February 2012
1 post
Can you explain what you do in just a few seconds?
A current client of mch’s is the international mentoring organisation Mowgli. Last month it was a great pleasure to assist in Mowgli’s first mentoring experience in the South West of England (and only its second ever programme in the UK). At the end of the three day experience, the entrepreneurs involved gave their ‘Elevator Pitches’. For those unfamiliar with the term, an elevator pitch...
October 2011
2 posts
The Business Practices Debate
Recently mch held a poll which asked the following question;
‘Should Third Sector organisations adopt the language and practices of successful, sustainable businesses?’
The results from the 32 respondents were as follows:
· 62% agreed
· 19% disagreed
· 19% were not sure.
In addition to their vote, one voter provided some personal insights into the...
Training Preferences within the Third Sector
During the Summer of 2011, mch hosted a poll which asked;
Generally, do you prefer e-learning to other methods of learning?
From the 27 responses the results were as follows:
Yes - 18.5%
No - 78%
Not Sure - 3.5%
On the one hand, such results are not surprising as many people I speak to often state how much they value the face to face element of training and particularly the spontaneous...
July 2011
1 post
10 Words to Describe the Ideal Organisation
At a recent conference, a speaker from a social welfare charity shared some research that their organisation had conducted. They had asked over 2,000 adults to choose up to 10 words that they thought best described the ideal charity working in social welfare. The top 10 words were:
1. Caring
2.= Trustworthy, Friendly and Supportive
5. Helpful
6. Professional
7. Honest
8. Approachable
9....
December 2010
1 post
Trust - What does it take to develop it?
Trust is a simple word. It’s a state of being which is absolutely crucial to effective working: we think, feel and behave very differently in a trusted environment, relative to an untrusting one. We know it when we see it, or feel it, but what does it take to develop it?
In mch’s view, trust relies of four things:
1. Reliability
Promising what you do and doing what you promise.
...
September 2010
1 post
Does training preach to the converted?
Twice over the last few months, I’ve been asked whether training ‘preaches to the converted’. The first occasion was at a management training session I delivered to Arts practitioners in Manchester. The second was after I gave a presentation on the requirements for successful professional development to a roundtable convened by charities within the music sector.
As a trainer, the definitive...
July 2010
1 post
mch's new website
A lot of blood, sweat and tears have been shed developing mch’s new website. What started as a simple upgrade, has dragged me into the modern era by prompting an accompanying facebook page and blog site. It is with a mixture of shame and pride that it has taken me until 2010 to sign up to facebook and read or write my first blog. My delayed entry into the social networking age is based on...
May 2010
1 post
“The greatest of all things is the power to estimate things at their true worth”
– La Rochefoucauld