The Quest is a BeCollaboration digital publication
Issue Nine 2019
ALAN BROWN Spotlight on a key collaborator
ANGELA MAKEPEACE
The theme of this issue is:
NEXT GENERATION
COLIN NEWLYN GINA GARDINER DAVE CORDLE IAIN HAMILTON SHERIE GRIFFITHS
Published by BeCollaboration 21 Victoria Road Surbiton Surrey KT6 4JZ UK Issue 9, first published on 1st February 2019 All rights reserved. Copyright Š BeCollaboration and Contributors, 2019 While aligned to the vision and values of BeCollaboration, the views expressed here are solely those of the contributors and are not expressions of policy on behalf of the BeCollaboration leadership. To experience a BeCollaboration Community, be our guest and come to a meeting. Register at www.becollaboration.com.meetings
For more details about The Quest and about BeCollaboration, visit our website at www.becollaboration.com You can contact the team by writing to team@becollaboration.com, or to one of the contributors, whose contact emails can be found at the end of the articles. The Quest is a publication platform open to members of BeCollaboration to contribute to major debates and issues of concern. Operating within the UK economy, and part of a global economic system, contributors to The Quest hold a big picture. They are personally involved with complex issues that require the skills and intent of many to solve. They are on a passionate, sometimes life-long search, to secure change in the world and as such hold a great responsibility for benefitting future generations. BeCollaboration believes in working for a world where every individual has the opportunity to be the best they can be: where we are empowered to recognise and honour our ‘innate genius’, exploit our full potential and make our dreams real. We seek a world where business and work are designed to meet a Human need for respect, to be valued, to achieve and to contribute to others. Most of all we seek a world where everyone has the opportunity to have their voice heard and make a positive difference to the planet and humanity.
2
Issue Nine
C O N T E N T S
About the contributors Editorial Gill Tiney Generation Zombie Angela Makepeace The New Leaders Colin Newlyn Celebrate Your Success Together Gina Gardiner They Are Their Future Dave Cordle Sasha's World Iain Hamilton Can I Have Your Attention Please Sherie Griffiths Collaborator profile: Alan Brown
Join the discussion...
3
About our contributors Angela Makepeace Angela makes award winning videos for business who want to change the world. Based in Essex, England, she wants to make the world a better place by spreading positivity and love though whatever medium possible. She is currently writing a book of love stories that she hopes will uplift and inspire people to get out and see how beautiful the world is, despite what you see on TV. While juggling her book and her video day job, she also volunteers at the local animal shelter… because animals need to be shown there is love in the world too. Colin Newlyn No-one told Colin how to be a leader at the start of his career, so he developed his own approach almost by accident. Based on his values and his personality, it was very effective and suited to the fast-paced technology environment he was in. It is this practical experience that informs his work today. He is passionate about making the workplace a human-centred environment that people love to work in and can fulfil their potential. He helps emerging leaders develop their own, authentic style so that they thrive in today’s world and can have a positive impact. Gina Gardiner Gina Gardiner is a #1 International Best-Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, Strategic Business and Empowerment Coach, with extensive experience of helping people achieve happiness and success. Supporting individuals to develop a greater sense of self–worth and develop confidence to step into their power, and business to become more profitable whilst caring for their people, is at the heart of her work. Gina is the creator of The Thriving Not Surviving Programme. She is passionate about helping her clients to achieve their full potential, and be genuinely, authentically their best self. Dave Cordle Dave Cordle is on a mission to get the skills and confidence to define and create success into the hands of young people before they leave education. He is a UK Registered Career Development Professional and chairs the ICCI’s Global Career Council. Following successful careers in cartography and computer systems development, Dave started his career work in 2001 and has helped thousands of people at all levels across a vast range of professions to develop their careers.
4
Iain Hamilton Iain Hamilton is a Product Manager, with experience in the Mobile Telecommunications industry, bridging product management, product marketing and pre-sales. He works successfully with customers, across groups in complex matrixed organisations and in smaller organisations. He has experience with LinkedIn and doing investor pitches for start-up companies. Iain has a degree in Electrical Electronic Engineering from the University of Liverpool. Sherie Griffiths Sherie’s first career was in the law. Her focus was on helping small businesses not just to deal with, but to prevent, legal difficulties. It was rewarding work – but she always felt, deep down, she should have been doing something ‘more creative’. Eventually, in 2007, following her sister’s untimely death, she changed careers. Today, she’s a: Broadcaster/podcaster, Speaker, Author, Trainer and ‘Much happier woman!’ specialising in ‘human communication in the digital age’. Through her company, (Savvy Business Communications Ltd T/A Speak For Yourself), that involves helping people build and maintain successful working relationships with colleagues, clients/ customers – and beyond. Alan Brown Alan Brown is a founding member of BeCollaboration. Married to co founder Gill Tiney he is a great supporter and an invaluable part of the team. He has had a stationery company for 30 years and his secret to success is to have amazing customer service. Brown and Tiney Office Supplies has been a traditional people first operation and has recently expanded to specialise in products specifically for schools. Branded as The School People they deliver nationwide and already have a reputation for going the extra mile. As a member of BeCollaboration Alan is known for his compassion and caring, helping members to feel valued and loved. The bear hugs help too. He is currently writing a book about ‘The Bubble Paradigm’ called It’s All About YOU!, to guide people on their quest to find true and lasting happiness. He acknowledges BeCollaboration as the catalyst for this new direction in life.
Join the discussion...
5
Editorial Gill Tiney
The Next Generation is a hot topic within the BeCollaboration world. We often discuss how one generation is blamed for the failings of the next; why Baby Boomers should apologise to Millennials for creating the disposable world we now know is slowly killing our planet. Angela Makepeace illustrates clearly the blame culture we have so easily slipped in to, once a name has been awarded to a year group. I wonder why we feel the need to name them, we are after all, simply Humans operating and coping in the world that has been given to us, trying to understand how to make it better. Looking back and blaming serves no purpose. Learn from the past and each other, yes, throwing accusations serves no one. Colin Newlyn takes a look at what might be missing in our society and has noticed a deficit of leaders. Not from want of trying, we all know of the plethora of books on leadership that we can devour – as if that might be enough to create the leadership required to change the current paradigm of Fear Scarcity and Competition. How can the Next Generation evolve and grow, if we require better leadership – or is that actually what they need? He looks at a new concept around self-organising, without the requirement of someone leading the charge. A brave new world maybe, but aren’t we ready for that seismic shift? Someone who is creating a shift in thinking by her innovative working is Gina Gardner who as a Head Teacher, was at the coal face of the Education system. She realised the full value of her teachers and worked hard to implement powerful strategies to support the newly qualified teacher. Unsurprisingly, a strategy that she has found, works well in other industries too. If you are passionate about supporting our next generation this is a reassuring read. As too is Dave Cordle, who has created a wonderful initiative that he is taking into schools and working with the children. When we have people like Dave, who really care about our young people, and actually stop moaning about the ’state of the education system’ and instead collaborate with others to do something about it, then I see a wonderful future. Working from the inside out, rather than aiming to change the ‘system’ he is challenging the current status quo, and actually showing others what can be achieved. Iain Hamilton paints a beautiful picture, of what his son is experiencing in his education and how the two generations divided by 50+ years are similar. His philosophical look at his school days, contrasted with what his son is learning, helps him to see a wonderful new world opening up. I saw a beautiful Ted Talk by Chip Conley shared by a member of our community, which identifies how powerful it is when the current generation learns from the next generation and vice versa. Having prejudices from one generation to another is actually restricting our ability to grow from each other’s innate genius. Finally, a real treat from Sherie Griffiths who looks at our attention span, concentration and focus 6
across the generations. Very apt as scientists are now pointing to traffic accidents rising due to lack of awareness while on a mobile device – I don’t think we need a survey to work that one out! She highlights how relationships will suffer if we lose the art of conversation, a very different way of seeing the future and the growth of the Next Generation. At BeCollaboration we believe that we all have something special to offer, age is but a number. The gift is finding your genius, recognising you at your best, in your flow and sharing it with others for the benefit of all. Whether we are 6 or 96 we all benefit from connecting on a real human, eye ball to eye ball multi-dimensional way. Who is important to you? When did you last truly connect? Go and give them a hug today! Please share with us your thoughts on the articles here and if you would like to meet any of our contributors then you can find them on our platform HERE Best wishes Gill Tiney – Co – Founder of BeCollaboration
About The Quest Team The Quest is produced by the BeCollaboration Digital Team and is made possible by, you. For concept design, layout and art, our warmest gratitude to Angela Makepeace of Angela Makepeace Motion Graphics Studio info@angelamakepeace.co.uk For proofing the design and layout, our huge respect to Simon Thomas of Toucan Internet LLP. simon@toucanweb.co.uk For her proofreading skills, many thanks to Linda Burns. lifeinsideout8@gmail.com
For creating and the maintenance of the website, proofreading and project managing this publication, a huge thanks to Kay Westrap. kay@couragetogrow.me.uk Our warmest gratitute to Anne Gould, for her editing skills. isworkingwordzmedia@gmail.com For her driving force to bring the project to fruition, proofing and liaising with contributors, writing of editorial and case study and being our Team Dynamo we give huge thanks to Gill Tiney gill@becollaboration.com
Join the discussion...
7
8
Lead article
Angela Makepeace
GENERATION ZOMBIE?
Join the discussion...
9
‘Millennial’ feels such a dirty word. I always hear There is a native American proverb that says: it with a sigh, an eye roll of general disdain. The label is almost patronising and restrictive, and “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, instantly dismissive. we borrow it from our children”. A Millennial is a label given to those who are born in the early 1980s to mid 1990s. They are also known as Generation Y. Society has deemed them idealistic, opinionated and who want to get to the top without working for it. Millennials have a sense of entitlement which makes them easy targets for previous generations to scoff at, when it is suggested that what has been handed down to them is challenging and unfair.
So, Millennials received a disposable society where they have been told time and time again that they can have it all, leading to massive mortgage rates, rising divorce rates and a thirst to blindly consume to fill the gap, when all is needed is connection. This world has been handed to them from the previous generation, the baby boomers, and now needs to be gently handed down in the best condition possible for the next generation.
Millennials are often the children of the baby Interestingly, Millennials are a product of boomer generation who were born post the environment that has been created by Second World War. baby boomers. The baby boomers in all their apparent wisdom who, post war created a The baby boomer generation’s parents have massive consumer society, where awards been labeled the Silent Generation, born were handed out for participation, not winning, roughly mid 1920s to early 1940s. The years (which puts getting to the top without working are categorised depending on your sources, for it in another perspective.) and a lot of discussion seems to have gone into correctly labelling and boxing the specific Baby Boomers, when you sat down and birth years of what each generation is. (It seems decided you wanted children is this the world rather a lot of effort to then destroy with ridicule you wanted them to grow up in? A world of and spite.) crippling debt, fear and scarcity? A world where your children have to save on average 19 years Each generation apparently comes with its to save for a deposit when it took you three? own problems and each generation has been Where they have to spend almost a quarter of frowned upon by its predecessor. From the their net income on housing, compared to your silent generation’s reluctance at Baby Boomers parents spending under 10 percent? A world ‘wild’ Rock and Roll music and opposition to the where you interfered with Middle Eastern Vietnam war, to the baby boomers regard for politics and have now bred a new type of war. Millennial as privileged, spoilt children. Each What happened? Millennials of course would generation seems to have shown no empathy argue the name ‘Baby Boomer generation’ or responsibility to the generation they have is short hand for greedy and selfish. I don’t brought into the world they have created. In believe this is the world you wanted to create, turn, each generation goes on to blame the but I do believe Millennial’s are targeted to previous generation as to why they can’t do, be distract from the failings of your generation, or have what they want. just like you were with your parents. 10
“Millennials have found resilience and have evolved. They have created new jobs that didn’t exist 30 years ago. They travel more, educating themselves on cultures and countries.” I am a massive believer in personal choices and Millennials have found resilience and have evolved. They have created new jobs that didn’t exist 30 years ago. They travel more, educating themselves on cultures and countries. They start their own business as they know they are not put on this planet to be like a caged rat and work until they die. Millennials do not put up with racism, sexism or homophobia. They have created more LGBTQ+ rights than any other generation. Mental health is as much of a priority as physical health. They are less likely to smoke than their parents. They make up their own rules and priorities and are having children later, or not at all. Millennials are rising above what is expected of them from the previous generation, changing the world despite their label and despite what they have inadvertently inherited.
their smart phones, with the weight of the world they have been left, sitting precariously on their shoulders. They will complain about the state of the planet and feel overwhelmed and hopeless. When addressing this they’ll be told they are self-entitled, idealists who should just get on with it.
My message to both Millennials and Generation Z is to consciously create your world. There are no boxes, no generation gaps or labels, we are all in this together. Take responsibility for the way it is. Leave it a better place than when you started. Pick up litter, recycle, encourage one another, measure your success not in money, possessions or status, but in friendships, happiness and love. Fight for people and animals and the only planet you have, fight for things that can’t fight for themselves. Create movements of love, connection and This is the world that Millennials are borrowing abundance. Be idealists, be spoilt, (you do from the next generation, Generation Z. A deserve more than this). There is always room world of growing equality, fairness and dare I to improve and change and learn and grow. say it, love. Love in all sizes, shapes and across Be the generations that despite the odds, the races, sex and prejudices. labels, the ridicule, rise up to make the world a more beautiful place to be. Generation Z precede Millennials, born between 1995-2009 (What is interesting in Do you think this article is self-entitled, idealist my research is that some believe Generation and opinionated? Good. I’m a Millennial, I’m Z started post September 11th 2001, as they proud and we’re here to change the world. would never have known a world pre 9/11 and therefore the so called war on terror). I’m sure, You can contact Angela at: like Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen Z will do their best with what they have been given. info@angelamakepeace.co.uk If history is to repeat itself, Gen Z all be scoffed at, targeted as a distraction for the possible failings of Millennials. Gen Z will be nothing more than zombies, stupid youths glued to Join the discussion...
11
12
What are the BeCollaboration meetings all about? We are a community of motivated and passionate people who choose to work closely together so we can make a positive impact on businesses, organisations and the lives of individuals we work with. People get involved with BeCollaboration for the buzz of being part of something larger than themselves. They want to be able to fulfil their dreams and ambitions with a team of collaborators who are as passionate as they are, and share the same goals. Collaboration creates empowerment for personal, professional and philanthropic growth. In short, we are up for changing the world. Fancy a bit of that? You can see a little more about the whole BeCollaboration approach to life and business here: www.becollaboration.com/our-vision
Details of all our meetings are on our website: www.BeCollaboration.com
Join the discussion...
13
Colin Newlyn
THE NEW LEADERS
14
The new leaders are very different from their predecessors. They are guided by their values purpose, rather than status and self-interest. They are emotionally intelligent, caring and compassionate to those they lead. They are curious and open to challenge, transparent and trustworthy. They are collaborative and I think this is because we are looking in the agile in their approach. They are self-aware wrong place, however. We are looking at the and conscious of the world around them and people who hold positions of leadership but in their behaviour. And they are everywhere. that is not where the next generation of leaders is coming from or headed to. We’re looking These leaders are emerging as our ideas at the past, people who have the status and around leadership are rapidly evolving to power of leadership but are not real leaders. meet the new situations, we find ourselves in. They are wedded to the hierarchy that gives Let’s look at how some of those changes are them their position and they ‘lead’ through happening. fear and control, through the exercise of the power they have, and they are failing because It is clear that many of our existing organisations this style of leadership is simply wrong for the are under considerable strain as boundaries break down between disciplines, industries, world that is emerging before us. technologies and waves of disruption wash A popular characterisation is that we are living over our societies. We see this all around in a VUCA world. Coined by the US Military us, as major presences on our high streets at the beginning of the century, the acronym disappear overnight, long established patterns stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and of behaviour change in a matter of months Ambiguous, and it seems a fitting description and our public institutions creak and groan of the ‘new normal’ we find ourselves in. The under pressure. The average lifespan of US problem is that our leaders, and our ideas corporations has declined from 60 years around leadership, were formed in the ‘old in 1960 to less than 20 today, a trend that is normal’ world of hierarchies, stable power forecast to accelerate as automation takes structures, status and control. A world of fear, over and the tech giants encroach into more and more traditional markets. scarcity and competition, in fact. There are over 60,000s of books on Leadership on Amazon so you’d think we’d have loads of great leaders, right? Yet when we look around that’s not the picture we get. We see an absence of leadership, in all realms of our society - politics, commerce, education, religious, everywhere.
The new leaders need to be able to function in this VUCA world but also in a world where collaboration is key, one based on love, connection and abundance. This is what gives them the resilience to deal with the VUCA world and to also thrive and grow in it.
In his seminal book ‘Reinventing Organizations’, Frederick Laloux investigates what type of organisation will emerge to replace the hierarchical, efficiency-focused structures that have dominated in our lifetimes. His premise is that that new types of organisation emerge
Join the discussion...
15
“The new leaders need to be able to function in this VUCA world but also in a world where collaboration is key, one based on love, connection and abundance. ” as we evolve to new levels of consciousness and that we are on the cusp of a such an evolution now. His best guess is that the new organisational type, which he calls ‘TEAL’, will be based around three principles: Selfmanagement, bringing your whole self to work and evolutionary purpose.
consciousness of its leader and so Buurtzorg’s incredible success is enabled by Jos de Blok’s rising level of consciousness. Clearly, there are some very different concepts of what a leader is at play here and not the sort that you find in many of the gazillions of leadership books on Amazon.
Whether his prediction comes true or not, we can certainly see these themes emerging. Hierarchies are being flattened and power moved down to those at the ‘work-face’; companies are encouraging employees to bring all their talents and individuality to their work to get the benefit of their creativity and their discretionary effort; and there is a strong drive for purpose amongst millennials who will shortly be the majority in the workplace. Whatever the next evolution of the organisation turns out to be, and there will be many variants, it will need a new type of leader to take it forward.
We can also see through our own experience how the world of work is changing in practical terms. Previously you would be on a team within a single organisation and your peers would probably be quite like you, in terms of age, sex and culture. Today, you are likely to be working on widely-distributed and diverse teams, a mix of generations, cultures and even organisations. Whereas in the past you were probably located together, or at least met regularly, today you are working virtually and it is entirely possible to have long and rewarding relationships with people you never physically meet.
We know this already as one of the organisations that Laloux features in his book is Buurtzorg, a social care provider in Holland. The organisation is led by Jos de Blok who was originally a conventional CEO. His first act to create the new organisation was to give away all his power in order to move to a self-managed model. How many conventional leaders can you think of today who would willing do that? De Blok says his role today is as a coach and mentor but primarily as the guardian of the organisations purpose and the ‘holder of the flame’, which is a fairly unique job description. Laloux says that no organisation can evolve beyond the
What’s more, these teams will form and disband on a project by project basis, adding another layer of constant change. People will join the team not because they were told to but because they value the challenge and the opportunity for development that the project provides. And, in many cases, because they buy into the purpose. It’s clear in these environments that the old hierarchical, command and control style of leadership, based around organisational status and power and telling people what to do, will not work. The people in these teams just 16
Join the discussion...
17
aren’t playing those games and many of them are beyond the reach of that types of power anyway. They have to be enrolled into the projects and fully engaged and committed to the purpose. So, what is it about the new generation of leader that is so different? Well, the first thing is that they are everywhere. Leadership is a becoming a distributed function, as people take leadership upon themselves as and when the situation demands, rather than waiting around to be told what to do. In her new book, ‘Dare to Lead’, Brene Brown defines leadership as ‘Anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and has the courage to develop that potential.’ The new leaders don’t sit around waiting to be picked, they step forward and make change happen. They also want to be in high-performing teams and a feature of those is that everyone steps forward when required and leadership is seamlessly passed between members, to ensure that the most appropriate and skilled member is leading on each task. Another feature of high-performing teams, are that they have an environment of high trust and psychological safety. It is the leader who creates that environment and ensures the team have all they need to do their best work and, in fact, to be their best selves.
They have high levels of emotional intelligence and are highly skilled in dealing with people, but they also have moral intelligence that enables them to choose the right option that honours their own, and the shared values of the team. They are also very self-aware and continue to work at understanding themselves better. A key element of this is their vulnerability, being able to share their own emotions and engage with those of other members of the team. They exchange the old vocabulary of leadership ‘set the vision’, ‘give direction’, ‘hit the numbers’, ‘hold to account’, for a new vocabulary that speaks of ‘enrolment’, ‘engagement’, ‘contribution’ and ‘support’. The new leaders are all around us and more are emerging and developing all the time. They are often young, but it is not just the millennial generation that can lead in this way. As Jos de Blok and many other leaders from older generations have shown, anyone can lead in this way, driven by values, purpose and heart.
Indeed, this type of leader has always existed but has often been the outlier, pushed to the margins by the culture of the powerbased, fear-driven hierarchical organisational structures of the past. As these organisations begin to evolve or die and new types emerge, So, what are the distinguishing features of this type of leader is growing in number and these new leaders? will become the new normal. The first thing is their focus is on those who they lead, rather than themselves. They are not seeking status or formal recognition, they are not seeking to feed their ego. They seek the acknowledgement of their peers and know that they will succeed through the success of their team.
The next generation of leaders is already here but it’s never too late to join their ranks. Anyone can learn to lead from the heart - or to put it the ‘BeCollaboration’ way, from love, connection and abundance. You can contact Colin at:
This comes to them easily because they colin@colinnewlyn.com genuinely care for the people they lead. Their compassion and interest is genuine, as indeed are they. They are transparent and authentic in their behaviour, led by their personal values and purpose. They are generous souls, too. 18
Gina Gardiner
THE NEXT GENERATION
Join the discussion...
19
What do you think of when you hear the words ‘The Next Generation?’ Is it your children or grandchildren, or perhaps a later model of car or a new version of a programme? For me, the words have a very special significance. For twenty-one years I was the Head Teacher of a large primary school. Long before it became a statutory requirement to provide training and support for probationary teachers, I set up a structured programme of training and support for all newly qualified teachers starting their career at my school. I was determined our pupils should get the very best educational opportunity possible. Young teachers were very enthusiastic but often lacked knowledge and expertise, making it difficult to handle the thirty children in the class. They had much to take on board including: understanding the culture of the school, a new curriculum with all the planning and delivery, managing the physical environment, including the organisation and equipment, discipline, marking, assessments, dealing with parents and operating as part of the extended school team. Surviving their Probationary Year required a great deal of stamina and resilience. Teaching can be extremely rewarding, however a lesson with a class who are acting up, can feel overwhelming. I believed it was vital for young teachers to be nurtured and supported, to know what was expected of them and to be helped to have the tools to deliver a great experience for every pupil. Its rather like driving a car. You start to learn the craft of driving once you have passed your test. I soon recognised that it took teachers around five years to develop the confidence
and experience to deliver excellence on a sustained basis, so I decided to look for ways to short circuit the time scale. I introduced a structured, two-year programme of training and development. The staff called it ‘The Next Step Programme’. It was a great success, however its very success created a HUGE problem for the school. My school consistently received the lowest budget per capita of any school in the Borough. The Borough received one of the lowest budgets in London. It meant our management structure was very flat. We could not afford many management positions. The outcome was that I lost staff to other schools after three years. They would apply for promotion – and get it, because of the confidence and expertise they had gained through The Next Step Programme. Teachers have to give their notice by specific times during the year. February 28th, May 31st and the 31st of October. I used to dread the run up to those dates, wondering how many people I’d lose for promotion. I knew I’d have to replace and train their replacements. Things came to a head one year, when five teachers approached me in one week in May using ‘that’ voice, saying ”Gina, I need a word.” Five very talented teachers at the end of their third year, had seen adverts offering an Incentive Post. They each came to tell me that they were going to look at different schools offering promotion. (In those days, the promotion was worth £596 a year. It seems so little now but it was worth so much more then.) I needed to do something! A huge amount of thought, time and energy was being invested in helping those young teachers develop and grow, but the school was not reaping the 20
Join the discussion...
21
“All staff teaching and non-teaching had a very clear understanding of what excellence looked like in the context of the school. Excellence not only in general terms but in each area of school life: relationships, curriculum, behaviour, pastoral care, marking, assessment, report writing etc.” benefit. I said to each of them in turn, if they chose to stay at the school I would offer them a programme of training and development which would prepare them for the next level of promotion. I promised that they would have the opportunity to help design the programme and that it would be a collaborative process. I suggested that they should go and look at the new school and find out what training and development the new school had to offer them. If they felt the new school would support their development, I promised I would support their application, write them a great reference, (which they richly deserved) and give them any interview training they needed. If on the other hand, they thought that the training and development they would receive at our school was worth the £596 a year, I would do everything in my power to ensure their ongoing success.
of the topics identified in the early days. The programme was set up in 1989, and in 2004 when I left it was still thriving. They called the group – The Next Generation! In 1989 the teaching profession was very troubled. Strike action and working-to-rule were the norm. Unions decreed that Head Teachers should only have one meeting a week out of school hours. Despite this ruling, my teachers chose to attend The Next Step and The Next Generation development sessions in their own time, as well as the conventional weekly Staff Meetings. Teachers were enthusiastic and focused on their professional development.
I felt it was vital that every member of staff should take responsibility for their own performance, but just as important was their taking collective responsibility to develop, support and professionally challenge their I was extremely relieved when all five decided colleagues. to stay. Now I had to deliver on my promise. The development programme began with that This was achieved by creating a culture initial group of five. Together we created the where everyone was striving for excellence agenda for each term. Everyone in the group, through collaboration. All staff teaching and myself included contributed to the identification non-teaching had a very clear understanding of what was needed and the best way to of what excellence looked like in the deliver it. Dealing with parents, presentation context of the school. Excellence not only in skills, embracing new technology, managing general terms but in each area of school life: people and giving effective feedback are a few relationships, curriculum, behaviour, pastoral 22
“I felt it was vital that every member of staff should take responsibility for their own performance, but just as important was their taking collective responsibility to develop, support and professionally challenge their colleagues.” care, marking, assessment, report writing etc. Everyone shared a common language and took ownership of making the school’s vision a reality. The work done within the Next Generation Development Programme was one of the central pillars by which this goal was achieved on a consistent basis. Interestingly teachers would choose to continue to be part of the Next Generation Group even when they achieved promotion within the school. Of the original five, two became Heads and three, Deputy Heads. Chocolate was an important element of the sessions. The group enjoyed learning, the sessions elicited much creativity and laughter. We combined the serious stuff with having fun! The Next Generation Group were the catalyst for even greater development within the school. The Middle Managers requested greater development opportunities. As a result, the Middle and Senior Management Team received coaching and mentoring training. They acted as Mentors and Trainers to all staff and students. As a result of the success of this programme, we were able to train Graduate Teachers without being part of a group governed by a University. This was very unusual for a Primary School. What began as individual responses to a perceived need, became a comprehensive, holistic, structured and sequential training and development programme. Necessity is
certainly the mother of invention. My need to ensure that the whole team worked together effectively with a cohesive approach. Shared values were vital, as by 1987 I was using a wheelchair around school, my mobility deteriorated and by 1996 I was completely wheelchair bound and unable to access most of the classrooms. Staff were motivated to deliver excellence for all and keen to continue to grow themselves. The school’s success was evident. Our first Ofsted Inspection report stated we were an outstanding school with many strengths and no weaknesses. On our second inspection, several years later Ofsted recognised that progress since the first inspection had been outstanding. As a result, we were on the HMI’s ‘Best 100 Schools in England’ list twice during my time as Head Teacher. We were one of the first ‘Beacon Schools’. Our speciality was Leadership and Management. I and my staff supported hundreds of teachers and governors and dozens of schools to help them raise standards. Investors in People identified our development work, as innovative and exemplary. Since leaving Headship, the principles, approaches and strategies developed with The Next Generation Development Group have become the bedrock of my work with individuals, couples, teams and whole
Join the discussion...
23
organisations. Businesses who have adopted the approach have found that within a year they are more productive and profitable, have better working relationships and a consistently better work life balance. For me the ‘Next Generation’ means fulfilling the potential to be the best version of you that you can be. To be ready to take responsibility for everything you do, and to do everything you can to support, encourage and help others. To strive for excellence for yourself and your colleagues through collaboration, shared values and creativity. To be prepared to be vulnerable, to learn, collaborate, play and celebrate your success together.
up for the Genuinely You TV Series at www. genuinely-com/home You’ll also find lots of useful free resources on the website and Genuinely You App.) You can contact Gina at: georgina.gardiner@gmail.com
(You can download a free digital copy of “Thriving Not Surviving – The 5 Secret Pathways To Happiness, Success And Fulfilment” or sign 24
Our main aim in BeCollaboration is to bring people together, face to face, in a community where we share values, grow together and are aligned, to create projects and events that will have a lasting impact to improve our world. Logistically it is not possible for everyone to physically get to a meeting (yet) and so we have developed the next best thing. Being in an online community with all of the same BeCollaboration ethos you can now access the same magic, connect with incredible BeCollaboration members and get the same generous spirit from our online community. Follow the link Join the Platform to become a member. There you will find articles, videos, discussions and information to help you in your business and your life. Learn from the community, share your knowledge, support and help others, near and far. Plus discover those who are aligned and are nearby to you, where there are events close by – or worth travelling to. Invite your friends in, no matter where they are in the world. The common denominator? Being passionate about making a difference to others and working in your genius, your flow, to make it happen. Discover others who share your passion and create something together – Together we are stronger. What could you achieve if you had others to help you? Come and find them on the BeCollaboration platform. If you are a fan of the movie The Matrix you will remember a clip where Morpheus ask Neo if he wants to take the red pill or the blue pill‌. Take the red pill and discover a new world of love, connection and abundance in BeCollaboration. See you on the other side.
The BeCollaboration Platform
Join the discussion...
25
Dave Cordle
THEY ARE THEIR FUTURE
26
“What if we re-defined ourselves as human, and consciously resisted the temptation to segment ourselves by race, age, size, social standing, and so on?”
As loud applause from a packed auditorium died down, he went on: “You are the future. You have gained the skills, both technical and life skills. You have shown resilience, leadership, teamwork and determination. You have overcome challenges when things weren’t going well.” More applause “You promised on your honour, to do your duty. That is the very essence of you. It means that you do the right thing. Now you have the skills, you have a duty to use them, to be the best that you can be.” As I read those words back it sounds like something from some sort of passing out parade in some American movie. But it isn’t. It’s an award ceremony for Chief Scout’s Gold to a group of 58 young people aged 14 and under, it is November 2018 and the man speaking is Joe Rogerson, County Commissioner for Surrey Scouts. These young people have undertaken a programme which has included expeditions, community work, developing and using new skills such as leadership, communication, resilience and team working, to name but a few. A significant achievement and one which will help them land the courses they want, and beyond that, the jobs that they want.
I start with this because it’s very easy in an article like this to focus on what’s wrong (though we will get to that briefly), rather than what’s right. As much as focussing too much on the “problem” is unhelpful, so is the way that we tend to compartmentalise society by the language we use: we talk about the young (generally still in education of some sort), the elderly, and then everybody else in-between like we are separate species. What if we re-defined ourselves as human, and consciously resisted the temptation to segment ourselves by race, age, size, social standing, and so on? What if we recognised the unique diamond, shining inside each and every one of us, whatever our age? Before you read on, just take a few moments to imagine that world, one where we appreciate each other for WHO we are with our own unique contribution, independent of age. Young people now: in the past when you were a child, and in future generations, are imaginative, creative, talented, versatile and resilient. They have a valuable contribution to make. But we put them through a factory system we call school, a new production line every year, until we’ve squished all of those wonderful qualities out of them. It happened to you, it’s happening for young people now and it will.....
Join the discussion...
27
Hold on though! It doesn’t have to be that way. better, society does better. Unless we (and this does mostly mean those of us who are adults right now) let it happen. The problem is that there is currently no will to change, even given the universal benefits. Imagine if the people in school right now Schools are still judged on academic results, were to leave with the skills and confidence businesses are scared to give their staff the to create success for themselves? Imagine if, skills to manage their careers, and politicians instead of the main focus being on academic don’t genuinely care about anything other than work and results, it was on teaching the skills their own personal and party political goals. to understand how their brains and minds work; to understand and work with their emotions You could look at this and say that it’s too big, and beliefs; to recognise, articulate, and be what can I do about it? But you already are proud of, the wonderful skills and qualities that doing something about it and, if that something they have; to know the impact they have on the is nothing, you are choosing to support the world and to connect with their purpose, their problem. Think on that! passions, and how they want to be in the world. But let’s not just do it to young people: if we all Since declaring my mission (to get the skills embrace this learning it will be a systemic win and confidence to define and create success (ref. Paul Baker’s article in the last issue). into the hands of as many people as possible), I’ve connected with a lot of people who are Children would be more engaged in their doing something about it and who are making learning. Teachers would find more joy in significant impacts in small pockets across the teaching. Staff in businesses would be more globe. They are running courses on wellbeing motivated and produce more because they are and resilience or taking coaching practices into aligned with work that they love. So businesses schools. do better, families do better, individuals do 28
The evidence that these things are both necessary and desirable is already out there. Reference Dr Glenn Wallis and David Pilbeam’s book “How to Become a Talented Performer”, or the statement from Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development at the Career Development Institute conference last year, where he outlined that businesses are looking for critical thinking, communication and so forth above academic skills. Manpower’s 2018 Talent Shortage Survey of nearly 40,000 businesses globally, shows that the most needed skills by business are communication, collaboration, problem solving, organisation, customer service, leadership and management.
one SLT member reported that he is seeing a positive difference just by being aware of his emotional state and that of his class. • Those young people receiving their Chief Scout Gold award benefitted from being a part of an organisation which positively affects 450,000 young people every week in the UK alone. So, there is a huge amount of positive action taking place already in certain schools and through various youth organisations. But it’s just a tiny scratch on the surface.
To change a culture will take massive action, and it will take young and old, and those in between, recognising and respecting that And there are some great examples where every one of us has something unique and coaching, emotional intelligence and other of special to offer. these skills are being shared: So, where you stand on this? Do you care that • I visited Brooklands Farm Primary, where young people have the skills and confidence each of the 900+ students has a GROW to define and create success for themselves? plan that allows them to take responsibility Do you care about getting, or enhancing, these for their own outcomes, and an adaptive skills for yourself? workspace where children can make appropriate choices to work together on If you do, what are you doing about it? It might tasks or work on their own when they need be writing an email, or voicing your opinion. to. It might be delivering coaching or lobbying • With Journey to Success (a collaborative politicians. If everyone who says they cared entity combining expertise in Career actually did something, then the change will Development, Emotional Intelligence and happen. Gamification), I am delivering a workshop and personal coaching programme to the You can contact Dave at: SLT (Senior Leadership Team) in a state high school of over 1200 students and dave@davecordle.co.uk nearly 100 staff. Even early feedback shows that this is having an impact: for example, Join the discussion...
29
Iain Hamilton
SASHA’S WORLD
30
I am fifty years older than my son. If a generation is nominally twenty-five years, then the ‘Hamiltons’ have missed out an entire generation. My son is Alexander but we call him Sasha - there are enough people called Alex already, so it avoids confusion. He will have a different life experience than the one I have had. I am not suggesting his education is going to equip him for his life. How could you possibly predict what skills will be needed in 20 or 30 years’ time, never mind in 40, 50 or 60 years? Who is to say that he will retire in his sixties? He may work well beyond that. Probably will. What is clear, is that his education is better suited to the times now, than mine. At best, curriculums react to the conditions now. More likely, a curriculum reflects what thirtysomething year-old teachers know or fiftysomething year-old senior bureaucrats think.
discovered and presented by other people, about manipulation. So, what now and what will be useful in the future? Now facts are available free to everyone through the internet. But do you trust it?
Some time ago, the DIKW (Data Information Knowledge Wisdom) model postulated that you could think of layers, with Data as the lowest level. Data is just values without organisation and context. Next highest comes information then Organisation is added, but it is still pretty useless. Knowledge next, Knowledge has context and organisation. It is like an answer to a quiz. Knowledge is what we learned and were tested on at school. Lastly, the pinnacle is wisdom. It is wisdom that tells us whether to trust a fact or a person. It tells us whether we can rely on something or someone; how to deal with a situation. It tells us how to do something Arithmetic and English have not changed very and whether it is worthwhile. much at all between my education and his. One and one is still two, I assume that always Wisdom was not taught. How could it be? “You will be true. However, History and Geography can’t put an old head on young shoulders”. have changed but Science has changed Wisdom was acquired with decades of more. Newton’s rules have turned into mere experience. approximations. So how we are going to educate Sasha? Change has happened more in the way we There is certainly a place for learning basic learn and why. Education used to be about arithmetic, telling the time, reading, grammar, acquiring knowledge. We learned facts, and tying shoelaces. But other things become were tested on the ability to parrot them out more important. Learning to work together, again. Latin was used to learn grammar and to cooperate, to collaborate. Competition is a test logical thinking. conundrum. It is important to succeed - but does that have to be at the expense of a loser? Some years ago, a contemporary of my father boasted to me that he and my father were The other day, we looked at a lot of old of the last generation when you could know photographs. One that stood out was at the everything. What tosh! But there is a grain of wedding of my great-great aunt, in about 1911. truth; perhaps that was the last generation that The boy in the front row was my maternal you were measured by what you knew. grandfather. The folks in the picture were predominantly farmers. In those days, change Perhaps education thirty or forty years ago, was accelerating, but slow by our standards. was about being able to find, organise and That group would have seen bicycles and apply knowledge that had already been steam traction engines, maybe cars and Join the discussion...
31
32
telephones, but wouldn’t have had their own. They would have been unlikely to have even seen aeroplanes or refrigerators. They probably didn’t have electricity at home. Their education lasted a lifetime. They learned their father’s or mother’s occupation and did it for their whole life. Wisdom was needed by a community or family, not just an individual.
Now is AI (and whatever technology comes next) going to put Sasha out of work? I don’t know, but I think he’ll be OK. Your view depends on whether you see the glass to be half full or half empty. I’m optimistic. It would be foolish to think the world didn’t have challenges: Global warming, increasing populations wanting more to eat, automation changing the pattern of employment. We (and Sasha’s generation) In those days, the biggest type of employment need to acknowledge the challenges and was domestic service: cleaning and cooking embrace them, then to work together to solve for rich people. If this stopped, what would them. To Collaborate. people do for a living. It did stop. Rich people could not get staff because of war and better You can contact Iain at: wages elsewhere. They didn’t need so many staff because of automation (like the vacuum Iain.hamilton@marketingforentrepreneurs.co.uk cleaner and washing machine) because they 07740629210 drove themselves in cars and because they lived in smaller, less labour-intensive houses. Did employment crash? Perhaps temporarily, but most people were better off. In the 1970s, I remember watching a Horizon programme on BBC2 called “Now the Chips are Down”. Electronics and automation were going to put most of us out of work. Did they? No, but they changed employment. I don’t want to work in a typing pool anyway! Join the discussion...
33
Sherie Griffiths
CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?
34
absorbed in listening to music through earbuds; but those who don’t see what – or who – is in front of them because they’re staring at their • Attention-span phones, also deserve a mention here! When either bumps into you on the street, they’re • Focus irritating but when they cross a busy road • Concentration. without looking or listening, they’re dangerous Separately and collectively, these resources to life and limb – and not just their own! are finite – to spend more of one, we have to borrow from another. So, for example, broader Sodcasting is narrowly defined as ‘playing music focus inevitably means a shorter attention- through mobile phone speakers in a public place’. That tends to pin the offence squarely span and/or shallower concentration. on Millennials but what Julian Treasure of The In this article, I’m looking at three results of Sound Agency calls ‘white collar sodcasting’ stretching our attention resources: inattentional – the oversharing of what should be a private blindness/deafness, multitasking and the phone-call in a public place – is very often committed by those of us who are old enough Goldilocks effect. to know better! They all represent opportunities; but to harness them we have to recognise and manage the Then there’s ‘disappearing’ – when the people obstacles. The alternative is that the next with whom we’re sharing space and time generation will face even bigger challenges become ‘invisible’ in human/social terms. If than we have today – especially to their you’ve ever sat next to someone on public relationships with one another. transport who was talking about deeply private issues as though you didn’t exist, you have been ‘disappeared’. Inattentional blindness/deafness We think of attention as one capacity, but it’s actually three:
This is what happens when we don’t see or hear what’s going on around us, because our minds are elsewhere. There’s a place and time for such narrow focus and deep concentration – but walking through town isn’t it!
The last two behaviours are the product of the freedom technology gives us, to connect with almost anyone, anywhere and at any time, and the pressure it puts on us, to compress more and more work etc. into less and less time!
It isn’t a peculiarly digital phenomenon, of course – it can happen for all sorts of reasons but it does take some technological forms – with great names – which affect how we operate in the physical environment – including how we treat other people.
Multi-tasking
One way technology lets us compress is by manipulating time. Today, that gives us, among many other things, media on demand, but it’s actually been part of everyday life since home recording first let us fast-forward through the Podestrianism refers to pedestrians who don’t boring bits of radio and TV shows. look where they’re going because they’re too Join the discussion...
35
36
Join the discussion...
37
“...real human relationships are ‘rich, messy and demanding’. Every one worth the name needs all three attention resources – and you can’t pay attention without spending time. “
The downside is that the same technology which lets me, as a programme-maker, talk to you at the best time for both of us – even if that’s completely different for each - has shortened our attention-spans, by offering opportunities to skip the boring bits of real life! Phones and tablets can be incredibly useful in education. Professor Jesse Stommel, of the University of Mary Washington encourages his students to use them on his Digital Storytelling courses, because they enable online research and the quick creation of audio-visual content. Although he accepts that not everyone will use them that way – that some will spend time checking out what their friends did last night. People who go online during face-to-face meetings, classes and social situations, tend to believe they can do both at once but, as Michael Proulx, of The University of Bath, explains, this kind of multi-tasking is a myth. The human brain is still the most amazing piece of kit ever created but when we think we’re paying attention to two or more things at once, we’re actually juggling – switching our attention back and forth - and we drop a ball at every switch! Talking of switches brings me to another impact of shorter attention-spans on human interaction – the tendency to treat people like gadgets, with on/off buttons. The Goldilocks Effect
This term was coined by Sherry Turkle, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, because as she puts it, ‘we still need each other - not too little, not too much – but just right’. That need for control is probably inevitable, given the freedom we have, and the pressure we’re under, to expand our human networks. Biological evolution through genetic inheritance (which moves at a pace that would frustrate a three-legged snail!) has given us the mental capacity for around a hundred and fifty individual relationships (split into smaller subgroups) but social evolution through peerto-peer learning (which has accelerated over time and now leaves Usain Bolt standing!) encourages, and sometimes compels, us to widen our focus to thousands – even millions. As Sherry says though, real human relationships are ‘rich, messy and demanding’. Every one worth the name needs all three attention resources – and you can’t pay attention without spending time. It’s tempting to try, because it means being able to broaden focus but when we spread ourselves too thinly, the result is too many shallow connections. That creates three dimensions of distance in human communication – physical, because most of them are remote contacts, temporal, because we don’t have enough time to keep in touch with them all and human/social (the degree to which we identify with, or feel 38
alienated from one another) because we ‘lose sight’ of individuals. Across every kind of distance, we lose fine detail, so have to focus on broad features. Across human/social distance, the small, subtle elements that make each human being unique disappear, so we switch our focus to the groups they appear to belong to. Broad reach has value, of course – it’s great for marketing, but there are costs. When a multi-faceted, multi-layered person is reduced to attributes like age and gender, it’s easy to jump to the wrong conclusions. Take, for example, the story (in October 2018) of a young woman at university who wanted to paint over a mural depicting ‘privileged white men’ – which was, in fact, a memorial to a group of lads who died in the First World War. The closest form of human/social connection is empathy – the very human blend of cognition and emotion which lets us feel, not just for, but with, another person. That’s obviously lost when we become alienated by assumptions, or a simple lack of understanding. Empathy is in short supply when young people believe their own and others’ personal value can be measured according to the number of ‘friends’ they have (online). Words change their meaning over time. Language is a living thing and has to evolve or die, but not all evolution takes us in a positive direction – as will be the case if the next generation literally don’t know who their ‘friends’ are. We humans – along with many other creatures – learn by experience and the less we receive, the lower our expectations become. Sherry Turkle makes the point that the less we expect from one another, the more we turn to technology for ‘human’ interaction. A friend (in the old-fashioned sense) recently brought that home to me when she said, of her smart speaker, ’I’ve got a husband and two kids – and Alexa is the only one who says “Good morning” to me!’
Our gadgets, from phones to TVs, already talk, ‘listen’ to and even ‘watch’ us and the next generation of that technology - machines designed to behave in even more human ways so that they can care for us, keep us company (even in the bedroom) and teach our kids – have already been ‘born’ and are growing up fast! The future is, as always, full of exciting and scary possibilities. There are just three things I know for certain. First, genies don’t go back into bottles – however nicely we ask them to! Once they’re out, they’re out – and the best thing any of us can do is to think very carefully about what we wish for. Second, being able to delegate to machines has huge potential to enhance our lives but investing too much of our attention to them, and worse, abdicating our responsibility to them, to give one another attention, will create major problems – including making us ‘invisible’ to each other, in 3D – physically, temporally and in human/social terms. Finally, we all have to do our bit to shape a future in which we maximise the opportunities created by technology, by recognising and managing the obstacles. The good news is that if you’re reading this, you’re already doing that – because Be Collaboration bucks a lot of the negative trends and embraces the positive ones. Every collaboration starts with a conversation. We who weren’t raised in the digital age need to teach those who are, about the pitfalls – and we can learn at least as much from them, about the potential. So, let’s welcome more of our younger colleagues and get more intergenerational conversations – and collaborations – going. You can contact Sherie at: sherie@speakforyourself.biz
Conclusion Join the discussion...
39
Profile: Taking a look at a key Collaborator in the community.
Alan Brown
40
This is an opportunity for one of our members to share their passions with a new audience, explain what is important to them, give context to who they are, and why BeCollaboration is part of their life.
a formula for every individual finding true and lasting happiness. In our life in the western world, there is no reason for the average person to live in a nightmare scenario of stress, anxiety and worry – they just need the tools to get their mind in the right area where these things can Who is Alan Brown? become history. I want to help people discover for themselves how to harness the power of I am a man whose life revolves around their mind and show them how to access a new helping people. Whether it is with family, way of living and loving. I call this my Bubble my wife Gill and two grown up daughters Paradigm. Danielle and Nicola, or with my friends and the BeCollaboration community. I like to think If you could choose one BeCollaboration I make a difference by being there for them. I value that you identify with, what might that also pride myself on supporting my customers be? – school teachers around the country, that we supply with everything they need to do a great This must be LOVE. I am a romantic at heart, job. Plus, my commercial clients we supply and give hugs to most people I meet. Outside with their office products. We believe we stand of BeCollaboration, some people find it out because we care and go the extra mile, strange that love is a core value. Most people and I know that our company ethos stems from associate love with their family or close intimate how I build my relationships. relationships. I see the wider meaning and am 100% signed up to the “Human Being First” What fills you with joy? mantra and philosophy of BeCollaboration as I firmly believe in people and their innate I love the theatre, playing sport and following goodness. my beloved West Ham United. That is my doing, my action, my fun. More importantly I find joy You have been a member of BeCollaboration when people are happy and live in harmony for a while now, can you identify how you together as a community. When people show have been impacted in your life by being a love, forgiveness and compassion to others, I member? believe this is what makes us human and the world a better place. It may be mushy to some, I know it sounds a bit corny but there is nothing but it makes the world go around. like it. BeCollaboration offers so much both in terms of personal development as well as What is your reason for BEing? Or in other friendship and love. I am forever impressed words what are you passionate about? by people and their account of what they have been through to get where they are I am very passionate about bringing a little today. People open their soul, which impacts happiness to everyone I meet. I believe I have on me and helps shape my thinking. When Join the discussion...
41
people visit BeCollaboration it is not unusual to hear them say they have been searching for something like this for a long time, it simply resonates, it just feels right – for me personally it is all of these things together with feeling like you are part of a family. Both my parents and my brother died when I was a young man, so the family I have and my extended ‘family’ is very precious to me.
being compassionate for those less fortunate. Looking at problems with fresh eyes, because let’s face it we haven’t done the best job so far, the next generation have a job to do. If we can empower them, teach them core values and share our mistakes so they don’t have to tread that road again it will give everyone a better future.
As part of the team supporting This issue of The Quest has focused on ‘Next BeCollaboration why do you think it is Generation’, how do you see the importance important to support others? of empowering the Next Generation? BeCollaboration is a movement. It is an We are just custodians of this beautiful world, organisation that must be fit for purpose so that it is in our hands to pass it on to the next the great work it does lasts well into the future. generation in a “fit for purpose” state. I believe Each of us can do a little, share your genius, we all have a duty to pass on great things grow the community, share the knowledge, to the generation to come. It’s crazy that in ethos and philosophy. I help by looking after our so called ‘civilization’ we keep using up the finances of the organisation, a role that the world’s resources without a care for the fits me well that both of the founders are not long-term future. Let us teach our young naturally gifted in. None of us can do it all. But how to care for the world and each other, together…. Well we can achieve anything when 42
Join the discussion...
43
“When you work with like-hearted people, it’s not work. I genuinely want to help the vision and mission of BeCollaboration. ”
we work together.
If someone is interested in coming along to a BeCollaboration meeting, from your Are you free to operate within your Genius? perspective what might they expect when What does that mean for you? they get there? My genius is to bring happiness to others. I feel moved to help others and have written a book with my Bubble Paradigm at its heart. BeCollaboration has given me the vehicle to express my genius in a real way. Being able to express your genius is a fantastic thing to do, most people never get an opportunity to do so – top marks to BeCollaboration in providing the space to do this. Without BeCollaboration I definitely would never have had the courage to step into this new world.
Something they would not get elsewhere. BeCollaboration is a one off. In a practical way, they can expect love, positive attitudes and mindset. A warm welcome is a given where visitors are encouraged to chat with Collaborators to see if there is a “fit” with where they are in life, and whether BeCollaboration can help with their development as a “human being first”. Great presentations, fun, banter, camaraderie, collaborations, opportunities, challenges, growth, hugs, business, epiphanies, and love. Just BEING there is enough to fill your What vision do you have for your business and soul and leave you feeling enriched, inspired your life working with the BeCollaboration and excited for the future. community? You can contact Alan at: I have been in business for 30 years and have enjoyed every one of those years. The alan@theschoolpeople.uk BeCollaboration community has enhanced my zest and enthusiasm, my personal development and wellbeing. What I learn at BeCollaboration continues to impact me and my approach to my business. Having access on a monthly basis to specialists in their field within the community means I can improve my knowledge and practices, whether it be a sales conversation or enlightenment for my personal development. 44
Join the discussion...
45
The Quest Invitation to visit.
BeCollaboration believe that true collaboration – as you have witnessed here in The Quest, occurs when people develop and deepen their relationship, building trust through sharing their authentic self. This doesn’t generally happen as a result of online communication. Meeting face to face is the best way to create amazing possibilities where wonderful projects happen. The Quest is just one such project. We believe that meeting regularly is fundamental to our growth and learning so we have monthly meetings for guests and Collaborators to meet and discuss new ideas, issues and potential solutions. Each meeting delivers knowledge sharing, business insights, personal development opportunities as well as thought leaders in the making presenting their genius to the room. All of this in an atmosphere where fun and laughter are paramount. At the end of the meeting, we find no one wants to leave so we continue the conversations in a social get together for as long as you want to stay. If you would like to visit and meet our community you are very welcome. There is no cost to attend, simply bring an open mind and a listening heart. You can get full meeting information including upcoming dates and venue details here www.becollaboration.com just click on ATTEND A MEETING. We look forward to meeting you soon.
46
Dates: 7th Feburary 15th Feburary 21st Feburary 26th Feburary
Essex, Herts, Surrey, London,
Chelmsford Hertford Banstead Shad Thames
7th March Essex, Chelmsford 15th March Herts, Hertford 21st March Surrey, Banstead 26th March London, Shad Thames 4th April Essex, Chelmsford 12th April Herts, Hertford 18th April Surrey, Banstead 23rd April London, Shad Thames
What happens at a BeCollaboration meeting. 2pm – 3pm is the Introduction for guests. Learn more about what inspires us to be part of the community, our journey so far and how to make the most of your visit. 3pm – 6pm The Collaborators will join you to share, create, discuss, inspire and learn – plus have fun! 6pm onwards there is always a social vibe to continue the conversation, you are very welcome to stay and we can get to know you more too. We look forward to welcoming you to a BeCollaboration event soon.
Join the discussion...
47
