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 (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: 1. Why do we need bridgebuilders?
The Gateshead Community Bridgebuilder project has been running since early 2020. The work has been muddy and confusing, and we have been...
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...
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...
Tackling Male Entitlement, One Conversation At A Time
It was half 10 on a Wednesday night when I picked up my phone, crying, to message my friends. The news had just broken about...
How Organisations Can Learn To Learn
Recently, I delivered a talk called ‘The roles of learning and emotions in systems change’...
The malfunctions of funding (Gateshead inquiry)
The Gateshead Inquiry is seeking to understand how learning happens within organisations working amongst severe and multiple disadvantage. Last year, we interviewed 51 people across 33 organisations. One theme that kept surfacing was funding and the problems it causes.
The vital role for the community sector in the fight against climate change
“Charities need to become more like businesses.” - I would be the first to admit that many charitable organisations are not well run and would make much greater impact if their work was more focused. Nevertheless, I believe that we should both resist this claim and strongly argue the exact opposite…
Reject the professional, embrace the human
We need to be human beings first and professionals second, and avoid the accusation that we are involved in ‘disabling professions.’
Do we need to stop talking about leadership?
Why are there so many bad leaders? Why are so many of the people who lead organisations neglectful, distracted, disorganised, unfocused, distant, negligent, uncaring, incompetent, or even just plain mean? I’ve worked for a number of different organisations and I’ve been interested in leadership for a long time. With so much known about what makes a good leader, it can be baffling to witness how few examples of good leadership there actually are.