This month I am focusing more on personal than organisational change simply because personal development and fitness seem to be on the mind of most of the people I know, including neighbours. I am not sure how the Government have achieved this, but they have managed to get many of us committed to daily exercise.
Continuous Personal Improvement & Joe Wicks
I am not sure if this trend will continue, but record numbers of people are tuning into Joe Wicks and his daily workout. Many other Gurus are available – but some are just too intense. I prefer my exercise being LSD – long, slow distance on a bike. I am not suggesting we go back to the Mr Motivator and the Green Goddess from the 90s TV era of fitness – but that we adopt a more holistic approach which fits with our lifestyle and our business commitments.
Personal Confession
I mean, I do see the point of all this, but I have not prepared for the exercise as much as I should. I have been riding my new racing bike (in Edinburgh) around Arthur’s Seat, and a lovely area called the Meadows on at least four times a week for six weeks x 90 minutes. Still, I am not looking any more like Bradley Wiggins than I would if I just continued reading Cycling Weekly, channelling his energies and forgo the actual hard bit – the riding.
Piling on the Pressure
So I committed to doing a little jogging to complement my biking – but it seems to have had the wrong outcome. It did not help that I threw myself into serious gardening cutting back grossly overgrown trees by taking a small saw to the sturdier branches. Now the neighbours are getting sunlight in the morning – but the physical work has created a problem for me – namely my lower legs.
Injury Prone Professionals and MAMIL (Middle Aged Men in Lycra)
I have met a few pals over the weekend, and we have shared our most exciting stories – about personal injuries. Not all TV personalities that put you through ‘hell and back’ are like Joe Wicks. Many are too gung-ho.
I have watched and quickly turned off a TV channel where guys are pushing it too far. Many occupy the ground of over-muscled ‘meat-heads’ – committing to 100’s of stomach crunches, press-ups, too many burpees (what even are they?) explosive star jumps and the plank position for more than 20 seconds!!
Too painful – come back Joe, Mr Motivator and even the Green Goddess!
Injuries aplenty
Up to know I have counted 14 non-serious (self-inflicted) injuries within my extended group of colleagues and friends – mostly amongst males - ranging from ingrown toenails to my own much more serious Plantar Fasciitis.
One Hour of Preparation prevents 10 hours of Pain
However, the GP has told me it could take 2-3 weeks to heal fully – so I best keep off the bike. Being somewhat impatient, I have argued that I could recover from my physical ailments much faster perhaps with physiotherapy (I forget that hands-on treatment does not meet with Social Distancing - Oops).
She made the point that I need to develop a mindset of Prevention through preparation, stretching, warming up and taking it easy, rather than treating every exercise session as a competition. Of course, she is right and proves the point of an article I wrote last month for organisations that need to review their mission and the role post-Convid 2020+.
Unknown – Unknowns: Managing Change in Uncertain Times
The article aptly entitled ‘Unknown-Unknowns’ we had published in the Journal of Management Services. It focuses on how organisations can objectively and accurately assess their: current functioning; the value they offer to their clients, customer and users; and the action they have to take to review current performance objectively.
Things have changed radically. How far their purpose is still valid, and whether they have to restructure their thinking, their way forward, their goals and strategies depend on the level of thinking they bring to uncertain times. We are very much operating in the world of ‘Unknown, Unknowns’.
Ready, Fire, Aim
If this article sounds of interest to you will find a PDF link at the end of the Blog. We argue that we need to focus more time on a Ready, Aim, Fire methodology or approach, rather than the one, many of us, adopted with our fitness regime, which basically amounts to Fire, Ready, Aim.
Email Philip for further information.
Continuous Personal Improvement & Joe Wicks
I am not sure if this trend will continue, but record numbers of people are tuning into Joe Wicks and his daily workout. Many other Gurus are available – but some are just too intense. I prefer my exercise being LSD – long, slow distance on a bike. I am not suggesting we go back to the Mr Motivator and the Green Goddess from the 90s TV era of fitness – but that we adopt a more holistic approach which fits with our lifestyle and our business commitments.
Personal Confession
I mean, I do see the point of all this, but I have not prepared for the exercise as much as I should. I have been riding my new racing bike (in Edinburgh) around Arthur’s Seat, and a lovely area called the Meadows on at least four times a week for six weeks x 90 minutes. Still, I am not looking any more like Bradley Wiggins than I would if I just continued reading Cycling Weekly, channelling his energies and forgo the actual hard bit – the riding.
Piling on the Pressure
So I committed to doing a little jogging to complement my biking – but it seems to have had the wrong outcome. It did not help that I threw myself into serious gardening cutting back grossly overgrown trees by taking a small saw to the sturdier branches. Now the neighbours are getting sunlight in the morning – but the physical work has created a problem for me – namely my lower legs.
Injury Prone Professionals and MAMIL (Middle Aged Men in Lycra)
I have met a few pals over the weekend, and we have shared our most exciting stories – about personal injuries. Not all TV personalities that put you through ‘hell and back’ are like Joe Wicks. Many are too gung-ho.
I have watched and quickly turned off a TV channel where guys are pushing it too far. Many occupy the ground of over-muscled ‘meat-heads’ – committing to 100’s of stomach crunches, press-ups, too many burpees (what even are they?) explosive star jumps and the plank position for more than 20 seconds!!
Too painful – come back Joe, Mr Motivator and even the Green Goddess!
Injuries aplenty
Up to know I have counted 14 non-serious (self-inflicted) injuries within my extended group of colleagues and friends – mostly amongst males - ranging from ingrown toenails to my own much more serious Plantar Fasciitis.
One Hour of Preparation prevents 10 hours of Pain
However, the GP has told me it could take 2-3 weeks to heal fully – so I best keep off the bike. Being somewhat impatient, I have argued that I could recover from my physical ailments much faster perhaps with physiotherapy (I forget that hands-on treatment does not meet with Social Distancing - Oops).
She made the point that I need to develop a mindset of Prevention through preparation, stretching, warming up and taking it easy, rather than treating every exercise session as a competition. Of course, she is right and proves the point of an article I wrote last month for organisations that need to review their mission and the role post-Convid 2020+.
Unknown – Unknowns: Managing Change in Uncertain Times
The article aptly entitled ‘Unknown-Unknowns’ we had published in the Journal of Management Services. It focuses on how organisations can objectively and accurately assess their: current functioning; the value they offer to their clients, customer and users; and the action they have to take to review current performance objectively.
- Some organisations will have to reassess their purpose and role and how it fits with their current strategies
- Many may have to consider restructuring their finances and how they transact business.
- Others may have to consider achieving more with less and reconsider what options are open to them
Things have changed radically. How far their purpose is still valid, and whether they have to restructure their thinking, their way forward, their goals and strategies depend on the level of thinking they bring to uncertain times. We are very much operating in the world of ‘Unknown, Unknowns’.
Ready, Fire, Aim
If this article sounds of interest to you will find a PDF link at the end of the Blog. We argue that we need to focus more time on a Ready, Aim, Fire methodology or approach, rather than the one, many of us, adopted with our fitness regime, which basically amounts to Fire, Ready, Aim.
Email Philip for further information.
| unknown-unknowns_-_postcovid_philip_atkinson_-_daniel_burger.pdf |
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