. Failure. There was an interface problem between the size of the plug and the size of the plug hole. The plug was too big (or the hole too small?).
I managed to shave in the shower with only minor cuts.
Robotics is fast becoming an area of special importance. The French government announced a package of initiatives this week to drive investment and innovation. France also boasts to be the home of Aldebaran and their famous Shanghai dancing Nao robot: but even this company is small with under 300 employees worldwide. Nice to see their CEO today out of that dark suit and playing ball with his robot (expect cute pictures soon on the site?).
The market is growing fast - supposedly a US$ 40Bn market in service robotics by 2015 (dixit GIA via eu Robotics Co-ordination Action and FP7 money). That gives room for a dozen or more players at real scale and a couple of giants! Professional service robotics is growing at some 85% a year. That's gotta be attractive! Most of these types of robots end up with the military (a post of its own, given the debate on human-out-the-loop robotics nicely captured here) or in milking parlours.
Well, we will always drink milk and, sadly, probably keep fighting. So, it's a dairy farmer or a soldier. The availability of good, empirical data is critical to making good career decisions!
The personal robotics scene looks less attractive compared to that of its professional cousins - even if every exhibitor seems to have developed a use case that fits. Sort of Corporate Social Responsibility baked into every start-up. Clearly, the current economic straits are an issue with less disposable income afforded to edutainment robots and the like. The growth here is much more modest and the associated market sizes hardly move the dial.
And as for robots that make life easier, outside of having your lawn manicured or your 4 year-old prepared for their GMAT, don't go there.
So where's the issue? What's getting in the way? So far I can see 3 big hurdles. None seems impossible to clear. The first is a negative public perception of robots; the second a set of issues around safety and product liability and the third seems to be the lack of a workable industry structure and business model.
As yet, I claim no grand insight but, through the eyes of children, emperors sometimes lose their clothes.
Robots scare us. We don't really want them in some key parts of our lives. The European Union did a large study on the public's attitudes to robotics across the 27 Member States, surveying those over 15. This work is current, published in the last 6 months. Overall there is a generally positive view on robots - with a more than 50% approval rating and the Nordics just love them with a whopping 88% positive view - cuddling a robot on those long winter nights perhaps?
But close to two thirds of Europeans see no role for robots in mainstream education, care of the elderly or healthcare. They have a view robots can be dangerous and unpredictable, best restricted to roles where humans might see themselves potentially endangered (rescue etc) or where dull repetition is needed. This may need to change over the very near term. We are going to have over a billion people aged over 60 around in the coming years. We will need new ways to care for them, as they age further.
Are robots to be seen as slaves? For now maybe but perhaps we will need emancipation sooner and not later.
And let's also hope those slavery folks don't get too familiar with (Technology) Singularity Theory from Vinge, Van Neumann and with the more recent musings of Kurzweil and Storrs-Hall. Basically, we meet the machine cleverer than we are around 2045. If that's true, someone needs to stop Fiona getting out of her cyber-bed or at least brush up on their Spanish!
Adoption needs Acceptance and that needs Education. As one expert may have once remarked, you may be afraid of robots being allowed to help you, but think of that every time you ride in a lift!
Now what about product liability and perceived danger? Progress takes bravery. Around 150 years ago, the UK passed the Locomotive Act, restricting horseless carriages (cars) to a speed of 4mph and demanding they be piloted by a crew of 3, with one of them carrying a red flag in front of the vehicle. At Innorobo, I have seen several robots still following this legislation!
And there was a bill in Pensylvannia, thankfully vetoed in 1896, that required any car encountering a person or livestock to be stopped, dismantled and hidden behind a bush. No bushes at Innorobo!
Clearly, personal assistance robots need stringent safety regulation. This is so important. It cannot be left to individual companies and cannot be afforded by them either. Is there no European-level idea on assisted testing? New industries need support, and surely this is one area where we could make the investment at the European level. There is aligned work in ISO standardisation on this topic. I came across this upbeat assessment from Dr Chris Harper but still need to understand where we now are. Such work is worthy to be supported and accelerated. It seems too important to fail and the effort to get it right is clearly worthwhile.
Talking to exhibitors, it is the business model that perplexes me most. I attended the panel on Investments in Robotics. I heard a lot of truisms and worried at the sound of people scribbling and feverishly noting down these apparent pearls of wisdom and religious truths. I felt we'd been here before.
I heard Dmitry Grishin of Grishin Robotics explain three ways to make money in robotics - sell them, rent them or give them away and make money on the services. He made a lot of valid points - especially about affordability and beauty - but his philosophy seemed reminiscent of the mobile phone industry of the Noughties.
Robotics looks too like an industry that wants to maintain a vertically-integrated business model. My strong sense is that to grow that this industry has to find a way to split the robot body from the rest of the application/use case and to do that quickly. Clearly, open source software helps massively, but I had a bit the feeling that open source support was a rite of passage to the robotics community and not yet a real lever for success. This could just be about maturity and the academic focus of many concerns here. Perhaps, we need to be patient. They will come and build it!
I read a great book lately that sought to explain the dramatic shifts brought about by what could be called the democratisation of technology - albeit it's rather a first world view. The book is called L'Age de la Multitude by Nicolas Colin and Henri Verdier. It is strongly written, drawing on top class and recent research to make its points.
Bottom line, the authors argue persuasively that technology is cheap; this fuels an innovation and change ACCELERATION; and most importantly this innovation is external - no entity can hope to manage all the ingredients of success anymore. Innovation to be successful is becoming Open Innovation. This is where the literal and actual multitude takes centre stage.
The world is learning to code. It's seemingly the new Latin and the major Internet players are right behind it. And those building the internet are supporting too. We have a capability revolution coming fast.
To make the most of these new capabilities, robotics companies need to build clean technical architectures that focus on abstraction and virtualisation and then couple that with resilient tool kits that promote the mass adoption of robots. This is how almost all successful software companies work. A long time ago in technology speak, the rules that split platforms, applications and integration were written. Through the many changes we experience every day, these rules have stayed in place.
Do not try or expect to do everything anymore. The product architecture should support the desired business model. Keeping control of all the levers is as impossible, as it is eventually undesirable.
In this way, we may overcome many of the issues associated with fear of the robotic unknown. We will garner the capability of professionals to develop more and more relevant vertical applications and create a virtuous flywheel effect. It's amazing but it seems over 80% of Wikipedia's content is generated free and anonymously. It's mostly, but not all, about the money.
There are angels out there. Finding them? Well that's going to need a lot more than just an ordinary App Store business model.
I did succumb and bought a small personal robot. There are many other robots available but this matches my desk. Delivery is only at the end of April, so I'll need to wait a few weeks to begin my new robotic future!
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Customer Service - A Tragedy in 1 Act
The weather has played havoc across Europe in the past days. Airports closed, people stranded, anxiety heightened and tempers frayed. Just the time for companies to stand up and deliver excellent customer service. We always remember those who remember us when we are in trouble. And conversely...
I wrote a short piece about customer service in an earlier blog and even created my own abbreviation, TCA - Truly Customer Aware. I see too - thanks Patrick - that Forbes are re-awakening to its importance.
Well this week I experienced a company with a lot still to learn about TCA. I will not name the company but I did want to capture my experience. So I wrote a short(ish) play that I propose to share with company xxxxx's Customer Relations team.
My Superviser says...
Noon - sunny - east of London - the M25 is suspiciously quiet - tired and driving back to Belgium - turn on radio - news update: Operation Stack coming into operation: A16 in France closed: long delays: police advise to postpone non-essential journeys.
Him: I'll just call the xxxxx to check what's happening and maybe change the ticket. We can stay with P and perhaps travel tomorrow once the weather improves. Strange though, it's so sunny.
Her: We really need to get home. Geert is waiting and we need to tell him how high to build that wall. But let's see what's happening. Call them. They'll know the latest and then we'll decide.
Him calls the not-free number. Ring, ring, ring, Hello you're through to xxxxx. Voice explains all the great offers and deals they can offer Him. No clue how long the wait will be. After 4 minutes....
Him: I suppose they are pretty busy. They must have a lot of people like us just asking what's the best thing to do. I'm sure they're prepared.
Phone is answered.
Him (in friendly, cheery voice): Hello. Perhaps you can help. I am booked on the 1420 this afternoon but have just heard on the radio there are travel problems and that even the motorway out of Calais is closed.
Voice #1: Can I have your booking reference please? (Him asks Her to find the piece of paper Him wrote it on and tells Voice #1). Well, Mr Mottram we are operating 1 service an hour and there are minor delays at the terminal. So you should be OK.
Him: Well, we heard there were real issues and that you were stacking lorries and that the A16 was closed. We're not sure we should travel today.
Voice #1: Well, sir, whether you travel or not is your own decision. We have 1 service running per hour, with minor delays.
Him: That's fine, but what do you know about the A16 problems? It seems strange the BBC are telling me not to travel but you seem unaware.
Voice #1: I'll just put you on hold while I check.
Time passes slowly.
Voice #1: Hello Mr Mottram. I have spoken to my superviser and we do think there were problems earlier with an accident on the quais at Calais but it's all fine now. France is fine.
Him: Are you sure because we are out of contact here in the car and only have the BBC to go on?
Voice #1: I'm sure, but as a special dispensation, we will change your ticket providing you do travel tomorrow.
Him to Her: What do you think?
Her: We do need to get home. Let's see how far we get and we'll call him back if we end up in a mess.
Him to Voice #1: Is that OK?
Voice #1 hangs up and car gets very stuck indeed in Operation Stack, now in Phase 2 (rather serious) whilst 2 BBC radio stations insist Kent is ice-bound, the A16 is closed and France is in hibernation.
Him calls back xxxxx again but talks to Voice #2 - after an even longer list of special offers and deals.
Him (in a less cheery voice but still friendly): Hello I am on the 1420 service and spoke to one of your colleagues around noon time about these weather conditions. Just wanted to check the situation, as we are stuck in the Operation Stack queue and may wish to change our ticket as your colleagues suggested.
Voice #2: Can I have your booking reference, please? (Him provides the reference). Thank you, Mr Mottram. We are operating 1 service an hour and you can expect to be delayed by about another 30 minutes at the terminal.
Him: Thanks for that but we are still hearing about issues on the Calais side on the BBC and I don't want to get caught in a jam there with nowhere to go.
Voice #2: I am afraid I cannot comment on that, sir. We can only advise on what's happening on this side of the Channel. Any decision to travel has to be up to you. I am afraid we cannot give you any help or advice on that.
Him (now not very cheerful): Sorry. Are you saying you have no advice at all? Can't you at least re-check the A16 position? Well, I guess we best rebook for tomorrow. We don't want to get marooned. Can we fix that please?
Voice #2: Sorry sir, but your ticket was on a special 5-day deal and it expires at midnight tonight. So you'll have to buy a new one, if you want to travel tomorrow.
Him (sounds of aarrghh in the background): No. We agreed with your colleague that we could change, if we could not reliably travel today and agreed to travel tomorrow.
Voice #2: I'll need to talk to my superviser. I have only just come on duty and this is a bit complicated. Can you give me your number and I will call you back in 10 minutes?
Voice #2 (with number given) hangs up and calls back 40 mimutes later.
Voice #2: Hello Mr Mottram, xxxxx here. Sorry about the delay but I was on another long call. I have spoken to my superviser and he says he is not willing to allow you to change your ticket and we cannot find any record of your telephone call with my colleague. Are you sure you called from this number?
Him (unhappy voice): Of course, I am stuck in my car. Where else could I have called from? I did make that call and you did offer to allow me to change the reservation, providing I travelled tomorrow. Can I talk to your superviser please?
Voice #2 puts him on hold and returns after 5 minutes.
Voice #2: Mr Mottram, there's no point in talking to my superviser. He's only going to tell you he won't help. I suggest you just buy another ticket for tomorrow and then maybe you can fix it with Customer Relations later.
Discussion between Him and Her. Decision to try to carry on.
Him to Voice #2: No. We'll just go for it but be sure this is pretty shabby service. You cannot just say it's all up to me and you have no advice. And then not do what you said you would. Is no-one given any discretion in xxxxx?
Voice #2: Sorry about all this but my superviser is adamant. What I can do is change your crossing to a later time. You know you are going to miss the one you're booked on, don't you?
Him looks out of car window at the traffic, going nowhere and agrees with him, loudly.
Him: Yes, we will carry on but don't change anything. We will just get to the terminal as fast as we can and see what happens.
Voice #2 hangs up. 40 minutes later, Him and Her arrive at the crossing and discover their reservation has been changed by Voice #2 to a later time. They watch as their new boarding letter is gradually relegated to later and later crossings. Exasperated, they put their letter in the glove box and join the next departure.
The A16 was closed to high-sided vehicles and it was very windy. I do wish the BBC would be a bit more accurate.......
I wrote a short piece about customer service in an earlier blog and even created my own abbreviation, TCA - Truly Customer Aware. I see too - thanks Patrick - that Forbes are re-awakening to its importance.
Well this week I experienced a company with a lot still to learn about TCA. I will not name the company but I did want to capture my experience. So I wrote a short(ish) play that I propose to share with company xxxxx's Customer Relations team.
My Superviser says...
Noon - sunny - east of London - the M25 is suspiciously quiet - tired and driving back to Belgium - turn on radio - news update: Operation Stack coming into operation: A16 in France closed: long delays: police advise to postpone non-essential journeys.
Him: I'll just call the xxxxx to check what's happening and maybe change the ticket. We can stay with P and perhaps travel tomorrow once the weather improves. Strange though, it's so sunny.
Her: We really need to get home. Geert is waiting and we need to tell him how high to build that wall. But let's see what's happening. Call them. They'll know the latest and then we'll decide.
Him calls the not-free number. Ring, ring, ring, Hello you're through to xxxxx. Voice explains all the great offers and deals they can offer Him. No clue how long the wait will be. After 4 minutes....
Him: I suppose they are pretty busy. They must have a lot of people like us just asking what's the best thing to do. I'm sure they're prepared.
Phone is answered.
Him (in friendly, cheery voice): Hello. Perhaps you can help. I am booked on the 1420 this afternoon but have just heard on the radio there are travel problems and that even the motorway out of Calais is closed.
Voice #1: Can I have your booking reference please? (Him asks Her to find the piece of paper Him wrote it on and tells Voice #1). Well, Mr Mottram we are operating 1 service an hour and there are minor delays at the terminal. So you should be OK.
Him: Well, we heard there were real issues and that you were stacking lorries and that the A16 was closed. We're not sure we should travel today.
Voice #1: Well, sir, whether you travel or not is your own decision. We have 1 service running per hour, with minor delays.
Him: That's fine, but what do you know about the A16 problems? It seems strange the BBC are telling me not to travel but you seem unaware.
Voice #1: I'll just put you on hold while I check.
Time passes slowly.
Voice #1: Hello Mr Mottram. I have spoken to my superviser and we do think there were problems earlier with an accident on the quais at Calais but it's all fine now. France is fine.
Him: Are you sure because we are out of contact here in the car and only have the BBC to go on?
Voice #1: I'm sure, but as a special dispensation, we will change your ticket providing you do travel tomorrow.
Him to Her: What do you think?
Her: We do need to get home. Let's see how far we get and we'll call him back if we end up in a mess.
Him to Voice #1: Is that OK?
Voice #1 hangs up and car gets very stuck indeed in Operation Stack, now in Phase 2 (rather serious) whilst 2 BBC radio stations insist Kent is ice-bound, the A16 is closed and France is in hibernation.
Him calls back xxxxx again but talks to Voice #2 - after an even longer list of special offers and deals.
Him (in a less cheery voice but still friendly): Hello I am on the 1420 service and spoke to one of your colleagues around noon time about these weather conditions. Just wanted to check the situation, as we are stuck in the Operation Stack queue and may wish to change our ticket as your colleagues suggested.
Voice #2: Can I have your booking reference, please? (Him provides the reference). Thank you, Mr Mottram. We are operating 1 service an hour and you can expect to be delayed by about another 30 minutes at the terminal.
Him: Thanks for that but we are still hearing about issues on the Calais side on the BBC and I don't want to get caught in a jam there with nowhere to go.
Voice #2: I am afraid I cannot comment on that, sir. We can only advise on what's happening on this side of the Channel. Any decision to travel has to be up to you. I am afraid we cannot give you any help or advice on that.
Him (now not very cheerful): Sorry. Are you saying you have no advice at all? Can't you at least re-check the A16 position? Well, I guess we best rebook for tomorrow. We don't want to get marooned. Can we fix that please?
Voice #2: Sorry sir, but your ticket was on a special 5-day deal and it expires at midnight tonight. So you'll have to buy a new one, if you want to travel tomorrow.
Him (sounds of aarrghh in the background): No. We agreed with your colleague that we could change, if we could not reliably travel today and agreed to travel tomorrow.
Voice #2: I'll need to talk to my superviser. I have only just come on duty and this is a bit complicated. Can you give me your number and I will call you back in 10 minutes?
Voice #2 (with number given) hangs up and calls back 40 mimutes later.
Voice #2: Hello Mr Mottram, xxxxx here. Sorry about the delay but I was on another long call. I have spoken to my superviser and he says he is not willing to allow you to change your ticket and we cannot find any record of your telephone call with my colleague. Are you sure you called from this number?
Him (unhappy voice): Of course, I am stuck in my car. Where else could I have called from? I did make that call and you did offer to allow me to change the reservation, providing I travelled tomorrow. Can I talk to your superviser please?
Voice #2 puts him on hold and returns after 5 minutes.
Voice #2: Mr Mottram, there's no point in talking to my superviser. He's only going to tell you he won't help. I suggest you just buy another ticket for tomorrow and then maybe you can fix it with Customer Relations later.
Discussion between Him and Her. Decision to try to carry on.
Him to Voice #2: No. We'll just go for it but be sure this is pretty shabby service. You cannot just say it's all up to me and you have no advice. And then not do what you said you would. Is no-one given any discretion in xxxxx?
Voice #2: Sorry about all this but my superviser is adamant. What I can do is change your crossing to a later time. You know you are going to miss the one you're booked on, don't you?
Him looks out of car window at the traffic, going nowhere and agrees with him, loudly.
Him: Yes, we will carry on but don't change anything. We will just get to the terminal as fast as we can and see what happens.
Voice #2 hangs up. 40 minutes later, Him and Her arrive at the crossing and discover their reservation has been changed by Voice #2 to a later time. They watch as their new boarding letter is gradually relegated to later and later crossings. Exasperated, they put their letter in the glove box and join the next departure.
The A16 was closed to high-sided vehicles and it was very windy. I do wish the BBC would be a bit more accurate.......
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Life of Pi (with chips, peas and gravy)
Life is about boundaries and exploring them. From our youngest years when we dare to dare, right up to our dotage, when we recollect on what has been and sometimes what might have been.
From when we form our earliest notions of self and discover our ego, we are experimenting. We collect bumps, scrapes and bruises - both physical and psychological. We drive parents mad. In later life, we sometimes drive partners, colleagues and friends to distraction. But aren't we always just trying to find out more about our environment and our control over it? How far can we go?
Curiosity is an essential part of being human.
So often convention and present mores prevent us from realising our full potential. Some break the mould and make major contributions. Just look at James Dyson - yes he's the "vacuum cleaning - hand drying - no moving parts fan" wunderkind or maybe a Brit-Brat (tough at 65 years old). His company looks for what one might call "thinking personalities" and rewards what his organisation describes as wrong thinking.
Is waiting too long to reflect on where we are and where we might have come from really such a missed opportunity? Some believe it is.
The notion of doing a pre-mortem (literally "before death") review has been around a long while in project management - check this HBR 2007 offering. As an idea, it makes a whole lot of sense. Imagine failure and correct it before it happens. Reminds me a little of the plot of Minority Report. Bring on the precogs. But Minority Report was wrong.
It is in thinking about what makes a breakthrough happen that I am NOT at all convinced that too much pre-mortem analysis is the best route. Sometimes what FEELS right IS right.
I read in the last few days an interesting blog post from Ron Schaich of Panera Bread. He talks about the value of applying pre-mortem analysis to one's life or career. A well-argued piece. I am just left with the niggle in my mind that getting too analytical might prevent that great moment of serendipity. That moment of wrong thinking that might change a life or change an industry. I don't mean being so naif as to be stupid. Serendipity's definition also talks about being wise (sage) - but not always too wise. Too much sage can spoil a dish!
Last week, with my friends from the furniture store, I became Mr Grumpy. I would like to thank them all for being my Mr Tickle. For a slice of this life panacea in 7 minutes, try this episode.
I was grumpy because I had had a set-back on my own journey. Nothing major but something I was rather enthusiastic about was denied me. I never had the chance to make something happen and I felt unnecessarily forlorn. I did my own sort of pre-mortem.
My life is quite pi-esque. I have been serendipitous in finding my own pie and chips with a helping of peas on the side. I guess my continuing curiosity provides the sage gravy.
Like in the book and the film, I am not sure everyone will get that ending. What's for dessert?
From when we form our earliest notions of self and discover our ego, we are experimenting. We collect bumps, scrapes and bruises - both physical and psychological. We drive parents mad. In later life, we sometimes drive partners, colleagues and friends to distraction. But aren't we always just trying to find out more about our environment and our control over it? How far can we go?
Curiosity is an essential part of being human.
So often convention and present mores prevent us from realising our full potential. Some break the mould and make major contributions. Just look at James Dyson - yes he's the "vacuum cleaning - hand drying - no moving parts fan" wunderkind or maybe a Brit-Brat (tough at 65 years old). His company looks for what one might call "thinking personalities" and rewards what his organisation describes as wrong thinking.
Is waiting too long to reflect on where we are and where we might have come from really such a missed opportunity? Some believe it is.
The notion of doing a pre-mortem (literally "before death") review has been around a long while in project management - check this HBR 2007 offering. As an idea, it makes a whole lot of sense. Imagine failure and correct it before it happens. Reminds me a little of the plot of Minority Report. Bring on the precogs. But Minority Report was wrong.
It is in thinking about what makes a breakthrough happen that I am NOT at all convinced that too much pre-mortem analysis is the best route. Sometimes what FEELS right IS right.
I read in the last few days an interesting blog post from Ron Schaich of Panera Bread. He talks about the value of applying pre-mortem analysis to one's life or career. A well-argued piece. I am just left with the niggle in my mind that getting too analytical might prevent that great moment of serendipity. That moment of wrong thinking that might change a life or change an industry. I don't mean being so naif as to be stupid. Serendipity's definition also talks about being wise (sage) - but not always too wise. Too much sage can spoil a dish!
Last week, with my friends from the furniture store, I became Mr Grumpy. I would like to thank them all for being my Mr Tickle. For a slice of this life panacea in 7 minutes, try this episode.
I was grumpy because I had had a set-back on my own journey. Nothing major but something I was rather enthusiastic about was denied me. I never had the chance to make something happen and I felt unnecessarily forlorn. I did my own sort of pre-mortem.
My life is quite pi-esque. I have been serendipitous in finding my own pie and chips with a helping of peas on the side. I guess my continuing curiosity provides the sage gravy.
Like in the book and the film, I am not sure everyone will get that ending. What's for dessert?
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Cedrus altlantica Glauca - The Importance of Thinking Laterally
Some of you may remember I am re-modelling my garden. I use the "I" in the sense of my wife doing the real design but I have become involved at some strategic moments. Part of the work has meant we have had to remove a number of old and diseased trees. We were keen to replace them and have recently planted 6 new trees. We have tried to find mature specimens, balancing size with cost and practicality. The average small tree weighs more than 5 tonnes so getting them in the ground was something to see!
My pride and joy is the cedar below.
Under Belgian planning regulations, we are not allowed to plant trees closer than 2 metres to a boundary, so siting this beauty was a challenge. Half a day of work and there it was - in the wrong place! We had planned to be able to see it from our veranda. Sadly when my wife sat down to enjoy the view, she couldn't see the tree. It was obscured by the wall of the house. Tearful times!
We considered moving it sideways but that proved to be impractical, given it was secured above and below ground. We even thought of planting a new tree in a place nearer the house - also not realistic. That's where the lateral thinking came to the rescue. My wife came up with the idea of moving around the sofas and coffee table in the veranda in a novel way to allow her to sit and to admire the view through the window, without having to move the tree. Happy Times!
This disaster, cleverly averted, reminds me of times when the right answer is not always the obvious answer. Times when you need to take a look at an issue from a different perspective and open yourself to different interpretations and solutions.
Human beings are creatures of habit and associations. Companies are organisms of learned cultures and short-cuts. I suppose it has to be like that to manage everyday personal and business life. No time to waste on the things that are usually the same.
But breakthroughs and innovations so often come from seeing what could be rather than what is.
Edward de Bono is of course most associated with lateral thinking and a reputable industry has grown up around its application. How many of us have had the benefit of wearing those Six Thinking Hats? And how many of us have found them a bad fit? Why is thinking so hard? De Bono and others place great emphasis on how important it is to practice thinking. It's a skill like any other. Practice improves performance.
I have been using a web resource recently that has helped me to stay on my mental game and learn a little in the bargain. The site is called Mind Tools . You might care to take a look. For the record I have no financial interest in this business. All muscles need exercise and some of us do not consider Sudoko to be an end in itself!
My pride and joy is the cedar below.
Under Belgian planning regulations, we are not allowed to plant trees closer than 2 metres to a boundary, so siting this beauty was a challenge. Half a day of work and there it was - in the wrong place! We had planned to be able to see it from our veranda. Sadly when my wife sat down to enjoy the view, she couldn't see the tree. It was obscured by the wall of the house. Tearful times!
We considered moving it sideways but that proved to be impractical, given it was secured above and below ground. We even thought of planting a new tree in a place nearer the house - also not realistic. That's where the lateral thinking came to the rescue. My wife came up with the idea of moving around the sofas and coffee table in the veranda in a novel way to allow her to sit and to admire the view through the window, without having to move the tree. Happy Times!
This disaster, cleverly averted, reminds me of times when the right answer is not always the obvious answer. Times when you need to take a look at an issue from a different perspective and open yourself to different interpretations and solutions.
Human beings are creatures of habit and associations. Companies are organisms of learned cultures and short-cuts. I suppose it has to be like that to manage everyday personal and business life. No time to waste on the things that are usually the same.
But breakthroughs and innovations so often come from seeing what could be rather than what is.
Edward de Bono is of course most associated with lateral thinking and a reputable industry has grown up around its application. How many of us have had the benefit of wearing those Six Thinking Hats? And how many of us have found them a bad fit? Why is thinking so hard? De Bono and others place great emphasis on how important it is to practice thinking. It's a skill like any other. Practice improves performance.
I have been using a web resource recently that has helped me to stay on my mental game and learn a little in the bargain. The site is called Mind Tools . You might care to take a look. For the record I have no financial interest in this business. All muscles need exercise and some of us do not consider Sudoko to be an end in itself!
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Gordon Bennett - RIP - The Joy of Language
After all those computer issues, I have finally been able to move into my bijou Paris pad! It all sounds rather sexy but at 20 square metres, it was never going to take too long to host a guided tour. I had a friend and his partner visit last weekend for a welcoming glass and we had to turn sideways to pass in the entrance hall.
I had become so bored with hotel nights and long journey days that I had taken the studio without seeing it. Property disappears so fast here. Caveat Emptor - emphasised by the lease that was rather clear about "what you see - or don't see - is what you get" and "don't come running to us, if you have regrets". For the moment, je ne regrette rien and with a British stiff lip, I will smile and carry on whatever.
Then of course , there's the "we have a partner who can help" with your insurance and the "caution" account, where the bank charges you a set-up fee then interest for blocking your own money, presumably because they cannot use it anymore to speculate on the currency markets! Sacres Francais was perhaps right after all.
The studio does enjoy a fantastic view - perhaps not to everyone's taste - over the cemetery at Passy. Directly over the cemetery, with all the mausoleums being just outside my window. I am clearly living in a very quiet (as the grave) part of the city; something my Paris friends would die for, if it wasn't for all that coughin' (coffin).
The owner of the studio took great pleasure in explaining who was resting where and, as she left, gave me a Monuments de Paris booklet and, with a smile, a grave map. What a house warming gift!
Well it seems that, among many French Celebres and the odd American (the tragic Pearl White of the Perils of Pauline), Mr Gordon Bennett (1841-1918) has found his final resting place at Passy. No-one is sure if he is in fact the Gordon Bennett whose name is often used as an English expression of surprise in place of a 4-letter expletive. I would like to hope so.
So it would seem to be the case that his epitaph is an epithet expressed as an eponym for a synonym and used as a euphemism! What a linguistic legacy.
It's a slow day today so just off to find where they scattered Flaming Nora's ashes. Seems even Google has a problem searching them out.
I had become so bored with hotel nights and long journey days that I had taken the studio without seeing it. Property disappears so fast here. Caveat Emptor - emphasised by the lease that was rather clear about "what you see - or don't see - is what you get" and "don't come running to us, if you have regrets". For the moment, je ne regrette rien and with a British stiff lip, I will smile and carry on whatever.
Then of course , there's the "we have a partner who can help" with your insurance and the "caution" account, where the bank charges you a set-up fee then interest for blocking your own money, presumably because they cannot use it anymore to speculate on the currency markets! Sacres Francais was perhaps right after all.
The studio does enjoy a fantastic view - perhaps not to everyone's taste - over the cemetery at Passy. Directly over the cemetery, with all the mausoleums being just outside my window. I am clearly living in a very quiet (as the grave) part of the city; something my Paris friends would die for, if it wasn't for all that coughin' (coffin).
The owner of the studio took great pleasure in explaining who was resting where and, as she left, gave me a Monuments de Paris booklet and, with a smile, a grave map. What a house warming gift!
Well it seems that, among many French Celebres and the odd American (the tragic Pearl White of the Perils of Pauline), Mr Gordon Bennett (1841-1918) has found his final resting place at Passy. No-one is sure if he is in fact the Gordon Bennett whose name is often used as an English expression of surprise in place of a 4-letter expletive. I would like to hope so.
So it would seem to be the case that his epitaph is an epithet expressed as an eponym for a synonym and used as a euphemism! What a linguistic legacy.
It's a slow day today so just off to find where they scattered Flaming Nora's ashes. Seems even Google has a problem searching them out.
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Happy Valentine - Competent and Conscious
Today is one of those days when the gift industry does well and florists do even better. Yes it's Valentines. It seems this traditional day for lovers goes back rather a long way, beginning as a widespread celebration as long ago as the Middle Ages with even Chaucer helping to popularise the feast.
I am not in great shape today - something bad, eaten last evening, has laid me a little low. This blog is replacing medication and maintaining my consciousness.
A couple of days ago I had a discussion with my Chief Cabinet Maker or Head Carpenter (HC) in Paris. We were talking about MBTI - indeed my MBTI. There are those who enthusiastically support Myers&Briggs and the statistics (at least the numbers) are pretty impressive with many millions of evaluations having been undertaken since it was first published in the early 1960's.
It is a very long time since I did an MBTI - remembered my original letters OK but had long since forgotten the nuances. They all came back. And with the distance of years, those letters have indeed proven to be pretty accurate! This should in fact be the case as most fundamental traits and notions of self are seemingly developed relatively early in life (chapeau to Carl Jung's work).
The test is all about types and about likely preferences. Mine are quite pronounced and the objective of my discussion with HC was to see how these preferences would likely impact me and those around me. But it was importantly also about developing appropriate mitigation/learning strategies.
In doing this, I was reintroduced to The Conscious Competence Matrix , although most often drawn as a ladder. I do prefer the matrix representation, as it does allow a better discussion about moving around the matrix and not getting trapped with the notion of it all learning being about a straight-up climb. We have all fallen off quite a few ladders, learning new skills. My second small recommendation is to take a look at this technique and to see if it can be of use for you. It has helped me already.
My son is on the verge of (fingers crossed) his first post-college career opportunity. He likes life-algorithms a lot. We did quite a lot of practice before his interviews, working on likely questions but also on likely interviewer reactions.
To be able to explain the universe, and the people in it, in just 4 letters would be great.
Forget identity cards. Make everyone carry their Myers/Briggs with them. Not ideal perhaps, but it might just stop a war someday. Or very importantly, get you that perfect Valentine's date!
If during your transitions or next-step career planning you get the chance to have a coached MBTI, grab the opportunity. Even seek one out.
Staying with abbreviations: Describe a hungry horse in 4 letters - MTGG. Do you have a funnier one? Does it work in French or other languages?
I am not in great shape today - something bad, eaten last evening, has laid me a little low. This blog is replacing medication and maintaining my consciousness.
A couple of days ago I had a discussion with my Chief Cabinet Maker or Head Carpenter (HC) in Paris. We were talking about MBTI - indeed my MBTI. There are those who enthusiastically support Myers&Briggs and the statistics (at least the numbers) are pretty impressive with many millions of evaluations having been undertaken since it was first published in the early 1960's.
It is a very long time since I did an MBTI - remembered my original letters OK but had long since forgotten the nuances. They all came back. And with the distance of years, those letters have indeed proven to be pretty accurate! This should in fact be the case as most fundamental traits and notions of self are seemingly developed relatively early in life (chapeau to Carl Jung's work).
The test is all about types and about likely preferences. Mine are quite pronounced and the objective of my discussion with HC was to see how these preferences would likely impact me and those around me. But it was importantly also about developing appropriate mitigation/learning strategies.
In doing this, I was reintroduced to The Conscious Competence Matrix , although most often drawn as a ladder. I do prefer the matrix representation, as it does allow a better discussion about moving around the matrix and not getting trapped with the notion of it all learning being about a straight-up climb. We have all fallen off quite a few ladders, learning new skills. My second small recommendation is to take a look at this technique and to see if it can be of use for you. It has helped me already.
My son is on the verge of (fingers crossed) his first post-college career opportunity. He likes life-algorithms a lot. We did quite a lot of practice before his interviews, working on likely questions but also on likely interviewer reactions.
To be able to explain the universe, and the people in it, in just 4 letters would be great.
Forget identity cards. Make everyone carry their Myers/Briggs with them. Not ideal perhaps, but it might just stop a war someday. Or very importantly, get you that perfect Valentine's date!
If during your transitions or next-step career planning you get the chance to have a coached MBTI, grab the opportunity. Even seek one out.
Staying with abbreviations: Describe a hungry horse in 4 letters - MTGG. Do you have a funnier one? Does it work in French or other languages?
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