book « Able and How

Sometimes businesses surprise you… and do good

WESTFIELD — It’s a bank holiday in Britain. And I am trying to entertain my horde of children. At one point yesterday there were 9 kids in my house. I have no idea where they all came from.

Yesterday was my 10-year-old’s birthday. We went out early to play tennis. On the way back we dropped the football to kick across the pitch in the park. A big ugly dog came flying out and grabbed it. The dogs owner took 10 minutes to catch their own dog, by which time my daughter’s football was flat. The unpleasant woman handed it back to me and, unconvincingly said “sorry”. I explained that I thought it was a pretty disappointing situation, and the ball was useless now. She said “I don’t have any money,” and walked off with her dog.

My daughter cried.

Today we have tried again.

Father Christmas brought her a green iPod. On Saturday she woke up and found that the headphone cable was broken a few inches from the jack. It had cut clean through while under he pillow.

I have no idea how it happened. But we came today to a big shopping mall in London and went into the Apple store. We quietly explained the situation and said: “we don’t know how it happened, it could have been us… But do you have any existing design flaws that might explain it?”

“Just a minute the attendant said.” In less than a minute he was back with a new set. He pushed them into my daughters’ hand, and with a smile said: “Don’t tell anyone!”

There are all sorts of reasons he might have done this. I can think of lots. But there are even more reasons not to.

It was undoubtedly a business decision. And one that he was allowed to make.

For me it helped restore faith in humanity, at a time when I could do with that. For my daughter it helped balance out man’s indifference with some basic good, common sense. And a business… a capitalist enterprise… did that.

That’s why I am in the business I am in.

I believe that companies can and should be good.

Some days I am happy… very happy… to discover that I am not insane.

/df

Great work literature: what’s yours?

HYDE PARK CORNER — The occasionally quite obtuse Alain de Botton is in The Independent this morning flogging his new book called The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work. It’s a philosophical study of… work. And I so want to read it. But I suspect I won’t because my lips still move when I read.

Here’s a quote from the author in the interview:

I think we are still labouring under this Romantic idea of work being evil and there being no real passion in work. And that real life is love and war and murder. I am sure that there is something in the idea of having writers-in-residence in offices. Offices are always full of dramas.

I like that a lot. If I squint I can almost understand it. And I can also turn it to something that we at Able and How believe in a rather sad and vehement way: that companies have their own cultures, sub-cultures, traditions and histories. We think this narrative is at least as exciting as what is happening down at the bus station, in the Groucho Club or backstage at a Girls Aloud concert.

We, as employees and businesses, are just not very good at writing about it, recognising it, or making it work for us.

And that’s a shame. Because there’s so much good stuff there.

What’s your favourite work book?

The article claims there aren’t many. I’d have to say mine would be Great Expectations or another Dickens. And that’s for the reasons above… they opened the door on work in their day and painted a well-rounded picture of what it was like.

Tell me what you think.

/df

Virtual book launch — now on…

Last Thursday's LIVE book launch

OUR OFFICES — It’s Wednesday night. It’s been a busy week. But tomorrow (Thursday 04 December 2008) I will be holding two virtual book launches.

1) Launch for parts east: 8am to 9am GMT

2) Launch for parts west: 5pm to 6pm GMT

I will be working a few Internet sites at once. I hope. The idea being that you can visit and learn stuff at each, or drop in on one. The pay-off will be a copy of the first 15 pages of the book… the Introduction.

At the same time there will be videos of a ‘book reading’ that you can look at. An audio interview you can listen to. Some places where you can chat live. Many places you can leave comments. And a few ways to request copies.

I hope we’ll see you there. You never know, it may be interesting. At least you can tell you’re mum you did something different this week.

Here’s where it’s happening:

FACEBOOK: At the group “A duty of care”. Go into groups and search for it. We’ll have some pictures here and a chance to chat. We’ll be watching and answering.

YOUTUBE: At my page there. Type in Ferrabee or go to /user/ferrabee We will upload video ‘book readings’ and also and interview I did today with EJ. They’re a bit rough, but have a listen.

TWITTER: Search for “Adutyofcare”, or go to /adutyofcare This will run live. I’ll update you on what’s going on in the hour as it happens.

SECOND LIFE: It’s crashing on me tonight. Hopefully tomorrow it will be better. I am the only short, over-weight, bald man in Second Life. You should be able to find me if you go to IBM 6. Search for that in the search box. We can chat live there. (NB I don’t have voice chat, just typing.)

Also you can check in here. Put a comment below. Or send us your email address at info@ableandhow.com and we’ll send you the book excerpt. If we receive your email in the times listed above!

You can buy the book by clicking here. That would be ideal too!

Thanks for your support.

/df

N.B. Please note. Parts of this will definitely go horribly wrong. Be warned.

Book launch — A duty of care

You can order it now. See link below.

LONDON — Later in the month we will be launching A duty of care, my new book on leadership, management and organisational communications. It’s a slimmer volume than the last. Only about 150 pages. And considerably cheaper at on £6.99. But you’ll like it. You can [...]

Another book launched: A duty of care

NORTHERN LINE — Today at the close of business, I launched my second book: A duty of care. It’s subtitled ‘Leaders aren’t born, they’re made’ and it’s available now for only 699 pence. I’m not sure what that is in dollars or Euro. You can also download it for £4.50. Which is a good deal. [...]

Able and How

Communication, organisational communication, change management and people. And some other things…

Sometimes businesses surprise you… and do good

Great work literature: what’s yours?

I think we are still labouring under this Romantic idea of work being evil and there being no real passion in work. And that real life is love and war and murder. I am sure that there is something in the idea of having writers-in-residence in offices. Offices are always full of dramas.

Virtual book launch — now on…

Book launch — A duty of care

Another book launched: A duty of care

Follow us on Twitter

David’s Books

Categories

Subscribe to our updates