News
END OF YEAR REVIEW - 2009
I hope you too have had a good year and are remembering to review progress and set targets for the coming twelve months. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?
WORK
This has been another mixed year of repeat clients and new contacts. It suits me great when this happens as I love variety. I have used some psychometrics to help with recruitment (and to help with redeployment too); Myers-Briggs; facilitated with teams in global organisations and in the not-for-profit sector; and continue to use the Hay Leadership Styles and Organisational Climate tools. The latter both within an organisation who completes these on-line and also developed an event where we use a paper and pen version to help manager understand the impact they have on their teams and to be able to chose the most appropriate behaviours.
Overall my work continues to be very fulfilling and I enjoy it enormously. I also get to meet some interesting and dedicated people which I enjoy even more.
At one point this year I even had an opportunity to catch up with several of the trainers I had worked with in ICI. It was great to see them again and to reminisce about some of the daft things we had done in the past and remembering various characters along the way. We had a lot of laughs going back over all our yesterdays and we all commented on how much we learned during our time with the company and the fantastic opportunities we had been given.
It made me realise that I have worked with some fantastic people over the years and I continue to be grateful for the kindness and generosity extended to me over my career. My development as a trainer and as a person has been through their good coaching and encouragement. Just in case I have not said this before, or often enough, to everyone who has helped me along the way - Thank you, thank you, thank you.
REST & PLAY
The New Year started at a bit of a low as both Geoff and I had horrendous colds so were not able to attend the wedding of a very dear friend. I would have hated to have passed it on to the happy couple and guests. As it laid us low for a fortnight it was really horrid and certainly not something you want to share.
I blame this for leaving me with residual issues as I have also had two other nasty cold/flu bouts this year. The last one has still left me with a cough some 4 weeks afterwards.
We managed to get away for a week to Tenerife at the end of May along with my sister. Had a great time but certainly feel in need of another holiday to recharge my batteries. My sister has just treated us to a 4-day early Christmas break in Blackpool. Although the hotel left a lot to be desired we were determined to enjoy ourselves and we had a great time with lots of laughs. Even fitted in a trip to the Tower where we enjoyed a pantomine circus (and shouted ourselves hoarse .... oh, yes we did!) and had afternoon tea in the ballroom watching the dancers and listening to the Wurlitzer organ. Even managed a walk over the glass floor and a glorious view up and down the coastline. Early January Geoff and I also hope to grab a quick week away in the sun to get our year of to a good start.
The Anson Engine Museum, where I do a lot of voluntary work, has had another successful year. It finished the season up on visitor numbers again and has added to its award cabinet again. In May it received “Highly Commended” in the Project on a Limited Budget category in the national Museums & Galleries awards. (Having completed our entry and detailed the budget for our Diesel Exhibition I noted it came to £947, I double checked I had included everything they wanted then noticed the small print …. You may round to the nearest £10,000. Obviously our idea of a limited budget is not the same as other museums round the country. You should see what we could do with £10,000.) Other highlights have been - giving a presentation on “Volunteers” at the annual conference for the Association of Independent Museums; we were inspected by Visit Britain and retained our Quality mark ; late November one of our volunteers received a “Highly Commended” at the Cheshire tourism award ceremony.
Next year is the 150th anniversary of the invention of the Internal Combustion Engine and we are planning a major exhibition and change of look at the museum. Work is underway and I can highly recommend a visit next season so those of you who have not yet been along to see us please make a note in your diary. The museum website is www.enginemuseum.org
Most of you know that in my spare time (?) I am the Vice Chairman of the local Cheshire Peaks and Plains Tourism Association and this year has seen us make great progress putting forward a new brand for Cheshire:- Cheshire’s Peak District. It emphasises the softer side of the peaks - more Ugg boots than hiking boots, luxury farm accommodation than staying in YMCA. Visit www.cheshirepeakdistrict.com to read more about it. In October I was invited to a dinner at Byley Village Hall to mark outstanding work done by women in Cheshire. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was actually presented with an award for the work I had done on the Cheshire Peak District project by the Visit Chester & Cheshire Tourism Association. What an honour.
One of my Christmas presents last year (courtesy of my sister) was a Track Day where I got to drive various gorgeous cars around a race track. I chose Teesside as a venue which gave us an excuse to stay at my aunts in Middleton One Row for a couple of days. It was a great sunny day and the grin on my face was huge as I went from Subaru Impreza to the Ferrari 360 (red of course!) and then a fast lap with the professional driver in the Lotus Elise. Basically I am a boy racer at heart.
Best wishes to everyone for 2010 and may the year bring your health and happiness.
END OF YEAR REVIEW - 2008 click here
END OF YEAR REVIEW - 2007 click here
END OF YEAR REVIEW - 2006 click here
MID YEAR REVIEW 2006 Click here to read review
|
