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Posts from the ‘work’ Category

Mar 23

Break free from your desk and get to work!

There is something about the first real day of Spring. Winter is firmly defeated and you awake from a dark state of hibernation; there is a world out there, people really do live around you, and you really should stop eating chocolate.

Today was certainly that day, and to celebrate I took a walk in the local park and sat down to a coffee, outside! I took out my mobile phone, made two work related calls, replied to six messages, came up with two new ideas, updated Facebook and serendipitously made a new contact; the bloke at the opposite table.

In that small space of time, I did more work than when I glare into my laptop for hours on end. It struck me that work is process. Work is not a desk.

The desktop computer, with all its excitement, chained us to our booth, and for all the promise and freedom of laptops, they still resembled the layout of a desk. They promote hunched shoulders and tired eyes.

Work is, always was, about location, people, event and moment. A new idea is not inspired from an office booth, productivity isn’t just a word count, and a job well-done is not an empty inbox. A job well-done has a human end – a happy client, a child inspired or a baby born.

Advancements in mobile technology, and now tablets, we are again being presented with a really opportunity to unchain ourselves and get to work. Our only obstruction is our own prejudices of where and when work should be done.

I don’t own a tablet PC. I don’t actually think I need one (technology is now much like a menu that fits individual needs), but I will try harder to stop pretending that work is always done at my desk. I need to utilise one of the greatest tools available to me – my legs.

Do you feel like your time would be better spent away from the machine? What new approaches to work have you developed with mobile and mobile related technologies? Lawyers, Midwives, Managers, Musicians, please feel feel free to leave your comments below.

Feb 16

“That is soo yesterday Daddy”

The most common question asked of me in my twenties:

“Martin … I have a problem with my computer. Is there any chance you could take a look at it?”.

In my thirties, friends and relatives are most concerned with how will all ‘this’ play out. This being technology.

“Does my child spend too long on the Internet?”

“When should I let my child have a mobile phone?”

“Should I close their Facebook account … they are too young … right?”

“What career should I suggest when industries are appearing and disappearing in less than a year”

There is palpable sense of foreboding when it comes to the future. So much is changing that parents, guardians and individuals responsible for raising a child are caught up in a whirlwind of anxiety about what tomorrow might bring. What will the world look like in 20 years? Will it even be here? Will the written word even matter? What will little Joey do?

Unfortunately I can’t answer any of those questions. They are too hard and others are much better qualified for it. What I can say is this. Don’t think about what will change, think about what will stay the same. Perhaps:

  • Making friends,
  • Competition and Sport,
  • Music
  • Influencing and public speaking,
  • Politeness,
  • Exploration and inquiry,
  • Scandal,
  • Roald Dahl and maybe that other fella – what’s his name? Oh yeah – Shakespeare,
  • Trees (I hope!),
  • Working hard,
  • Storytelling,
  • An economic system – perhaps not capitalism, but a system it will be.
  • Crying,
  • Hurting,
  • Laughing,
  • Falling in love,
  • Falling out of love,

??

There are 1000′s more we could write. This is only a starter for ten, so please feel free to add more to the list by leaving a comment at the end of this post.

Ultimately, technology will change. The world spins. Humans progress, but the essence of being a human being will fundamentally remain the same.

So to all those anxious parents – don’t fear the future for your children, embrass its potential, and only worry yourself with teaching those things that will never change.

The ultimate irony for those who do overly concerns themselves with technology is that one day your child may lean over and say “Tut” … “The iPad” .. “that is soo yesterday Daddy” (see top image).

For an alternative view of whether or not human beings will fundamentally remain the same, try taking a look at this – Cyborg Life: Kevin Warwick.

Photograph by Ewan McIntosh under Creative Commons.

Nov 25

1 Comment

An Irish Tale

Ireland is a place that has marked me forever. It has been the backdrop to my coming of age (a year in Dublin), happy moments with my family (holidays in Kerry), and where I met the girl I hope to spend the rest of my life with (if she’ll have me!).

The door is always open in Ireland, although, this may have more to do with my name than the politeness of Celtic folk; type Martin Cahill into Google and you will see what I mean. I haven’t always liked Ireland though. In fact, I used to hate it when I was younger. A trip to Ireland typically meant cold rain, scary aunts who would plant those sloppy kisses on your cheek, and extended stays in Kate’s (the local pub). My patience (at the age of 8 or 9) was bought with Club Orange, Tayto crisps and coins for the pool table. These days I visit Kate’s for the same reason my Dad did before. The Guinness is great, yes, but more than that – it’s the conversation. Local farmers walk through the door and into the warmth of Kate’s bar. The atmosphere can sometimes be quiet. Subdued even. There is no hurry to engage in wit and banter. Sometimes a period of reflection is the first order.

Kate also maintains a kitchen behind the bar. I don’t know how she does it, but she can go back there and within a few minutes provide a plate of steaming hot stew, potatoes and veg. Most surprising, is the customer did not even ask for it, but they certainly welcome it. Kate then communicates events from the day. What has been said by Farmer Connolley and the latest prices from the mart. She is a knowledge hub. An RSS feed in traditional Irish style. Another customer arrives and the conversation continues. A community of neighbours all ready to highlight changes in the market, economy, and even the weather. The local radio sits in the corner relaying the local news and the death list (those who have recently passed and the time of the mass and burial). Comment is passed, drinks are finished and people are back on their way. Back out to the land. Back to practice.

Kate’s bar – A School? … And the only piece of technology in sight – the radio.

The experience was reflected in London some time ago. It was my first visit to the Apple Store. As I walked through the door teenagers were typing and clicking on the new range of Mac laptops and iMacs on display. They were emailing and facebook’ing. To my right was a genius bar. A whole workbench of Mac geeks ready to fix your machine or answer your Mac related questions. I walked up the stairs and entered a creative zone. A place where photographers and movie-makers could learn and share tips in relation to their creative pursuits. Further along was a lecture theatre. A speaker was clicking through the latest features of iWork. Some were listening, others were posting online, networking, thinking.

Apple Store – A School? … Technology is on sale, but the centre-piece is people and knowledge.

I arrived in Sydney six months ago. In those early months I was looking for work and networking across the city. I was using both traditional and modern methods. One evening, over too many bottles of Cabernet a new friend asked me “If you could do anything, what would your working week look like?”. Great question, I thought. My response surprised me. “Well”, I said, “If I could do anything then I would like to open an Alternative School of Business. A place where talented folk across Sydney’s new and emerging industries could meet and a space where those looking for work could ‘hang-out’. People would be presenting – perhaps a new business idea. Others would critique and hopefully offer new ideas or routes to making it happen. Industry Pecha Kuchas would play out, events, and possibly corporate off-sites. It should be a hive of learning. A place where folk would come, enjoy a hot meal, and go back to the land. Back to practice. There are no corridors. No offices and no static zones. Just movement, progression and space”. “I would spend my time there”, I said, “and the rest of the week I’d pick up my camera and notepad and go venture” (that though is another story).

An Alternative Business School? Perhaps not so dissimilar to what we have now, you might say? Still, since talking to managers, analysts and talented folk across Sydney’s media, hi-tech, and social innovation scene I still hear a call for change. All cite the importance of an MBA and how they would benefit from such an experience. The good stuff like learning from other industries, making new connections, challenging their thinking, tackling tough problems etc. However, I was reminded of the gulf (supposed) between academia and practice, the pressures brought to bear on families and marriages, the untimeliness of case based learning and the fees!

I think the sector is ripe for great change, but we must avoid the McDonaldisation of education, just as Ireland must avoid the McDonalidation of its Celtic ways. Technology should never replace our human needs for social contact and social spaces. Technology should only ever fuel the conversation, peoples understanding and our overall pot of knowledge. It should only ever be the radio in the corner. What is interesting about today’s technology, is it makes the alternative business school self-organise. There is no need for administration or administrative teams. The school is open. Groups gather around themes. People subscribe. People unsubscribe. This is the magic of new social technology.

Oct 30

An Interview with Tom Reynolds

I recently met with Tom Reynolds at a TALK hosted event in London – Innovation and Transformation

Tom Reynolds is an Emergency Medical Technician for the London Ambulance Service. Most people call him an ‘ambulance driver’. Based in East London he has been writing the blog Random Acts of Reality about his experiences for the past five years.

In this exclusive interview I talk to Tom on a variety of subjects including Generation Y, The Importance of blogging in the Public Sector, Patient Privacy, and what is next for Tom Reynolds himself. Or is it really Tom?

Nov 20

When to Switch Off?

In a recent post I was looking to queston the divide that can often exist between work and life, and more recently I was invited to speak at an event in London entitled Ask Generation Y. Ask Gen Y was an opportunity for businesses to think about the next generation of society entering the workplace – What methods will they bring? What ideas do they have? What technologies will they utilise? Even as much as will they want to work for us? Seeing as I operate on the edge of generation y I felt that my inclusion was slightly fraudulent – Am I really the best person to represent this generation? Presumably not… so I took the opportunity to invite my 12 year old cousin Olivia, a far better representative on a number of different levels.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to bring her along. It was a great opportunity for me to interview Olivia on her thoughts about her future, how she uses technology, and what she thinks about the world in general. This low-level research gave me the material I needed to present. But it was much more than that. It was, first and foremost, a great opportunity to spend some quality time with my cousin, and  an opportunity to show her the sights and sounds of our nations capital. From my memory a short weekend in London had a huge effect on me as a young person. It was also an opportunity to show one member of my family a glimpse of what I do, as this still remains an anomaly to many.

The gambled payed off as Olivia was, without doubt, the star of the show. Her messages about technology were profound. You can download some of her statements from my short interview with Olivia here. What stole the show however was one short video clip. It’s a video of Olivia in the Apple Store London, a must see destination for any London tourist, sitting comfortably next to the likes of Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square. The clip shows the first time Olivia has ever seen and used the Apple iPhone. I had my camera to hand so I took the opportunity to capture the moment. In the clip you will see Olivia accessing Google, finding her school website, logging-in, and downloading a homework assignment she was telling me about earlier in the day.

The startling message to the ‘Ask Generation Y’ delegates was this: “Olivia isn’t that interested in technology”. She doesn’t see a career in ICT, and doesn’t obsess greatly over the latest device. But technology is there… it has been there since the day Olivia was born. She doesn’t concern herself with what it can do, and what it does not do… she just knows it… and uses it on a regular basis. She does not worry about when to switch it on or off. It is simply on. It is, in the end, just life… like eating or sleeping

This is in contrast to the following video clip that I also prepared for ‘Ask Gen Y’. This clip captures the thoughts and opinions of a separate section of  gen y’ers. They are slightly older, but this is a tech savvy audience. The messages are classy, each profound in its own way, but what is interesting is the underlying concern for technology, in particular a concern for when to turn it off. What are the consequences of turning off your RSS feeds, email, or facebook for a minute, an hour, a day, a week? What’s the worst that can happen?

These are genuine concerns, but do they concern Olivia? There is much food for thought, especially for those who think about technology, design products, or build services.

Nov 18

Work Life Balance – Why draw the line?

The interplay, or perhaps separation, between life and work is often debated in the popular press. We strive for more time with our families, time to travel, and time to enjoy the cultures we live in. Organisations publish work-life balance policies, and technology promises to make us more efficient so that we might create more time, but as the days grow shorter, and the nights grow longer we ask ‘where is it’, ‘I want more’, ‘I need more’?

Time is often our enemy, but perhaps our biggest mistake is to draw a boundary between work and life. We should not see them as two separate entities in competition for resource. I recently delivered a lecture to a class of 20 something’s and I asked each of them one simple question – ‘What do you hope to achieve in your work and life’? The responses were well thought out, classy actually, but the most common response was to eliminate a boundary between the two. Life and work should be as one.

This seems like an ideal position, a philosophical one even, but there are examples of where this has been put to good effect. I recently attended a conference in Copenhagen, and I was inspired by a talented speaker  Jyri Engeström who spoke on the subject of ‘Why Some Social Networking Services Work and Others Fail’. Most notably Jyri cited how he and his colleagues attended ‘reboot 06′ and was sufficiently inspired to start a web company that concerns itself with status updates across mobile and social networks. The next time they attended ‘reboot’ in 2007 they were the primary sponsors and Jyri was a keynote speaker. This is an outstanding success story and it continues today with the recent announcement that Jaiku has been acquired by Google. Jyri’s story presumably took much effort and work, but what struck most about Jyri was the inclusion of his family at ‘reboot 07′. Both his wife and new born baby were in attendance, and he was often seen chatting to colleagues and contacts with baby in arms. Is this life or work? Why distinguish… It is just life.

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