Tag: hope

Race for…remembering

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I was watching Race for Life in Cambridge yesterday. I enjoy cheering on various family members and friends (plus those doing especially well, dressed creatively or struggling too). It is a moving time watching women of all ages push themselves in memory of people they know or have known.

As I was clapping, a pretty hard looking guy strolled past with a tough looking dog, who proceeded to foul the pavement (the dog, not the guy). With this blog in mind, I wondered what we would do, and what I should think of doing too (see this).

Secondly, a woman went past complaining loudly about charities generally and especially those that raise money on the streets: “I hear they are dreadful and waste most of what you give”. This reminded me of our ideas on Noble Purpose Organisations. My plan before writing the book is to present and test the overall argument in a number of 60-90 minute interactive sessions (complete with stories, concepts and suggested actions) this autumn. Please let me know if you know anyone who might be interested. I will then write this into an article or pamphlet before any book…thanks to those of you who feedback ideas that have informed this route.

And the guy with the dog?…well, he stopped, got a little bag out of his back pocket and picked up the mess. Really times have changed…I find that example very encouraging for making change in our lives, teams and societies. And you?

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Planes, Trains etc = Happy Thanksgiving

Front foot, Reflect No Comments

At this time of economic anxiety and woe, there are still, in the words of Ian Dury, reasons to be cheerful.

Recalling the seminal John Candy and Steve Martin film “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, yesterday, on Thanksgiving eve, I travelled back from a client event and in just over 10 hours travelled by

– Taxi

– Train

– Underground

– Plane (two)

– Bus

– Car

I needed to manage a tram and ferry to travel by pretty much every sort of public transport!

The reason to be cheerful?  

Unlike the film, how smoothly everything went – other than one escalator and one lift failure.  I even managed to board an earlier plane for my second leg from Frankfurt airport.

It is easy to forget just how much goes right in the modern world, for those of us with more than minimal resources and who live in stable, developed counties.

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More on hope

Think No Comments

This is one of our responses to Helen Bevan’s article on the need for hope in the Health Service Journal.

“I agree that we need to be aware of risk and problems, however, I read this as a welcome balance to the over-focus on pathology – and not a denial of difficulty.

Interestingly, this positive, hopeful article has attracted only a fraction of the comment that the story about KPMG partnering with NHS London received this week.

Well done HSJ on leading with this. I hope [sic] with non-inflammatory intentions.  If we believe that we get what we talk about, then this sort of piece can help progress and assist the NHS achieve its potential in terms of eliminating harm to patients and increasing quality care.”

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Hope syncronicity

Plan No Comments

Having just written two emails and one event design note that all majored on hope, it was great to see the front cover of the Health Service Journal leading on a piece by Helen Bevan on the very same thing. 

It is clear that  ‘hope’ is needed in the NHS and Bevan shows how a conscious choice of that stance is possible (despite countervailing pressures) and how useful it is.

In our role as team coaches, we often start client events with ‘what is encouraging you?’ or ‘what gives you hope from the pre-event survey?’. 

Only then do we go on to explore what might be holding a group back – and what new habits are needed (another version of 3Hs, to go with humility, honesty, humour and head, heart, hands).

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Motivation follows action

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In the weekend supplement to The Guardian Magazine on 1st January New Year, Oliver Burkeman, whilst dismissing positive thinking, writes “motivation follows action”. 

We are not sure who first coined that phrase, but think it is a great mantra to live by. Our own experience is testimony to this.

 What do you think?  We would love to know.

 And see here for inspiration on the topic.

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Today : tomorrow

Think No Comments

Climate change / The Hybrid Car / Global warning / Renewable electricity   :    the possibilities beyond Peak Oil.

Patient demands / The best of medical practice /  Government targets / Compassion  :   The potential beyond today’s reality.

Challenge / Response / Change / Hope   :   The solutions a problem can create.

The old ways /  The Demand for new solutions /  Anxiety and Pain / Ideas and Acceptance   :   Something new and better will come.

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