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A Friend Indeed

…”I remember the players have often mentioned it as an honor to Shakespeare, that in his writing, whatsoever he penned, he never blotted out a line. My answer hath been, ‘Would he had blotted a thousand,’ which they thought a malevolent speech…”

Ben Jonson 1630

Last night I went to see King Lear staged at the Liverpool Everyman with the actor Pete Postlethwaite in arguably one of the most challenging roles in the theatre. The production received a hard time from the critics and was, in truth, a fairly disjointed affair but ended with tumultuous applause and a standing ovation. It left me thinking about the purpose that underlies criticism and the part critics play in society. Why would an audience rise in admiration when critics could hardly find anything more than a one or two star rating for the same performance.

One of my roles is to act as a critic but I like to use another phrase which is critical friend. It is buzz terminology that came into being during the 1970s education reforms but it does aptly describe how I go about my business.

In terms of a definition

A critical friend can be defined as a trusted person who asks provocative questions, provides data to be examined through another lens, and offers critiques of a person’s work as a friend. A critical friend takes the time to fully understand the context of the work presented and the outcomes that the person or group is working toward. The friend is an advocate for the success of that work - Costa, A. and Kallick, B.(1993) “Through the Lens of a Critical Friend”. Educational Leadership 51(2) 49-51

Last night I started to wonder what the outcome would be if critics, whether they be panelists on TV shows, writing in newspapers or posting blogs, started to use this definition to underpin their criticism , how much more improvement in performance would there be.

Interestingly, Postlethwaite and the cast had done something remarkable with the criticism they received. Most actors tend to state they never read the papers but in a recent BBC interview Postlethwaite agreed with some of the points that had been made. In this case they had used some of that critical comment to make changes to the production. This is a great example of how criticism, or perhaps we should call it feedback, can be turned positively to make a product or service even better. This perhaps gives an indication as to why the audience came to their feet last night to recognise the ‘work’ of the cast and the high performance they put in.

King Lear is at the Liverpool Everyman until this evening and then transfers to the Young Vic running from the end of January 2009 to the end of March 2009.

Listening from the front

…”I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.”

Ernest Hemingway

Veronica Apostolico is director of internal communication at medical devices company Smith & Nephew and recently gave some great advice on how to run events at which senior leaders meet people in their organisations.

“The important thing is to strike a balance between what senior leaders want to say and employees want to hear,” she says.

There are a number of golden rules that communicators need to follow in setting up such events.

Find out what employees want to know?
Conduct research before the event to prepare the leaders
Stories – not fact dumping
Solicit questions beforehand
Undertake personal preparation for the leader

Remarkably I have found that in many leaders fail to engage with their people and in particular fail to listen. Some years ago I worked with a Managing Director of an electricity distribution company. He agreed for me to organise a twelve month tour to every location in his company set in his diary and thus allowing him to meet virtually every employee within that time. The sessions were structured so that I arrived first to run a preparation session gaining the thoughts of the group and so enabling him to arrive and pick up the questions and listen to the people.

All questions were followed up after and used to inform company direction and strategy. It was a very powerful exercise and the bullet points from Veronica are a good guide.

If you are not doing this in your organisation you should be and I am happy to point you in the right direction for you to find out more how you can. You can also read the article at: Melcrum’s Communicators’ Network reached through my linked in professional profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/nicktaylor1

The reality of TV

"...One is a TV star, 'forced' to eat bugs to win meals.  the other is a Zimbabwean, forced to eat bugs in order to survive.  We don't mean to preach, but...sometimes, the injustice of this world just sticks in your throat..."

Front Page Metro Newspaper 18 November 2008

Reality TV is dominating the tabloids, broadsheets and the radio chat shows.  For X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing, the issue is the public vote and the tussle between self made experts who are assessing quality (even though their view is subjective and personal) against a public that seems to be assessing everything but quality.  In truth, none of it matters, it is just great light entertainment and 'fodder' for us all to debate to get us through the grim grey days of Autumn.  

However, the arrival of our latest annual reality event: I'm a Celebrity get me out of here is posing much more serious questions about our values.  The fact that we are entertained watching so-called celebrities eat grubs whilst elsewhere in the world children are having to do the same to survive is hard to stomach in every sense.

The disaster that is unfolding in parts of Africa is not unusual, but it does challenge our society and its values.  In fact 2008 is fast becoming a real year of reckoning where we are really seeing very transparent challenges about our values.

On Sunday I went to see the latest James Bond movie and was presented with a film with little plot, a poor script but littered with a world of opulence, greed and violence.  But what really struck me was the adverts shown for an inordinately long time before the main picture.  Clearly the account managers with brands aligned to Bond are living in a very different world from me.  The way cars, watches, perfumes and video games were presented was deeply disturbing given the current state of our world.  Sure, cinema is escapism and I enjoyed being out on Sunday but we communicators and in particular advertisers and those producing media such as film, TV and radio need to be very careful to challenge poor values and lead in ensuring we challenge the injustice pointed out by Metro newspaper (see quote above).

Reality TV is playing a dangerous game.  The dubious X Factor editing portraying hopefuls on the basis of feeding their children, commemorating their recently departed or just being little, vulnerable with a sore  throat from Blackburn is beginning to wear thin.  The nasty put downs by the drama queens on Strictly Come Dancing is also wearing thin and provoking a public reaction.  But even with Ant and Dec steering the ship, the way the isolated pampered ones react to their jungle trials may just provide the one that provokes serious debate over values in the coming weeks.  

Advertisers and media companies brace yourselves as the reality is times are changing.

Space - the first, second and final frontier

"...The environments we live, work and play in profoundly affect how we are as human beings and how we relate to each other...when we are careful about the way we create a physical environment, when we pay attention to every detail of it, people start to think about themselves and each other differently..."

Andrew Mawson - author The Social Entrepreneur

One of the guiding principles adopted by Bodyproject is to use public transport when we can.  This simple undertaking is at first glance easy to achieve but it does come at a cost.  

Bodyproject is profoundly aware of space as it plays such an important part in communications.  We live in a multi dimensional world and the way we use space is extremely important.

But what about the space we create for ourselves and others?  My regular sojourns on public transport suggests that people's use of space and their personal awareness of their and others space is sadly lacking.  A fundamental 'learnt' human skill is somehow diminishing and to my mind this is a serious communication challenge.

Any train or bus journey will bring forth numerous examples.  The use of technology is a major contributor.  The constant mobile phone traffic is a distracting part of any journey on public transport, the use of personal devices at invasive sound levels is also a pain; but interestingly our collective degrading of space as a valuable commodity and our skill in using it is often observed through more subtle behaviour.  It amazes me the lengths people will go to ensure they have nobody sitting next to them by creating walls of bags on adjacent seats or sitting in an aisle seat to protect an empty place by the window.  Even if people are standing it is sometimes the case that a bag will travel in the comfort of a seat unless a challenge is made.

Creating space and using space is a communication skill and from physical to graphic design, town planning to engineering; space is a major factor in any solution.  

But what of personal space?  

Our self awareness and ability to understand the needs of others is vital in being successful as an individual.  Equally, the same applies to an organisation.  

We must strive to find the ability to consider what space means for our businesses and organisations whether that be the way we design our premises, the way we encourage our employees to interact or our presence on the web.  Are we 'metaphorically' blocking seats next to us, making far too much noise and just totally unaware of our external environment and the needs and expectations of others.  Or are we in touch with space and its vital role in communicating and success? 

A cultured economy

"...Culture is everything you aren't that defines what you are..."

Lauren Laverne - presenter BBC Culture Show

The front of my newspaper makes for bleak reading: an economy in turmoil, a looming recession and job losses.  Yet, there has been one part of my local economy that has been a resounding success and one I am proud to be associated with - that is the economy of culture.  My company, Bodyproject Ltd, undertook a contract with the Liverpool Culture Company.  It came at a time when the lead up to the year as European Capital of Culture was creating turmoil for Liverpool City Council with political in-fighting, senior-level resignations and sniping from all the usual suspects.

It is therefore wonderful to report on the success enjoyed by Liverpool as European Capital of Culture.  A success that is not just about culture but that has real economic benefits.  The figures are worth noting:

10 million visits to date.

Tourism about to break through the £1 billion mark.

Tate Liverpool 200% visitor rise on 2007.

Albert Dock up 48% breaking a 1 million mark for the first time ever.

2.5 million visitors at the main visual art attractions.

A further 2.5 million visitors for the outdoor events such as the Tall Ships Race, Matthew Street Festival and La Machine.

TV audiences in excess of 40 million for the MTV Europe Music Awards and BBc Sports Personality of the Year.

2 million visitors  at the NAtional Museums Liverpool surpassing all figures from 2007.  Some museums up by 70%.

More people have travelled on Mersey Ferries, visited the two cathedrals than ever before.

1/2 million people throuigh Liverpool theatres - best ever figures.

516,000 hotel room nights sold - 25% more than 2007 worth £35 million.

60 world and european premieres.  200 community evnets involving 500,000 people.

As Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, said: "It's turning out to be one of the most successful Capital of Culture programmes that we have ever had."

Quite, actions (and facts) speak louder than words.  Well done Liverpool and long may it continue.

The Big Issue

"...A brand is a set of rational and emotional perceptions in the mind of the customer..."

Davide De Maestri - International Coaching Academy

Next Monday across the North of England there will be a change in the printed media that will be anticipated with some trepidation.  Of course media is always transforming and moving forward whether that be the introduction of colour, resizing from broadsheet to berliner or embracing the web; but this is a change that will have less of an impact on the owner and more of an impact on the vendor.

The Big Issue in the North is unveiling a new look - in their words it will introduce a magazine that is "cleaner, more coherent and stylish."  So much for the brand speak but to be fair to the Big Life Company, the group of companies and charities that publishes the magazine, the change is fundamental.

Big Issue sellers are working and not begging and selling the magazine on the streets is not easy.  Not only does the vending taking place in all weathers but it relies on persuading people to buy the magazine and in this respect the look and content is all important.  A conversation I had with a vendor a few years ago highlighted this - from his perspective the cover image meant everything - a top celebrity or stunning cover image helped the sales.  So any change to the look and feel of this publication is important as for most vendors the money they earn from sales is their only source of income.

The problem is that many people just don't understand the Big Issue and the Big Life Company hopes that this redesign will remind people of its purpose.  From my point of view the Big Issue in the North is vital reading and a must buy - not just because it helps homeless people earn a living, but because it is one of the best edited and written magazines I know.  Its content pushes boundaries with incisive writing and stimulating content, not just about homelessness.

To this end I am looking forward to the redesign, it is one that the Big Life company will have carefully considered, and I hope everyone who reads this will ensure that they go out and buy a Big Issue today and every week after.