Month: July 2020

Graduate Powerhouse!

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Approached by JobCentre Plus – South East to write a week long programme aimed at Graduates who were unsure of their next steps, I wrote the workshops to be delivered by Zoom to highlight key thinking not usually discussed in a family, education nor business environments.

 

Through my work on Growing Talent, and before it The Real Apprentice, I’ve long known the fabulous hidden talent amongst us that employers are missing out on because people do not know how to share what’s inside them.  After much preparation, research, scheduling, I finally had an Agenda to deliver 27 – 31July 2020 that I was happy with – but would the participants be?

 

Covering a different, but related theme, each day including employment, empowerment and wellbeing each day using a variety of discussion, whiteboard feedback, powerpoint, films and polls, firm connections were quickly built with a sound commitment to stay in touch.

 

The empathy, encouragement, strength and bravery in each session between all participants for each other was palpable.  This was a joy to witness.  People helping people no matter their background, culture, religion or ethnicity.

 

So what did we cover?

 

Monday – Who are you, elevator pitch – what is it, why is it important, how do you compose one effectively, what do employers look for?

 

Tuesday – Where are you, where do you want to be, what’s in-between?  Your career plan, self-evaluation as a tool for choosing a career.

 

Wednesday – cvs – the good, the bad and the ugly, how to ace a virtual interview, what’s a personal brand?  why are they important?

 

Thursday – Understanding our brain, how it functions and how it can stop us moving forward, fake it until you become it, use the Power Pose, self care, wellbeing toolkits, manage pressure

 

Friday – Perfecting our elevator pitch and personal brand, constructive feedback to partners.

 

So what were some of the thoughts at the end of this great week?

 

“Good afternoon Jane, I would like to just thank you once again. It honestly changed my life and helped so much. I wish you the best and I hope I can stay in contact.”

 

“Just wanted to thank you again. It was an amazing and impactful time.”

 

“I wanted to say thank you for this amazing week. You have helped and encouraged me to look at things in a different light. I think you’re an amazing women and I can’t thank you enough for giving me and the other girls your valuable time. 
Keep doing what you are doing and making other people feel great. Thank you for also introducing me to some new amazing humans! “

 

The power of sharing knowledge – inspirational and can be life changing.

 

 

Deflated? Never at Growing Talent – ready for any challenge!

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We all know the pleasure and the pain that Coronavirus has brought. Although we’ve all been in the same sea trying to get to the other side, we’re all in different boats.

It’s been a rollacoaster for everyone – maybe just to different degrees.

For those able to work from home, there’s maybe been the challenge that others in your family have been doing the same! Home schooling for those with children has been an added dimension – not all bad but not all good either!

Some of us have been forced to look at our own wellbeing. If we’re lucky enough to have gardens – they are likely re-designed and weed free! Some may have set some space aside for a veg plot having seen the advantages of growing your own – especially in a pandemic!

Some have taken the time to learn new skills – learn a new language, bricklaying or joined an online choir or logo class.

For some living in rooms without their own space or garden the initial lockdown is particularly tough.

Now we’re nearing the end of lockdown and the end of the furlough scheme which is seeing the unemployment figures rise exponentially. Graduates and those who have finished A levels are leaving full-time education. There has never been so much untapped talent in decades.

The poison chalice of unemployment quickly strips away self-worth and belief even in those previously highly confident with solid work histories. This needs addressing. It won’t work for everyone being put into a job without a programme of rebuilding their self-esteem – enter Growing Talent!

After six years collaboration with Job Centre Plus on Growing Talent, I was approached by two key cheerleaders of Growing Talent – also managers at JCP! – to run some programmes to address this self-esteem void along with knowledge for job searching to give those looking for work the edge wellbeing and so on.

Next week kicks off a week long programme for Jill – JCP manager at Bromley for some of her customers. Followed by two sessions the following week specifically aimed at Graduates. We’re really pleased Sophie and the team at Smart Works are joining us on these session to showcase their amazing offering.

In August a week long course is deliver for Rajen of Job Centre Plus in East London.

Meeting and exceeding the Government’s Kick Start programme our partnership will deliver empowerment to participants to sustainably move forward.

Ask any Growing Talent Associate or Graduate – we’re never deflated and always ready for any challenge!

Can’t wait to get started!Deflatd

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I caught a news item on Aljazeera this morning which posed  thought provoking, ethical questions about a vaccine for Coronavirus/Covid-19.

 

Who should be the guinea pigs for a potential vaccine trial?  We know someone has got to try it without knowing any side affects etc.  Is it right to trial it on healthy people and then expose them to the disease?  Is it right to trial it on those who are already sick?  I know I wouldn’t like to make this judgement call.

 

The question was then posed, once there is an effective vaccine, who gets it first?  The citizens of the country who discover it, the poorest countries with little access to healthcare, the healthiest population to prevent them getting ill keeping businesses going? medical staff, carers?

 

 

The world is a very small place.  People have friends, family, connections globally not just in the country in which they live.  We are used to travelling far and wide.  We know Coronavirus is related to the flu viruses and will be around now.  The genie is well and truly out of the bottle.  A quote I heard from  one of the speakers on AlJazeera this morning is ‘no one is safe until we are all safe’.

 

One thing is for sure, how humanity answers and acts on these questions will determine if humanity has a bright future or if it’s going to be a ‘me me me’ scenario.

 

What do you think?

 

 

Thoughtful moment – Profits over health?

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A feature on Aljazeera TV this morning – @AJStream – featuring the ongoing battle for truth and justice between USA and indigenous American Indians – resonated with me in many areas.  Guests on @AJStream included three people from different indigenous tribes who have been fighting against oil pipelines through their lands, poisoning water via toxic waste leaks.

 

Jacqueline Keeler, one of the guests and a journalist, explained only sovereign states can have treaties between them and that treaty is supreme law under the American constitution.  I hadn’t realised the indigenous tribes were a sovereign state – something I don’t think is known by many outside the tribes themselves.  Therefore, the treaties drawn us and written into the constitution are supreme law.  To ignore this position is to break the Constitution, isn’t it?

 

Joye Braun  – @joyem_braun – explained the ‘fake news’ oil companies put out through marketing such as the pipeline ‘will bring jobs and prosperity locally, the oil is needed locally, and it’s safe – no leaks for the past three years’.  Joye said the truth is any jobs are temporary, no money goes into the local community – instead it goes to oil companies profits, the local community doesn’t need the oil – in fact there is an oil glut right not.  The oil is sold outside the USA and lastly, the thing that resonated the most with me, Joye explained the reason the oil companies report no leaks in the last three years is because the oil companies got the level at which they need to report leakages increased! – so there have been leaks just at a lower rate than the companies have to report.

 

This last point resonated the most with me.  The Government in the UK at start of the Coronavirus pandemic promised a set number of daily tests by a set date.  When they were clearly not going to reach their target, they included all tests posted out to people.  So it seems all figures can be ‘fudged’ which we all know but is it right to fudge the figures when peoples’ health is in danger?

 

As Joye and her peers say ‘Water is Life’ – would you be happy drinking toxic water?

 

 

Equality or stats for stats sake?

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A feature on Aljazeera Tv showed Germany’s Christian Democrat Union – Germany’s current ruling party CDU – have indicated wanting 50% of women in Government.  This goes to a vote in December.

Angela Merkle, current leader, is stepping down.  Known as the Mother of Germany, she has built up her experience over many years in various political posts.  She has broke many glass ceilings.

 

On the face of it, this seems like a noble idea.  But opposition is present from many including women themselves who don’t want to be given a position because of their sex only on their merit and ability.  Astrid Hamker, President of the Economic Council for CDU, is against the idea of giving posts to women based on their gender.

 

Who is right?  Will women just be put into meaningless roles without responsibility to make decisions to tick a box?  How will women be sure they have earned the right and respect to their role.

 

Women like Angle Merkel have shown grit, determination and staying power to break glass ceilings.  Time will tell what happens in December.  Whatever the outcome, I hope everyone, feels empowered to believe in themselves to see they deserve the opportunities that are out there – they just need to find those opportunities, grab them and grow them.

 

Will humans ever start seeing each other just as another human being?

Something in the air?………

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Every time a new technology is introduced, it’s hard for everyone to see its potential and viability to work changing lives for the better.  Where would the world be without the great inventors throughout history devising their ideas into prototypes and trying to get backing to bring it to market?  How many laughed at their endeavours?  Yet they didn’t stop.  The kept going with their belief this would benefit people.

 

We’d all agree we couldn’t do without computers in our pocket – also known as smart phones.  Yet when computers first came out they were viewed as not making any great differences to our lives.  Only their inventers saw the future potential for humankind.  Now we couldn’t do without this technology.

 

So looking at the report that Dominic Cummings is supporting this ‘new’ technology of sucking CO2 out of the air seems incredulous.  But it’s proven to work in submarines for decades – why not in the atmosphere too?  Of course at the start of any new technology, the invention is hugely expensive and the equipment massively bulky but history shows it will not stay that way.

 

Imagine the jobs that could be created, the better health of humans breathing better air, better vegetation and so on.  The potential knock on industries and jobs to this technology could be huge.

 

The State of the Planet, Earth Institute at Columbia University blog has really interesting facts about the potential to use CO2 collected through this proposed initiative.  McKinsey & Co (global management consultants) estimate there is $800million – $1trillion business in realising CO2’s possible wider uses in the building materials industry for one.  It can be converted into either a liquid or a solid.  So many potential uses for a byproduct of air that could be used to our benefit instead of detriment.

 

We know CO2 is currently used in refrigeration, cooling systems and fire extinguishes.  If it works well here, why not in the new industries this initiative could open us.  Climate change is crucial if we want the planet to be healthy for those following us.

 

On paper it seems very exciting.  According to the press, £100million has been won to invest in this new technology.  Will we seize the day and open up this portal of opportunity or will we over analyse and see someone else pick up the ball?

 

We’ve got to try, haven’t we?

 

Kanye West for President?

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We’ve all see the headlines over the weekend.  Could a rap star become President of USA?

 

Well history says yes.  Remember Ronald Reagan? a previous actor who went into politics becoming the 33rd Governor of California before being elected 40th President of USA serving from 1981-1989.  He gained his experience in local politics first.

 

So the exposure across social media and press outlets over the weekend showing Kanye talking about his wife becoming a billionaire  and running for President  could technically happen.  He certainly has the celebrity status and money as well as supporters and backers required.

 

Will USA go from one rich celebrity who has lived in that bubble for so long to another for their president?  Time will tell.

 

One thing is for sure, we live in a world where anything is possible.  We don’t have to stay in the circle we were born into.

 

Time to seize the day?  Something to think about.