Disproportionate moments, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Last Sunday I had free tickets to see Jack Johnson in concert - the venue a
field overlooking Watergate Bay in Cornwall- the weather, atrocious.

Saturday’s concert was cancelled in the face of gale-force winds and driving
rain.

Sunday was slightly less awful - but not much better. Winds howling in from
the Atlantic and rain bucketing down about every 30 minutes right through
the day.

The arrival time was 3.00pm, with the first support act due at 5.00pm and
the big man scheduled to appear around 8.30pm.

That’s a long wait in freezing conditions, with the assembled crowd dressed
for December.

My disproportionate moment was at 5.00pm, when to the delight of the crowd,
Jack Johnson appeared on stage, thanked us all for arriving in such lousy
conditions - and proceeded to play a few numbers before introducing Mason
Jennings and singing with him.

It wasn’t scheduled - he didn’t have to do it - and in doing it, he sent a
message to his audience that he genuinely cares.

Posted: July 9th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

I’m enjoying Peter Block’s book “Community” on a recommendation from Michael Bungay-Stanier.

A quotation that leapt out of the page at me yesterday morning:

The role of leaders is not to be better role models or to drive change.

Their role is to create the structures and experiences that bring citizens together to identify and solve their own issues.

As I read this, I experience a shift in my personal thinking.

In our work with clients, we define leadership as

1. creating a clear vision (and sharing that vision)
2. the example of one’s own personal behaviour and
3. letting go of management (always the real bungee jump for clients)

Posted: July 7th, 2008 under Team building, strategy and vision.
Comments: none

KEDO, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Friday at 3.30pm and my brain is frazzled. Time to switch off and get
some rest.

My big message from the week is:

“what’s your KEDO - what’s your knock ‘em dead offer that will have a
queue of new patients waiting to join your practice?”

Friday - and the rain is pouring down outside.

Posted: July 4th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Here’s a great little resource for you to play with this weekend.

Go to http://www.websitegrader.com/

and enter your own web address.

This funky service will generate a free report that gives you a visibility ranking out of 100 - but will also tell you what’s missing from your search engine optimisation.

Go ahead and then make your web site designer go crazy trying to answer your questions - he he.

Posted: July 4th, 2008 under marketing.
Comments: none

Vapour trail, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

At Gylly Beach cafe.

Posted: July 3rd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Its been a long but productive day, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

On my own for the early part of this evening, so I have homed back to
5 Degrees West for a bowl of soup and a glass of wine as a light supper.

Its been a productive day of email responses, conversations and
project work.

My earlier rant about a bounced cheque has been turned into a moment
of disproportionate delight as the client sent his p.a. to the bank
with cash and called me to apologise.

It transpires that he had a £16,000 treatment plan cheque bounce from
a patient in the building trade. There’s a warning for you all on the
day after one of the Uk’s biggest builders reports 900 job losses and
a 90% reduction in share price over the last 12 months.

Batten those hatches people.

Small is good.

Small is the new big (as Seth might say).

The highlight of my day so far has been the chance to work at my desk
this morning and at Gylly Beach cafe this afternoon.

Nothing quite beats emailing and people watching in the sunshine.

I’m off home shortly to watch a little light TV and then get an early
night.

Lots of project work and writing tomorrow.

Posted: July 3rd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 1

Just a quick update on what has been happening - absolutely nowt!!! PCT are not returning our calls (we rang every day last week - PCT dental lead constantly ‘in meeting’ or ‘just stepped out of office’) - absolutely unbelievable way to run things! Anyway, they’ve got until Wednesday and then I’ll simply hand it over to the BDA;s legal dept (not that I am filled with hope that they will fare any better!).

    I’ve been reading the responses on the blog - nice to know people care enough to give their views/advice - so big thanks to them! I also had a good meeting about this with the staff. They are all for going on without an NHS contract at all. As S pointed out - any patients who want to be treated on the NHS have already gone. Those that are with the practice are there because they want good customer care and good dental treatment. We have also had a couple of calls from parents of patients concerned about the situation - apparently the PCT has put an article in the local paper about it!

and two days later….

PCT dental lead finally got back to us today! Basically, N (under advice from BDA legal) asked her where in the contract or NHS regulations it allows the termination of a contract in this manner. She was unable to answer and said it would take 2-3 weeks for her to find out!!!!!! We are stunned!! I am guessing that they haven’t actually checked whether they can legally do this (as I suspected from the start).

Posted: July 3rd, 2008 under Dentistry.
Comments: 1

Posted: July 3rd, 2008 under building a business.
Comments: none

Beginnings, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Here’s the start of Monday’s conversation on membership schemes.

Posted: July 2nd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Upgrade, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Back in Falmouth this morning, after a delayed Flybe flight to Exeter
deposited Simon and I back at 10.30pm and I then had a 90-minute drive
home.

Listening to the new album by the hard-hitting Mary Gauthier (Genesis
- the early years) kept my mind from wandering until midnight.

This morning I feel like a wet rag - but wanted to share with you a
quick glimpse of the lovely room I enjoyed at The Cally.

Our Business Club meeting yesterday was world-class.

We dispensed with our planned agenda before 9.30am and gave the
clients what they wanted.

Which was?

A practical guide to “how to find a business manager” and what to do
with them when they get there.

Posted: July 2nd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none