Weeknote: S2, Ep12: More cycling adventures and taking each day as it comes.
Good things
It’s good to get into a rhythm of going into the office a couple of times a week. The longer days are definitely helping — commuting both ways in the daylight makes a big difference to my energy levels. Susan and I completed the second iteration of the project closure process after a feedback session with the project managers. Kit’s recent birthday was an excellent reason for some after work drinks on Thursday. Lots of people came along — including Tilly the dog — and it was wonderful to talk to so many folk from different teams IRL.
Also, we’re hiring across Delivery and Product. The delivery teams I’m looking for a Lead Project Manager and a Senior Delivery Manager. Both roles offer people leadership opportunities and to shape the culture across the delivery function. Career defining jobs don’t come round all that often — grab this (or encourage the person you know who would absolutely ace it).
Learned things
In the continuing adventures of a novice cyclist… This weekend I navigated roundabouts for the first time, dogs on the Thames path and some unfamiliar roads. We made it to Ham House in one piece. The gears on my bike are still a bit of a mystery, but I’m slowly getting the hang of them*. I’m growing more confident each time I cycle. The learning is about feeling uncomfortable and to keep on practicing. I’m sharing my experiences and asking for help. I’m practicing a mindset as much as anything. I’m asking our teams to keep learning, try new things and stay curious. It’s important I do this as well.
Local elections are on Thursday. We will be providing devices to newly elected Councillors next week. It will be their first interaction with our service. Undoubtedly, they will have encountered “IT” in other circumstances and those experiences will shape how they see us. We are determined to make a good first impression. On Friday we role-played how we are going to give out new devices. Each “Councillor” had different needs and confidence levels. We tested the experience end-to-end including the acceptance of the user device agreement. We got some good learning from this and in good time to make some tweaks to the process.
Difficulties
I’m trying to record my grade 3 piano exam for online submission. I hate doing this and will definitely return to in person exams. I’m much better at handling my nerves in front of an audience than a mobile phone camera! The desire for perfection is a monster for me in these circumstances. I can always do one more recording, no matter how many times I tell myself “this is the last one”. There’s no joy performing in front of a mobile phone, the reciprocity of a mutually shared experience is lost. It becomes about ego and self fulfillment, rather than emerging musical expression that is offered and received.
Achievements
I put my Delivery Manager hat on this week and helped Alex and the intranet team plan their next chunk of work (something similar to an Alpha in GDS speak). I enjoyed the ebb and flow of working between Alex and I. We designed each day as it came, thinking about where she wanted to get to from a product perspective, the energy and focus of the team and what was realistic in the time we had. Spending some time with this team was great and I’m looking forward to seeing their collective efforts blossom over the next few weeks.
Reading/Watching/Listening
Gut wrenching, arresting hip hop dance theatre: Jonzi D & jessica Care moore — Our Bodies Back
Simon Dixon’s blog on building a design team is a good read. The balance of pragmatism (money and people) and necessity of culture before scale is nuanced. The dynamic of holding principles as your north star and generously sharing practice also sings.
*It can get a bit swear-y
