Planning ahead for a great result

This Saturday I'm planning our annual shopping trip with my daughter who is a wheelchair user.  If we fail to plan we fail to travel well and enjoy our day.

Before we even leave the house we have a morning routine which includes moving from bed, to chair and from room to room, timing is key.

 

First we need to decide what time the bus is, as waiting in the cold is not an option.The new FirstBus app will be perfect to assist with this.  Lily's wheelchair takes up quite a lot of room so bus space also needs to be managed.  Autism means travelling on public transport means noises, eye contact, fears and phobias need to be fully managed.  For example, ear defenders, positioning of wheelchair and making sure anxiety levels are controlled are all essential elements of care whilst travelling. 

 

As you can see, our dog Murphy is very aware of Lily's needs and looks out for her.

                          A person with Autism finds the following difficult:

Noises                                Spacial awareness                       Different people

Conversations                       Change                     Buses being late         Buses being crowded

Anxiety levels                      Eye contact                  The unexpected    

                        A  wheelchair user finds the following difficult:

            Wet floor           Space        Uneven surfaces            Spacial awareness of others

         Own spacial awareness                              Other passengers bags

                                                What works well:

• Lowering the floor  and making the ramp available
• A big smile  
• Patience and understanding whilst entering the bus
• A smooth ride
• Extra information/up-dates in case of diversions

       In our roles we can all play our part, being a Journey Maker.

What difference will you make today?

                                                          

Skills you learn last a lifetime

I'm currently studying for a NEBOSH qualification to develop my safety skills further. Learning has many different styles and each of us learns in a variety of ways. Some people respond better to repetition whilst others learn better using a hands on approach.  What do all colleagues who are currently studying have in common? A desire to succeed! This drives us forward with a  reward when the final destination is reached.

 

We all learn at different speeds and at different levels, you can be a fast instant achiever or a slow burner with a more reflective approach. There isn't a right or wrong approach and one glove definitely does not fit all. One approach that I have found quite useful is to use prompt cards to help me embed the key messages that I need to adopt. My conservatory walls are also plastered with A4 memo notes to help me embed the key learning points.

The human brain has an effective learning system, new things sit in our short term memory until we actively use the information- by means of repetition, writing it down, using a questioning approach- then the information moves to our long term memory.  So remember that you need to act on new ideas for them to move from your short term memory to your long term memory.

 

Learning prompts can be:
 
Written - which can be referred back to
Graphic (visual) - quick to interpret jargon free
Practical & verbal  - quick and direct to interpret
 

A balance of all 3 are beneficial and keeps learning interesting and engaging.    The below image makes sense and clearly explains the concept as well as taking it to the next level.

Look at the same poster for 1min every day and by the end of the week you will have learnt the information.

At 'First' we have a free resource the 'First University' site have a look and see what's available it's never to late to take that first step.

You can find the site at:

https://firstgroup.sumtotal.host/core/dash/FirstBusUniversity

The Power of One

What a cricketing summer it has been- England won the one day world cup and then we draw the Ashes with Australia. We've had some exiting sporting events over the years; Jonny Wilkinsons last gasp winner in the Rugby world cup, Manchester Utd beating Munich in 99 and last year Liverpool coming back from 4 nil down to beat Barcelona. What all these events have in common is that anything is possible and you should never give up. To quote Joe Root 'as long as we have 2 men at the crease we have a chance and will fight to the end'.  All these teams have had a brilliant tactician and sychologist behind them but what they also has had are moments of shear brilliance from individuals who tipped the odds into their teams favour.

None of these results are down to luck they come from hardwork and practice, putting the hours in so when the time comes to deliver on the big stage they are ready and prepared.


 

After all, look how Ben Stokes has grown from an aggressive player, who at times was on the edge, to being focused, professional and staying in the zone. If you saw him in the world cup he barely celebrated when he reached his centaury. I don't think I have ever enjoyed listening to Test match special on the radio as I did when he single handedly defeated Australia (not forgetting Jack Leach!)

  We can emulate these team players by following these principles:

• Practice, Practice, Practice  (remember you only fail when you stop trying)
• If you are on a scale of 8, what can you do to get to a 9?
• Positivity brings results, Negativity brings resentment and disorder
• Engagement works wonders
• Sharing best practice is key
• supporting each other is a foundation

what will you achieve this week ?

Goals motivation and happiness

How important are goals in life and work?  Well, if we don't have a goal or think we need a goal then we have no destination.  After all, next steps are goals and keep our minds active & alert. ' You can spend your whole life running up and down and not achieving anything'. As a team we had a goal of 55 miles whilst completing the London to Southend ride. Raising money for Action for children as well as Cancer research

Top performers, world-class athletes set goals, anybody can.  That’s because when you set goals, you have a vision to work toward, ensuring that you are pushing yourself to get the best results, rather than resting on your laurels and waiting for things to happen.

Goals can create a focus and even small goals can have a positive result.  Achieving something and crossing it off my list gives me a feeling of accomplishment. The fact that we carried this out as a team gave us additional motivations with additional pressures we all had to finish. 30 miles into the ride we worked as a team encouraging, double checking and giving confidence to each other.

If you set a goal, you are accountable to yourself. Working hard to achieve things is great for self esteem and positive thinking.  I'm certain I can ride further than 55 miles I want to push my boundaries and ride 100 miles at 13/14 miles an hour, I'm sure I can achieve this.

Negativity can bring people down and having nothing to look forward to can be a contributing factor. Set your goals around things that you enjoy and allow time for worthwhile activities.  All these ideas then filter through into other areas of life and in-turn can make goal setting less challenging.

Just towards the end, one of us only had 1 working pedal so didn't quite make it to the finish.  He was a crucial part of our team so we finished on his behalf. 

At the finish line the reward is not just the medal around our necks but as a team we completed our goal with focus and perseverance.  We did it. Goals ensure that you get the best out of life and that's probably the best reason of all!

What it means to be committed

 I attended the Essex long service awards, this is a great event that celebrates colleagues who have stayed loyal to Essex for a substantial period of time (in one colleagues case being part of the industry for over 42 Years). I was honored to attend and it was an absolute pleasure to host a table and see individuals recognised for the commitment that they have shown not only themselves, but more importantly, to others alongside their colleagues. We must remember partners who also get up in the early hours of the morning or wait up late for their loved one to return home again. Often our partners are the forgotten force that  support and stand directly behind us.

 

We regularly celebrate as a company which is great news and deservedly so, as celebrating success is part of a company's culture. It also reflects a positive response that we drive to gain positive reactions from, rather than the negatives.  Life and work is far more enjoyable if it is positively reinforced. 

1. To learn and adapt:

To recognise what’s working well and why, and if there is something that you can take from it-why not inspire or replicate in other actions and goals. So basically you can do more of it!

2. Developing a success mindset:

 A large part of success is about your state of mind – so it’s about having a successful mindset and cultivating it. Focus on what you’ve accomplished, rather than a never-ending list of to do's.  Celebrate every success, no matter how small the win, this will balance and develop a strong successful mindset.  Celebrate and be proud of yourself!

 

3. Motivation:

Motivation is also connected to mindset – because we are motivated to succeed. So give yourself as many opportunities to be successful as you can.  Notice the small accomplishments along the way. If you break your goals down into milestones, actions, your steps are more achievable and completing small steps helps builds up to big ones. 

4. Feeling good:

One of the best reasons to celebrate success is simply that it feels good.  We’re driven to make changes in our lives because we want to feel better, be happier and feel good.  Success triggers the happy neurons in our brains. When we anticipate achieving something or we achieve it – and it feels good, so we want more of it.

5. Sharing success:

Share success, it creates team spirit! Recognise your own success and others will too.

 Congrats to everyone once again.

 

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Hi all,

        My daughter Lily suffers with 2 Genetic conditions. She has a condition known as 'Turners Syndrome' as well as another genetic condition known as 'Triple X'. These conditions create many difficulties in her life that make venturing into the bigger society poses many challenges.  Lily is wheelchair bound so in effect we rely on outside adaptions to aid us as we travel. A normal day for both myself and my wife starts at 5.30am completing the normal day to day jobs. It's like a military operation (with my wife in charge, obviously) every day of the week. She thrives at her day centre and here there are many others of a similar age who also live with disabilities on a day to day basis.

What we can all do is focus on how we speak to each other with dignity and respect. Sometimes all it takes is some self reflection to really make a difference to yourself and others

 

 If any body has any questions please contact me for a chat while on my visits

 

Why we need feedback

Why We Need Feedback?

 My children use Instagram and Facebook way too much at times ultimately like many of us when they post an image they are after  feedback this comes in the form of ‘likes’. Our colleagues know that feedback is important for all of us to develop and change. It makes me smile when I look at how I used to get feedback and data. I would head to the library then go to the index wall then off to the area of the library to find the book I was looking for and finally locate the book.  Wow, look how things have changed Google, Youtube and Facebook rule the world.

For those of you too young to remember this was how we researched:

Now we can get instant answers and solutions, as soon as I need any feedback and answers or solutions I reach for my tablet and start hitting the keypad. This normally ends in success and I get instant results. Colleagues are no different, we all want and like to receive feedback. This can come in the form of a simple thank you; all the way to an end of year  development review.

Let's go for quick feedback and recognition, let's keep the momentum going and develop our colleagues and embracing the benefits of a  modern society and positive culture.

Growth is Good

The current focus on Brexit has created a huge talking point for all of us and the end is nearly in sight, one way or another a resolution will finally be accomplished. Economically, we are currently still showing a small amount of growth along with a low inflation rate.
As a business, we need to reflect this positive outcome but also bare in mind that we need to consistently strive for progress. One of the ways we will achieve this is by expanding our business. With this in mind, we need to be proactive rather than reactive. Opportunities exist, we just need to be ahead of the game and take the upper hand when we see inspiring ideas.

   This could be:

•  land for sale for a housing development
• A large music or social event
• Working with stakeholders, large local employers
• The stops on a route which are constantly the most productive

The best ideas come from front-line colleagues, who know the routes and areas inside out. They also may live locally so they will know where the new opportunities exist before others.

How would we capture this valuable information?

We have some great connections to feed the information to our support teams:

• Talk to your local schedules rep, they will regularly attend local commercial team meetings and
• Use 'Tap and Tell' via the connect app
• During canteen Question Time sessions feedback your growth ideas
• Speak to me as your employee director, I can take a suggestion forward
• Chat with your local operations manager.

The opportunities to grow our business exist. We can all play our part to make this happen.

On Friday 22nd Feb I will be in Basildon in the morning and Hadleigh in the afternoon.

Exercise for all

 

Whenever I need to reflect on life for 45 years I have biked in the outdoors. Living in the South East makes me smile,as we have sea and a capital city on our doorstep, as well as  the countryside,  all within a short distance.  Our lives are changing as technology advances, our lifestyles change at a speed that we struggle to keep up with.  For this reason, I  sometimes  need to step outside of the rat race and my bike riding helps me enjoy down-time. Nothing  beats the exhilaration of a muddy field or a rushing stream  on a summers day or even a frosty clear one.  I frequently, bike past colleagues on their bus routes. This gives a feel of community with work and rest time merged within one living space.

Whilst travelling  at St Pancreas I spotted The Peloton Bike company who have a pop-up    shop, they are advertising heavily on TV and Hollywood stars have signed up for a class in  their own homes (for the equivalent cost of a years Gym subscription).  There are many ways to strengthen your mind and refresh yourself for work.  What helps you? Maybe, look at the concept of virtual riding and does it have the same effect? I wonder one day in the not to distance future I will put on a virtual headset and cycle any where in the world.

I have set myself a few challenges this year. The first one will be via the Thames side path way which goes from Grays to Leigh on Sea  which is 37 miles. After that, I will complete the London to Southend 55 miles through beautiful countryside and finally I plan to cycle from Nottingham to  Southend via Cambridge over a 2 day trip ( if my wife lets me).

What goals will you set? What Challenge can you see yourself  attempting? Remember we only ever fail when we stop trying.