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  14. <description>The Rantings of the barely human.</description>
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  31. <title>Adding More Developers</title>
  32. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/15/adding-more-developers/</link>
  33. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/15/adding-more-developers/#respond</comments>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2025 20:32:26 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[Silly]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  39. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285508</guid>
  40.  
  41. <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
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  45. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  48. </item>
  49. <item>
  50. <title>Actually Implementing AI into Existing Systems</title>
  51. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/14/actually-implementing-ai-into-existing-systems/</link>
  52. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/14/actually-implementing-ai-into-existing-systems/#respond</comments>
  54. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  55. <pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
  56. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  57. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285497</guid>
  58.  
  59. <description><![CDATA[Now that we have all got over the initial flurry of being astounded by AI chatbots and their very human way of handling conversations, a lot of clients and companies are moving on to the serious, practical side of implementation. Everyone seems to want to fit AI into everything, and once you reach this stage,<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/14/actually-implementing-ai-into-existing-systems/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  60. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  61. <!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');</script><![endif]-->
  62. <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285497-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Actually_Implementing_AI_into_Existing.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Actually_Implementing_AI_into_Existing.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Actually_Implementing_AI_into_Existing.mp3</a></audio>
  63. <p>Now that we have all got over the initial flurry of being astounded by AI chatbots and their very human way of handling conversations, a lot of clients and companies are moving on to the serious, practical side of implementation. Everyone seems to want to fit AI into everything, and once you reach this stage, the excitement quickly gives way to the realisation that most of the challenges you face in getting it to work are the same old ones we have always faced with integration and software adoption.</p>
  64. <p>To be honest, I personally find chatbots, while amazing, don&#8217;t quite beat the real thing. If you have ever worked in a company with helpful colleagues, it is impressive that a computer can do that job, but the function itself is not new. What is amazing is doing it at scale. Instead of asking &#8216;Janice in Finance&#8217;, you ask an AI, and an AI can answer thousands of people at once.</p>
  65. <p>And here is where we hit the same old problem; even &#8216;Janice in Finance&#8217; isn&#8217;t a divine miracle, so how does she do what she does, and how can we get AI to do the same?</p>
  66. <p>The first issue is data. Have we given the AI all the data it needs? Have we given it access to live sources, or are we expecting miracles from a one-time data load? Have we structured the data in a way that makes sense? Just dumping it into a database without context or rules will not work. AI needs to know how information connects in order to make useful deductions. and while there are incredible tools that can help with this, when it comes to making assumptions, particularly financial or legal ones, the wrong connections or lack of context can quickly become very dangerous. This has been a problem since long before AI.</p>
  67. <p>The second issue is workflow. Once you have gone past the novelty of “oh, this is a chatbot”, if it does not fit into the user’s normal workflow, they will not use it. Make sure that any new AI features work within existing processes. This not only helps adoption and avoids unsettling users, but failing to do so actually takes away some of AI’s advantages. For example, if you are assessing whether an insurance claim is potentially fraudulent, that used to be done using a set of complex but static rules which produced a percentage likelihood. AI can now perform that calculation far more accurately, but you do not need to change the interface at all. It simply improves what the user already sees, which is exactly how good AI should feel: an invisible improvement that makes the job easier without disrupting needlessly.</p>
  68. <p>The third issue is adoption. Forcing new features onto people drives them mad, even if those features are shiny and fashionable. It makes users nervous, and they start to see change as a threat. There are thousands of books and experts on adoption because it is a very old game. My least favourite part is when senior leaders believe the technology will replace staff and start talking directly to business teams about “efficiency gains”. This immediately puts people on edge. AI already carries an overtone of job replacement, so pushing it from the top without the right tone can do real harm. It needs to feel like an aid, not a threat.</p>
  69. <p>Finally, there is the way we introduce AI. Making a big song and dance about any new technology might be great for publicity, but it rarely impresses the people that do the work day to day. Pitching AI as something that makes people’s lives easier and helps them do their jobs better works far more effectively. It should be seen as a tool that helps teams perform better and, ideally, be rewarded for it. Declaring “AI is here, the world will never be the same” is exactly how you generate resistance and backlash. Features will be viewed as threats rather than improvements, and that helps no one.</p>
  70. <p>In short, make sure any AI you introduce actually adds value rather than simply being “the new hotness”. Even though AI is a fundamentally transformative technology, from your users’ and business teams’ point of view it is still just another software adoption process. Use all the lessons you have learned over the years to make it as seamless as possible.</p>
  71. ]]></content:encoded>
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  77.  
  78. </item>
  79. <item>
  80. <title>The Concept of the &#8216;First Trumpet&#8217; in Corporate Projects</title>
  81. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/07/the-concept-of-the-first-trumpet-in-corporate-projects/</link>
  82. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/07/the-concept-of-the-first-trumpet-in-corporate-projects/#respond</comments>
  84. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  85. <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
  86. <category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
  87. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  88. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285452</guid>
  89.  
  90. <description><![CDATA[There’s a useful analogy I once heard from musicians about how orchestras really work. Officially, the conductor runs the show. They set the beat, they give the cues, and everyone’s eyes are on them. To the audience, it looks as though the conductor is firmly in control. But orchestras have their own quiet safety net.<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/07/the-concept-of-the-first-trumpet-in-corporate-projects/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  91. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  92. <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285452-2" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The_Concept_of_the_First_Trumpet_in.mp3?_=2" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The_Concept_of_the_First_Trumpet_in.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The_Concept_of_the_First_Trumpet_in.mp3</a></audio>
  93. <p>There’s a useful analogy I once heard from musicians about how orchestras really work. Officially, the conductor runs the show. They set the beat, they give the cues, and everyone’s eyes are on them. To the audience, it looks as though the conductor is firmly in control.</p>
  94. <p>But orchestras have their own quiet safety net. If the conductor is incompetent, unreasonable, or simply fails to lead, the orchestra doesn’t fall apart. Instead, it starts following the lead of the &#8220;first trumpet&#8221; <sup><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/07/the-concept-of-the-first-trumpet-in-corporate-projects/#footnote_0_285452" id="identifier_0_285452" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="that is the head trumpeter in an orchestra">1</a></sup>. The clever conductors will realise this, and self-aware ones take it as a sign: if the orchestra is following someone else, something has gone wrong in their leadership.</p>
  95. <p>Most of the audience will never notice the shift. They’ll assume the conductor is still in charge. But the musicians know, and so do the more experienced listeners.</p>
  96. <p>I think this is the best analogy I’ve ever come across for corporate projects. If you’re the project lead, the “conductor”, and you find that people are no longer coming to you with problems, or that you’re having to chase rather than being sought out for help, chances are you’ve already been quietly replaced by a “first trumpet”.</p>
  97. <p>This isn’t a role that anyone really wants. It’s an extra burden on the person who has stepped up, often reluctantly, because the team still needs direction. The only real solutions are for the formal lead to:</p>
  98. <ol>
  99. <li>Step aside.</li>
  100. <li>Fix what’s going wrong,</li>
  101. <li>Replace the &#8220;first trumpet&#8221;</li>
  102. </ol>
  103. <p>If you suspect this has happened to you, the best thing you can do is find out who your team is actually following and ask them genuinely where you’ve gone wrong. They’ll usually tell you, because they don’t want your job; they’d much rather you were doing it properly.</p>
  104. <p>Projects, like orchestras, need a conductor. The trick is to remain the one the team chooses to follow.</p>
  105. <h4>Update</h4>
  106. <p>I got some feedback on this from an old friend and it looks like the origin instrument suffered a little bit from Chinese whispers, and rather than &#8220;First Trumpet&#8221;, it should really be &#8220;Lead Violin&#8221;</p>
  107. <blockquote>
  108. <p>&#8220;As a trumpeter, I would love to say this was true, but it’s really the Principal 1st Violin, who also has the title “Leader” for this very reason. Three reasons for that choice:1) the violinist is at the front where everyone can see them 2) it’s easier to follow their bow movements than it would be to follow any movements made with a trumpet 3) they are playing most of the time (unlike the trumpets) so there’s something to follow&#8221;</p>
  109. <p>&#8220;I’ve certainly played in concerts where this happened… if you go back a few hundred years, conductors weren’t a thing, and orchestras were usually led by someone playing &#8211; often the harpsichord. Most jazz bands still run this way. I guess you don’t need to go back that far to find a dev team without a scrum master of whatever they’re called…&#8221;</p>
  110. </blockquote>
  111. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  112. <ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_285452" class="footnote">that is the head trumpeter in an orchestra</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
  114. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/10/07/the-concept-of-the-first-trumpet-in-corporate-projects/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  115. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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  118.  
  119. </item>
  120. <item>
  121. <title>Calculating Your Worth as a Contractor</title>
  122. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/30/calculating-your-worth-as-a-contractor/</link>
  123. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/30/calculating-your-worth-as-a-contractor/#respond</comments>
  125. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  126. <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
  127. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  128. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285454</guid>
  129.  
  130. <description><![CDATA[For those of us working inside the corporate machine, the final quarter of the year is often dominated by budget planning for the next yeah. This is when large organisations decide which major projects will run, which teams will be involved, and crucially for me whether contractors such as I will be needed. Typically, permanent<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/30/calculating-your-worth-as-a-contractor/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  131. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  132. <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285454-3" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Calculating_Your_Worth_as_a_Contractor.mp3?_=3" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Calculating_Your_Worth_as_a_Contractor.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Calculating_Your_Worth_as_a_Contractor.mp3</a></audio>
  133. <p>For those of us working inside the corporate machine, the final quarter of the year is often dominated by budget planning for the next yeah. This is when large organisations decide which major projects will run, which teams will be involved, and crucially for me whether contractors such as I will be needed.</p>
  134. <p>Typically, permanent staff are considered first. Then, if gaps remain, large consultancies are brought in. Only after that do opportunities filter down to individual contractors or smaller specialist consultancies. That’s where I fit in and find myself reflecting: am I genuinely worth my rate?</p>
  135. <h4>Market Rate vs Real Value</h4>
  136. <p>The obvious starting point is the market. Contractors usually pitch themselves against the “going rate” for their role, be it developer, architect, or project manager. A premium might be added for rare technical skills or specialist industry knowledge, but ultimately the rate is dictated by market forces.</p>
  137. <p>However, I’ve always found it useful to go a step further: to retrospectively assess my contribution to a client over the past contract. Were they right to invest in me? Am I providing value worth the money they’ve paid? And importantly, should my rate or approach change next year?<br />Ways to Measure Your Worth</p>
  138. <h4>1. Generating revenue</h4>
  139. <p>The simplest measure is whether you’ve directly made the client money. For most of us, that’s rare, we’re not in sales. More often, contractors work in support roles or on projects that enable revenue rather than directly generate it.</p>
  140. <h4>2. Saving money</h4>
  141. <p>This is where many of us can point to clear results. In my integration work, for example, I’ve seen countless occasions where vendors clash or timelines collide. Simply being there to intercept issues, keep projects on track, and prevent failed go-lives has saved clients significant sums.</p>
  142. <p>There are also tangible savings in areas like regulatory compliance. If you’ve helped avoid a breach, spotted a costly error, or found a cheaper way to achieve the same outcome, then you’ve delivered measurable value.</p>
  143. <h4>3. Soft Value</h4>
  144. <p>Beyond the numbers lies the more nebulous question: what would have happened if I hadn’t been there?</p>
  145. <p>Would the project have succeeded anyway? Or would it have collapsed, with all the associated costs?</p>
  146. <p>Does the client notice when you’re away on holiday, or does everything run more smoothly?</p>
  147. <p>If things improve without you, that’s a sobering sign. But if projects stumble in your absence, it underlines your contribution.</p>
  148. <h4>Being Honest with Yourself</h4>
  149. <p>I make it a habit to ask myself each month: am I worth what the client is paying me?</p>
  150. <p>There have been times when, after a few months in a role, I’ve concluded I wasn’t adding enough value. In those cases, I’ve actively asked for additional responsibilities, seeking ways to make a bigger impact. Far from being risky, clients usually appreciate this attitude. It demonstrates self-awareness and commitment to their success.</p>
  151. <h4>Thinking Long-Term</h4>
  152. <p>Contracting isn’t just about filling today’s gap, it’s about building long-term relationships. I’ve returned to some clients three or four times over the years, precisely because they knew I delivered value for money. In a surprisingly small industry, reputation and repeat engagements matter more than many realise.</p>
  153. <p>So as year-end approaches, take the time to reflect. Imagine your client asking: we’ve paid you all this money, what have you done for us? Was it worth it?</p>
  154. <p>If the honest answer is “not enough”, then adjust. Upskill, take on additional responsibilities, or find ways to make yourself indispensable.</p>
  155. <p>Because at the end of the day, being a contractor isn’t just about market rates, it’s about proving, time and again, that you make your client’s business better.</p>
  156. ]]></content:encoded>
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  159. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  161. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Calculating_Your_Worth_as_a_Contractor.mp3" length="6334589" type="audio/mpeg" />
  162.  
  163. </item>
  164. <item>
  165. <title>Avoiding TL;DR status updates</title>
  166. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/23/avoiding-tldr-status-updates/</link>
  167. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/23/avoiding-tldr-status-updates/#respond</comments>
  169. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  170. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:40 +0000</pubDate>
  171. <category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
  172. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  173. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285433</guid>
  174.  
  175. <description><![CDATA[Management and technical resources speak very different languages. We’ve all known this for ages, and I don’t just mean the acronyms and formal formats that each side uses. They genuinely see the world in slightly different ways. What feels like a perfectly clear form of communication to one side can be almost incomprehensible to the<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/23/avoiding-tldr-status-updates/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  176. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  177. <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285433-4" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Avoiding_TL_DR_status_updates.mp3?_=4" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Avoiding_TL_DR_status_updates.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Avoiding_TL_DR_status_updates.mp3</a></audio>
  178. <p>Management and technical resources speak very different languages. We’ve all known this for ages, and I don’t just mean the acronyms and formal formats that each side uses. They genuinely see the world in slightly different ways. What feels like a perfectly clear form of communication to one side can be almost incomprehensible to the other.</p>
  179. <p>This gap shows up most clearly when one side is expecting something specific from the other but only phrase it in their own terms. I see this most often in status updates.</p>
  180. <p>Managers tend to approach status updates in a holistic way, covering the entire project. If you’re unlucky, this might mean multiple slide decks. More commonly, it takes the form of long, structured emails sent out at regular intervals to the technical teams. The problem is that these communications are very much TL;DR <sup><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/23/avoiding-tldr-status-updates/#footnote_0_285433" id="identifier_0_285433" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="or &ldquo;Too Long Didn&rsquo;t read&rdquo;">1</a></sup> to the tech teams. Somewhere inside there may be a specific task for an individual, but the actual responsibility, timing, and relationship to other work isn’t clear to the technical teams that are doing the work.</p>
  181. <p>This is where project managers need to go the extra mile. Yes, it’s important to produce that “state of the nation” overview for the project. Yes, senior stakeholders often want slide decks that show the big picture at a glance. But if you expect deliverables from technical teams, especially when there are multiple teams with separate budgets and priorities, it’s far better to follow up with individuals or team leads.</p>
  182. <p>A simple, targeted email to the responsible contact in each team, spelling out exactly what you need and by when, cuts through the noise. Without this, you risk adding to the confusion. Technical staff are often bombarded with 10, even 15, different project update calls in a single day. These inevitably clash, contradict, or simply blur together.</p>
  183. <p>If you want results, you can’t just carve out a block of “admin time” in people’s calendars and expect it all to be absorbed. Keep your asks small, specific, and clear. The less of people&#8217;s time you waste, the more effective the outcome will be.</p>
  184. <ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_285433" class="footnote"> or &#8220;Too Long Didn&#8217;t read&#8221;</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
  186. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/23/avoiding-tldr-status-updates/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  187. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  189. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Avoiding_TL_DR_status_updates.mp3" length="3376692" type="audio/mpeg" />
  190.  
  191. </item>
  192. <item>
  193. <title>How to Be a Small Consultancy Working with Huge Companies</title>
  194. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/16/how-to-be-a-small-consultancy-working-with-huge-companies/</link>
  195. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/16/how-to-be-a-small-consultancy-working-with-huge-companies/#respond</comments>
  197. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  198. <pubDate>Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
  199. <category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
  200. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  201. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
  202. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285206</guid>
  203.  
  204. <description><![CDATA[&#160; My colleagues and I work as a genuine small consultancy. We’ve been that way for a long time, That means we rarely work through agents. Agencies do a lot for contractors and take a lot of the boring stuff away, but without them, much of that suddenly lands on your own desk.Here are the<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/16/how-to-be-a-small-consultancy-working-with-huge-companies/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  205. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  206. <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285206-5" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How_to_Be_a_Small_Consultancy_Working.mp3?_=5" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How_to_Be_a_Small_Consultancy_Working.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How_to_Be_a_Small_Consultancy_Working.mp3</a></audio>
  207. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  208. <p>My colleagues and I work as a genuine small consultancy. We’ve been that way for a long time, That means we rarely work through agents. Agencies do a lot for contractors and take a lot of the boring stuff away, but without them, much of that suddenly lands on your own desk.<br />Here are the biggest things you’ll need to handle financially when you’re a small business working with the giant multinationals.</p>
  209. <h4>1) Working at risk</h4>
  210. <p>“Working at risk” is big-company shorthand for starting work before a contract is fully signed, meaning you might not get paid. It happens because internal contracting and approval processes often move far slower than the need to deliver. Large consultancies accept this as normal. If you’re used to agency work, you won’t have seen it because your contract sits with the agency. As a real company, you will face it regularly.</p>
  211. <h4>2) Slow payments</h4>
  212. <p>Large organisations pay slowly, sometimes very slowly. Even with everything done correctly, you may wait months (45 or even 90 day terms are common), and practical delays can push invoices being paid out to six months. there is rarely malice in this; it’s just how the corporate machinery works. You will need enough cashflow to cover at least six months of outgoings without incoming invoices when first starting out.</p>
  213. <h4>3) “Bad” software (that’s actually just hideously complex)</h4>
  214. <p>You might run your own invoicing on tools like FreshBooks, Xero or QuickBooks. Your clients will likely use things like Coupa, Planview and other enterprise platforms. From your vantage point, they can seem dreadful or illogical. In reality, you’re seeing only a tiny slice of a system coping with huge complexity. Expect odd workflows and fields that make little sense in isolation. Be patient, ask for a short walkthrough, and build simple internal checklists so you submit things right first time.</p>
  215. <h4>4) Being treated like a multinational</h4>
  216. <p>Flattering? Yes. Fun? Not really. Many procurement teams are set up to deal with Accenture, PwC, Deloitte, and the like, so the template master services agreement you’re handed will be written with them in mind. Hire a good lawyer you get on with, and have them mark up practical adjustments for a company your size. Most procurement people are sensible; if you clearly explain what’s unreasonable, they’ll often accommodate it, provided you stay constructive rather than combative.</p>
  217. <h4>5) Invisible thresholds</h4>
  218. <p>Everything can be cruising along nicely and then, bang, You’re suddenly pulled into confrontational calls and quizzed on billing details that were fine last year, sometimes over very small amounts. What’s happened is you’ve crossed an internal threshold: end of financial year timing, a budget code boundary, or a spend level that pushes approvals to a higher tier. None of this may be visible (or shareable) to you. Don’t take it personally. Break invoices down, align to the right periods, and help them route approvals cleanly.</p>
  219. <h4>6) Absorbing costs and tasks</h4>
  220. <p>You may be asked to absorb items you’d normally pass on as expenses to a project such as, ISO certifications, bits of hardware, software licences, and so on. Big consultancies often bundle these into their rates or already hold the certifications, so the client expects “sure we&#8217;ll cover that” when asked. As a small company, you’re competing with that standard. Decide what you’ll absorb, what you’ll explicitly scope and price, and where you’ll simply say “that’s out of scope, here’s the cost”. Transparency helps, but be prepared to shoulder some admin and paper work to keep things moving.</p>
  221. <h4>Final thoughts</h4>
  222. <p>Working with huge companies is absolutely doable, and rewarding, if you plan for the realities: accept some risk (carefully), maintain strong cash reserves, get proper legal support, expect bureaucracy, and keep your documentation spotless. Do that, and you can go toe-to-toe with the big players while keeping the advantages that make small firms valuable: speed, focus, and high skill.</p>
  223. ]]></content:encoded>
  225. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/16/how-to-be-a-small-consultancy-working-with-huge-companies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  226. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  228. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How_to_Be_a_Small_Consultancy_Working.mp3" length="6598530" type="audio/mpeg" />
  229.  
  230. </item>
  231. <item>
  232. <title>What I carry in my Work Pack 2025</title>
  233. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/13/what-i-carry-in-my-work-pack-2025/</link>
  234. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/13/what-i-carry-in-my-work-pack-2025/#respond</comments>
  236. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  237. <pubDate>Sat, 13 Sep 2025 07:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
  238. <category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
  239. <category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
  240. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  241. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285366</guid>
  242.  
  243. <description><![CDATA[This is an update to my 2023 post of the same name, and a companion to my fellow LDC Via colleague’s post. Back in the Lotus days we used to do these regularly about our desks, but now we’re all far more mobile. I spend a lot of time travelling and working in clients’ offices.<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/13/what-i-carry-in-my-work-pack-2025/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  244. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285366-6" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/What_I_carry_in_my_Work_Pack_2025.mp3?_=6" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/What_I_carry_in_my_Work_Pack_2025.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/What_I_carry_in_my_Work_Pack_2025.mp3</a></audio></p>
  245. <p>This is an update to my <a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2023/04/04/what-i-carry-in-my-work-pack-2023/">2023 post</a> of the same name, and a companion to my fellow <a href="https://mattwhite.me/2025/07/22/whats-in-my-bag-and-why-it-works-for-me/">LDC Via colleague’s post</a>. Back in the Lotus days we used to do these regularly about our desks, but now we’re all far more mobile. I spend a lot of time travelling and working in clients’ offices. My habit of carrying just about everything has continued, in fact, it’s probably got a bit worse. I like to arrive on site and not need a single thing from the client, not even power.</p>
  246. <h4>The bag</h4>
  247. <p>I’ve stepped up from my previous lightweight rucksack to <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BKKX8YPJ">one mainly designed for camera gear</a>, and it’s perfect. It opens completely flat, almost like a suitcase, so it’s easy to pack, with multiple pockets and near bomb-proof construction. The only downside is the laptop sleeve sits in the lid; I’d prefer it against my back. Aside from that, it’s spot on. As you can see, I pack it to the gunwales.</p>
  248. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="686868" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #686868;" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285368 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-657x1024.jpg" alt="" width="657" height="1024" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-657x1024.jpg 657w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-192x300.jpg 192w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-768x1197.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-985x1536.jpg 985w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-1314x2048.jpg 1314w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-02-scaled.jpg 1642w" sizes="(max-width: 657px) 100vw, 657px" /></a></p>
  249. <h4>Power &amp; cables</h4>
  250. <p>Most of the power kit remains the tried-and-true set, updated to newer versions. I’m using the latest Anker power brick and the same power supply and cables I normally carry. I now keep two or three USB-C leads, plus a Thunderbolt cable, while I don’t use Apple products, everyone I know seems to, and a friend with a cable is a friend indeed.</p>
  251. <p>I’ve switched my earpiece to <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DJY2NVVH">Yealink</a>. It’s cheaper, and, oddly, the microphone is better than my previous Sennheiser ones. I also carry a backup mouse. My main mouse is still a Logitech, kept in a hard case.</p>
  252. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="848485" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #848485;" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285369 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03-675x1024.jpg" alt="" width="675" height="1024" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03-675x1024.jpg 675w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03-198x300.jpg 198w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03-768x1165.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03-1012x1536.jpg 1012w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03-1350x2048.jpg 1350w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-03.jpg 1663w" sizes="(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px" /></a></p>
  253. <h4>Notebooks &amp; pens</h4>
  254. <p>My notepad used to be a Moleskine, but they stopped making the hard notebooks I liked, so I ordered custom ones. They turned out cheaper than Moleskine and exactly what I wanted. I’ve moved from a ballpoint to a fibre-tip pen, more convenient, and I’m working through various brands to find one that doesn’t disintegrate after a short time.</p>
  255. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="606061" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #606061;" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285370 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04-1024x895.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="682" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04-1024x895.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04-300x262.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04-768x671.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04-1536x1342.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-04-2048x1790.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
  256. <h4>Food &amp; drink</h4>
  257. <p>I’m carrying more of my own food now. Turning up to client sites on industrial estates means there’s rarely food or drink nearby, and bringing my own helps diet-wise. I tend to carry a couple of energy drinks, some vitamins, a couple of protein bars, ginger shots in a flask, and a water bottle.</p>
  258. <p>On water bottles: I want one that won’t topple easily, seals absolutely watertight (you’d be amazed how many don’t), and is easy to scrub out. I’ve ended up using a classic Thermos food flask and it’s been perfect.</p>
  259. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="83868b" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #83868b;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285371 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05-923x1024.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="865" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05-923x1024.jpg 923w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05-271x300.jpg 271w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05-768x852.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05-1385x1536.jpg 1385w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05-1847x2048.jpg 1847w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-05.jpg 1927w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
  260. <h4>Clothing &amp; comforts</h4>
  261. <p>I now carry a reinforced glasses case with backup specs (I am, after all, an older man), and a shoe bag. I don’t walk around in smart shoes, too much distance, so I carry work shoes separately.</p>
  262. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="5a5a5b" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #5a5a5b;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285372 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-725x1024.jpg" alt="" width="725" height="1024" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-725x1024.jpg 725w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-213x300.jpg 213w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-768x1084.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-1088x1536.jpg 1088w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-1451x2048.jpg 1451w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-06-scaled.jpg 1814w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></a></p>
  263. <p>I’ve upgraded the desk fan to a unit <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CW1H9GDB">originally designed to cool a PS5</a>. It’s utterly silent and runs off USB,</p>
  264. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="8b898b" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #8b898b;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285373 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-1015x1024.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="787" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-1015x1024.jpg 1015w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-297x300.jpg 297w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-150x150.jpg 150w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-768x775.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-1523x1536.jpg 1523w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07-2030x2048.jpg 2030w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-07.jpg 2035w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
  265. <h4>Stationery &amp; spares</h4>
  266. <p>My portable keyboard is still the same Logitech one from 2023 in a hard case. In the same pouch I keep sticky bookmarks, blank to-do cards, and spare pens.</p>
  267. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="706d6f" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #706d6f;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285374 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08-948x1024.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="843" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08-948x1024.jpg 948w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08-278x300.jpg 278w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08-768x829.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08-1423x1536.jpg 1423w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08-1897x2048.jpg 1897w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-08.jpg 1934w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
  268. <h4>Misc. items</h4>
  269. <p>Heavy-duty “shower” wipes, not just baby wipes, plus a small spot cleaner and ordinary tissues.</p>
  270. <p>Spare collar stiffeners, whiteboard markers (<a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2023/04/04/what-i-carry-in-my-work-pack-2023/">details are in the 2023 post</a>) and a microfibre cloth.</p>
  271. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="9b9089" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #9b9089;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-285375 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-1024x438.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="334" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-1024x438.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-300x128.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-768x328.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-1536x656.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Work-Pack-2025-09-2048x875.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
  272. <p>It does weigh quite a bit, especially with all the liquids, but it means I arrive prepared, feel professional, and can be self-sufficient at any client site.</p>
  273. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  274. ]]></content:encoded>
  276. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/13/what-i-carry-in-my-work-pack-2025/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  277. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  279. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/What_I_carry_in_my_Work_Pack_2025.mp3" length="5513926" type="audio/mpeg" />
  280.  
  281. </item>
  282. <item>
  283. <title>Corporate term: &#8220;The grandfather trap&#8221;</title>
  284. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/09/corporate-term-the-grandfather-trap/</link>
  285. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/09/corporate-term-the-grandfather-trap/#respond</comments>
  287. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  288. <pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:52 +0000</pubDate>
  289. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  290. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
  291. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285203</guid>
  292.  
  293. <description><![CDATA[Definition The Grandfather Trap is the slow erosion of an organisation’s ability to perform essential tasks because long-standing users retain legacy permissions while new users cannot obtain them. Over time, fewer and fewer people can actually do the work. Explanation “Grandfathering” is common in sales: long-time customers keep their original pricing as a loyalty perk.<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/09/corporate-term-the-grandfather-trap/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  294. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285203-7" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Corporate_term_The_grandfather_trap.mp3?_=7" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Corporate_term_The_grandfather_trap.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Corporate_term_The_grandfather_trap.mp3</a></audio></p>
  295. <h2 data-start="65" data-end="78">Definition</h2>
  296. <p data-start="79" data-end="329">The Grandfather Trap is the slow erosion of an organisation’s ability to perform essential tasks because long-standing users retain legacy permissions while new users cannot obtain them. Over time, fewer and fewer people can actually do the work.</p>
  297. <h2 data-start="331" data-end="345">Explanation</h2>
  298. <p data-start="346" data-end="521">“Grandfathering” is common in sales: long-time customers keep their original pricing as a loyalty perk. In corporate IT, a similar pattern appears with access and permissions.</p>
  299. <p data-start="346" data-end="521">A group of users who have “always done the job” may hold rights that are now discouraged or outright forbidden such as local admin rights, access to deprecated tools, or exemptions from modern controls. They keep the lights on because those privileges let them work around new constraints. But when new staff join, they can’t get the same rights. Processes and security settings have moved on; the forms have changed; risk appetites have tightened.</p>
  300. <p data-start="346" data-end="521">Crucially, when those changes were introduced, few had the time, or the courage, to retrospectively remove legacy rights from existing users. Grandfathered users often hold soft power, and if you pull their access and something breaks, the blame lands on the person who removed it. So the path of least resistance wins: change the form for tomorrow, leave yesterday untouched.</p>
  301. <p data-start="346" data-end="521">This creates a time bomb. People leave, get promoted, or move teams. The population of users who can perform essential functions shrinks until, one day, the last “grandfather” goes, and something critical fails. No one else has the permissions (or the old tool) to fix it. You get a major incident and real financial impact. And because each step towards tighter controls was individually justified, accountability is diffuse, even though the outcome harms the organisation.</p>
  302. <div data-slate-object="block" data-key="71">
  303. <p><em>Disclaimer: As always these posts are not aimed at anyone client or employer and are just my personal observations over a lifetime of dealing with both management and frontline associates.</em></p>
  304. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  305. </div>
  306. ]]></content:encoded>
  308. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/09/corporate-term-the-grandfather-trap/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  309. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  311. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Corporate_term_The_grandfather_trap.mp3" length="2998648" type="audio/mpeg" />
  312.  
  313. </item>
  314. <item>
  315. <title>Time for Some Paperwork</title>
  316. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/06/time-for-some-paperwork/</link>
  317. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/06/time-for-some-paperwork/#respond</comments>
  319. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  320. <pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2025 07:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
  321. <category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
  322. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  323. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
  324. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285359</guid>
  325.  
  326. <description><![CDATA[One of the core differences I’ve found between the highly technical work I did for most of my career and the more managerial, higher-level work I’ve focused on in the last decade is the need for certifications. When you’re purely technical, certifications are often slightly looked down on. Think back to the old MCSE days:<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/06/time-for-some-paperwork/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  327. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285359-8" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Time_for_Some_Paperwork.mp3?_=8" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Time_for_Some_Paperwork.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Time_for_Some_Paperwork.mp3</a></audio></p>
  328. <p>One of the core differences I’ve found between the highly technical work I did for most of my career and the more managerial, higher-level work I’ve focused on in the last decade is the need for certifications.</p>
  329. <p>When you’re purely technical, certifications are often slightly looked down on. Think back to the old MCSE days: we’d do boot camps, pass them in droves, and they became less and less relevant. On top of that, so much technical work is done in ways the vendor never intended. <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/" target="_blank">Salesforce</a> and IBM are both particularly famous for this.</p>
  330. <p>In integration work I often found ways to do what they didn’t want you to do or to get round things without paying extra. Certifications mattered very little. You went to technical interviews, had proper conversations, and your reputation for solving problems, plus the evidence on places like this blog, proved you were worth the money.</p>
  331. <p>In the managerial space, it’s harder. Almost everyone can talk the hind legs off a donkey. People are very good at making a case because they’ve sold projects and big ideas for years, and they’re used to selling themselves. So when I reviewed my CV (as I do every six months) and asked, “What can I update to show I&#8217;m better at my job for a client?”, there wasn’t a great deal I could change. I had more projects under my belt and more experience, of course, but it didn’t give me much I could actually update. Unlike technical roles, much of management has been, frankly, the same for decades, if not centuries.</p>
  332. <p>So what to do? Well, I’ve sounded out clients informally and looked at what potential roles are wanting, and I’ve landed on a list of qualifications, courses, and bits of paperwork I should complete to demonstrate the progression I want to show as an individual and a consultant. Quite a lot of them are stuff I have been actually practicing for many years, so passing should hopefully be a case of phrasing my existing knowledge in the format the examiners want, but some will be genuine learning, and that is always fun.</p>
  333. <p>This post is mainly a line in the sand for me, something I can update over time, but it should also give others an indication of what you might need if you’re heading down a similar path. They are as follows:</p>
  334. <ul>
  335. <li><a href="https://www.pmi.org/certifications/certified-associate-capm">PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)</a></li>
  336. <li><a href="https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp">PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)</a></li>
  337. <li><a href="https://www.axelos.com/certifications/itil-service-management/itil-4-foundation">ITIL Foundation</a></li>
  338. <li><a href="https://scaledagile.com/certification/safe-practitioner/">SAFE for Teams</a></li>
  339. <li><a href="https://www.bcs.org/qualifications-and-certifications/certifications-for-professionals/business-analysis/">BCS Certification in Business Analysis (Level 4)</a></li>
  340. <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/azure-fundamentals/?practice-assessment-type=certification">Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)</a> <sup><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/06/time-for-some-paperwork/#footnote_0_285359" id="identifier_0_285359" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="This one is more an in-passing item">1</a></sup></li>
  341. </ul>
  342. <h4>Then the Big boys that will take some time to complete</h4>
  343. <ul>
  344. <li><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/exams/az-305/">Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)</a></li>
  345. <li><a href="https://www.cii.co.uk/media/10120237/insurance-qualifications-framework.pdf">CII RQF level 6</a></li>
  346. </ul>
  347. <ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_285359" class="footnote">This one is more an in-passing item </li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
  349. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/06/time-for-some-paperwork/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  350. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  352. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Time_for_Some_Paperwork.mp3" length="4467565" type="audio/mpeg" />
  353.  
  354. </item>
  355. <item>
  356. <title>Retaining Control of Your Management Work (Part 1) &#8211; email still runs the enterprise</title>
  357. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/02/retaining-control-of-your-work/</link>
  358. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/02/retaining-control-of-your-work/#respond</comments>
  360. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
  361. <pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
  362. <category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
  363. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
  364. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
  365. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=285161</guid>
  366.  
  367. <description><![CDATA[We can celebrate chat tools, Slack threads, and the return to in-person collaboration, but in most large, traditional organisations, email is still the system of record. Official statements, warnings, approvals, notifications, and anything that needs a defensible paper trail almost always arrive by email. If you want to stay in control of your work, you<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/09/02/retaining-control-of-your-work/">Read more</a>]]></description>
  368. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-285161-9" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Retaining_Control_of_Your_Management_Work_email.mp3?_=9" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Retaining_Control_of_Your_Management_Work_email.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Retaining_Control_of_Your_Management_Work_email.mp3</a></audio></p>
  369. <p>We can celebrate chat tools, Slack threads, and the return to in-person collaboration, but in most large, traditional organisations, email is still the system of record. Official statements, warnings, approvals, notifications, and anything that needs a defensible paper trail almost always arrive by email. If you want to stay in control of your work, you have to stay in control of your inbox.</p>
  370. <h4>Why email still matters</h4>
  371. <p>Email is the channel leaders fall back on when something must be traceable and unambiguous. “I’ve emailed you about this” is shorthand for “this is now formally on the record.” Lose grip on your email, and you lose grip on decisions, timelines, and, ultimately, credibility.</p>
  372. <h4>Signs you’re losing control</h4>
  373. <ul>
  374. <li>Only reachable on chat. People default to pinging you because email responses lag.</li>
  375. <li>Meeting overload. When someone books meetings for everything and involves large numbers of people in these calls, it often means they can’t manage the information flow via email and so are having to get it repeated to them in person.</li>
  376. <li>And, obviously, the fact that you have thousands, if not tens of thousands, of unread emails in your inbox.</li>
  377. </ul>
  378. <p>These are symptoms of the same problem: your inbox is just overflowing.</p>
  379. <h4>If you can’t keep up, something must move</h4>
  380. <p>If maintaining your inbox feels impossible, don’t just keep drowning; make a change:</p>
  381. <ul>
  382. <li>Get support. Ask for assistance with triage or admin.</li>
  383. <li>Delegate other work. Free up time to handle essential communication.</li>
  384. <li>Reduce optional involvement. Skip non-essential meetings to protect focus time, even if that triggers a little FOMO.</li>
  385. <li>Set expectations. Tell stakeholders when you process email (e.g., twice daily) so they know when to expect replies.</li>
  386. </ul>
  387. <h4>Practical inbox habits that work</h4>
  388. <p>Thankfully one of my <a href="https://ldcvia.com/" target="_blank">LDC Via</a> colleagues, <a href="https://mattwhite.me/">Matt White</a>, has recently done a <a href="https://mattwhite.me/2025/07/29/how-i-manage-my-inbox/">blog post on this</a> and provided a good set of tips and ways of dealing with a heavy inbox.</p>
  389. <h4>Bottom line</h4>
  390. <p>Managers and subject-matter specialists who lose control of their email rarely have a happy work life; they’re permanently reactive. Whatever method you choose, treat your inbox like the operational cockpit it is. Stay on top of it, and your life will be a little less stressful.</p>
  391. ]]></content:encoded>
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  394. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  396. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Retaining_Control_of_Your_Management_Work_email.mp3" length="3890155" type="audio/mpeg" />
  397.  
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