Monday 20 December

Well here we are - Christmas is only 5 sleeps away and we're nearly at the end of 2010 as well.

What a year it's been; challenging, frenetic, speedy and tricky don't begin to summarise it. Overall though we've achieved a great deal. When I look back over our objectives for 2010 we have collectively delivered on almost everything we set out to achieve. And that is thanks to all of you. Your resilience, tenacity and determination to deliver and succeed are inspirational and make this organisation the best I've ever worked for.

I'd like to thank you for your effort and achievements this year and wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful 2011.

Talk again next year.

All the best,
Carlton

As we reach the end of the year I'm reflecting on what we have achieved in 2010, how we have gone about it and what lays ahead in 2011. For all of you who lead and manage others in teams, I thought you might like my top 10 ways to motivate teams:

1. Let people choose
2. Make it a pleasant place to work
3. Allow staff to work flexibly
4. Consider an internal awards scheme
5. Show an interest
6. Avoid cash incentives
7. Create clear goals...
8. ... and track progress
9. Lead from the front
10. Say thank you

It would be good to hear from you how you think we're doing against these criteria.

And finally, my views about the difference between leaders, managers and administrators:

1. Leaders - "what should we be doing?"
2. Managers - "how should we do it?"
3. Administrators - "why we can't do it?" Only joking...

Thanks for reading and talk again next week when we will have only five sleeps to go before Christmas Day.

Carlton

Friday 3 December 2010

Today is a good day. England have bowled out the Aussies for 245 and are 1 without loss at stumps on day 1. Smiles all round. It was a long cold night...

Earlier this week I attended the Scrutiny Management Liaison Committee chaired by Cllr Jeff Osborne. This is the coordinating group for the four formal scrutiny select committees. We discussed and agreed on-going scrutiny arrangements for our procurement, performance and budget work moving forward.

Our procurement programme to identify and deliver £9 million of cash savings in 2011-12 is going well and is on track. We have reviewed our plans and results this week to confirm our confidence in achieving this figure through a combination of re-procurements, direct negotiations with our top suppliers (quick wins) and an additional phase of re-procurements due to commence part way through 11-12. Well done to all those in the team and across the organisation, working so hard to achieve this.

On Wednesday we held an asset management workshop with colleagues from the private sector. It was experimental in nature where we started to look at how assets might be managed in the context of "big society" and increased community engagement. We're not sure where this work will lead but we have to explore new and innovative ways to deliver our work in times of reducing budgets. Exciting stuff and I'll keep you posted on progress.

Thanks for reading and speak again next week.

Carlton