Welcome
Welcome to this month's edition of People Matter, produced by CustomerClix.
December means Christmas. And traditionally Christmas is a time of goodwill to all men and merriment. But, if Christmas is a difficult time for you and you’re feeling lonely, please talk to others and push yourself to go out and do things. You may discover that, by chatting to others, you are not only helping yourself but you will be putting a little bit of sparkle into the lives of others too.
This year has been bitter sweet for me. I lost my dear Father earlier this year. But my grief has been addressed in some way by supporting the superb work of the British Lung Foundation, a charity that provides help for people with lung disease. I will continue to help this charity and others too.
For example, each month, this newsletter will focus on a charity that would benefit from voluntary work, donations or any other assistance that could be provided. This month, the spotlight falls on the intriguing and excellent work of the Bethlem Gallery, an art gallery attached to the Bethlem Royal Hospital (the original 'Bedlam'), showing how art can be used in the treatment and rehabilitation of those struggling with mental health issues. Do read our feature and, if you can, help this honourable charity.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.
Warmest wishes
Kim Crosby
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Dare to delegate
When more people share the work, more people share the satisfaction of a job well done
As a leader, you must learn to delegate
Delegating gives a leader many advantages. Besides reducing your work and saving time, it teaches you to communicate persuasively, supervise and train others and expand your sphere of influence. Those who take part can benefit as well, enjoying the gratification of service to a cause, self-improvement through hands-on training and personal growth through problem solving, learning and mastery. The work becomes easier and often more fun. In addition, more people share the satisfaction of a job well done.
Choose the right people and motivate them
Once you’ve estimated how many people you will need, it’s time to delegate tasks. When looking for people, remember: Motivation and dependability are more important than skill.
The way you present the task to others can bolster their willingness to participate and follow through. Infuse your team with enthusiasm for the work ahead and emphasise the importance of the project in a positive manner.
Volunteers, for example, are most responsive and enthusiastic when their assignments tie in with their needs. You can appeal to a person’s need for a sense of belonging by saying ‘We want you on our team’. To appeal to self-esteem, say, ‘Your unique skills and talents will make this conference a success’. To appeal to achievement and mastery, say ‘I’m going to help you step out of your comfort zone, stretch your abilities and succeed at something you never thought you could do.’
Match the person to the task
You compliment others when you ask them to participate in a task that matches or expands their skills. People enjoy demonstrating their expertise – especially for a worthy or important goal. To match the person to the task, I repeat: You must get to know people.
Some folks like working with technical details while others like working creatively. Some excel in the limelight; others are more comfortable behind the scenes. Some people are good with numbers; other prefer working with words. If you are organising a team or committee, make certain the members of the group have a good mix of talents and strengths.
Define project tasks and communicate them clearly
Clearly communicate to each team member the purpose of the project, responsibilities and the schedule. Specify and quantify what you expect for the final outcome and rewrite complicated instructions in the simpler form of an outline or diagram.
Provide access, or tell your team how to obtain any relevant reference materials, such as training manuals, meeting minutes and work books. Ask questions to ensure they understand their tasks, like ‘Do you understand the instructions?’ and ‘Do you have a good concept of the end product?’ Then give every member your phone number(s) and email and make yourself available throughout the life of the project to answer questions and provide additional guidance and clarification.
Track progress, give feedback and help people solve problems
Check in with your workers periodically and ask them their progress. Are they completing project milestones on time? Do they have the resources they need? Have unforeseen obstacles emerged? Do they still understand the task? Throughout the project, your leadership responsibility is to monitor the work, provide guidance and give feedback. Giving feedback is similar to giving a speech evaluation. Be positive and helpful. Use phrases such: ‘I like the way you have done this part of the task. Here are some additional approaches.’
When you check on progress, ask open ended questions such as ‘What are you working on now, and what have you accomplished since we last spoke?’. Provide sincere praise and positive reinforcement for all efforts. Almost everyone enjoys hearing ‘Well done, I knew that we could count on you’ or ‘Wow that’s great progress!’ or ‘I admire and appreciate your work.’
If the work seems behind schedule, or the finished products are flawed, maintain a helpful, open attitude. Explore with the team members how improvements could be made. Ask what additional help or resources they may need. . If the project is not going well, consider other approaches. You may need more volunteers or a restructuring of work assignments. If you find that a particular person is poorly suited to the task, you could assign a mentor to work with him or you could ask him to take on another task instead.
If a member must resign as a result of illness or conflicting priorities and responsibilities, empathise with any problems, thank her for the work done so far and allow her to bow out gracefully.
Allow for creativity and variations in work style
Keep your focus on the final result and final product(s), not on the details of how the job gets done. People accomplish their work in various ways, according to individual preferences. When people are allowed to work in their preferred ways, they feel ownership for the work. While some people like to work piecemeal, others like to complete tasks through continual effort. The people on your team may not perform the task exactly the same as you would. In fact, if you have selected skilled, creative and motivating people, they probably will do the task better than you would have, and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results of their endeavours.
At project completion, provide thanks, recognition and rewards
At project completion, many will feel an inner satisfaction in knowing that they have done a job well done. Share the credit and let people know their work is valuable.
By delegating work, you will develop your own skills too, particularly in listening, planning, decision-making and problem solving. And you can do it, because you dared to delegate!
Dare to delegate, p15-77, Toastmaster magazine, Nov 2011, Toastmasters International
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Poet’s Corner: The Holly and the Ivy
Those of you that have attended our public speaking training sessions know the importance of working with words to craft compelling speeches. So, each month, we feature a topical poem or passage that illustrates this point, using lyrical English.
This month features not a poem but the lyrics of a beautiful hymn that is synonymous with Christmas. Enjoy...
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir
The Holly and the Ivy, Cecil Sharp (1859–1924), founding father of the folklore revival in early 20th century England
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Quotations
A turkey never voted for an early Christmas, Irish proverb
May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace, the gladness of Christmas give you hope, the warmth of Christmas grant you love, Author unknown
Christmas persecutes the lonely, the frayed, and the rejected, Jimmy Cannon (1910-1973), US sports journalist
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year, Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English novelist, from Great Expectations
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And if your birthday is in December...
Birthstone: Turquoise or zircon
If cold December gave you birth
The month of snow and ice and mirth
Place on your hand a turquoise blue
Success will bless whate'er you do
Anon
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Volunteering: Bethlem Gallery, Bethlem Royal Hospital
Many people do much for worthy causes. Thus, every month, we feature an organisation that requires volunteers and / or other forms of help to support its work.
If the organisation featured this month is of interest but is not local to you, perhaps you could contact a similar organisation near you to volunteer your help?
Bethlem Gallery, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Beckenham, Kent
Bethlem Royal Hospital is the original ‘Bedlam’, one of the world’s oldest hospitals for the treatment of mental health issues.
It was founded in 1247 as the priory of St Mary of Bethlehem; the site now covered by Liverpool Street station, London. By the fourteenth century it was already treating those deemed to be insane. In 1547 it came under the control of the City of London as one of the five ‘Royal’ hospitals refounded after the Reformation. Medical treatment for insanity was largely ineffective throughout this time, though patients did, in fact, recover. The violent and dangerous were restrained with iron manacles and chains.
Over the years, there have been various changes to the operation of the Hospital. Most recently, in 1999, the Hospital was incorporated into the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, which provides mental health services throughout south London as well as specialist services across the United Kingdom.
The Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives and Museum was established in 1967 as the Archives Department of the Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital. It now houses art and historical collections spanning many centuries which are of unique interest and importance in the field of mental health. It houses an outstanding collection of paintings and drawings
, including works by Richard Dadd, Louis Wain, Jonathan Martin, and William Kurelek; and many other documents and artefacts of historic and artistic significance.
The collections are accessed by over 4,000 visitors a year, and are of both national and international significance. Works of art from Bethlem are regularly requested for inclusion in exhibitions at other museums and galleries such as the Victoria & Albert Museum and Tate Britain. There is also considerable demand for loan exhibitions.
Museum visits and loans to other institutions are all offered free of charge, as are the organisation's educational activities, which benefit hundreds of students and adult learners each year.
Further, on the same site, is the Bethlem Gallery which is a contemporary exhibition space established in 1997 to showcase the inspirational talents of service user artists through professional exhibitions, residencies and events. Monthly exhibitions - that are open to all - are held that present a wide range of media including painting, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, printmaking, photography, and film. The Gallery promotes access and participation to the arts and campaigns for greater public awareness and understanding of mental health issues.
Forthcoming events:
Sat 10th Dec 2011* - 15:00-18:00 hours - Bethlem Affordable Art Fair - The Bethlem Gallery’s annual open exhibition, showcasing paintings, prints, drawings, ceramics, photographs, textiles, and sculpture made by over 40 artists from South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
* Until Fri 23rd Dec 2011
Please: It is Christmas. Could you find it in your heart to help?
Click here to volunteer support.
Click here to donate to the musuem.
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Forthcoming CustomerClix training courses
Tue 10th Jan 2012 - 09:00-17:00 (coffee from 08:30) - Public speaking: You can do it - Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5ED, United Kingdom - Price: £495 per person + VAT - Click here to reserve your place
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Forthcoming get togethers
Would you like to mingle and have fun? If the answer to this question is yes, do come along to the following events. But do let us know beforehand that you're attending so that we can rendezvous with you. And please extend the invite to others - the more the merrier!
Tue 1st Dec 2011 - 18:00-21:00 hours - Lecture: Music and the Brain - Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 0AE, United Kingdom - Price: £10 per person - Click here to request a ticket
Wed 7th Dec 2011 - 17:30-18:30 hours - ‘The Single Swallow Does Not Make a Summer’ - Psychology Approaches in Nineteenth Century Asylum Case Histories, Institute of Historical Research, G37, Bedford Room, Senate House, South Block, Ground Floor, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU, United Kingdom (with contributions from the Bethlem Royal Hospital) - Free
Thu 8th Dec 2011, 17:00-18:00 hours, Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square, London, SW1, United Kingdom, followed by Mulled Wine & Mince Pies served at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, Parliament Square, London, SW1P 3AD – Free
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