🚧 People - Not Assets, Talent, Staff ... People

I just read this and decided to drop in a few People First tenets to remind us all .... the problem Kevin raises is not easily fixed - it is a systemic view of how people are seen by business.

Bunker19

The Working Day Is Done

No, not Cyndi ... Neil.

They say that life imitates art. In this particular case I would argue art is imitating life.

When the working day is through
And you're waiting in the rain
For another overdue
Overcrowded railway train
And the movie poster screams
"It's the best film ever seen!"
But it's all a different world
To which you have never been
And you're bored out of your mind
So you keep yourself amused
Reading the Financial Times
Of the fellow next to you
Then something in you snaps
And you shout with all your lungs
"We give and get nothing back!"
When the working day is done."

Neil Hannon - Divine Comedy

Unfair - possibly, but Hannon / Divine Comedy has a history of social observation. In this particular case and entire double album on Office Politics. Wont it be grand when we no longer have to deal with them?

European tour in the autumn of this year.

Corporate Speak

I have a problem with ‘Corporate Speak’. Putting aside how ‘we the people’ seem to adopt corporate speak as part of our conversation - how else does ‘content’ become part of our day to day vocabulary? (Although that is an entirely different topic.)

Here’s the thing … the same organisations that use phrases like;

‘Share of Wallet’

‘Attacking and Targeting a Market’ (that’s you and me folks) and breaking down those

‘Adoption Barriers’

‘Taking the hill’

‘Users’ not ‘People’

And have something called a ‘War Room’ !!! - you know the place where Marketing meet to plan how to extract out last cent. Anyway these organisations are exactly the same organisations that say things like

‘Your Passion Is Our Satisfaction’,

‘Pleasing People Is Our Motto’ and

‘A Customer Is Always Right’.

Which language do you believe reflects the true nature of the corporation?

Me? I think what is said behind closed doors more often reflects the truth. What is broadcast in public is what they think we want to hear. It’s politics, not business, but isn’t that what happened to Mitt Romney?

This week’s newsletter explores corporate language and asks why have people just blindly adopted it without question? It doesn’t serve us - only the corporation.

🔗 Read the whole thing here.

straight line

🖇️ 🔎 .. and much more on what I think about language here.

People: Leo

"In Italy I was a photographer. In Rome."

“A pretty place to photograph.”

"Well, not so much, my job was a police photographer. When someone died, I took the photographs. I was very busy. Ten years .. every day … click click click … more death. Depressing. Soul ‘killing’’. I couldn’t make a life out of death."

So different city, different country, different job?

"Yes. But same girl!"

"She said to me one day that she is coming here. To England. It seemed a good idea. Time for change."

You didn’t want to do something in photography? Maybe scenery, weddings, commercial … put your skills to a different use?

"No."

"My girl friend she is always changing. Me too. I wanted change. But Only one change. Change. Stop."

So you have been here for ten years.

"Yes. And will be for another ten. My girlfriend she has had 15 jobs in the same time. Sometimes working 50 miles away. Always changing. Always chasing. But never arriving."

"Me? I’ve arrived."

Any journey is a series of events and one of those events is the destination. [efn_note] I was reminded of this story when I was sharing a bottle of wine with a friend recently. The wine was 'own label' - and on that label was a line ... that he assured me was his, I haven't found it anywhere else so let me attribute accordingly. [/efn_note]

Thinking Allowed

This is a People First post that was originally on the People First domain. It has been moved here as part of my domain consolidation program. It’s a steady and slow WIP as I check each entry, so do please bear with me.

Time For A Better Capitalism

When Henry Blodget writes an opinion piece about the inequality in modern America ... concluding with

"It's time for a more balanced approach"

Henry Blodget

Then I guess it must be time!

On the click through– a good read, some informative images, and the fact that the whole things is sitting in the LinkedIN silo shouldn’t put you off. In particular he writes;

... the problem with the profit-maximization obsession is that it hurts the economy.

Henry Blodget

I have to say - I agree.

It's pretty simple really .. and a central theme of mine. In fact, I go further. It's bad for society.

The 'graphic story' I have in the works shows why. Don't worry - it won't be as complex as the Mueller one.

People: Alfie

How about you? I asked.

"Me? More brothers and sisters than most and none of them talk to me and the missus."

That must be hard.

Not really. It runs in the family. My parents hardly ever talked.

"You can't choose your family, but you sure can choose your friends".

My Dad [efn_note]A long time ago[/efn_note]

Thinking Allowed

This is a People First post that was originally on the People First domain. It has been moved here as part of my domain consolidation program. It’s a steady and slow WIP as I check each entry, so do please bear with me.

People: Semera

He looked at me. Eyes piercing my skull.

“Yes - I have heard of it I replied. An African nation … right?”

African yes.

"I’m sorry, I can’t place exactly where in Africa - but, my memory tells me in the North .. near Ethiopia?”

You do indeed know my country. He gave me the biggest smile.

And then this young man from Eritrea launched into the story of his journey from Africa to San Francisco. Not harrowing … though if you know anything of that region, that is more surprising than if it was.

I won a scholarship to America. I am a musician. I came here ten years ago.

Read More →

🚧 Our Greatest Assets

Our fourth Newsletter just dropped. The focus this week .. People!

Hamid Ulukaya - founder and CEO of 'Chobani Yoghurt' presents his plan - 'the anti-CEO playbook'. A fascinating journey through the early days of the company - and how it's success can be reduced to .... people!

Secondly, A reminder that when you build systems and make changes in your organization, it's

Finally, for a while now, I have been writing about why we should stop using the word 'Content' to describe our ”book, novel, short story, article, white paper, promotional piece, advert, painting, sculpture, song, opera, photograph …. you get the point.

This week Om Malik and Khoi Vinh have both written about that very topic. Personally delighted if finally this message is catching on and gettingg through.

As long as ‘we the creators’ fall into the trap of using ‘their’ words to describe our work, our soul, our passion, our beliefs as ‘content’, then our work will continue to be viewed as ’free - to - cheap - to - low - cost, homogenized, non differentiated, interchangeable fodder’.

John Philpin - People First

Humanity

Newsletter Three from People First just launched. The theme for this week's edition is 'Humanity’ including me spotting this in a clothing store recently. I didn’t buy it - but I sure was tempted, as I ready myself for October’s IIW. (more)

Language - One Of The Eight Pillars

It's funny how things work out sometimes. Since the beginning, 'language' has been a core pillar of People First. I've written about it from time to time, but was not intending to get into the meat for a while. Then - after last week's newsletter, I received an email that resonated in so many ways, that this week's newsletter morphed into riff on .... Language.

And then this morning, I was just browsing through some of my draft posts deciding what to publish next - and up pops this from Hugh Macleod and Gaping Void.

Why Words Do Matter

In other words, successful CEOS tend to 'get' the culture idea that language is the foundation of culture.

Hugh Macleod

Talk about the universe working in mysterious ways. Needless to say, we agree.

Now we just need to ensure that the corporates don’t takeover the language of culture as they have changed our day to day language, with their militaristic business jargon.

The Anti-CEO Playbook

I am not usually slow in attacking the nature of business, but not sure the 'Anti-CEO' playbook is exactly the right angle here. That said Hamid Ulukaya's points are excellent. How he built Chobani is a fascinating story. And at one point I was very much reminded me of a couple of People First tenets.

[youtu.be/SGTMSV8QU...](https://youtu.be/SGTMSV8QUrs)

You Build Bridges From Both Sides

I am often asked what People First is about and how it differs to everything else that goes on in the identity/data/self-sovereign/blockchain ... blah blah blah space? I was asked again this morning. I replied, but as so often happens, the essence of the message was not specifically 'private' - and so this post emerged.

If you check out The DigLife Collective, The Me2B Alliance, The People Centered Internet, The Internet Identity Workshop, The Indie Web Movement, Human First Tech ... even the IEEE to name just a few organizations [efn_note]These organizations are top of mind as I type, there are many more.[/efn_note] that tangentially relate to People First ... they all seem to be feeling their way around the elephant and interpreting the trunk, tail, tusk, foot accordingly. Nothing wrong with what they are doing ... all focussed on their individual missions.

In my email exchange, I was taken by one phrase;

"It really has to do with bridging that chasm between technology makers and people."

That idea is often referenced, with variations of actual words used. The meaning is constant. The visual is instant. Or is it?

It dawned on me ...

When engineers build bridges, they always build from both sides.

When Building Bridges - You Start From Both Sides

My ah-ha moment ... was understanding that the technology makers recognize the need to cross the chasm - but all seem to be building from the 'Tech Side'. People First is building the bridge from the 'People Side'.

Does anyone know of any other organization that is building the bridge from the 'People Side'? I sure would like to talk with them.

The American Dream

All that is needed ... just three minutes of your time. A little more 'political' than the usual People First posts ... George Carlin - Life Is Worth Losing.

Released January 10, 2006
Recorded November 5, 2005, Beacon Theater, New York City, New York

[youtu.be/KSuEa2xPd...](https://youtu.be/KSuEa2xPdYo)

Thirteen Years Ago ... needless to say - nothing has changed, other than more people are aware ... hoping that this will make even more people aware ... and then we do something about it.

Thinking Allowed

This is a People First post that was originally on the People First domain. It has been moved here as part of my domain consolidation program. It’s a steady and slow WIP as I check each entry, so do please bear with me.

People Matter

[youtu.be/lKx3MUqzC...](https://youtu.be/lKx3MUqzCcQ)

Thinking Allowed

This is a People First post that was originally on the People First domain. It has been moved here as part of my domain consolidation program. It’s a steady and slow WIP as I check each entry, so do please bear with me.

Who Is The REAL Taron Egerton - And Why Is He Welsh?

I had cause to look up Taron Egerton on Wikipedia (do you need to know why) … where I read …

”Taron David Egerton (born 10 November 1989) is an English-born Welsh actor.

… which to me at least doesn’t make sense - so I checked out some more … my bold

”He was born in northern England but raised Welsh. Egerton’s parents, who are both British, moved from Cheshire, England to Wales when he was a baby. “All my friends are Welsh, I speak Welsh, and I feel very Welsh,” he said.

So if I ‘feel' European … do I have to worry about Brexit? Assuming I speak German or French or one of the other ‘Euro' languages?

Seperate fact - at one point he did live in Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch - take note @derekpeden :-)

His grandmother was born in Wales - so I guess he is at least 25%.

More On Brian Warren's New Page.

Daniel Jalkut talking about Brian Warren’s Mac Open Web and if you want to see what he is talking about go here

I agree with Daniel - it’s a nice list. It might not have everything you think should be on the list, but that’s ok - because all you need to do is email Brian with what is missing - and if it ‘fits’ - the product gets added. And added to it has been … almost twice as many things listed now than when I first saw the list a week ago.

I just counted. I have 16 of those apps running somewhere on my machines/devices … and I can now quickly spot ‘indie compliant’ alternatives for things I have that aren’t there.

I thought Feedly should be listed, but Brian explained why he thought it shouldn’t be there …

“I don’t think Feedly would fit. Sure, it’s a web-focused service, no real proprietary formats, but it does require you use their app on their server.”

Meanwhile, Flickr is on the list. I wasn’t aware that you could use different apps to talk to the Flickr servers … you see how much you can learn?

I also think it would be useful for a link to be added at Indieweb.org - another great resource if you are thinking of dipping your feet into this burgeoning movement.

Bottom line - great idea and nicely done.

My Exchange With Stowe Boyd and A Postscript.

How It All Started

 

A Stowe Announcement Last October (ish)

”I am working to move all the old newsletter issues posted at Substack and even earlier tools over to here, at workfutures.org on Tumblr. I am dating them as they were published, so you can access them using the Tumblr archives feature or the Tumblr tag: workfutures.org/tagged/daily.”

JohnPhilpin To Stowe:

”Tumblr … Owned by Yahoo … Owned by Verizon … Have you a back up plan if Verizon decides to close Tumblr down? I hope / presume / assume that all of your IP in Tumblr is already stored on places that you control and own …. And if it is … how about moving it there now … and then cross posting it from there to Tumblr, Twitter, Medium as and when you feel like it?
Think what Medium just did to their self hosted model.
From someone who does not see RSS as old school. More ‘retro’ … And very much ‘now’. 😀”
<If all thought through - then who am I? … but to me, basing your entire IP in a platform that may or may not survive … you need a plan B. Or maybe it does survive …. but decommissions support for personal domains like Medium did recently. Then what?

Stowe To John

”I can export from Tumblr if that happens.

Postscript

Today’s Newsletter From Stowe

Beacon NY - 2019-05-16 — Yesterday evening, without any prior notice or previous discussions, Tumblr ‘terminated’ my stoweboyd.com account. So, if you browse to that URL you’ll see Tumblr’s landing page, and none of my 13,000+ posts.
Strangely enough some of the blogs associated with the account can still be viewed, like workfutures.org. I was working on that blog yesterday just prior to the ‘termination’, so maybe it’s related.
At any rate, this brings back into high relief the question of whether I should abandon Tumblr. One of the issues is that I have so many posts there most import tools don’t work. And Tumblr offers no export, any longer.
More to follow on that front.

… and ‘Tumblr offers no export, any longer.’

My Conclusion is no surprise ... but you can only go there so many times.

Move To Micro.Blog

Smear To Sneer ... It’s A Well Practiced Tactic.

And a counter balance from our friend @Gruber quoting the BBC Julian Assange, Houseguest From Hell

Kind of like the politics we see from the current Whitehouse … don’t bother with policy, the principals, the main story … instead smear to sneer at the individual.

Why now? What is the backstory? Who’s putting in the pressure? What was Ecuador threatened with?

That all said … if all of the smears are true … I fully expect an insanity defence.