Diaroogle

For those who tell me that Web2 offers nothing useful. There is clearly a lot of social enterprise going on behind this site. Description below and worth a look for intersting Google Maps Mash Up.

If Renton had this in Trainspotting would he still have had to stick his arm down that U-Bend ?
Coming to a city near you...

Like the description

Diaroogle helps you find quality public toilets from your mobile phone.

It's for the discerning, on-the-go defecator who is brave enough to use a public bathroom, but still demands a hygienic and private bathroom experience. It is also a community authored database of New York toilets.

Blog Power

I got a nice message this morning from from Andrew Carey at the Triarchy Press, the publisher of "Systems Thinking in the Public Sector" offering me a second hand copy - he had picked up my last blog post.

I actually ordered one over the weekend and have already found a donor for book when it arrives, thanks to Twitter and thanks again to Andrew and Triarchy Press. I hope it is the inspiring read that I have been promised.

Interesting who reads blogs - when I posted on Microsoft Popfly I got a helpful follow up comment from headquarters in Redmond within a matter of hours.

Web2 is shrinking the world and Scots Educators you need to get out here ;-) ( this message is for those that can't access this ;-) )

Leadership in the Public Sector

Interesting that following my last posting I have had quite a few suggestions on useful books on changes that are needed particularly in public sector in the UK . But more interesting three of the suggestions all pointed to one book recently published and none of these plugs came from the author or anyone connected with the publisher. Better go and buy a copy or if anyone in SQA has spare one - let me know...

Leadership and Management in UK

Some of the educational bloggers I follow have been blogging about management and leadership this week - must be that back to school week. see John and Don Leddingham

Meanwhile I have just been at meetings with industry and standards setting bodies who blame decline on education mmm is this Six Degrees of Separation or more likely they are already looking at the changes that need to come in management and leadership across industry.

A good place to look are the national occupational standards NOS in UK for management and leadership these are developed by the Management Standards Centre. We use these standards as basis for awards in Scotland and rest of UK and we work closely with the Chartered Management Institute to make sure our HN awards lead to Chartered Manager Status.

I attended a rather entertaining launch of some new standards in London on Wednesday here are the main points from the morning. Making UK Management and Leadership Skills World Class by 2020: Pioneering Change

In reverse order from twitter (slightly edited with other notes from day)

It started out in quite a focused way and by end - well it's all the fault of teachers and television.

But some useful nuggets - I've not checked these "facts"

On serious note we have some recognised serious shortcomings across the Scottish public and private sectors and we are going to see what else can be done about this and that was why my journey was necessary.

Television finally getting blame for promoting bullying and poor values The Apprentice and Devils Den and the swearing chefs not good role models 12:25 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web

	lesson from this morning give people around you continual opportunities to step up and take risks manage challenges 12:20 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	where do children learn to be leaders in todays schools ? not enough challenge 12:18 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	leadership and management failures in UK being piled at education's doors. Grumpy corporate rotters or is this insight ??12:14 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	despite credit crunch stilll queues for private schools in london and across UK in Sweden money follows learner this drives up standards 12:12 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	or driven by a lack of values and attitudes to learning there is no simple answer 12:09 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	current school system (england) "only" fails 54pc of young people this is higher than anywhere in the developed world. A scandal and driven by academic snobbery 12:08 PM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	do you do intense leadership coaching with all staff and offer rewards on how on well they develop the next leaders 11:48 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	have you got staff who are able to "not take " or opt out of responsibility for what they do from beginning to end if so redesign work 11:40 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	don't do top down plans they don't work 11:30 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	good example of mindmaps rather than using business reports massive added value in large corporation over night 11:28 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	still problem at policy level in UK we are too arrogant to look at rest of world 11:26 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	UK low esteem and a lack of pride in achievement and too many managers who don't have proper values , aspirations or goals in private and public sector - ouch 11:24 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	leadership and risk has to be in our industries context but we should all take more risk 11:18 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	chinese best qualified managers and good at identifying their weaknesses deep understanding of skillsets required UK USA too complacent 11:15 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	if you are not growing next leaders in your company or in your industry - serious problems with your leadership and your industry 11:11 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	leaders need constant challenge and validation and should never be too busy to think - reflection should be regular 11:10 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web

	we learn leadership by doing it and being open to challenges not through courses or qualifications How do you move staff around no comfort zones if you want to grow managers and leaders?? 11:06 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web
	There are no low tech industries but there are too many low tech organisations in the UK 10:54 AM August 13, 2008 from mobile web