I want to share with you this interesting research from OnePoll, and would like to hear your views - do you agree?
"Talking about the weather, sarcasm and being great at queueing were yesterday (Sun) hailed as the top traits which makes us British.
The characteristics emerged in a study of a 5,000 adults which asked them to pick out the things - good and bad - they believe makes us unique as a nation.
An obsession with soap operas such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Eastenders was number four in the list.
And, worryingly, getting drunk was also named and shamed as a fundamental part of being a Brit, regardless of time, day, location or reason.
A spokesman for global research company www.onepoll.com, which conducted the poll said: ''This is a brilliant list of characteristics and some of the observations are absolutely spot on.
''You can't go anywhere or do anything in Britain without someone talking about the weather, and we're almost proud of the fact that we get more rain than anywhere else.
''What this poll demonstrates really well is how proud we are to be British - more than two thirds of respondents said they felt honoured to be a part of this country.''
Researchers found 58 per cent of people like nothing more than chatting about the forecast.
More than half also said we are the politest nation when it comes to queueing and 48 per cent considered sarcasm as the highest form of wit for Brits.
A staggering 44 per cent of people enjoy escaping from reality to a world of the ridiculous with soap operas, and 43 per cent say binge drinking is one of their guilty pleasures.
Sixth place went to our love of a bargain, whether it be red label shopping in supermarkets, buy one get one free offers or money off coupons, 42 per cent of folk can't resist splashing out on something cut price.
At number seven was our love of curtain twitching with 41 per cent of people admitting they can't help adopting the role of the nosy neighbour.
Loving trash television, moaning and being obsessed with class all appear in the top 10 of things which make us 'Typically British'.
A spokesman for www.onepoll.com continues: "In the main part the traits listed in the top 50 are illustrative and definitive of who we are as a nation.
"There is the odd inclusion of bad behaviour - such as drinking a bit too much or having a moan - but every normal person has their little vices.
"I would conclude that we are a very accepting, proud and strong country."
Other British traits include our obsession with traffic and asking people about their journeys, leaving things to the last minute, being unhappy with our weight and loving all things deep fried.
True Brits also have a real love and sense of loyalty for the Royal Family, and admit to emulating the life and style of celebrities.
And showing a humourous side, 21 per cent can't help taking the mickey out of their mates, 30 per cent enjoy other people's misfortune and 22 per cent aren't afraid to laugh at themselves.
TOP 50 'TYPICALLY BRITISH' TRAITS
1. Talking about the weather
2. Great at queueing
3. Sarcasm
4. Watching soaps
5. Getting drunk
6. A love of bargains
7. A love of curtain twitching
8. Stiff upper lip
9. Love of all television
10. Moaning
11. Obsession with class
12. Gossiping with neighbours over the garden fence
13. Obsession with the traffic
14. Enjoying other people's misfortune
15. Inability to complain
16. Love of cheap foreign holidays
17. Working long hours
18. A soothing cup of tea to ease worries
19. Eating meat and two veg
20. Looking uncomfortable on the dance floor
21. Feeling uncomfortable when people talk about their emotions
22. Clever sense of humour
23. Obsession with property values
24. Pandering to political correctness
25. Road rage
26. Being unhappy with our weight
27. Wanting a good tan
28. Being proud of where we live
29. Not saying what we mean
30. The ability to laugh at ourselves
31. Washing the car on a Sunday
32. Taking the mickey out of others
33. Asking people about their journey
34. Inability not to comment on how other people bring up their children
35. Jealousy of wealth and success
36. Being overly polite
37. Texting instead of calling
38. An inability to express our emotions
39. Obsession with the Royal Family
40. Fondness for mowing the lawn
41. Love of rambling through the countryside
42. A love of all things deep fried
43. Emulating celebrity lifestyles
44. Leaving things to the last minute
45. Irony
46. Keeping our homes neat and tidy
47. Take decisions and accept the consequences
48. Achieving against all odds
49. Wanting our sportsmen / teams to fail
50. DIY on a Bank Holiday"
Research conducted by global market research company www.onepoll.com
So, what do you think? Email your comments to Liz Kentish the FM Coach coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Monday, 7 September 2009
Thursday, 3 September 2009
"The root cause of the economic crisis wasn`t subprime mortgages; it was subprime leadership."
I want to share with you this review, from Reuters, of Bill George's book '7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis'
Harvard Business School Professor and Former CEO of Medtronic Bill George Offers leaders a Path Through the Economic Crisis in His Latest Book, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the meltdown of Wall Street, Harvard management professor and former Medtronic CEO, Bill George, reminds us that it is precisely in times like these that leaders of organizations of all sizes must remember to "NEVER WASTE A GOOD CRISIS." According to Professor George, today`s unprecedented economic challenges should not frighten leaders into running for cover. Instead crises should be faced as opportunities for leaders or managers at any level to make the significant, long-term changes they need to position their organizations for lasting, sustainable growth. In 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis, George argues that a crisis can be used to fuel the future by providing the sense of urgency necessary to implement restructuring and other game-changing decisions that are much more difficult to make when times are good.
"There could not be a better testing ground for leaders than the global economic meltdown," writes George. "I believe all the economic misery, financial disasters and millions of lost jobs will produce a new generation of leaders who are battle-tested in crisis and ready to get the global economy pointed in a healthier long-term direction."
As Fortune magazine said in its August 31st review of 7 Lessons, "the root cause of the economic crisis wasn`t subprime mortgages; it was subprime leadership."
To help leaders navigate these difficult times, George offers seven lessons he has learned through his own in-the-trenches leadership as CEO of Medtronic, as well as from the experiences of a wide range of corporate and non-profit leaders profiled in his book.
Those lessons are:
Lesson #1: Face reality, starting with yourself
Lesson #2: Don`t be Atlas: Get the world off your shoulders
Lesson #3: Dig deep for the root cause
Lesson #4: Get ready for the long haul
Lesson #5: Never waste a good crisis
Lesson #6: You`re in the spotlight: Follow True North
Lesson #7: Go on offense: Focus on winning now
On September 17, 2009, Bill George will bring these lessons to life as he moderates a panel of some of today`s most respected leaders at "A SUMMIT ON LEADING IN CRISIS: Personal Stories from the Trenches." Panelists include: eBay CEO, John Donahoe; David Gergen, Director of Harvard`s Center for Public Leadership; former CEO of Xerox, Anne Mulcahy; and, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former CEO of the Carlson Companies.
About Bill George
Bill George is one of the leading experts on leadership in the world today. He is currently professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, and serves on the boards of directors of ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the World Economic Forum USA.
George was chief executive officer of Medtronic, the world`s leading medical technology company, from 1991 until 2001 and chairman of the board from 1996 to 2002. Under his leadership, Medtronic`s market capitalization grew from $1.1 billion to $60 billion, averaging 35% growth per year.
He is the author of three best-selling books: Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secret of Creating Lasting Value (Jossey-Bass, 2003), True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership with Peter Sims (Jossey-Bass, 2007) and Finding Your True North, A Personal Guide (Jossey-Bass, 2008).
The New York Times called his previous best-seller, True North, one of the most important books on leadership to come along in years.
George has been featured on national television and radio programs, including The Today Show, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, Now with David Brancaccio, Charlie Rose, CNN, Bloomberg News and NPR`s All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation. He is a contributor to CNBC and a contributing columnist for WSJ.com and Businessweek.com. His articles have appeared in national print magazines such as Fortune Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business Review, to name just a few.
For more information about 7 Lessons or the Summit for Leading in Crisis, visit: http://www.billgeorge.org
7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis By Bill George
Jossey-Bass, A Warren Bennis Book Publication Date: September 1, 2009
$19.95; 978-0-470-53187-7; Hardcover
Harvard Business School Professor and Former CEO of Medtronic Bill George Offers leaders a Path Through the Economic Crisis in His Latest Book, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the meltdown of Wall Street, Harvard management professor and former Medtronic CEO, Bill George, reminds us that it is precisely in times like these that leaders of organizations of all sizes must remember to "NEVER WASTE A GOOD CRISIS." According to Professor George, today`s unprecedented economic challenges should not frighten leaders into running for cover. Instead crises should be faced as opportunities for leaders or managers at any level to make the significant, long-term changes they need to position their organizations for lasting, sustainable growth. In 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis, George argues that a crisis can be used to fuel the future by providing the sense of urgency necessary to implement restructuring and other game-changing decisions that are much more difficult to make when times are good.
"There could not be a better testing ground for leaders than the global economic meltdown," writes George. "I believe all the economic misery, financial disasters and millions of lost jobs will produce a new generation of leaders who are battle-tested in crisis and ready to get the global economy pointed in a healthier long-term direction."
As Fortune magazine said in its August 31st review of 7 Lessons, "the root cause of the economic crisis wasn`t subprime mortgages; it was subprime leadership."
To help leaders navigate these difficult times, George offers seven lessons he has learned through his own in-the-trenches leadership as CEO of Medtronic, as well as from the experiences of a wide range of corporate and non-profit leaders profiled in his book.
Those lessons are:
Lesson #1: Face reality, starting with yourself
Lesson #2: Don`t be Atlas: Get the world off your shoulders
Lesson #3: Dig deep for the root cause
Lesson #4: Get ready for the long haul
Lesson #5: Never waste a good crisis
Lesson #6: You`re in the spotlight: Follow True North
Lesson #7: Go on offense: Focus on winning now
On September 17, 2009, Bill George will bring these lessons to life as he moderates a panel of some of today`s most respected leaders at "A SUMMIT ON LEADING IN CRISIS: Personal Stories from the Trenches." Panelists include: eBay CEO, John Donahoe; David Gergen, Director of Harvard`s Center for Public Leadership; former CEO of Xerox, Anne Mulcahy; and, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former CEO of the Carlson Companies.
About Bill George
Bill George is one of the leading experts on leadership in the world today. He is currently professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, and serves on the boards of directors of ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the World Economic Forum USA.
George was chief executive officer of Medtronic, the world`s leading medical technology company, from 1991 until 2001 and chairman of the board from 1996 to 2002. Under his leadership, Medtronic`s market capitalization grew from $1.1 billion to $60 billion, averaging 35% growth per year.
He is the author of three best-selling books: Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secret of Creating Lasting Value (Jossey-Bass, 2003), True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership with Peter Sims (Jossey-Bass, 2007) and Finding Your True North, A Personal Guide (Jossey-Bass, 2008).
The New York Times called his previous best-seller, True North, one of the most important books on leadership to come along in years.
George has been featured on national television and radio programs, including The Today Show, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, Now with David Brancaccio, Charlie Rose, CNN, Bloomberg News and NPR`s All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation. He is a contributor to CNBC and a contributing columnist for WSJ.com and Businessweek.com. His articles have appeared in national print magazines such as Fortune Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business Review, to name just a few.
For more information about 7 Lessons or the Summit for Leading in Crisis, visit: http://www.billgeorge.org
7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis By Bill George
Jossey-Bass, A Warren Bennis Book Publication Date: September 1, 2009
$19.95; 978-0-470-53187-7; Hardcover
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Would you give up work if you became a lottery millionaire?
Of those working before their win, a third (34%) choose to carry on working with around half (53%) of those even remaining full time.
Of the two thirds who do give up, half (49%) admit they miss work – proving that a life of wealth and luxury clearly is not everything.
It is not all fast cars, luxury holidays and a life of privilege and relaxation for this exclusive club of National Lottery millionaires – some of them also splash their cash on some more unusual purchases.
The survey discovered winners who had bought a seven-foot statue of a giraffe, a signed Robbie Williams disk, rare carp, a vintage tractor needing restoration, a JCB, a parrot, a telescopic forklift, a £1,000 fishing rod, and a castle.
Read more about the 2000 lottery millionaires surveyed by Mori here
Even if you don't win the lottery, you can change the way you live and work - contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach for support, encouragement and guidance on how to live a more balanced life. 01778 561326 coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Of the two thirds who do give up, half (49%) admit they miss work – proving that a life of wealth and luxury clearly is not everything.
It is not all fast cars, luxury holidays and a life of privilege and relaxation for this exclusive club of National Lottery millionaires – some of them also splash their cash on some more unusual purchases.
The survey discovered winners who had bought a seven-foot statue of a giraffe, a signed Robbie Williams disk, rare carp, a vintage tractor needing restoration, a JCB, a parrot, a telescopic forklift, a £1,000 fishing rod, and a castle.
Read more about the 2000 lottery millionaires surveyed by Mori here
Even if you don't win the lottery, you can change the way you live and work - contact Liz Kentish The FM Coach for support, encouragement and guidance on how to live a more balanced life. 01778 561326 coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk
Friday, 14 August 2009
Laughter, the best medicine
This morning I read an article that claims as adults we laugh 15 times a day, whereas children under five laugh 300 times a day. Rather than ponder on why this might be, I reckon we just need to smile and laugh more, so here's a few old favourites to bring a smile to your face...
spotted in a toilet of a london office:
toilet out of order. please use floor below
in a laundromat:
automatic washing machines: please remove all your clothes when the light goes out
in a london department store:
bargain basement upstairs
in an office:
would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken
in an office:
after tea break staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board
outside a second-hand shop:
we exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines, etc. why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?
notice in health food shop window:
closed due to illness
spotted in a safari park:
elephants please stay in your car
seen during a conference:
for anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the 1st floor
notice in a farmer's field:
the farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges
message on a leaflet:
if you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons
on a repair shop door:
we can repair anything. (please knock hard on the door - the bell doesn't work
(with thanks to nesha-india)
spotted in a toilet of a london office:
toilet out of order. please use floor below
in a laundromat:
automatic washing machines: please remove all your clothes when the light goes out
in a london department store:
bargain basement upstairs
in an office:
would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken
in an office:
after tea break staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board
outside a second-hand shop:
we exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines, etc. why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?
notice in health food shop window:
closed due to illness
spotted in a safari park:
elephants please stay in your car
seen during a conference:
for anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the 1st floor
notice in a farmer's field:
the farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges
message on a leaflet:
if you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons
on a repair shop door:
we can repair anything. (please knock hard on the door - the bell doesn't work
(with thanks to nesha-india)
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