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Source: https://stickfight.co.uk/feed/

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31. <title>Londons Calling 2025</title>
32. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/29/londons-calling-2025/</link>
33. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/29/londons-calling-2025/#respond</comments>
35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
36. <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jun 2025 12:44:33 +0000</pubDate>
37. <category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
38. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
39. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284929</guid>
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41. <description><![CDATA[London&#8217;s Calling, the community-driven Salesforce conference, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and remains a vital event in the English Salesforce calendar. Strategically positioned just before the main Salesforce event, London&#8217;s Calling offers attendees an authentic and open space for discussions that might otherwise be constrained at larger corporate-controlled conferences. Held once again at its<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/29/londons-calling-2025/">Read more</a>]]></description>
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44. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">
45. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><a href="https://www.londonscalling.net/" target="_blank">London&#8217;s Calling</a>, the community-driven <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/" target="_blank">Salesforce</a> conference, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and remains a vital event in the English Salesforce calendar. Strategically positioned just before the main Salesforce event, London&#8217;s Calling offers attendees an authentic and open space for discussions that might otherwise be constrained at larger corporate-controlled conferences.</p>
46. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="4c3635" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #4c3635;" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284920 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-1024x823.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="627" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-1024x823.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-300x241.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-768x617.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-1536x1234.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-02-2048x1645.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
47. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="635969" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #635969;" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284921 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-1024x747.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="569" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-1024x747.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-300x219.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-768x560.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-1536x1120.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-03-2048x1493.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
48. <p>Held once again at its familiar venue near Liverpool Street, London, the event was well-organised and featured the consistently high standards the Salesforce rabble have come to expect, including excellent catering and comfortable facilities. The building itselfhas lots of little nooks and deadends with Wi-Fi coverage where you can find people taking client calls.</p>
49. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="544d4a" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #544d4a;" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284922 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-1024x564.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="430" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-1024x564.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-300x165.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-768x423.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-1536x846.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-04-2048x1128.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
50. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="686764" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #686764;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284923 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-768x1024.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="1024" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-225x300.jpg 225w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-05-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></a></p>
51. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">As always, the sessions were the true highlight. Speakers openly addressed topics that many public personalities or vendors would hesitate to discuss in official settings.</p>
52. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">One standout session covered modern Salesforce architectures, providing valuable insights into the inherent challenges of rapid feature deployment without adequate long-term planning. It effectively showcased practical approaches for managing and correcting these issues.</p>
53. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="60666a" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #60666a;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284924 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-1024x823.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="627" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-1024x823.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-300x241.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-768x617.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-1536x1234.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-06-2048x1646.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
54. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="6b6863" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #6b6863;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284925 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-1024x379.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="289" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-1024x379.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-300x111.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-768x284.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-1536x568.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-07-2048x757.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
55. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="555557" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #555557;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284926 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-1024x513.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="391" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-1024x513.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-300x150.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-768x385.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-1536x770.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-08-2048x1026.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
56. <p>Interestingly, a topic notably absent, but worthy of community attention, was the lack of standardised practices around documentation and architecture handover within Salesforce implementations.</p>
57. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-09.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="778085" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #778085;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284927 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-09-847x1024.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="943" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-09-847x1024.jpg 847w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-09-248x300.jpg 248w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-09-768x928.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-09.jpg 1127w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
58. <p>Another significant session tackled the complex issue of creating reliable, governed AI agents on Salesforce. This session bravely addressed common hesitations around deploying AI agents in live environments, including reliability, governance, coding best practices, and cost-effectiveness. It not only highlighted these challenges but also provided actionable guidance and practical strategies for overcoming them.</p>
59. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="859fc0" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #859fc0;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-284928 size-large not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-1024x750.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="571" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-1024x750.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-300x220.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-768x563.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-1536x1126.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LondonsCalling2025-10-2048x1501.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></a></p>
60. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Of course, London&#8217;s Calling wouldn&#8217;t be complete without its much-loved traditions, such as the iconic event t-shirt (and the huge queue to get them), which attendees proudly wore at the subsequent Salesforce event. And although I once again missed the highly acclaimed after-party, its reputation remains strong as an integral part of the community experience and a good value piss up.</p>
61. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">London&#8217;s Calling continues to offer a crucial, unfiltered platform for genuine insights and professional growth in the Salesforce community. It’s an event I look forward to attending each year.</p>
62. ]]></content:encoded>
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65. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
67. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/London_s_Calling_2025.mp3" length="3724643" type="audio/mpeg" />
68.  
69. </item>
70. <item>
71. <title>Project delivery versus process improvement.</title>
72. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/24/project-delivery-versus-process-improvement/</link>
73. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/24/project-delivery-versus-process-improvement/#respond</comments>
75. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
76. <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:46 +0000</pubDate>
77. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
78. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
79. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284440</guid>
80.  
81. <description><![CDATA[In many large, well-established organisations, especially those in the finance sector, change is a constant. New processes, regulations, and system updates regularly alter how resources are provisioned, whether those resources are cloud services, staff, or anything else needed to complete a project. These improvements are typically driven by solid and mandatory goals: staying compliant with<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/24/project-delivery-versus-process-improvement/">Read more</a>]]></description>
82. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-284440-2" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Project_delivery_versus_process.mp3?_=2" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Project_delivery_versus_process.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Project_delivery_versus_process.mp3</a></audio>
83. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81">In many large, well-established organisations, especially those in the finance sector, change is a constant. New processes, regulations, and system updates regularly alter how resources are provisioned, whether those resources are cloud services, staff, or anything else needed to complete a project.</p>
84. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81">These improvements are typically driven by solid and mandatory goals: staying compliant with regulations, enhancing efficiency, or simply refining internal protocols to make everyone’s work easier.</p>
85. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81">However, ongoing process improvements can significantly impact project timelines. When a project is chosen to pilot a new process, often without much warning, the schedule can be disrupted. What was originally planned to take three weeks might end up taking eight weeks or longer. So lets lay out why this happens and how project managers can mitigate the resulting delays and frustrations.</p>
86. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>The Constant State of Flux or &#8220;Whats going on!!!&#8221;</strong></p>
87. <ul>
88. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Continuous Improvement</strong>: Large corporations often have multiple, simultaneous initiatives aimed at making processes more efficient or adapting to new regulatory requirements.</li>
89. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Pilot Projects</strong>: At any given time, some project is likely to be used as a “guinea pig” for the latest improvement effort. This can be both an opportunity to shape processes early and a risk to project timelines.</li>
90. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Unpredictable Disruptions</strong>: Because these improvements are reactive to external or internal demands, they’re difficult to plan for. The result is often unexpected slowdowns when a project is picked for testing out a new system or procedure.</li>
91. </ul>
92. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Why Timelines Are Affected</strong></p>
93. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81">When a project becomes the pilot for a new process:</p>
94. <ul>
95. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Lack of Readiness</strong>: The process may not be fully refined. Bugs, gaps in documentation, or missing support can lead to significant project delays.</li>
96. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Resource Constraints</strong>: Teams might be understaffed or lack the expertise to implement new processes at scale.</li>
97. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Shifting Priorities</strong>: Organisations often need to decide whether to proceed with an established, familiar approach or pivot to an untested improvement that would give them a significant advantage worth the risk. This indecision can stall progress.</li>
98. </ul>
99. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81">Consequently, it’s rarely anyone&#8217;s intended fault that timelines slip, yet everyone feels the pressure. Stakeholders can become frustrated, and blame often circulates among different teams.</p>
100. <h4 data-start="0" data-end="81">Strategies for Project Managers, or &#8220;How do I stop my project from being late?!?!&#8221;</h4>
101. <ul>
102. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Early Detection</strong>: Remain vigilant for signs that your project might be targeted as a pilot. Ask direct questions as soon as you suspect a process trial or change may occur.</li>
103. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Negotiation</strong>: If possible, request a delay in implementing the new process. For instance, you might ask to continue using the existing method during development and adopt the new process during the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) phase.</li>
104. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Set Expectations</strong>: Communicate the potential risks and benefits of being a pilot project to your team and stakeholders. Clarity reduces confusion and resentment.</li>
105. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Document Everything</strong>: Keep detailed records of decisions, timelines, and issues. This documentation can help clarify the causes of delays, as well as advocate for process adjustments if necessary.</li>
106. <li data-start="0" data-end="81"><strong>Maintain Relationships</strong>: Recognise that process improvement teams aren’t causing delays out of malice. Collaborate to find workable compromises rather than blaming each other.</li>
107. </ul>
108. <h4 data-start="0" data-end="81">Conclusion</h4>
109. <p class="" data-start="0" data-end="81">Continuous process improvement is an essential part of any large organisation’s long-term success. However, these initiatives can inadvertently disrupt project timelines. By staying alert, proactively communicating, and negotiating rollout schedules, project managers can maintain progress while still supporting the organisation.</p>
110. ]]></content:encoded>
112. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/24/project-delivery-versus-process-improvement/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
113. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
115. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Project_delivery_versus_process.mp3" length="6276911" type="audio/mpeg" />
116.  
117. </item>
118. <item>
119. <title>The Art of Corporate Escalation: How to Get the Help You Need; Professionally and Empathetically</title>
120. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/16/the-art-of-corporate-escalation-how-to-get-the-help-you-need-professionally-and-empathetically/</link>
121. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/16/the-art-of-corporate-escalation-how-to-get-the-help-you-need-professionally-and-empathetically/#respond</comments>
123. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
124. <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:48 +0000</pubDate>
125. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
126. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
127. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=282573</guid>
128.  
129. <description><![CDATA[&#160; Escalation is a critical skill for anyone in a leadership position, be it a project manager, team lead, or senior executive. Yet, it’s often one of the worst practiced and most misunderstood aspects of effective management. Too frequently, managment or all levels “escalate” by throwing a tantrum or demanding immediate attention, mirroring the classic<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/16/the-art-of-corporate-escalation-how-to-get-the-help-you-need-professionally-and-empathetically/">Read more</a>]]></description>
130. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-282573-3" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The_Art_of_Corporate_Escalation.mp3?_=3" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The_Art_of_Corporate_Escalation.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The_Art_of_Corporate_Escalation.mp3</a></audio>
131. <p>&nbsp;</p>
132. <p>Escalation is a critical skill for anyone in a leadership position, be it a project manager, team lead, or senior executive. Yet, it’s often one of the worst practiced and most misunderstood aspects of effective management.</p>
133. <p>Too frequently, managment or all levels “escalate” by throwing a tantrum or demanding immediate attention, mirroring the classic “I want to see the manager!” approach. But there are far better ways to do this:</p>
134. <h4>1. Clearly Explain Why Your Request Is Important</h4>
135. <p>Simply stating “This matters to me or my project” isn’t enough. You need to demonstrate why it should matter to the person (or team) whose help you need. Ask yourself:</p>
136. <ul>
137. <li>What are the consequences of not addressing this issue?</li>
138. <li>How does this impact the broader organisation or project goals?</li>
139. <li>Why should they care?</li>
140. </ul>
141. <p>By presenting the bigger picture, impact on the company’s bottom line, alignment with strategic objectives, and potential risks, you give others a compelling reason to prioritise your request.</p>
142. <p>Pro tip: Frame your explanation in terms of the other person’s life and work. If you’re escalating to a support team that’s currently battling a production incident, show empathy by acknowledging their workload and critical issues before explaining why your request matters.</p>
143. <h4>2. Recognize That You Are Not the Only Priority</h4>
144. <p>One of the biggest mistakes in escalation is forgetting that everyone else has tasks just as important as yours. To escalate effectively:</p>
145. <p><strong>Understand their workload</strong>: If the team is already dealing with a production crisis, your request may not be somthing they are even thinking about.</p>
146. <p><strong>Align on urgency</strong>: If your needs truly outrank current tasks, help demonstrate (or secure leadership input on) why that’s the case.</p>
147. <p><strong>Stay empathetic</strong>: Show that you appreciate the pressure they’re under. Anger or insistence won’t change the fact that resources are limited.</p>
148. <p>Try to see the situation from their point of view. If your project isn’t in immediate crisis, it may be better to negotiate timelines rather than demand compliance.</p>
149. <h4>3. Make It Easy for Others to Help</h4>
150. <p>Escalation often fails because the person making the request provides minimal context or support. A one-line email saying, “Please fix X” doesn’t communicate the importance or background needed to act quickly. To make it easier:</p>
151. <p><strong>Provide full context</strong>: Why does this matter? Who is impacted? What is at stake if this isn’t resolved?</p>
152. <p><strong>Include all relevant information</strong>: Attach logs, data, screenshots, project plans, or anything else they may need.</p>
153. <p><strong>Anticipate questions</strong>: If you know certain details are commonly asked for, include them upfront.</p>
154. <p>The more work you do to present a complete picture, the less back-and-forth is required and the faster the other teams can address your request.</p>
155. <h4>4. Offer Assistance or acknowledge a debt</h4>
156. <p>In most organisations, everyone is juggling multiple priorities. When you ask someone to insert your request into an already packed schedule, something else will need to be deprioritised. That can create friction. Instead, look for ways to help:</p>
157. <p><strong>Negotiate with the impacted party</strong>: Talk to the person whose task might get pushed aside, and explain why your need is a higher priority; saving the support team this headache will go a long way.</p>
158. <p><strong>Offer support with administrative tasks</strong>: If you can take on some of their paperwork or provide resources, they may find it easier to accommodate you.</p>
159. <p><strong>Facilitate better communication</strong>: Bridge gaps, reduce email ping-pong, and keep everyone in the loop.</p>
160. <p>By making their life easier, even in small ways, you create goodwill and practical room for your request on their to-do list.</p>
161. <h4>The Pitfalls of “Blunt Force” Escalation</h4>
162. <p>What happens when escalation is done poorly? You may see what some refer to as toddler tantrums, where the manager or requester demands immediate results without any explanation or empathy. This approach might sound like:</p>
163. <p>“I need this now. Why haven’t you fixed it already?”</p>
164. <p>Often, the team on the receiving end has no idea why it’s urgent, which leads to confusion, frustration, and resentment. Remember: simply insisting that a task is a priority does not make it so in someone else’s eyes. Without context, urgency, and empathy, your escalation will likely fail, or damage relationships in the process.</p>
165. ]]></content:encoded>
167. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/16/the-art-of-corporate-escalation-how-to-get-the-help-you-need-professionally-and-empathetically/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
168. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
170. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The_Art_of_Corporate_Escalation.mp3" length="7503203" type="audio/mpeg" />
171.  
172. </item>
173. <item>
174. <title>My one thought piece on AI</title>
175. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/12/my-one-thought-piece-on-ai/</link>
176. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/12/my-one-thought-piece-on-ai/#comments</comments>
178. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
179. <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:57 +0000</pubDate>
180. <category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
181. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
182. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
183. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284856</guid>
184.  
185. <description><![CDATA[&#160; This is going to be my one post on the place of AI and my opinions on how we are handling it in business and life. AI. It&#8217;s been the big talking point for the last year or so and is still a front page topic. is it going to take all our jobs,<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/12/my-one-thought-piece-on-ai/">Read more</a>]]></description>
186. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-284856-4" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/My_one_thought_piece_on_AI-2.mp3?_=4" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/My_one_thought_piece_on_AI-2.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/My_one_thought_piece_on_AI-2.mp3</a></audio>
187. <p>&nbsp;</p>
188. <p>This is going to be my one post on the place of AI and my opinions on how we are handling it in business and life.</p>
189. <p>AI. It&#8217;s been the big talking point for the last year or so and is still a front page topic. is it going to take all our jobs, spark a revolution, or create new opportunities? At first glance, AI does look like another seismic shift akin to the sewing machine, mechanised loom, or Ford&#8217;s production line. But there&#8217;s something fundamentally different about this wave.</p>
190. <p>Unlike past revolutions, AI doesn&#8217;t seem primed to create jobs at scale. It won&#8217;t spawn entirely new industries in the same way we&#8217;ve seen before. Instead, we&#8217;re likely looking at significant genuine job losses, particularly among lower-level white-collar roles.</p>
191. <p>In the Short-term, we&#8217;ll see disruptions as many companies will eagerly adopt AI to reduce costs and boost productivity quickly. But that&#8217;s where things get tricky as in doing that a certain way, you strip the long term growth out of your own company.</p>
192. <p>Lets take my own career as a technical PM. My effectiveness in this role comes directly from the breadth of my experience, having worked my way up through the lower level roles that AI now threatens. When I meet fellow managers lacking that foundational experience, their narrow perspectives are glaringly obvious. They struggle because they lack the hands-on knowledge gained from climbing the career ladder step by step.</p>
193. <p>If we let AI sweep away lower-end roles entirely, the future leaders and decision-makers won&#8217;t just lack depth; they&#8217;ll be missing the creative problem-solving skills developed by working through small, varied challenges. AI excels at averaging human outputs, but brilliance and breakthroughs often come from the &#8220;odd ones out,&#8221; those uniquely creative individuals whose careers and ideas evolve slowly over time.</p>
194. <p>Companies adopting wholesale AI driven job cuts might thrive briefly, lowering costs and increasing productivity, but will inevitably pay a steep price down the road. In five to ten years, we&#8217;ll experience a severe creativity and skill gap, causing real damage.</p>
195. <p>So what should sane businesses do instead? Integrate AI subtly and strategically. Take insurance claims, for example. AI excels at quickly identifying suspicious claims, far better than most humans on first initial checks, which means claim handlers don&#8217;t waste so much time sifting through genuine claims and can concentrate on the ones with a higher probability of being fraudulent. Leveraging AI in such a supportive way, rather than broadly replacing roles, allows businesses to boost efficiency without sacrificing human development.</p>
196. <p>This issue is particularly stark in creative industries. Jobs like artists, video editors, and audio engineers may seem like a good idea to replace with AI as it can theoretically turn an inexact set of processes into ones that can be managed precisely. But losing these foundational roles to AI doesn&#8217;t merely eliminate positions; it stifles future creativity. Rebuilding lost creative foundations is far more challenging than retraining white-collar workers. So, personally, while I use AI to eliminate tedious tasks,</p>
197. <p>I consciously avoid AI-generated creative content. Supporting human creativity, rather than replacing it, is critical.</p>
198. <p>How, then, do we roll with integrating with AI as individuals? I think back to my first corporate role during university placement, at the dawn of outsourcing to the Indian subcontinent. Everyone worried about job security. but a network technician named Richard Nixon told me simply: &#8220;Make sure you&#8217;re worth your money.&#8221; and that is how we should look at ourselves.</p>
199. <p>AI isn&#8217;t free, it&#8217;s a business tool, and companies providing AI will profit significantly. But AI has inherent limitations. The key is identifying human-specific strengths, intuition, flexibility, emotional intelligence, nuanced communication, and emphasising those. Managers seeking immediate cost savings might underestimate these qualities initially, but they&#8217;ll soon miss the critical human elements that AI can&#8217;t replicate <sup><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/12/my-one-thought-piece-on-ai/#footnote_0_284856" id="identifier_0_284856" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Well not currently">1</a></sup>.</p>
200. <p>AI, despite its capabilities, struggles to navigate human subtleties: body language, tone, persuasion, and ethical gray areas. These interactions are precisely where humans excel and prove their irreplaceable value.</p>
201. <p>Ultimately, AI is a remarkable tool, indeed it could be one of the greatest tools humanity ever creates, and if used thoughtfully, it will enhance human capabilities massively. But if handled recklessly, focusing solely on short-term gains, the long-term costs could be a right cluster f**k.</p>
202. <ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_284856" class="footnote">Well not currently</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
204. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/12/my-one-thought-piece-on-ai/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
205. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
207. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/My_one_thought_piece_on_AI-2.mp3" length="7803506" type="audio/mpeg" />
208.  
209. </item>
210. <item>
211. <title>Information Security Solutions 1st Tuesday Club &#8211; June 2025</title>
212. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/09/information-security-solutions-1st-tuesday-club-june-2025/</link>
213. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/09/information-security-solutions-1st-tuesday-club-june-2025/#respond</comments>
215. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
216. <pubDate>Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:00:55 +0000</pubDate>
217. <category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
218. <category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
219. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
220. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284858</guid>
221.  
222. <description><![CDATA[Every time I attend the First Tuesday Club, I find myself wondering why I don&#8217;t make it a monthly priority. With ever-flowing drinks, fantastic food, and great company, it&#8217;s genuinely puzzling that it isn&#8217;t permanently fixed in my diary. But such is the nature of the corporate frenzy; we often take such opportunities for granted.<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/09/information-security-solutions-1st-tuesday-club-june-2025/">Read more</a>]]></description>
223. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-284858-5" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Information_Security_Solutions-June2025.mp3?_=5" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Information_Security_Solutions-June2025.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Information_Security_Solutions-June2025.mp3</a></audio>
224. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Every time I attend the <a href="https://www.informationsecuritysolutions.com/events/information-security-solutions-1st-tuesday-club-on-the-3rd-of-june-2025/164.aspx">First Tuesday Club</a>, I find myself wondering why I don&#8217;t make it a monthly priority. With ever-flowing drinks, fantastic food, and great company, it&#8217;s genuinely puzzling that it isn&#8217;t permanently fixed in my diary. But such is the nature of the corporate frenzy; we often take such opportunities for granted.</p>
225. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">I found the atmosphere as welcoming as ever. The gathering typically hosts around 80 to 100 attendees, a solid mix of familiar faces and new introductions. It’s always nice catching up, exchanging insights, and sharing anecdotes, particularly about the ongoing adventures in the security field. This night is one of those rare places where professionals can relax, share openly <sup><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/09/information-security-solutions-1st-tuesday-club-june-2025/#footnote_0_284858" id="identifier_0_284858" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="within the bounds of client confidentiality, of course">1</a></sup>, and feel genuinely supported amidst the relentless security battles we all face.</p>
226. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland were there as always, a consistent presence over many years, this time introducing their daughter, a fab moment that made me feel somewhat ancient but also hopeful seeing a new generation stepping forward. As always, the evening featured a fantastic spread, perfectly balancing a comfortable atmosphere with just enough corporate sponsorship to ensure everything was covered.</p>
227. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">This particular event was sponsored by <a href="https://www.axonius.com/get-started">Axonius </a>, an impressive company whose services seem like an excellent fit for one of my clients. I had an interesting and no-pressure conversation with one of their team members. Rather than heavy-handed selling, the representatives casually mingled and engaged naturally with attendees, meaning that everything stayed nice and relaxed.</p>
228. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><a href="https://www.axonius.com/get-started"><img data-dominant-color="050708" data-has-transparency="true" style="--dominant-color: #050708;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-284875 has-transparency" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/axonius.png" alt="" width="200" height="44" /></a></p>
229. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The First Tuesday Club has been a valuable part of my professional life for decades. Each visit reinforces why I value it so highly. I’m introducing a new colleague to it next month, hoping they find as much value and enjoyment in it as I have. In a world where cybersecurity challenges grow increasingly complex, having a place like the First Tuesday Club, where learning and networking occur in a stress-free environment, is more important than ever.</p>
230. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="756052" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #756052;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-284866 not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-289x300.jpg" alt="" width="289" height="300" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-289x300.jpg 289w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-986x1024.jpg 986w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-768x798.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-1479x1536.jpg 1479w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISS-1st-Tuesday-Club-June-2025-02-1972x2048.jpg 1972w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 289px) 100vw, 289px" /></a></p>
231. <ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_284858" class="footnote">within the bounds of client confidentiality, of course</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
233. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/09/information-security-solutions-1st-tuesday-club-june-2025/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
234. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
236. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Information_Security_Solutions-June2025.mp3" length="3473867" type="audio/mpeg" />
237.  
238. </item>
239. <item>
240. <title>Warhammer 40K Squat knights: Squat Juggernauts</title>
241. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/08/warhammer-40k-squat-knights-squat-juggernauts/</link>
242. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/08/warhammer-40k-squat-knights-squat-juggernauts/#respond</comments>
244. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
245. <pubDate>Sun, 08 Jun 2025 19:30:31 +0000</pubDate>
246. <category><![CDATA[Modelling & Geek Stuff]]></category>
247. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284881</guid>
248.  
249. <description><![CDATA[Full credit to OldenDemon for this one, and his videos on the history of 40K Epic Knights So in White Dwarf 178 &#8211; Page 12 it actually gives a name to what, in context, would be the equivalent to Squat Knights: &#8220;Squat Juggernauts&#8221;, no further details were ever provided, but it&#8217;s the nearest we have<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/08/warhammer-40k-squat-knights-squat-juggernauts/">Read more</a>]]></description>
250. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Full credit to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@OldenDemon">OldenDemon</a> for this one, and his videos on the history of <a href="https://youtu.be/9V1khfUrKaY?si=86XvCg3W5rHX04N7">40K Epic Knights</a></p>
251. <p>So in <a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/White-Dwarf-Magazine-Issue-178-Oct.-1994-UK.pdf">White Dwarf 178 &#8211; Page 12</a> it actually gives a name to what, in context, would be the equivalent to Squat Knights: &#8220;Squat Juggernauts&#8221;, no further details were ever provided, but it&#8217;s the nearest we have ever had, and I&#8217;m going to go with it.</p>
252. <p>&nbsp;</p>
253. ]]></content:encoded>
255. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/08/warhammer-40k-squat-knights-squat-juggernauts/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
256. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
259. </item>
260. <item>
261. <title>Corporate term: &#8220;Fundamental&#8221;</title>
262. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/05/corporate-term-fundamental/</link>
263. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/05/corporate-term-fundamental/#respond</comments>
265. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
266. <pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:00:29 +0000</pubDate>
267. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
268. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
269. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284682</guid>
270.  
271. <description><![CDATA[Definition: Fundamental: A non-accusatory term describing something implemented only at its bare functional level, but not yet properly completed or robust. Explanation: The term &#8220;fundamental&#8221; refers to systems, processes, or features implemented minimally to meet an immediate project deadline or delivery requirement but not subsequently refined or completed to a sustainable standard. Although functional, these<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/05/corporate-term-fundamental/">Read more</a>]]></description>
272. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-284682-6" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_Fundamental.mp3?_=6" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_Fundamental.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_Fundamental.mp3</a></audio>
273. <h4>Definition:</h4>
274. <p>Fundamental: A non-accusatory term describing something implemented only at its bare functional level, but not yet properly completed or robust.</p>
275. <div data-slate-object="block" data-key="71">
276. <h4>Explanation:</h4>
277. <p>The term &#8220;fundamental&#8221; refers to systems, processes, or features implemented minimally to meet an immediate project deadline or delivery requirement but not subsequently refined or completed to a sustainable standard.</p>
278. <p>Although functional, these fundamentals often lack essential attributes such as comprehensive documentation, support infrastructure, or operational resilience.</p>
279. <p>Common examples include:</p>
280. <ul>
281. <li><strong>Software:</strong> implemented without proper support teams or documentation.</li>
282. <li><strong>Network features:</strong> implemented but still requiring significant manual intervention and maintenance.</li>
283. <li><strong>Business processes:</strong> heavily reliant on a single individual&#8217;s specialised knowledge, creating vulnerability due to lack of redundancy.</li>
284. </ul>
285. <p>Using the term &#8220;fundamental&#8221; avoids assigning blame while clearly highlighting the importance of addressing the unfinished aspects. It implicitly communicates to management that such tasks are critical for long-term operational efficiency.</p>
286. <p>Completing fundamentals not only reduces business and technical debt but also significantly lowers operational risks and ongoing resource overhead.</p>
287. <p>Although refining existing fundamentals might appear less exciting compared to pursuing new initiatives, the long-term benefits, such as freeing resources and reducing risk, substantially enhance organisational capacity for future projects.</p>
288. <p>&nbsp;</p>
289. <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>
290. <p>&nbsp;</p>
291. </div>
292. ]]></content:encoded>
294. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/05/corporate-term-fundamental/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
295. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
297. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_Fundamental.mp3" length="2950373" type="audio/mpeg" />
298.  
299. </item>
300. <item>
301. <title>Corporate term: &#8220;War list&#8221;</title>
302. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/02/corporate-term-war-list/</link>
303. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/02/corporate-term-war-list/#respond</comments>
305. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
306. <pubDate>Mon, 02 Jun 2025 07:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
307. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
308. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
309. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284623</guid>
310.  
311. <description><![CDATA[Definition: A war list is an informal term for a concise list of priority items used when a project is starting to spiral slightly out of control. It is most commonly employed by a task force. Explanation: A War List, often just a single-sheet on an Excel file, might initially start as a very long<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/02/corporate-term-war-list/">Read more</a>]]></description>
312. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-284623-7" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_War_list.mp3?_=7" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_War_list.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_War_list.mp3</a></audio>
313. <h4>Definition:</h4>
314. <p>A war list is an informal term for a concise list of priority items used when a project is starting to spiral slightly out of control. It is most commonly employed by a task force.</p>
315. <div data-slate-object="block" data-key="71">
316. <h4>Explanation:</h4>
317. <p>A War List, often just a single-sheet on an Excel file, might initially start as a very long list of all the things that need attention on a project. However, it is the project manager’s responsibility to organise and prioritise this list, transforming it into a structured &#8220;order of march.&#8221;<br />
318. The War List differs from a regular task list because it is typically managed manually, frequently updated by the project manager themselves in a spreadsheet. It serves as their personal working document to track and manage tasks. While other team members are not expected to update this list directly, it remains accessible as a constant, living reference for the team.</p>
319. <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>
320. <p>&nbsp;</p>
321. </div>
322. ]]></content:encoded>
324. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/02/corporate-term-war-list/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
325. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
327. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Corporate_term_War_list.mp3" length="1863262" type="audio/mpeg" />
328.  
329. </item>
330. <item>
331. <title>Word Bearer Runes</title>
332. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/01/word-bearer-runes/</link>
333. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/01/word-bearer-runes/#respond</comments>
335. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
336. <pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 12:55:50 +0000</pubDate>
337. <category><![CDATA[Modelling & Geek Stuff]]></category>
338. <category><![CDATA[No Audio]]></category>
339. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284797</guid>
340.  
341. <description><![CDATA[Quick tip for anyone painting Word Bearers in the Warhammer 40K tabletop world. You will have seen the runes that they are famous for covering their armour with and that appear on their transfer sheet: Well, it turns out they are just Enochian &#8220;the mystical language recorded in the journals of John Dee.&#8221; which is<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/01/word-bearer-runes/">Read more</a>]]></description>
342. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Quick tip for anyone painting <a href="https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Word_Bearers">Word Bearers</a> in the Warhammer 40K tabletop world. You will have seen the runes that they are famous for covering their armour with and that appear on their transfer sheet:</p>
343. <p><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-scaled.jpg"><img data-dominant-color="d1d3ce" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #d1d3ce;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-284799 not-transparent" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-300x236.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="236" srcset="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-300x236.jpg 300w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-1024x805.jpg 1024w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-768x604.jpg 768w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-1536x1207.jpg 1536w, https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wordbearsrunes-2048x1609.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
344. <p>Well, it turns out they are just <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enochian">Enochian</a> &#8220;the mystical language recorded in the journals of John Dee.&#8221; which is open source and for which you can find lots of <a href="https://www.dafont.com/enochian.font">open fonts</a> to make your own</p>
345. <p>I also include one here in case they all disappear: <a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/enochian.zip">enochian</a></p>
346. ]]></content:encoded>
348. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/06/01/word-bearer-runes/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
349. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
352. </item>
353. <item>
354. <title>Developing software: the very old versus the very new.</title>
355. <link>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/05/29/developing-software-the-very-old-versus-the-very-new/</link>
356. <comments>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/05/29/developing-software-the-very-old-versus-the-very-new/#respond</comments>
358. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Myers]]></dc:creator>
359. <pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 07:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
360. <category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
361. <category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
362. <category><![CDATA[Audio Generic]]></category>
363. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://stickfight.co.uk/?p=284612</guid>
364.  
365. <description><![CDATA[&#160; I had a fascinating experience recently that really highlighted how far software development has come, and how some things haven&#8217;t changed at all. It began, as many of my days do, with trying to resolve a conflict between two technical teams who weren&#8217;t seeing eye-to-eye. Normally, getting everyone in a room to clarify dependencies<a class="more-link" href="https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/05/29/developing-software-the-very-old-versus-the-very-new/">Read more</a>]]></description>
366. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
367. <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-284612-8" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Developing_software_the_very_old_versus.mp3?_=8" /><a href="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Developing_software_the_very_old_versus.mp3">https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Developing_software_the_very_old_versus.mp3</a></audio>
368. <p>&nbsp;</p>
369. <p>I had a fascinating experience recently that really highlighted how far software development has come, and how some things haven&#8217;t changed at all. It began, as many of my days do, with trying to resolve a conflict between two technical teams who weren&#8217;t seeing eye-to-eye. </p>
370. <p>Normally, getting everyone in a room to clarify dependencies is straightforward enough, but this time, something unusual was at play.</p>
371. <p>On the surface, it seemed like a typical methodology clash: one team heavily leaned toward waterfall approaches, while the other embraced agile development. Easy enough, right? Just find common ground between methods and move on.</p>
372. <p>But as the discussion unfolded, it quickly became apparent there was more to the issue. Both teams, despite their methodological differences, consisted mainly of younger developers with around ten years of professional experience. And yet, the deeper we dug, the clearer it became that struggles to understand each other&#8217;s challenges was rooted not in methods, but in the technologies they were using.</p>
373. <p>One team was working with a cloud-based service UI, a modern SaaS environment where flexibility is the norm. Defining and changing fields in such systems is almost effortless: you can quickly roll back changes, validation updates automatically, and code provides clear flags and warnings. Fields are disposable, easy to manage, and quick to modify even at the last minute.</p>
374. <p>Contrast this with the other team&#8217;s world, developing for a mainframe system that has been around for more than three decades. </p>
375. <p>Here, field definitions are anything but flexible. Fields are strictly limited in length, difficult to modify once provisioned, and changing field types after the fact is practically impossible. In some cases, the system demands pre-provisioning fields en masse just to have some flexibility later, making every change a monumental effort.</p>
376. <p>This stark difference in environments had created a disconnect. Each team was frustrated, not realising the other&#8217;s technical constraints. The cloud-based team couldn&#8217;t comprehend why changing fields could be such a big deal, while the mainframe team couldn&#8217;t understand why the cloud team kept pushing changes that seemed careless and that made assumptions.</p>
377. <p>It was fascinating because usually, this kind of misunderstanding happens between technical and non-technical teams or between business stakeholders and developers. But this was a rare case of two technical teams misunderstanding each other simply because their platforms and experiences were worlds apart.</p>
378. <p>For me, it was a powerful reminder: integration specialists and project managers today don&#8217;t just bridge business requirements and technical execution, they also need to bridge knowledge gaps between entirely different technological eras. <br />It&#8217;s not enough to understand the technology you work with; you have to grasp the challenges faced by those working on completely different platforms, sometimes from a completely different generation of computing.</p>
379. ]]></content:encoded>
381. <wfw:commentRss>https://stickfight.co.uk/2025/05/29/developing-software-the-very-old-versus-the-very-new/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
382. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
384. <enclosure url="https://stickfight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Developing_software_the_very_old_versus.mp3" length="4952189" type="audio/mpeg" />
385.  
386. </item>
387. </channel>
388. </rss>
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