Awesome

Earlier today a phrase caught my eye:

 “The Japanese have the same word for crisis as they do opportunity.”

Often there are two opposing sides in a given situation. The candidate who is successful at a job interview will result in the other potential hires not being appointed – those individuals will see that experience in a very different light (no matter how professional the interview process and gracious the rejection).  One person’s gain is another’s loss.

Today is a day of potential crisis or opportunity for two rowing crews.  It is the Boat Race (an annual event in which the Oxford and Cambridge Universities’ top rowers compete along a just over 4 mile length of the river Thames in London). As sporting events go it is unusual, in that it is a standalone annual occurrence, not part of a league or knockout competition, and as a consequence neither crew have deep knowledge of the skills and style of their competition. In the history of the race there has only ever been one draw and this was due the umpire, “Honest John Phelps”, being unable to see the finish in 1877. His boat drifted on the tide and ended up behind other vessels laden with spectators, which obscured his view, and hence forced him to declare a draw. Not an occurrence likely ever to be repeated now that we have cameras that record each millisecond and sinew strain. For the past year the two crews, with their coaches and support, have been focused on one thing – the outcome of today’s race.

Fighting it out in the Boat Race

Having worked with the Judge Business School in Cambridge for a few years, I use an example from Boat Race history in Leadership and Team Development. Inspirational academic Mark De Rond writes about it in his book, “There is an I in Team” – the Cambridge Rowing Club Manager, Roger Stephens, used a simple phrase to determine the importance of taking any course of action – when needing to make a decision he would ask “Will this make the boat go faster?” This question and the outcomes resulting from it are credited with playing a significant part in producing the Cambridge Boat Race win of 2007 (Cambridge’s success was achieved after repeated losses since 2004).  Admittedly, other decisions, such as a significant change in the crew – substituting Rebecca Dowbiggin as cox, very close to the actual race, played their part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFwUZvpYOMg

This is a long video but good if you are interested 
in knowing more about the 2007 Boat Race

The approach of having a commonly held key question (known as a “Stephen’s Question”) that is fundamental to any decision that a business has to make, is very valuable as it ensures that focus is retained, as well as that everyone in an organisation knows the main driving principle for success.

You need to know what your key question is

Yesterday evening I went to the Barbican to see the English National Ballet’s programme of new works, “Lest We Forget” – a quadruple bill inspired by World War 1, with a brief musical interlude by Cecil Coles, a composer who was killed by sniper fire in 1918.  Two of the pieces were profoundly influenced by the impact that the Great War had on women.  Although the death, sorrow and destruction resulting from war cannot be viewed as a success, the change of women’s role in society and the increased appreciation of what women have to offer laid the foundations for the modern workplace of today. Liam Scarlett’s opening “No Man’s Land” is a case in point it was inspired by “the Canaries” – female munitions manufacturers, so called because the sulphuric acid  (as well as slowly poisoning them).  In last night’s performance the dancers’ hand were yellow and the unison of movement and light was both captivating and thought provoking – with a moving interaction of couples (men off to the front and the women remaining behind to make weapons that would kills others’ sons, husbands and fathers).

 

Munition Recruitment Poster 1914-1918

Like a top rowing crew a leading ballet corps needs to work as a harmonious team, with each individual’s effort contributing to the overall success.  The final piece of last night’s performance, “Dust” by Akram Khan (famous for creating part of the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony), was at times mesmerising.  I urge you, even if not a ballet or modern dance fan, to look at the below video, a taster of all the pieces. The use of interlinked arms in Khan’s piece (at the very end of the clip at 1.25) was extraordinary – creating at times the impression of being in a deep trench, as well as emulating the twisting torture of warfare and the changing dynamics of society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQEjyxF319c

The crisis of World War One also created opportunities – not just by granting women greater recognition and roles in society, or for the soldiers and others from a multitude of backgrounds who became recognised as heroes, or even the nations that ultimately prevailed, but for the people who spotted opportunities in such dark times.  It resulted in the creation of Air Traffic Control and (recent Malaysian aircraft mysteries aside) a safer environment that has enabled globalisation as well as increased local and cultural awareness.  The Great War had a direct impact on medicine with the routine use of blood transfusions and the stockpiling of blood, to ensure swift treatment once required. As well as the introduction of life-saving methods of treating fractures and enhanced awareness of post-traumatic stress and the need for mental health care.  The aftermath of WW1 was a change in the world - an election in America brought in Republican Warren Harding, who wanted the USA to take a less active role in international affairs.  America started focusing on its own skills and capabilities, resulting in it becoming the self-minded, dominant global superpower it has become.  Henry Ford brought cars to the masses – leading to the start of better connectivity and easier living.  Radio commenced globally (following Marconi’s initial creation of a commercial wireless system in 1895 and subsequent British and patent in 1896, only a few used wirelesses for transmitting messages.  However, the value of radio became apparent during WW1 and the first American radio station was opened in Pennsylvania in 1920 with hundreds soon to follow – the BBC was formed in 1922 with first public broadcasts a month later).

WWI Field Radio Set made by Western Electric

There is some interesting research undertaken into the list of the 75 wealthiest people in history by Malcolm Gladwell in chapter two of his book “Outliers” (many thanks to David D’Souza for alerting me) it shows that 14 of the 75 were Americans and that 9 of them were born within a nine year span from 1831 to 1840 – hence they were the ideal age to take advantage of a period of significant transformation due to the advent of the railways, industrialisation and the emergence of Wall Street.  Humans have survived and some have grown powerful by taking advantage of opportunities.  One of last night’s dances was a twist on this – a reworking of “The Firebird” – turning it into a modern day allegory of exploitation and greed, which almost results in failure, through the destruction of the very thing that can provide value.

ENB's Ksenia Ovsyanick as the Firebird

Failure is an important part of learning – without making mistakes and developing a better solution it is impossible to develop and grow.  In the competitive and challenging world in which we live, none of us will always get what we want and hence we need to be prepared for (and also to equip others to be able to cope with) “failure”.  I must confess that I don’t often use the word, as a setback often results in a better eventual outcome.  However, with the pace of technology and the changes in the environment in which we live and work, increasingly we need to be willing to take risks.  It’s no wonder that so many organisations see resilience is a key success factor for their star performers and leaders.  We need to be good at bouncing back (like the 2007 Cambridge crew) so that we can win another day.

The Boat Race Trophy

WWI cemetery in France

Addendum: Given today’s post has such a strong linkage to both the Boat Race and World War One; I would like to pay a small tribute to the Oxbridge crews who rowed in 1914 – a century ago.  Four of the victorious Cambridge crew and one from the Oxford boat were killed during the First World War.  All but one of the 18 men headed off to war (the one who did not, Sidney Ernest Swann, became a chaplain to the army.) I pray today for peace in all places where there is conflict.

It's Simple

This afternoon I decided to upgrade my phone (I was due an upgrade in August 2012, so, clearly, I have been contemplating this for a while).  Gosh there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into consideration, comparison websites to read, friends to ask, pitfalls to be avoided, deals to be done, Apps to ponder, etc…  I felt  much like AA Milne’s much loved character, Winnie the Pooh, when I was bombarded with complicated terms and jargon:  

“I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words Bother Me”

And I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnYJh1VlEvg Rolling Stones, It’s Not Easy

The complexity of the experience (both for me and then for the on-line-chat representative of my current mobile provider, who both had to answer my myriad of questions and argue to retain my custom) got me thinking about how difficult we make things for people at work.   Rules and regulations are multiplying and the options available to employers and employees are increasing - flexible working, variations to contractual terms, tech specs, multi-cultural teams, non-standard locations, differing work environments, new legislation, fracturing team structures, cross-company and external  collaboration (even with competitors), the impact of social media, multi-generational workforces - all make our lives more complex.
  

In theory technology should help make it easier for organisations to enable it to feel personal for their employees and for them to offer flexibility that suits singular needs, but just by doing so we add to the complexity for the business and/or departments that have to track such things.  HR is one that has to constantly cope with the changing world and often seems to do so by becoming controlling and crafting restrictive policies and procedures.  (I was asked to create a global policy for e-cigarette usage earlier this month.)  I am not keen on tight prescriptions as to how people should behave (if you employ adults, whom you trust to do a good job, then, in most instances, they should be capable of knowing what is and what is not appropriate conduct).   I am in favour of treating people as individuals - each of us is unique and if an employer can let its people be the best of themselves, at all times, then that business should get the best outcomes from its employees.

I am concerned that, in order to try to cover all the bases, HR is often guilty of creating procedures and/or writing policies that are hard for employees to follow (or which are long and cumbersome, and hence discourage others from reading or wishing to apply any proposed new approach). We write things that often feel as if they will demand significant effort, even just to achieve initial comprehension.  The same often occurs in sales, when, eager to make as many positive points as possible, the salesman ends up confusing his potential customer and hence no purchase is made. This can apply both to the quantity of information provided or simply to an excess of choice.  In an interesting experiment in America, Sheena Iyengar, a professor at Columbia University, set up a free tasting booth for jams at a local supermarket known for extensive product ranges.  The test was conducted over two consecutive Saturdays.  On the first day 24 types of jam were made available, whereas the following Saturday only 6 were offered for tasting.  When 24 jams were on display, 60% of customers stopped for a taste and 3% bought some.  However, when only 6 were available, although only 40% of customers stopped to sample, 30% bought some. A 600% increase in sales.  This experiment has been repeated on numerous occasions and the outcome is consistent.  Absorbing information and making decisions is mentally taxing and results in what social psychologists refer to as “choice overload”.  HR, when drafting complicated policies and procedures risks giving people “information overload” with the same outcome: people switch off.

We often make things more complicated than they need to be.  A simple idea is often the best.  This week I was very struck both by the simplicity and efficacy of a concept by designer Arturo Vittori to solve the Ethiopian water shortage.  He has created 30 feet tall water towers (called Warkawater towers); they look like giant vases and can collect over 25 gallons of water per day, by harvesting water vapour from the atmosphere.  They can easily be made using locally available materials and the concept is based on simple physics that can be seen in action in nature.

I am convinced that one of the reasons why desired change often does not occur is because the people trying to make it happen look for sophisticated solutions and/or make matters too complicated for the those involved, and thereby lose the goodwill of the individuals whom they wish to inspire and carry with them.  There is much sense in Steve Job’s comment:

“That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

We have recently acquired a new HR Information System and have been creating bespoke approaches for performance management and reviews.  It is tempting to try and produce something that will work in every envisaged scenario, but the more information and guidance notes you add, the more cumbersome a process can feel and the less likely employees are to be excited by the change and a new way forward.  It is crucial to make things easy. As Einstein famously said

“If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

An excellent (and humorous) example of the importance of making it simple is John Cleese’s sketch explaining the Offside Rule in football:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmC9JOcaofI

Why do we make things complex and resort to jargon and involution?  It is possible that people do so to protect their position and/or to make themselves seem important or knowledgeable. Insecurity can make people behave in strange ways. However, truly intelligent people are not hesitant in communicating their knowledge - indeed they relish sharing and educating others; they know that they seldom have all the answers and hence collaboration and contributions from others could further enhance their original ideas.  Like creating a fine cameo, there is much to be said for paring away unnecessary layers to expose something of beauty.  

The Portland Vase

The Portland Vase, often cited as the finest example of cameo artistry, is an excellent case in point.  The Romans viewed cameos as the most refined and revered of artistic techniques. A cameo is produced by creating an object out of two layers of stone or glass (usually dark blue and white glass melded together).  The cameo is produced by cutting through the top layer to provide an image in relief against the contrasting ground beneath. The stunning Portland Vase was made in Alexandria between AD 1 and AD 25 and can now be viewed in the British Museum.  What many people do not know is that in was shattered in 1845 by a certain William Lloyd who, having been drinking for over a week, threw a sculpture onto the Portland Vase’s display case, smashing the vase into over 150 pieces.  It was painstakingly repaired and has since been restored on several occasions, most recently in 1989, when each minute fragment was scanned by a computer and scientific analysis used to ensure an optimum reassembly - a great example of the value of Technology to the Arts.

Shattered Cameo Vase

Technology has its uses and the speed with which it is developing is awe inspiring - its hard to believe that the iPad is less than four years old, especially given the impact that it already has had on global business.  So I urge people in HR not to try to be too prescriptive or to insist on attempting to define exactly how things are and should be - the world is changing too fast for that.  Far better to make things easy and to teach employees how to be responsible and to use their minds.  For the sake of me, and fellow Pooh Bears with little brains, please keep it simple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs  Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man

Soft Fruit and Hard Balls

I have spent the past week in South Africa on business.  It is a beautiful, complex and inspiring country and I appreciate how fortunate I am to enjoy some time here, gaining a better understanding of the environment and working with its people.  On Saturday, on the advice of a friend, I went to explore the charming town of Franschhoek in the Cape Wine region.  On arrival it reminded me slightly of Arrowtown, the gold mining town established in 1862 in the Central Otago region of South Island, New Zealand.  Both locations have amazing mountain backdrops; produce exceptional wines; are located near good golf courses; can boast charming, well-preserved, rural architecture, predominantly dating back to the mid-nineteenth century - you might be interested to know that Franschhoek was only formally declared a town in 1881, having formerly been a nameless “dorp” (small town on the Platteland) for over two centuries.  Both towns’ successes are founded on the arrival of productive and passionate settlers (in particular the Huguenots in South Africa - but that is a topic for another day).  The towns’ buildings are adorned with Victorian-style artefacts, such as verandahs and sash windows, and to this day they have retained an old world charm, with tree lined avenues and space, that make them feel like the European towns that many settlers had left behind. In each location, these attractive stone buildings were only erected after initial pioneers had established themselves, living frugally, with little other than basic tools and their bare hands to forge a place within a wild and inhospitable environment.

Platteland at Frenschhoek

Each town is beautiful and appealing, but there are darker sides to their development that are also important factors in making them into what they have now become.  Each has a history of slavery, exclusion and exploitation (the Chinese miners at Arrowtown were invited to come and seek gold, but only once the majority of European originated miners had given up and moved on, due to the diminishing levels of gold).  The Chinese, seen as alien foreigners, were ostracised by the wider community, so that they were forced to reside in miserable accommodation and conditions, far away from the main town.  

Chinese gold miners' accommodation

In Franschhoek slaves were imported from countries such as Malaysia, other regions of Africa and India, soon after the land was colonised.  These slaves undertook hard labour on the land to create productive homesteads and grow produce for trade and supporting the Dutch East India Company ships and other vessels rounding The Cape.  The deliberate introduction of slaves was a clear alternative to utilising the local indigenous people - the San and the Khoikhoi bushmen in South Africa, whom the setters considered primitive.   The indigenous people had little desire to work for or with the Europeans - their culture was fundamentally different, being bushmen they did not appreciate the concept of homesteads and the ownership of land; they were by choice nomadic hunter-gatherers and herdsmen.  Indeed, it was not until the after the two tribes had merged to become the Khoisans, and their populace was decimated by Smallpox (brought over from Europe in 1713 by setters and against which the bushmen had no immunity) - resulting in their numbers being reduced from over 200,000 to a mere 15,000 - that they were compelled into living and working with the colonialists in order to survive.   They became farm hands as the main activities around Franschhoek were the production of orchard and soft fruit such as apricots and grapes.  The Khoisan have left little by way of a tangible legacy of their own culture, other than intriguing rock art and cave paintings - some of which show the influence of the colonial settlers at the time that the traditional bushmen lifestyle in the Cape region was in decline.

Bushmen rock art

In New Zealand, the Maori also were nomadic people and regularly used to pass through Arrowtown on route to hunting the giant Moa birds (not unlike the African Ostrich) and seeking greenstone, which they treasured for making beautiful and functional tools. (Neither the Maoris nor the African bushmen developed smithing and smelting skills to make their own metal artefacts, prior to the arrival of Europeans).  The Maoris were not in favour of the settlers’ arrival and possession of land - as with the tribes in South Africa, they did not share the same outlook and ways of living.  And, like the Khoikhoi and San aboriginals, the Maori were talented and exuberant artists, leaving rock art and various artefacts, as a memory and record of their time in the land.  Neither indigenous peoples survived contact with the new arrivals without significant change to their own cultures and way of living.  Much was lost as well as gained by the contact.  One thing that was lost forever was their unique and perhaps simpler outlook on the world based on they own experiences.  Contact with different cultures and approaches inevitably results in change.  As Lady Bracknell comments in Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Ernest: 

“Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone.”

The parallels between the two towns and their people continue to amaze me: more recently, both locations saw a decline in populations until the 1950s, when they both independently reinvented themselves as genteel holiday destinations.  It is hardly surprising that, on wandering through Franschhoek at the weekend, I was very struck by the similarities to Arrowtown.  They may be far apart but the men who created the towns shared smiler cultural roots and outlooks.

During my visit, as well as admiring the stunning views, I tried to get a better feel for the local culture (as perhaps you can tell from the above comments).  I paid a brief visit to the Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek  - a treasure house of personal property, family history and people’s stories.  I was inspired by what I saw and it made me think about the world of work in which we now operate and how we treat people. I could talk further on slavery and toil - timely and apt perhaps, given the recent Oscar success for “Twelve Years a Slave” (winning Best Film and Best Actor) .  However, despite my concern for ensuring fairness and equality within the workplace, it was a very simple exhibit, lying amongst a collection of fairly nondescript agriculture objects, that has remained embedded in my thoughts.  It was a collection of beautifully shaped, very simple, wooden balls, used in the past for making indentations in straw or other suitable packing material, to ensure safe passage for soft fruit when being transported to market or overseas.  When I first saw them I thought that they were a child’s croquet set, but then, on closer inspection, I realised that none of the balls was exactly the same size as any of the others.  The correct sized ball would be selected each time, by comparison to the piece of fruit, to ensure a perfect, snug fit.  Attention to detail and was required when using the balls. This was not an environment where a “one size will fit all approach” was deemed appropriate, despite the effort required to create a space of optimum dimensions and security for a peach, apple or apricot.  And no “placing of square pegs in round holes”, so to speak - each piece of fruit was provided with its own, bespoke hollow, appropriate and unique to it.  

Apricots - the first popular crop grown at Franschhoek

Throughout the growth of industrialised and large-scale commercial businesses, organisations have sought to commoditise and standardise approaches - to benefit from efficiency and speed.  However, I wonder if a time for a change in this approach is now upon us.  With the advent of technology, it is easier to be more bespoke both for customers and employees, without incurring significant costs and inconvenience.  Environmental planning and workplace considerations can now be quite individual, as indeed can learning and development.  In training, a “sheep dip” approach, despite having a purpose (such as ensuring required compliance or regulatory awareness), will seldom produce the best outcomes.  One of the reasons why I am a supporter of coaching within the workplace is that people are individuals and optimum outcomes require individual focus and understanding.  The time has come to stand back and consider what we are trying to achieve in the workplace, rather than simply tweaking an existing approach or offering. 

“Everyone thinks that the principal thing to the tree is the fruit, but in point of fact the principal thing to it is the seed.” - Nietzsche

So we need to think not just about the business objectives, but also about the people we are relying upon to achieve results - do we know what is important to them?  If you don’t understand what drives and motives the people you are supposed to be leading, you cannot expect to be able to get them to follow you.  Getting it wrong, disregarding them as individuals and treating them only as part of a process rather than a person (with feelings, frustrations and aspirations) can demotivate and demoralise.  All too easily a disgruntled employee, like a bruised piece of fruit, can turn foul, possibly contaminating others around them.  Little sophistication was required to make the wooden balls a valuable tool, only an eye for detail and an appreciation of size and individuality. The farmers around Franschhoek have, through hard work and the help of others, created a beautiful and productive environment.  Centuries ago slavery was deemed appropriate to achieve desired results.  Nowadays, to get things done you cannot rely on a whip and harsh treatment.  People are delicate.  You need to inspire them, make them comfortable so that they can share your vision and support them so that they will support you, hard results can and should be achieved through a soft touch.

J. H. Pierneef (1886-1957) painting of South Africa

Rock art in the Drakensberg

Making Connections

Having been ticked off by a Twitter connection for writing blogs that are too long, here is a slightly shorter one...

Last week I attended Impact Executives’ event to launch their latest change survey findings.  The contributors to the survey are business leaders from around the globe - CEOs, CFOs, COOs and CHROs (55% of respondents are on main boards).  I have followed this survey for a few years and enjoy considering the trends and themes that are emerging.  For the third year running the top three “biggest challenges” are ”lack of visibility of future demand”, “margin pressure” and “not having the right staff/skills”.  Over a three year period these findings do not surprise me - if you are poor at anticipating or understanding future demand, it follows that three years further on you are highly likely still to be struggling with having the right staff and skills, as you don’t understand the world in which you operate.  It takes time and structured thinking to predict, plan and build, so that you are best placed to cope as and when you need to.

Earlier in the year I was invited by certain members of the MOD (the UK’s Ministry of Defence) to attend a future-thinking scenario-creation session - they were keen to contemplate what the world might be like in thirty years’ time and brought together a group of us, from a variety of backgrounds and outlooks, to share our thoughts.  We were asked to describe scenarios that we believe will be probable or even just possible.  I know from my work as a governor for a leading NHS foundation trust that there are many anticipated changes within the health sector - the prevalence of certain diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, will continue to increase, with a potentially devastating impact on society; bacterial resistance antibiotics is also likely to grow with resultant problems.  However, there will also be major developments that will enhance healthcare - apps are already available that enable us to monitor our health using everyday technology, without having to physically visit a specialist; surgery increasingly will be undertaken by minute robots that will be remote controlled instead of relying on human surgeons being physically in the room (with their large clumsy hands) making major incisions (less intrusive surgery is definitely a good thing, especially if antibiotics are becoming less effective).  We will have wearable robotics that will make movement or other functions more effective.  Much of our medical care will increasingly be dependent on data - the functions that currently happens in a GP or doctor’s surgery will be done via technology (measuring heart function, blood chemistry, etc…) this data will be overlaid with personal information such as family genetic history, the impact of living in a particular area (for example pollution levels, or the prevalence of certain diseases) or your lifestyle.  This information will help faster prediction (and potentially the prevention) of health issues.

Just as in Medicine, the world of work is being impacted by technology and the pace of this is set to increase. It is no wonder that the Impact Executives’ survey reported that 87% of respondents envisaged more and faster change than ever (a similar level to the responses to this question in both 2012 and 2013, hence a growing trend).  Increased use of technology is providing loads more data.  HR’s role is to enable organisations and the people within them to perform at optimum levels.  As a result HR professionals need to become comfortable with data and how to use it, to inform and support business decisions.  We need to change, to move on from the production of backward looking observations, such as on staff turnover or how many people attended training courses, to forward-thinking extrapolations from the evidence available.  The trick with data is being able to understand what it is telling you.  Nobody said this is easy.  Neuroscience can prove that human brains are not programmed for long-term thinking and hence our approach to natural evolutionary timescales is out of sync with how we need to appreciate the world going forward.  

Fortunately, technology itself can help, turning us into a global neural network (where the power of many is greater than one man working by himself - Adam Smith would have loved it, a clear progression from his thesis in “The Wealth of Nations”).  Technology enabled connectivity is resulting in collaboration, learning, creativity and shared problem solving at a swifter pace than ever before.  Despite the recent hacking scare from Kickstarter, crowd-sourcing solutions are producing results, with the production of goods that fit people’s needs at a faster rate than would perhaps have happened a world of silo-ed businesses - for example the ways in which mobile phones are being charged in Africa might not have been envisaged within an isolated research and development department located in Scandinavia or the USA.  We need to solve problems through understanding, instead of squandering resources and working in secret through fear of competitors.  If we are smart there is more than enough work for all.  The cost of innovation, participation and learning is dropping and hence the world is becoming more equal and also more conscious through connections.  This is immensely powerful and will change the drivers of economies and the way we work.  HR should be at the forefront of this, as growth revolves around people and how they contribute and work together.  It’s not too late to get on the bus, but to do so HR itself needs to be part of the action, not simply observing and monitoring for others. 

The Bayswater Omnibus (1895) by George William Joy

How connected is your HR department and your approach towards business? 

This is a photograph of what our global Internet connection looks like from a distance. In her TEDtalk We are all cyborgs now, Amber Case states that this connection looks organic. Indeed this organic connection, she argues, helps us develop our ‘humanness’.

The Rolling Stones - Connection

High Stakes

I wrote the below piece for Alison Chisnell's much lauded Advent Blog series - the theme for the 2013 series was "Stakes and Stories"

Day 20: High Stakes

Posted by: Alison Chisnell on: December 20, 2013

• In: Advent
• 8 Comments

Welcome to day 20 of the Advent blogs, and today’s post is something of an extravaganza! Written by Kate Griffiths-Lambeth (@KateGL) who regularly shares her excellently researched views over on her own blog, this post is definitely something special. So, take your time, sit back and enjoy the story…

Artwork for today (and every day!) is by the brilliant Simon Heath and today he has excelled all expectations with his wonderful illustrations throughout this wonderful post.

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Once upon a time, in a cave high above a valley, there lived a savage frost giant – he was set in his ways and his wrath, when challenged, was terrifying.  The villagers living on the edge of his mountain were in a constant fear of displeasing him and, as a result, they were timid and browbeaten.  When he made demands they were careful to tell him what he expected to hear, even when the answers were false.  The other giants who lived nearby were also wary of him; most of the time they kept their distance.  However, occasionally they would come together to challenge each other in competitions to see who could hurl huge cannon balls the furthest.

For many years the frost giant had relied on the elderly village blacksmith to make the cannon balls.  As his cave was at the top of a cliff, the giant would haul the old man up to him, in a basket, to give him his orders.  When the blacksmith passed away the villagers were alarmed, as he had left no heirs and there was nobody with the knowledge and skills to take on his business.  In haste an advertisement was placed in the national press, to secure a new incumbent, before the giant decided that it was time for his next tournament and found the blacksmith gone.

A few days later a traveller arrived at the village and asked to be considered for the role.  At first the inhabitants were reluctant, as the applicant was a woman.  Many suspected that she lacked the strength required to wield metal and cast the cannon balls, whilst others feared that the frost giant would be displeased by such an unorthodox appointment.  However, as no other candidates responded (probably out of fear of the giant), the community agreed to give her a go.

The very next day, the frost giant bellowed that he was bored and demanded that the other giants be summoned for a challenge.  He shouted for the blacksmith to come and take his order and threw down the basket on its rope.  The poor blacksmith had not yet even lit the forge fire; she had nothing to prove her skills.  The villagers were nervous, in case her claims of proficiency were false.  They did not wish to be associated with her for fear that she enraged the giant.  However, as they had no alternative, they pushed the poor girl into the basket and watched as she was hauled up to the cave above.  When the ice-clad ogre saw the young woman he gave out a great roar, but she did not quail.  She simply asked what he needed and promised to deliver his request.  The giant snarled – what use could a feeble female be in a role designed for men?  However, his desire for new cannon balls was such that he did not ban her from smithing, although he openly sneered that he doubted her ability to accomplish anything more sophisticated than producing cinders.

On being lowered down to the village, the blacksmith ignited the fire, melted iron ore with charcoal and lime and cast the mixture directly into moulds at the blast furnace’s base.  When these solid orbs had cooled, she loaded them, one at a time, into the basket and the giant hauled them up to his lair.  No thanks nor acknowledgement was given but the following morning the giant’s companions arrived and the competition commenced.  Without considering the impact of their acts, the giants hurled the huge balls across the valley. They smashed their way through hedges and over fields.  A goat was killed, a barn destroyed, crops flattened and the villagers hid in their homes, waiting for the onslaught to finish.  The blacksmith watched the devastation, heard the children’s cries and pondered why these people allowed themselves to live in fear and persecution.

Almost as soon as the contest started it was over, the giant’s boisterous friends left and life in the region slipped back into its ever deepening grooves, but the unmentioned fear of the next session remained hung over the people like a fog. 

The blacksmith soon earned her place in the community, her skills at shaping metal and shoeing horses were impressive, people respected her and her open helpful manner earned her friends. There were particular group of fourteen individuals with whom she forged close bonds:

1. a jovial bear-hug of a man, who carried with him (and added to) a richly illustrated book of wisdom;
2. an energetic, observant fellow with a bicycle who was often followed by a black dog;
3. a warm and welcoming mother of twins, who always supported those who asked for help and who was good at running and running things;
4. an intelligent witness, with eyes deep as Orcadian pools, who knew his own mind and was a good judge of others; he kept in his pocket some pebbles, collected on the beach with his sons – worn smooth by the changing tides;
5. An eloquent knowledge-sharer, with fiery passion and a taste for ale, who had great tales to tell, especially those that allowed him to wave his red flag with gusto;
6. A frog charmer, book-worm and dreamer, from North of the Border, with a lilt to her voice and a warmth to her heart that endeared her to those who knew her (even those she didn’t feed);
7. a wise raven-like academic, who had roosted in the orient for a while and who nurtured the young beneath the wings of a dark cloak tied with red tape;
8. a mercurial jester, clever and quick, who provided accurate and at times outspoken observations on the world, hugely loving but, driven by a desire to be liked, used his jangling pig’s bladder at times more often than some found comfortable;
9. an ancient soul, with the eyes of an angel and a fresh flower in her hair, who shared the wonders and love of her world with all;
10. an engaging but independent bard, travelling his own path, with a guitar to strum slung over his shoulder, a story to tell and a song for most occasions;
11. A man from the North, with a compassion in his soul that made his eyes sparkle and quick humour and supportive honesty in his words that made those around him shine and glow with confidence;
12. An artistic confectioner, who made smooth, strong and silky chocolate from beans plucked with passion from the Spice Isles, and who could charm the bees from the trees and get them to offer up their honey;
13. A calm observer with a beating heart and a heart for the beat, always gentlemanly and often surprising; a capable gardener who shared his produce, squash and alliums as the season offered, as well as his thoughts, as gifts; and
14.  A young girl, the daughter of cheese makers, with hair like spun gold and a ready smile, who skipped and danced with joy at all she saw around her.

The more time the blacksmith spent in the community, getting to know the people around her, the greater she wished to make their world a better place.  At first she did it by making useful pots and tools, she progressed to ornaments, such as pergolas and decorative well-tops, adding charm to their gardens, and then she made useful communal artefacts, like wrought iron benches for the villagers to rest upon.   However, she knew that these were only superficial improvements.  If she was to effect lasting change she needed to tackle the root of the threat that hung over the people, filling their souls with dread.

It was December and holly, ivy and mistletoe festooned the doors of the houses, candles shone in the windows and mulled wine bubbled on stoves to be offered to any who stopped for a chat.  One evening, the blacksmith sat by her fire, contemplating what gift she could give to her friends.  Little figurines would be easy, but she wanted something more memorable/impactful.  The flames on the log burning in the hearth flared into life, just as the mulled wine started to boil, and that was sufficient to spark her imagination, she realised what she had to do.

As it was still early evening, she slipped out of her house and paid a visit to each of her close friends.  She chatted briefly, but was careful to leave with an object secreted in her pocket: a yet to be illustrated page torn from a book; the hair of a dark dog, a worn lace discarded from a running shoe; a pebble; a small piece of red cloth; some crumbs of tattie scone; a strip of no-longer-needed red tape; a jovial but slightly battered bell; a few flower petals; a broken guitar string; an eyelash; a piece of chocolate; an onion; and a small morsel of golden cheese.

On Christmas Eve each household fetched in its Yule Log, carrying it with ceremonial pride and christening it with wine or cider before setting it ablaze.  The blacksmith was no different, only she had taken care not to trim all the branches off her piece of ash, one stout bough remained, like a long, raised arm reaching out from the trunk.  She lit the log at the end near the branch, using beeswax to encourage the wood to light.

That night, when all had gone to sleep, the blacksmith remained awake.  Earlier in the week she had dried oak logs in a kiln, to make “white coal” that would provide the extra heat required to melt metal.  During the afternoon she had lit her furnace, sealing the exterior with mud to lock in the warmth.  The heat, emanating from its opening, was like a dragon’s breath as she reached towards the entrance to throw in smelted iron and the objects that she had collected from her friends.  Cast iron’s quality is derived from a fusion of iron and carbon melded together when the mixture is molten – the blacksmith needed the objects to provide the metal’s strength but, in addition, she had selected each piece with care, as a symbol of friends and fellowships, to add a little magic.

While the mixture melted to form a glowing liquid and seeped into a bowl at the base of the furnace, the blacksmith took a tray of damp sand and, using a slim wooden wedge as a template, made fourteen, identical, deep indentations.  Taking up the bowl of liquid metal in her tongs, with care she poured the contents into the hollows.  Steam and sparks filled the air, but she remained focused.  Eventually all fourteen shapes were filled with solidifying metal.  It was not long before she could take the tray outside to let the night-time’s chill speed the process.  Once the metal was cool enough, she prized the shapes from their moulds – fourteen shining stakes gleamed in the moonlight.  Along with her hand-hammer, she bundled these into a leather bag that she slung over her shoulder.  Finally, she cracked the metal poker hard against the base of the smouldering ash branch protruding from the Yule log, causing it to snap from the trunk.  This proved an excellent long-handled torch, blazing at its tip.  Using strips of cloth, she was able to bind the cool end to her upper arm so that the flames shed light from above her head, while she retained the ability to use her hands without too much inconvenience.  Thus equipped, she made her way to the cliff leading up to the frost giant’s cave.

Using the hammer, she strove to drive the stakes into clefts in the rock and thus provided herself with handholds and footholds on which to haul and stand.  Slowly and laboriously she climbed her way up the cliff.  It was nearly midnight when she reached the mouth of the cave.  She could hear the giant grunting and snoring, lost in his dreams – he was not disturbed by the gentle glow from the burning ash wood.  It was only when she was standing inside the entrance, had unbound the torch from her arm and was holding it aloft, that she gently called to him and he awoke.

“Who dares disturb me at this hour?”

He bellowed and abruptly rose up from the rags of his sordid bed.  The poor blacksmith was terrified, she had hoped to come and reason with him on behalf of the village, but his face was a frozen mask of rage.  He commenced lumbering towards her, a club from beside his bed grasped in his vast fist.  His fury and menace were almost palpable.  She dreaded him charging at her, knocking her out of the cave mouth to a tumbled death at the foot of the cliff.  In self defence she held the torch in front of her, to try and force him to keep his distance.  Instead of stopping, the giant blundered straight onto the fiery end of the branch.  As the flames touched his frozen skin an extraordinary thing happened, the ice cracked and split, like fine lines in fractured metal, spreading across his torso and then it began to melt. A veritable stream started flowing from the giant’s feet towards the cave’s entrance and poured down, over the line of stakes leading up to his lair.  As the ice melted the giant himself shrank.  He dwindled, while water drained, eventually the blacksmith had a figure the size of a young child huddled in fear on the ground in front of her.

Bending down to him she gently reached out her hand.  Tentatively, the being touched her fingers and then looked up into her face.  His fearful eyes filled her with pity.  She moved closer and held him, in the warmth of her strong arms, as the last melt-water dripped away.

It was nearly dawn when the blacksmith lowered what looked like a small boy in the basket to the ground below and then followed down herself.  She took him back to her home, dried and dressed him and put him to bed.  The villagers were amazed on Christmas afternoon to see their friend accompanied by what could have been her son.  He enjoyed playing marbles with the cheese makers’ daughter and proved excellent at manning the bellows for the blacksmith’s forge.  Looking up towards the giant’s cave, a cascade of sparkling icicles shone and glinted with beauty in the pale sunshine, as they clung to metal spikes.  They hung there until the start of the New Year and the glinting stakes remained thereafter as a testament to the blacksmith’s endeavours.  She knew they would never have been achieved without the help of precious friends, who gave her the courage and the confidence to do the right thing.

I staked my career on a number of things this year – the delivery of an industry leading Leadership Development Programme (which has already made a demonstrable impact); orchestrating an employee engagement survey that took a genuine temperature check and produced world-class scores; agreeing and articulating values; ensuring clarity of understanding of the vision and the establishment of long-term strategic objectives, with a clear linkage between performance and results.  I could not have achieved all of this by myself – I have worked with some of the most amazing people, many of whom I hope will read this post.  I treasure wonderful memories including:

• Sipping Scotch whilst contemplating Shackleton and leadership with a friend who had the strength and vision to change his own life;
• Seeing a man I admire raise awareness of mental health within the workplace and the birth of a movement;
• Being inspired by a lady who called others to action;
• Sharing ideas with and learning from erudite academics in Cambridge;
• Celebrating the co-publication of an extraordinary, collaborative book of HR blogs curated by a man I have the honour of calling my friend;
• Setting the world to rights, as the sun set over the sea, in Cape Town;
• Being a Dragon assessing employees’ suggestions for a leading NHS Foundation Trust – just one of my roles as a governor; and
• Sharing precious time with family and friends.

I have cheered people on as they have attained World Records, mourned friends and great leaders who taught me what I should aspire to become and I have made some wonderful acquaintances with creative and inspirational individuals.  Thank you!  You inspired me, enlighten me, encourage and sustain me.  I am humbled by your skills, patience and perseverance.  I can only thank you for being part of my story and, remember, inside most giants there is only a small child…