Category: Crazy Ideas

Notworking Thursdays

Warning! The following post contains an element of old fashioned self interest.

I love the networked life. I love that social media grants me so many opportunities to connect with so many people. I love the possibilities.

I love it when people take the time to organise meet ups so we can take the conversation into real life. Absolutely love it.

I don’t love it when so many of these events are set up to recur on the same day, each and every time. ‘Come to our networking event – third Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Whateverday of the month’. When you organise a regular event, the minute you decide to schedule it for the same day, you exclude a bunch of people who have other commitments. So if you’re interested in attracting a more diverse group (and if you aren’t then why are you bothering to run networking events in the first place?), why not try mixing up the day of the week when it comes to scheduling your events.

Here’s the selfish, old fashioned bit. Carole works on a Thursday afternoon and evening during school term times, and one of my favourite things about that is I get to pick Keira up from school on a Thursday. I love my family more than anything, they are the core of my network. They trump your networking event, every time. If I may, I’d like to finish with some dodgy maths.

Diversity + Mixing it up x Possibilities = Networking 

Predictable + Narrow – Creativity = Notworking

Footnote: Huge thanks to Julia Briggs for scheduling her next Interimity event on a Wednesday.

Auditioning

People get in touch with London Underground for a whole bunch of reasons. To book tickets, check for lost property, get travel information, and no doubt a few people complain about the service too. Not me. Back at the start of 2011 I contacted London Underground to ask if I could busk on the tube. Why? Honestly – at that time it just felt like a fun thing to do. London Underground wrote back, thanked me for my interest and said they were not conducting auditions at the moment. They may run more auditions again in 2013 and if so, they would contact me again at that time. I carried on with life – and forgot about busking on the tube.

Earlier this year I got an email from London Underground asking me to apply for a busking audition. First things first, hats off to London Underground for recording my interest (over two years ago) and for getting back to me. I applied and got through the paper sift, and today is the day of my live audition. At every step of the way I’ve been kept informed, my expectations clearly managed. I am a candidate, and so far I am having a good candidate experience. All buyers and recruiters please note: if London Underground can do it – you can do it too.

I’m pleased London Underground got back in touch. As I continue to explore the pathways of creativity I know more and more that music touches many people in many different ways. I’m sure that each and every one of you can call to mind a library of music and songs to describe various points on your life journey. And I read more and more about actively encouraging workplace choirs, getting people together to sing can be a fun, powerful experience.

How am I approaching the audition? Loads of people apply for these licences, so interest in the scheme is big, and being a slightly nervous type, I’m nervous. And I’m also excited. People tell me they like to see me smile, and that is the thing uppermost in my mind right now. The photo on today’s post was taken by Callum Saunders and it proves to me I can play and smile at the same time. The next time someone comes up to you at work with a crazy idea, hold fire on your judgment a while. Let the idea unfold, give it some time and space, and maybe even smile and help your colleague to make it happen. I’ll let you know how I get on. Meantime, keep smiling folks – and have a great day.