​Most of us don’t have the luxury of running away or hiding from our obstacles because WE have something very specific we’re trying to do. No one is coming to save us! The obstacles won’t un-obstacle themselves. And if want to go where we say we want to go - to accomplish our  goals - there is only one way, and that’s to meet our obstacles and challenges with resilience. 

Resilience is having the ability to bounce back when things don't go as planned. ''It is the trait of resiliency above all others, that makes you a winner'' - Denis Waitley. 

Resilience is the strength and speed of our response to adversity. It’s a skillset we develop over the course of our lives, and there are concrete steps we can take to build resilience long before we face any kind of difficulty. When I think of the word resilience I often reflect on the enduring spirit of the Windrush Generation and our history of overcoming adversity.

Growing up, one of the things that struck me was the way these pioneers were able to build strong communities, work together and take themselves on against the odds. They had so little resources but managed to accomplish great things. We all heard the stories about the infamous “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs” notices in terms of housing. The true grit of the Windrush generation shone through that.

They bought houses and then rented rooms to each other to remove the barriers they faced. Our elders were turned away from churches – so what did they do? Church was at the centre of their communities in the Caribbean, and they started prayer meetings in the living rooms of their homes, then moved into school halls and community centres.

It is clear that the story of the Windrush generation's resilience must be shared, appreciated, celebrated, taught and used as a tool of empowerment for all. They have illustrated the creativity, understanding, strength, and courage of a people who have not only been able to endure, but have strived and created success under extremely difficult conditions.

We need to share their stories to inspire the next generation: that they become aware of our history and the significant contribution of our elders, who were such leaders and pioneers.

A NEW set of poems that celebrates Caribbean poetry will appear on London Underground from July.

The collection focuses on a range of themes, including the complex realities of life in the Caribbean and in Britain as well as the dream of living in a new world of hope and prosperity.

One of the poems is I Am Becoming a Mother by Jamaica’s current poet laureate, Lorna Goodison, who was born in Kingston in 1947 and splits her time between Jamaica and Canada. The work of other recognised poets, including James Berry, Andrew Salkey, Jean Binta Breeze, Kwame Dawes and Grace Nichols are also featured.

Staynton Brown, director of diversity and inclusion at TfL, said: “These poems are a fantastic way of celebrating a variety of Caribbean voices and experiences. I hope customers will enjoy them as they travel across our network and take advantage of the opportunity to reflect on the valuable contribution those from the West Indies have had on London’s culture and economy.”

The poems are appearing across the tube network as London celebrates the 70th anniversary of Windrush this year, which commemorates the pioneering generation that started to come to Britain from the Caribbean from 22 June 1948 on the Empire Windrush ship.

The history of London Transport, Transport for London’s (TfL) predecessor, is intertwined with many of those who consider themselves to be part of the Windrush Generation. The shortage of housing after the Second World War meant that more than 200 migrants were housed for around four weeks in the Clapham South Subterranean shelter, a labyrinth of deep-level passages, below Clapham South tube station.

London Transport employed people from the Caribbean from 1956 onwards to fill staff shortages, opening a recruitment office in Barbados in 1956 and subsequent offices in Jamaica and Trinidad in 1966. Many of these people worked for London Transport for a number of years, playing a vital role in keeping London moving.

Judith Chernaik, writer, editor and founder of Poems on the Underground, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating a wide range of distinguished Caribbean poets, with their special understanding of sharply contrasting worlds of experience. These are poems which speak directly to the heart, and we know Londoners will be touched and inspired by reading them on the tube.”

Poems on the Underground, founded in 1986, aims to bring poetry to a mass audience. It aims to help make journeys more stimulating by showcasing a diverse range of poetry, including classical, contemporary and international poets in tube train carriages across London. The poems are selected by Chernaik and poets Imtiaz Dharker and George Szirtes.

The programme has inspired similar displays on public transport in cities worldwide, from New York and Paris to Moscow and Shanghai. The initiative is supported by Transport for London, Arts Council England and the British Council.

Source : The Voice, 22/06/2018

TONY SNOW, owner of media company Snowmedia and a former communications manager for the FA, has set up an initiative called The Apprentice Project inspired by his own experience in the media industry and his passion for helping young people achieve their potential.

Snow, says the idea was born out of a desire to “marry up the two things that I did in terms of lecturing and helping the next generation of communications professionals”.

During his time as a recruitment manager, Snow noticed that budding media and communications professionals had academic understanding and qualifications but lacked practical know-how.

And for other young people who have not gone to university, apprenticeships can be vital for getting a foothold in the industry.

Ebony Gordon is one of the project’s current apprentices. She says the scheme opened up doors for her after she left school with few qualifications. Gordon has now secured a role as a trainee communications officer for Snowmedia.

She said: “I wanted to do journalism but was struggling to find an apprenticeship in journalism that I would be able to do due to the fact I only had GCSEs and one AS grade.

“Ever since starting The Apprentice Project I feel that I’ve grown in confidence a lot more with the help of Tony and Corinne [the project’s mentor leader].”

​For organisations that don’t have communications teams, apprentices can be invaluable. Plus, Snow’s organisation can handle the recruitment, training and mentoring process of recruits.

“We’re based in Croydon, which is a very culturally mixed area, and what we’re encouraging companies to do is take on local apprentices, take on people that have got raw talent that we can hone,” says Snow.

Whether you’re an employer or a prospective apprentice, you can find out more about the scheme at www.appr-entice.co.uk.

Source : The Voice newspaper, 19/5/2018

Do you remember the last time someone gave you feedback? Complimented you on your work or simply mentioned something about you that you haven’t heard before? Feedback helps us learn and develop and grow.  Bill Gates suggests that "we all need people who will give us feedback. That is how we improve."

Feedback can help us understand things like:-

• What we can change to get better results
• The rate of progress when working towards a goal
• What needs to happen to improve relationships
• Whether something is worth doing
• How well we are doing
• What others think of us or how they value us
• Our level of performance against a target

Giving feedback is not an easy task. In my experience when giving feedback, I have had to train myself to assume that everyone wants to, and can, get better. When I take this approach I am able to engage in discussions about areas for improvement with an optimistic and open heart.
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​I developed this skill and lesson while reviewing the design of the "Things Mama Used To Say" Proverb Cards with a talented designer - a guy I knew was capable of great things. But the design I was looking at wasn't great. To produce the result that I wanted, I knew that he would have to go back to the drawing board. To deliver news like this to a team member, I used to go back and forth between two commonly used but ineffective paths.

Wrong approach #1: avoid telling the truth and talk around the need to start again. The unspoken assumption of this approach: he is lazy, defensive, or arrogant, designers are hard to work with.  The outcome: mediocrity. He doesn’t grow, I don’t get the pack of cards I knew our customers needed, and he comes to see me as a nice person but not the kind of leader who can get him to the next level.

To empower him I informed him that,  "I'm really happy you are leading this project. I have seen great examples of your work many times. When you do, it’s undeniable and everyone knows it. But in this case, I’m not seeing that quality as yet. I believe in your ability to produce a great product that will excite our customers and help us achieve our mission. So I’d love to see a few more ideas."

A few days later, he came back with something far more inspiring. Something that lived up to that undeniable greatness we both knew he was capable of - producing a great product.

Takeaway: When giving critical feedback, remind the person that you believe in their abilities. Once they have heard you, remind them of the core purpose you are all trying to achieve - remember they want excellence as much as you do. Ask them to try again, using their potential for excellence and the company’s mission as a guiding light and inspiration.

To be an effective leader always check for understanding: Clarify understanding with the individual to ensure they are getting the most out of their feedback.

As we grow in our leadership roles it is important to become aware of how we give and receive feedback. Giving and receiving feedback might seem weird and feel uncomfortable at times, but gradually these will become second nature with practice and then you’ll start to see the impact that great feedback can make.