On an extended trip to Italy, hotel and business owners told me time and again of the dramatically increasing electricity costs and their struggle to survive and thrive in challenging times. Italy is a country of glorious sunshine, so why isn’t the country embracing solar electricity and installing solar panels on every available roof? The “protected status” of heritage buildings means that getting permission to install PV panels is a challenge, but does this make sense—in Italy and elsewhere—when generating clean energy and getting rid of “dirty” energy is so important for people and the planet?
suzanne whitby: archives
Writing
Aligning values with your recruitment process
If your corporate or brand values involve anything to do with “caring about your people”, then you should care enough to tell potential employees when a job has been awarded to someone other than them. If you can’t be bothered to do this, then I question how much you really DO care about people and whether your brand values are nothing more than “blah, blah, blah” for your website and corporate image.
Lessons learned from the first Deep Time Walk in Innsbruck
Some notes about how I planned my first Deep Time Walk in Innsbruck, what worked, what didn’t, and what lessons I need to apply in the future.
Make BIG changes by starting a tiny push
Let’s talk about physics and how one small action (yours) can end up making a significant difference (for yourself or the world).
What if public transportation was free & effective?
A short reflective post today. My husband and I have a conversation about transportation periodically. It goes like this: Me: "Why can't we make all...
What if we cut down on food waste?
Let's talk about food waste. Our World in Data has a great visual to help us understand how much food we and our food systems waste each year. So...
Look UP! That’s what I am taking from “Don’t look up”.
I am privileged to be able to spend my days working with scientists who want to learn how to turn their academic findings into information that the “general public” can understand and hopefully act upon. Many of the people I coach and train are natural scientists who have an up-close-and-personal view of human-caused climate change and global heating. Not only are they witness to what is happening now, but thanks to modelling, they have insights into what is likely to happen in the future. And frankly, for many of them, the future is at best worrying and at worst terrifying. They are continually perplexed at the disinterest in the problems they are uncovering by politicians, policy makers, the media, and us, the “general public*”.
Make accordion closed by default
To do this, copy the script below and paste it in the <head> section in the Integration tab in Divi Theme Options (Theme options >...
How can you foster a culture of communication in your organisation?
Like so many things, fostering a culture of communication has to start at the top. If leaders really want to have a two-way dialogue, they need to...
How can you make sure that everyone contributes in a meeting?
If you have a meeting, hearing the voices of all attendees could be a game-changer. Of course, it depends on the meeting: if you’re delivering a...
How can you diffuse drama in your team?
The Karpman Drama Triangle defines the roles that people take on (and can switch between) in stressful, emotional or high-conflict situations. Dr...
What if there was a process for soliciting honest, neutral input for your ideas?
You’re part-way through. You think you’re on the right track. And you have decided that you want to share your idea and get feedback and input that will not only help you move your ideas forward, but that will energise you and perhaps even make your creation even better than it would otherwise be.
What if there was a process for giving kind but honest feedback?
The good news is that there are loads of interesting models, but which model you choose to use depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you...
What if it was possible to have productive, conflict-free conversations?
Conversations are life’s “grease”. Good conversation make things go smoother – work, relationships, buying something at the store, understanding a...
Re-naming and re-framing
Re-naming and re-framingAs a fish hugger (compare with tree hugger), I am always baffled at how people describe sea creatures as ugly. Who do we...
Reframing can change hearts, minds, and souls – er, soles?
As a fish hugger (compare with tree hugger), I am always baffled at how people describe sea creatures as ugly. Who do we think we are that we can...
A thought about small talk
A thought about small talkI came across a thoughtful article this morning on the art (and power) of small talk. As someone who facilitates group...
A recipe for cremation
A recipe for cremationBarlow Bonsall, Cook @ 1700 to 1800 degrees for 2 to 3 hours This is the text of a tattoo surrounded by a yellow and orange...
Do you inadvertently turn your statements into questions?
Raising your pitch at the end of a statement makes that statement sound like a question. Whether you’re communicating in person, online, or over the phone, this speech pattern can make you sound less confident, less credible, and uncertain about your content. This article talks about why we do it, and how to stop.
What’s in a name? Why getting people’s names right is part of effective communication.
Remembering someone’s name and pronouncing it correctly is a key part of making a positive impression. It’s also part of being a good communicator. Not bothering to remember someone’s name or continually pronouncing it incorrectly, or worse, using a name that they dislike (nicknames they didn’t choose, for example) tells people that you don’t value or respect them. Here are 9 things that you can do to remember people’s names, along with some information about why names matter, why we mess them up, and why, in a socially-distanced world, remembering names is more important than ever,
Full-length versions of Euripides’ & Seneca’s Trojan Women
A collection of full-length free video recordings of theatre performances of Trojan Women, most based on Euripides’ text, and two based on Seneca’s. Handy for classics scholars.
A beautiful watch
Whilst everyone is diving into the world of smart watches, I’m opting for a dumb watch that does two things: it tells the time and looks gorgeous. And that’s good enough for me!
Being a company owner in the UK: the end of the affair
I grew up with a British-born father, who, even though he moved over to South Africa at the tender age of 3 years old, was quite the lover of the...
The Man in New Orleans
In 2001, I travelled around the US in 30 days and I had an interesting encounter in New Orleans with a homeless gentleman that made me rethink kindness. Enjoy!
Are we just going in circles? Maybe not.
I came across an incredibly inspiring quote today from Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun”. If you’ve ever felt despair, convinced that the human race is trapped in an unbreakable circle, then this is for you.
Ponte: Tower of Dreams
Ponte City was built in 1975 to be the tallest residential building in Africa, with 55 floors of living space and a cylindrical form that still dominates the skyline. After a rocky series of decades, this building – which fascinated me as a child and still does – is on track to be Jo’burg’s Tower of Dreams for a new generation.
Literacy first, please
Literacy first, pleaseI’m a big supporter of literacy projects, whatever the language, and whilst oral storytelling imparts a number of literacy...
