Our Journey
Reflections, ideas, and thoughts
What I don't know about inclusion
The more I have experienced exclusion as a disabled person the more I see the limits of my understanding of how to include others…
But you didn’t get the job!?
What it was like to be part of our recruitment experiment and not get the job.
Hiring Lara (5) - A White shirt makes an excellent comms lead
Magic happens when you build trust as part of the hiring process.. even if your applicants have some weird hang ups…
Hiring Lara (4) - Understanding 'Collective Impact' via pastry
Having autonomy doesn't mean 'doing it alone' - sometimes it involves pastry…
Hiring Lara (3) - Listening for Stars in Meaningless Words
Even pantomime villains get a chance to submit good work when the application process has been deeply considered…
Hiring Lara (2) - The First Quest
In which we gleefully burn down the ‘hiring scripture’ and then have a little cry about losing the comfort of certainty in the ashes of the unknown…
Hiring Lara (1) - Unexpected Adverts
This is the story of how a video game helped to get me a job. It’s a story about Vikings, pyjamas, and fear - and it starts at 3.45pm on a Thursday…
The Gateshead Bridgebuilder Diaries: 2. Recruiting Bridgebuilders
If you’re trying to explore new and creative ways to discover what could make life better for people who experience poverty and disadvantage…
The Facilitating Bravery Initiative (FBI): seeking disrupter partners
Do you think that ‘the way we’ve always done it’ is good enough? Do you, your colleagues and applicants love your...
Rail Travel and Person-Centred System Design
I’ve been involved in the Campaign for Family Friendly Trains since autumn 2021. Our ask is simple; that trains are designed to...
Unlearning hierarchy
At CIA, we are asking the question, ‘what happens when you remove organisational hierarchy?’ How do things work and how does it look?
The Case for Anti-Leadership
When I became a charity CEO back in January 2010 there was no training manual. I had picked up some of the technical stuff over the...
Healthy Systems: Strong Relationships, Strong Foundations
When I look at the world, I generally see it in two ways (usually at the same time). On the one hand, whilst I don't like to admit my...
Why I'm excited to join the CIA
I’m coming to work with the Collective Impact Agency (CIA) next month, and I can’t wait, but it’s an unusual excitement. Usually, when...
The Trouble With Having Values
Hands up, who works for, or has worked for, an organisation that has organisational values? Like mission statements and vision...
Sanctuary for the Troublemakers
I joined the Collective Impact Agency (CIA) back in April of this year. As I look back over my first quarter here I’d love to share some...
Crossing Out The Accessibility Tick-Box
Accessibility is a word we’re all familiar with, that is regularly used and regularly misunderstood. It is often a last-minute addition...
People @ The Heart
You can either structure support systems around people or around professional concerns. Any system not structured around the people it is intended to serve is inevitably going to clash with and exacerbate people’s needs. Our current system is structured around professional concerns…
What Connects Us Makes Us Stronger
Last year, like many people, when lockdown hit I found myself switching from an office of 60-ish people to an office of one.
The thing that anchored me in my working hours was my manager. Every Monday we would use our catch-up time to just be human beings, she gave me space to just be…
We’re all getting recruitment wrong, but what can we do about it?
We all know what it feels like to be applying for jobs. Writing a job application can take hours, a 3 or 4 stage application process can take up a full day’s worth of hours and can last for weeks. Applying for work is exhausting - it’s demotivating, relentless and thankless right up until the point at which you eventually (hopefully) succeed…