Do you know your onions?

Day 49 (Monday 18th January 2016)

49 was the code for Plutonium during the Manhattan Project - 4 was for the last digit in 94
(the atomic number of Plutonium) and 9 for the last digit in Pu-239,
the weapon grade fissile isotope used in nuclear bombs.

As we don't know each other well, Phil Nash (today's author) wanted to describe himself to me: "If I had a motto it would be 'positive people make a difference'. I am currently studying for a Masters in HRM at Manchester Metropolitan University.   I have always enjoyed trying to motivate and engage with people, which came in handy teaching English as a foreign language, in the UK and Germany.  Before that I had my own Internet start-up where I learnt the value of networking and lots of other things.  I enjoy writing.  Please take a look at my blog The Eastern Wing". I would like to add that Phil has been a delight to get to know (you can link with him on Twitter, which is where he and I first encountered each other, his handle is @philnashuk). Being social, he is engaging company and he has a few interesting tales to tell. He founded a business that provided audio-enabled walking tours around major cities; regrettably the global economic turndown resulted in the death of his business. Rather than becoming despondent, he moved to Germany, where he taught English to employees at all levels within major Blue Chip companies. He loves helping people develop and grow. He returned to the UK in 2014 and is now determined to pursue a career in HR.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the onion as "The edible rounded bulb of Allium cepa, which consists of fleshy concentric leaf-bases with a strong pungent flavour and smell, varying in colour from dark red to white, and is used as a culinary vegetable, eaten raw, cooked, or pickled; also onion bulb."

A few years ago I would extol the virtues of Twitter and conventional blogging during ten minute 4sight slots at 4Networking breakfast networking meetings. These 4sight slots offer an attendee the chance to share knowledge or showcase skills. They are not intended to be overt sales pitches.

In education it is called a warmer, something designed to grab the attention of listeners and stimulate them to participate fully in the forthcoming session.  In sales terms, a similar device, might be called a sales hook.  Either way capturing my audience’s attention was paramount.  I would hold an onion in each hand and ask: ‘what are these?’  To which, without fail, the assembled would chime ‘onions’.  ‘Good, so you know your onions!’  I would then go onto explain how effective use of social media could help the assembled to ‘get the word out’ about their area of expertise, their business. Potentially, reaching more customers.

Six years ago I met Derrick. We were both students studying part-time for a PTLLS qualification at a local FE college.  He was a quiet, amiable and unassuming student with a dry sense of humour.  In days gone by, I could have imagined him as a miner at one of the former collieries in not too distant Staffordshire leaving a trail of coal dust in his wake.  He really did, indeed hopefully still does, know his onions.  

Ray's picture - Miner with Helmet
Age UK North Staffordshire's Miners' Memories Project
with the support of The Heritage Lottery Fund

Specifically, how to chop an onion safely and efficiently.  The enthusiasm, quiet authority and humour he brought to chopping an onion was easily the most memorable of the presentations that we had to give as part of the course. 

Everyone is good at something.  Sometimes we have to peel off a layer or shake off the coal dust to find it.

Fast forward eighteen months, it was the summer of 2011 and I was no longer an entrepreneur with my own Internet start-up, though the entrepreneurial drive has never left me.  The classroom was now my place of work, trying to teach English as a foreign language.  I wanted to revive the do you know your onions sketch for a lecture to groups of mixed ability students. So I asked a couple of non-native speaking colleagues for their feedback.  ‘Don’t do it! It won’t work. Knew your onions?  Have you known your onions?’ I had naively overlooked how irregular verbs and idioms can be incredibly difficult to understand for non-native speakers.  A few years ago Lord Sugar spoke of the need to use ‘export English’ when dealing with non-native suppliers.  Adjust your message and the manner in which it is delivered for your audience.

The link is tenuous but, through a leap of imagination, could not the spring onions pictured above be comet tails and the other onions the planets which inhabit the same solar system?  

However your galaxy is arranged this year, I hope you have a good one.

Thank you Kate for giving me the chance to participate in this year’s #AdventBlogs.  I have been something of a digital ostrich in recent weeks, while I have been revising for exams, so I have not read many of the posts, but I have been impressed by the breadth and quality of what I have read.  My favourite so far is Andrew Jacob’s post.

Space Matters - Part 2

As yesterday’s post illustrates, there are times when planning for the future makes best sense when placed on the foundations of the past. Florence Nightingale knew that fresh air and sunlight help heal bodies, without being aware of the scientific evidence that supports her ideas, as provided by the men from Porton-Down. My grandfather’s research was forgotten, only to be replicated by strangers nearly a century later, they emphasised the same findings – that intelligent planning and efficient design can enhance a workplace and the experiences of those within it.

Google's Office in Zurich

Last week’s CIPD hosted event was a powerful illustration of the fact that all of us in work can learn much from others. Leading experts from HR, Facilities Management, L&D and Workplace Strategy came together to debate what the world should look like in the future and hence how the workplace needs to adapt to become fit for purpose. With Neil Usher’s encouragement, supported by able facilitation from David D’Souza (the newly appointed Head of London for the CIPD), Jonny Gifford a respected CIPD research analyst with an interest in work and the work place and Simon Heath, one time COO and Head of Facilities, who is now a talented artistic facilitator and corporate illustrator, the attendees at the event were challenged to list the top ten aspects of a workplace that we felt were required for a “Living Wage Workplace” – i.e. one that provides more than just the basic requirements but is not overly ostentatious or expensive.

Meeting room wallpaper

The group I was with used the room we were in for inspiration. The event was held in the basement function area of a trendy London Hotel, with no windows and shocking pink, in-your-face, highly decorated walls.  It is interesting how much colour can impact how people feel. We were lively. Last weekend I went to visit my family in Somerset. On the Saturday afternoon I agreed to act as chauffeur for my mother and aunt, as they wanted to go on a church crawl. We saw some wonderful buildings, but I was particularly stuck by the vibrant interior of Holy Trinity Church at Long Sutton – a striking contrast to its quite austere exterior. Much of its fifteenth century screen, pulpit and intricate decorations remain intact – they have been painted as they would have been when first constructed.

I can only image the awe inspired by the flamboyant colours, soaring pillars and roof held up by beautifully angels. The ceiling, as you near the altar, is covered in golden stars on a sky-blue background, to indicate the proximity to heaven. The carvings and colours used as a means to make a point and to influence the thinking of the congregation.

The impact of colour and décor should not be underestimated. I hang pictures in my workplace and as a business we share some of the wonderful illustrations made by Simon Heath at various corporate events he has illustrated, as well as artwork belonging to our business that depicts our history and interests. By doing so we make the space our own. People perform better if they feel a personal connection to their work and workplace. Yet, how many employees are trapped in soul-less white or magnolia tinted offices, devoid of fresh air or an identity and sense of belonging?

Belonging and control were the next aspects of modern work that my group at the CIPD event explored. All of us agreed that, increasingly, people expect to have some say in and influence over their environment – be that being able to work with different teams on specific projects (and hence move or rearrange the layout within a physical location as required) or even just being able to change the temperature without it having to be the same for all. We are used to autonomy and personal customisation outside work and so now we expect the same wherever we are. Research is showing that employees perform better when they have choice and control over their space.

 

Skype's HQ in California with moveable furniture

We are living in a time of rapid innovation, with enhanced access to data and hence in theory knowledge. People are able to find answers to questions that previously have been the domain of an educated elite – for example online medical self-diagnosis or the ability to acquire a new skill via self-selected online learning (such as through videos on YouTube or MOOCs). It is this free access to information that will, in my opinion, have a profound impact on the workplace.  As people educate themselves they are likely to become more demanding. As Bacon said in 1597, “with knowledge comes power” and employers should be aware of this. People will expect to have a work environment that fosters employee health and wellbeing. Obesity and exercise are a point in case. As individuals become increasingly aware of the impact of sedentary lives and inappropriate diets they are likely to demand change. I suspect that a growing number of people will see it as an employer’s responsibility to be aware of and protect the health of their workforce. If an employer forces workers to perform in an environment that could be considered unsafe or likely to encourage known medical issues in the future, that employer could become liable, by being deemed irresponsible and having breached the duty of care that is owed to employees.

We discussed the need for exercise and activity whilst at work – to boost thinking and help combat many of the detrimental effects of being inactive for hours in a chair in front of a screen. I quite like the idea of a treadmill desk, although I prefer the option of getting out into the sunshine. The choice will probably up to the employee as to what action they take, but we all agreed that an employer that refuses to provide support in a health and wellbeing related matter would, at the least, be less likely to attract and retain the best of the workforce and at worst could find itself in costly and damaging litigation for negligence. It has happened before...

At the end of the CIPD event, it was gratifying to discover that we touched on most of the aspects of the list that Neil shared with us (although perhaps not with the specific examples I have provided above). Neil’s Top Ten (not in any particular order) are as follows: 

1. Daylight
2. Colour
3. Choice
4. Influence
5. Space
6. Storage
7. Control
8. Connectivity
9. Refresh
10. Wash

I believe that there is one more… As our world continues to change we need be open to amending or adding to the above. One of the banks in The City of London is relocating to a building that is described as the “greenest” building in the Square Mile. It has the largest number of solar panels on a commercial building, a green roof, rainwater harvesting and heat reclaim driven under-floor heating, as well as significant storm drains. Clearly this type of building is not cheap, but it may indicate a prudent approach towards the future or perhaps a return to the past’s attitude of having a greater awareness of our place within our environment. The last of the churches that I visited last Saturday, with my mother and aunt, was the Church of St Peter and St Paul at Muchelney. It became famous during the Somerset floods, when the village of Muchelney was cut off for nearly a fortnight and could only be accessed by boat. The village children had created a summary of “Island Life” that was displayed on the church wall.

The church itself and the older houses stood proud of the water – the architects having taken advantage of a slight rise in ground.

I think Muchelney’s church is an example to us all – its designers and builders were attuned to their environment and hence built their church on higher land to avoid the problems of flooding. We need to be equally aware of what could happen in our futures and design our workspaces accordingly.

Muchelney Church's Barrel Vault ceiling

L Plates

Today is my birthday; it is also the day when cities around the globe are celebrating Earth Hour at 8.30pm.  The movement has become international since its inaugural event in Sydney in 2007.  Earth Hour, sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, is an annual event aimed at uniting support for the environment and spreading awareness of  energy usage.  It is seen as a means of expressing a desire for a sustainable and better future for all.  If you want to know more click on http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/  or to see the lights going out in cities around the world try  http://www.earthhour.org/  
How wonderful to know that my special day will involve candles being lit across the globe.

I must confess to waking this morning and thinking “Oh L” – not just because it was 5.30 am (and I needed to get up to drive across England, through vile snow, sleet and strong winds, to fetch my youngest son), but also because today is a milestone birthday for me.  L is the Roman numeral for fifty.  I have had a wonderful half century and I am really looking forward to the years to come.  There is some truth in Confucius' words in the The Analects (or Lun-yii 論語, a slim anthology of memorable epigrams defining the moral code by which Confucius felt every person should live): 

“At 15, I set my heart on learning.  At 30 I know where I stand (my character has been formed). At 40, I have no more doubts, at 50, I know the will of Heaven, at 60 my ears are attuned (i.e. my moral sense is well-developed), at 70, I follow my heart’s desire without crossing the line (without breaking moral principles).” 

Confucius

Confucius was appointed Minister of Public Security in his home state at the age of 50.  His words “know the will of Heaven” therefore can be interpreted to mean that he now knows the correct way to govern or manage, in accordance with Heaven’s mandate.  However, I suspect that it is broader that that and implies that he knows who he is, is comfortable with his personal values and goals and is able to behave and approach life with confidence.  I can concur with that - I know who I am and what I view as morally right or wrong.  It does not mean that I can and will stop learning, it is simply that I now have a firm foundation on which to ground my thinking and future growth.

Oak tree roots provide a strong foundation and stretch as far below as the tree stands above ground

As I drove on my quinquagenary (an over lengthy way of saying my 50th anniversary!), I contemplated the new number in my life.  In many ways it is an important one.  Here are some facts associated with fifty:

• mathematically 50 is significant and a number that brains better and faster than mine like to play with.  It is a Harshad number - so it is divisible by the sums of its digits when written in that base.

• "Harshad" comes from the Sanskrit "Harsa" (meaning Joy) and "Da" (To Give) - so Harshad translates as joy-giver, which doubtles it is for many mathematicians.  As an aside, you might like to know that there are 50 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet.

• I do like the symmetry of the fact that   1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 9 + 7 + 5 + 3 + 1 = 50 and that 50 is the sum of three consecutive squares: 50=(3x3)+(4x4)+(5x5). 

• Did you know that the moon is 50 times smaller than the earth?

• In the year 50AD the Romans founded Londinium in Britain (and I enjoy living in London today)

• I pondered the power of fifty as a compelling word in a title, we often have books and programmes about " The Top 50..." and it even wields its power in the name of the book "50 Shades of Grey" – the bonk-buster by EL James, that seemed to hit an erotic chord with so many in 2011 (I suspect that it could as easily be a description of the majority of its readers’ lingerie drawer contents)

• There is the 50 Moves rule in Chess, that enables a draw

• The Chinese have long venerated the number and there are fifty sticks, all the same length, that are used in the consultation of the I Ching.  Perhaps I should symbolically cast a reading for my future on this day as doubless to do so would be auspicious!

• The chemical element Tin has an atomic number of 50 (50 protons and 50 electrons).  Tin is one of the Seven Metals of the Alchemists – famous for trying to turn metal into gold.

An Alchemist in his Workshop,” by David Teniers II, depicts alchemy in the 17th century

• 50 has strong associations with gold (am I a golden oldie?) – a golden anniversary is the celebration of 50 years and Jason had 50 Argonauts with him when he went on a quest across the Black Sea in search of the Golden Fleece - a topic I covered in a former post http://kategl.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/going-for-gold.html

So many things to ponder in relation to the number 50 and doubtless there are so many other facts I have forgotten, never knew and have yet to learn.

So, returning to Confucius, his Analects are based on the belief that that life should be lived in an ethical manner (he saw politics as an extension of morals - an approach that seems to have been lost by some politicians and civil servants in the corridors of Whitehall, Brussels and Washington) and he founded his principles on the importance of wisdom, self-knowledge, courage and love of one's fellow man.  He argued that virtue should be every individual's supreme goal.  Earth Day is based on a desire for a better future for ourselves and those to come; I am sure Confucius would have approved of the concept and the actions - to be in the dark for a while as a means of gaining longer-lasting light and life.

A bit like attaining knowledge...

So, to L with it – I will never be too old to Learn…

and there is so much more to life than meets the eye.