Welcome Gurkhas
by Graham Davies
Stuff Party Politics. It was certainly an unlikely alliance of Tory, Lib Dem and Labour MPs who defeated the government's attempt to exclude as many Gurkhas as possible from living here. But it was a victory for decency and simple fair play.
Kilo for kilo, the Gurkhas are the fiercest warriors in the world. Their height is inversely proportional to their bravery and loyalty to the British Crown. The role they have played in the security of this country has never been properly repayed in terms of long-term security for them and their families.
The Gurkhas are loyal, patriotic and hard-working....just the sort of people I would like living in my country. In fact, I would rather have them than many people who were actually born here.
You can give your life for us, but you can't live with us is a presentational Micro-Message that has that has hopefully died forever.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Thursday, 16 April 2009
The Susan Effect
by Graham Davies
It happens exactly 2 minutes and 3 seconds into the video....a video that has been watched more than 21 million times on You Tube in less than 6 days. It was the moment that Susan Boyle received a standing ovation from a packed theatre for the first two notes of what will most certainly be a brilliant singing career. At the same time she struck a blow for every 40 something who has ever thought that their dream will never come true.
There was hardly a dry seat in the house.
There are some presentation coaches that will tell you that most of anyone's personal impact will always come from how they look. They get this from a widely discredited study that was carried out nearly 40 years ago.
Susan has a very plain appearance....so plain, that you can see some audience members cringing in anticipation of what they have already decided will be an entertainment train wreck. Simon Cowell was clearly relishing the chance to demonstrate his Black Belt in Condesencion. But he really should have realised that something special was about to happen from the bubbling confidence that was obvious in every word that came out of her mouth.
And then the Boyle brilliance burst forth.
You don't have to be a singer to learn from Susan Boyle. The next time you are listening to a presentation, decide nothing about the presenter until well after they have opened their mouth.
And the next time you give a presentation, have the same attitude that Susan showed the first time that she said these words into a sneering camera lens:
I am going to make that audience ROCK.
by Graham Davies
It happens exactly 2 minutes and 3 seconds into the video....a video that has been watched more than 21 million times on You Tube in less than 6 days. It was the moment that Susan Boyle received a standing ovation from a packed theatre for the first two notes of what will most certainly be a brilliant singing career. At the same time she struck a blow for every 40 something who has ever thought that their dream will never come true.
There was hardly a dry seat in the house.
There are some presentation coaches that will tell you that most of anyone's personal impact will always come from how they look. They get this from a widely discredited study that was carried out nearly 40 years ago.
Susan has a very plain appearance....so plain, that you can see some audience members cringing in anticipation of what they have already decided will be an entertainment train wreck. Simon Cowell was clearly relishing the chance to demonstrate his Black Belt in Condesencion. But he really should have realised that something special was about to happen from the bubbling confidence that was obvious in every word that came out of her mouth.
And then the Boyle brilliance burst forth.
You don't have to be a singer to learn from Susan Boyle. The next time you are listening to a presentation, decide nothing about the presenter until well after they have opened their mouth.
And the next time you give a presentation, have the same attitude that Susan showed the first time that she said these words into a sneering camera lens:
I am going to make that audience ROCK.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
1997 again
by Graham Davies
It is very difficult for a 12 year old government to present itself in a new way. In his Party Conference speech last October, Gordon Brown tried to re-brand Labour as the party that would create a "New Settlement" for the people of this country.
As a micro-message, it was both bkland and opaque. At the time, few people knew what he meant. 6 months later, few people can remember that he said it.
This is a government that has not run out of steam. It has run out of the will to live. The Parliamentary Labour Party is entirely aware of the uncomforatable similarities with the last year of the Major regime. There is a stale aroma of sleaze, individual abuse of privilege and general lack of competence.
And they just don't have any credible new ideas about fixing the economy that vary much from spending as much as possible with one hand and crossing the fingers of the other.
If Gordon Brown were the Chief Executive of a PLC, he would have had to resign, together with his top management team, many months ago. Perhaps he could have enjoyed a few laughs with Fred Goodwin at an undisclosed tropical location.
But our political system does not include a process for paying off a PM that we really should be rid of. Shame really.
by Graham Davies
It is very difficult for a 12 year old government to present itself in a new way. In his Party Conference speech last October, Gordon Brown tried to re-brand Labour as the party that would create a "New Settlement" for the people of this country.
As a micro-message, it was both bkland and opaque. At the time, few people knew what he meant. 6 months later, few people can remember that he said it.
This is a government that has not run out of steam. It has run out of the will to live. The Parliamentary Labour Party is entirely aware of the uncomforatable similarities with the last year of the Major regime. There is a stale aroma of sleaze, individual abuse of privilege and general lack of competence.
And they just don't have any credible new ideas about fixing the economy that vary much from spending as much as possible with one hand and crossing the fingers of the other.
If Gordon Brown were the Chief Executive of a PLC, he would have had to resign, together with his top management team, many months ago. Perhaps he could have enjoyed a few laughs with Fred Goodwin at an undisclosed tropical location.
But our political system does not include a process for paying off a PM that we really should be rid of. Shame really.
Sunday, 12 April 2009
Private Email?
by Graham Davies
E mails are a seductive weapon. They are easy to write and even easier to send.
Unfortunately, once you have sent one , you can't take it back. As a former adviser to the PM was telling me recently.
You Tube has ensured that the presentational mistakes of politicians and celebrities will long outlive them. But you don't have to have a high profile to fall foul of the sheer longevity of cyber-communication.
So...take my advice: when you write an email, assume that the 10 people in the world that you would least like to see it, will see it.
Once you have mastered this, you can then work for Gordon Brown.
by Graham Davies
E mails are a seductive weapon. They are easy to write and even easier to send.
Unfortunately, once you have sent one , you can't take it back. As a former adviser to the PM was telling me recently.
You Tube has ensured that the presentational mistakes of politicians and celebrities will long outlive them. But you don't have to have a high profile to fall foul of the sheer longevity of cyber-communication.
So...take my advice: when you write an email, assume that the 10 people in the world that you would least like to see it, will see it.
Once you have mastered this, you can then work for Gordon Brown.
Apology to Police
by Graham Davies
I would like to humbly apologise to the Tactical Support Group of the Metropolitan Police. The blog I wrote 3 days ago is grossly inaccurate. I wrongly implied that an officer had assaulted a "protestor". In fact, he was an Evening Standard Vendor on his way home from work.
It is this sort of appalling slander that has seen the resignation of a high-profile political adviser over the last 48 hours. I am consumed with anguish, because the officer clearly suspected Ian Tomlinson of Selling Newspapers in an Offensive Manner. Immediate force was necessary to prevent uncontrolled dissemination of tabloid journalism.
The officer in question has now been suspended, but not questioned. We still do not know why he was wearing a balaclava or why he had covered up his epaulettes. I would be shocked if anyone were to suggest that these were ploys to conceal his identity. He was clearly the sort of public servant that wanted to keep his uniform clean even in the midst of a riot.
But we do know why he has not been questioned. Apparently, he is recovering from a heart attack.
I wish the same could be said of Ian Tomlinson.
by Graham Davies
I would like to humbly apologise to the Tactical Support Group of the Metropolitan Police. The blog I wrote 3 days ago is grossly inaccurate. I wrongly implied that an officer had assaulted a "protestor". In fact, he was an Evening Standard Vendor on his way home from work.
It is this sort of appalling slander that has seen the resignation of a high-profile political adviser over the last 48 hours. I am consumed with anguish, because the officer clearly suspected Ian Tomlinson of Selling Newspapers in an Offensive Manner. Immediate force was necessary to prevent uncontrolled dissemination of tabloid journalism.
The officer in question has now been suspended, but not questioned. We still do not know why he was wearing a balaclava or why he had covered up his epaulettes. I would be shocked if anyone were to suggest that these were ploys to conceal his identity. He was clearly the sort of public servant that wanted to keep his uniform clean even in the midst of a riot.
But we do know why he has not been questioned. Apparently, he is recovering from a heart attack.
I wish the same could be said of Ian Tomlinson.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
G20 Death
by Graham Davies
I can hear the policeman's defence in court already: "The protestor was walking away from me in a threatening manner and the way he had his hands in his pockets made me fear for my life. I was forced to defend myself by hitting him with my baton."
There are many people in this country who feel that demonstrators get what they deserve...after all, they should not have been protesting if they didn't want trouble.
Those people are just plain wrong. Tolerance of mass protest is one of the things that distinguishes us from countries like Russia, China, France and a whole host of more demcocratic entities. This country has always presented itself as a haven of free speech. I hope it always will.
Demonstrations have to be policed. But in Britain it has to be done carefully. Because that is what Britain is all about: a country where the Rule of Law is obeyed by citizens and the police.
Fortunately, there is video footage which will be carefully studied by the Police Complaints Authority and the Crown Prosecution Service. This may well lead to a policeman being prosecuted....something which would never happen in the countries mentioned above.
Policemen do break the rules here, but they will not always get away with it.
The British feel that we are better than other countries. It is the Rules that make us better.
by Graham Davies
I can hear the policeman's defence in court already: "The protestor was walking away from me in a threatening manner and the way he had his hands in his pockets made me fear for my life. I was forced to defend myself by hitting him with my baton."
There are many people in this country who feel that demonstrators get what they deserve...after all, they should not have been protesting if they didn't want trouble.
Those people are just plain wrong. Tolerance of mass protest is one of the things that distinguishes us from countries like Russia, China, France and a whole host of more demcocratic entities. This country has always presented itself as a haven of free speech. I hope it always will.
Demonstrations have to be policed. But in Britain it has to be done carefully. Because that is what Britain is all about: a country where the Rule of Law is obeyed by citizens and the police.
Fortunately, there is video footage which will be carefully studied by the Police Complaints Authority and the Crown Prosecution Service. This may well lead to a policeman being prosecuted....something which would never happen in the countries mentioned above.
Policemen do break the rules here, but they will not always get away with it.
The British feel that we are better than other countries. It is the Rules that make us better.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Hamilton's Trouser Inferno
by GrahamDavies
William the Conqueror. Alfred the Great. Ivan the Terrible (and his wife Blodwyn the Dreadfully Disappointed).....the concept of Personal Presentational Branding has been around a long time.
But in 2009, it is easier to build up an image quickly, especially a bad one....and it's the bad ones that are the most difficult to shake off.
Lewis Hamilton is just finding this out. I am not an afficionado of motor racing, so the reasons why the Team Director needed Lewis to mis-speak are not entirely clear to me. Lewis himself says that he did it because he was told to.
This is a defence that has not worked in the courts of Law or Public Opinion since Nuremberg in 1946. It does not sound like a good reason for him to set his pants on fire in the pit lane.
This is desperately sad. Hamilton has become a role model for people who strive to succeed despite disadvantaged backgrounds. But the sheer effort he has put into this has been severely devalued because of this latest episode.
He will have to work very hard over a long period of time to re-brand himself again as an Inspiring Champion instead of Lewis the Liar.
by GrahamDavies
William the Conqueror. Alfred the Great. Ivan the Terrible (and his wife Blodwyn the Dreadfully Disappointed).....the concept of Personal Presentational Branding has been around a long time.
But in 2009, it is easier to build up an image quickly, especially a bad one....and it's the bad ones that are the most difficult to shake off.
Lewis Hamilton is just finding this out. I am not an afficionado of motor racing, so the reasons why the Team Director needed Lewis to mis-speak are not entirely clear to me. Lewis himself says that he did it because he was told to.
This is a defence that has not worked in the courts of Law or Public Opinion since Nuremberg in 1946. It does not sound like a good reason for him to set his pants on fire in the pit lane.
This is desperately sad. Hamilton has become a role model for people who strive to succeed despite disadvantaged backgrounds. But the sheer effort he has put into this has been severely devalued because of this latest episode.
He will have to work very hard over a long period of time to re-brand himself again as an Inspiring Champion instead of Lewis the Liar.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Queen of Hugs
by Graham Davies
The content of the speech was trite and obvious. But the pupils of Elizabeth Garret Anderson School were delighted to be given the old you-can-be-whatever-you-want-to-be-if-you-work-hard-and-love-your-parents stuff that their teachers have already told them many times. In fact, they gave her the sort of screamingly hysterical response that once would have been reserved for Boyzone.
Clichés are certainly more effective when they are presented by the First Lady.....even if she did seem surprised that the USA does not have a monopoly on charming, polite and well brought-up schoolgirls.
But it was not her words that the audience wanted. They wanted her touch. It was delightful to see the Secret Service bodyguards pale at the impending stampede when she announced "I do hugs as well". Michelle will never be a speaker that challenges an audience's intellect. But the world does have room for a presenter who is so indisputably, unequivocally and comprehensively nice.
by Graham Davies
The content of the speech was trite and obvious. But the pupils of Elizabeth Garret Anderson School were delighted to be given the old you-can-be-whatever-you-want-to-be-if-you-work-hard-and-love-your-parents stuff that their teachers have already told them many times. In fact, they gave her the sort of screamingly hysterical response that once would have been reserved for Boyzone.
Clichés are certainly more effective when they are presented by the First Lady.....even if she did seem surprised that the USA does not have a monopoly on charming, polite and well brought-up schoolgirls.
But it was not her words that the audience wanted. They wanted her touch. It was delightful to see the Secret Service bodyguards pale at the impending stampede when she announced "I do hugs as well". Michelle will never be a speaker that challenges an audience's intellect. But the world does have room for a presenter who is so indisputably, unequivocally and comprehensively nice.
Politics of Porn
by Graham Davies
What is the difference between Politics and Pornography? If you can't jerk off to it....it's Politics.
As I continue my computer-based weekend social life, I am still staggered that Jaqui Smith's Husband bought porn movies at the taxpayer's expense while working in the House of Commons as her assistant...her, um, Right Hand Man.
It is both an ethical and financial misjudgement of enormous proportions. It is staggering that he should spend £20 of public money on porn...because if you type "porn" into Google, you can get immediate access to over 242 million porn websites for free. Apparently.
by Graham Davies
What is the difference between Politics and Pornography? If you can't jerk off to it....it's Politics.
As I continue my computer-based weekend social life, I am still staggered that Jaqui Smith's Husband bought porn movies at the taxpayer's expense while working in the House of Commons as her assistant...her, um, Right Hand Man.
It is both an ethical and financial misjudgement of enormous proportions. It is staggering that he should spend £20 of public money on porn...because if you type "porn" into Google, you can get immediate access to over 242 million porn websites for free. Apparently.
What was the G20 exactly?
by Graham Davies
The G20 is where the leaders of the 19 richest countries in the world all stare at Gordon Brown and say, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Here is the comprehensive and highly predictable list of what was decided by these intellectual titans:
Clearly World Leaders have their own perspective on what amounts to Value for Money. 36 hours of the summit cost over 20 million pounds. It won't take them long to get through a Trillion.
by Graham Davies
The G20 is where the leaders of the 19 richest countries in the world all stare at Gordon Brown and say, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Here is the comprehensive and highly predictable list of what was decided by these intellectual titans:
- The Recession is a jolly bad thing
- They need to spend lots of money to sort it out
- It would be good for the Stock Market to pose for a jolly photograph with our thumbs up
Clearly World Leaders have their own perspective on what amounts to Value for Money. 36 hours of the summit cost over 20 million pounds. It won't take them long to get through a Trillion.
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