Friday Feel-Good Feedback and ... community. For my post this week, I'd like to share this Christmassy clip with a shout out to those businesses who embrace community
Whether you're into / celebrate Christmas or not, the bigger issue in my mind is whether we are offering a helping hand when we can.
I attended Carols in the City in Chester this week. Possibly the coldest and wettest work-related event I've done in a while but warmed the cockles in other ways.
Beautiful lights sponsored this year by businesses due to lack of council funds, market stall traders and business and community mingling together outside the Cathedral, listening to the Chester Rock Choir and singing along with the Bluecoat Brass Band.
All lovely … BUT…
the nicest moment of the evening for me was the unstaged and willing display of community spirit as a human chain formed made up of staff from my hosts bennettbrooks and Aaron & Partners LLP who loaded the food donations everyone had brought into the van for the West Cheshire Foodbank
Surely that is the point of this time of year. And actually, any time of year. Supporting real people in your community.
And embedding this into how you do business.
Not because you should but because you can and you want to.
What was equally poignant was that as well as supporting their community, they were also investing in their own internal community spirit and team connection and involving their business networking community too
I'm not sure about anyone else, but when I see businesses supporting community or charity like this, it makes me want to work with them, endorse them and support them more than those who don't.
Credit to all organisers and sponsors of this event. Early Christmas tidings to you.
#fridayfeedback #connection #networking #collaboration #community #purpose #events #relationshipmarketing
Networking smorgasbord
Real Tennis. Law. Curry. Art.
A smorgasbord of topics for a full Friday focused on networking.
Friday saw networking from dawn till dusk and beyond in Manchester for a networking marathon.
So much learning from so many connections, new and old.
A 6.15 start at the invitation to attend the Manchester Business Breakfast Club visitors day. A jam-packed 2hrs with some fast-paced networking. Bumped into a school mate and even got a private tour of the Real Tennis club venue. I know about pickle and padel but did not know about real tennis or the historic jewel that was tucked away in this city building.
Onwards to the Women in the Law UK annual conference run by Sally Penni and hosted by DLA Piper where I was one of several speakers.
The event purpose: Empowerment.
The annual topic: Change.
My talk: tips to change your networking mindset and connect more purposefully.
So many pearls of wisdom shared by all the speakers plus support of the charity Lifeshare.
It speaks volumes when speakers take copious notes from each other's presentation and each speaker's talk intertwines.
Loved chatting to young female legal professionals too who said they felt inspired and supported.
Interestingly, for many, their concerns weren't about ability and more about how they will balance career and motherhood/personal life to avoid burnt-out.
Congratulations Sally on a great event and thank you fellow speakers for educating and empowering me with your words. I have been inspired by you all!
3rd part of the day was curry with my fellow networking host Tricia Peters to discuss our Cheshire International Womens Day event on 5 March.
And the final stop was to Grit Studios to view the creative work of my #TEDx buddy John Cooper who was running a pop up gallery to tie in with his big birthday. Congrats John (and love the venue John Macauley).
Thank you to everyone who touched my mind and soul on Friday.
It was quite a day.
And I'm officially exhausted this weekend as I prepare for
Friday Feel-Good Feedback is ... networking that isn't networking.
I'm stepping out of my comfort zone with some video for this Friday's post of feedback, thanks and learning to share my unstructured ramblings and tips about networking, connection and community.
Amongst many this week, thanks to:
Tiger Trailers Alison Cartwright
Women in Transport Joanna Hill
Next Step HR Kate Jenkinson
Professional Speakers Association Kerry Lockyer Hughes
#fridayfeedback #connection #networking #collaboration #community #purpose #events #relationshipmarketing
Friday Feel-Good Feedback … & the power of words. Words have hurt this week. But also inspired, informed, guided & reassured.
My Friday Feedback post is late.
Because of the abundance of words.
And feelings incited.
With insufficient time till today to reflect.
Monday
* Unkind words affronted my values, even brought tears. We can’t control how people think or feel, but criticism leaves us questioning ourselves.
* Bad news words. The loss of a contract due to funding. Disappointed & lost for words.
Tuesday
* Purposeful words where I committed to supporting Cheshire Community Foundation
* The Literary Lunch by Sue France. Friendly networking words; inspirational words motivating me to write again; literary words from authors Donna Ashworth, Sophie Milliken, Estelle Maher, Milly Johnson & Suzan Holder Author.
My favourite words from Donna:
‘Poetry allows you to embrace thoughts & feelings, to let them in & then out. For they are only visitors.’
Wednesday
* Words of idea generation with Paul & Jess at Prism Studios.
* My speaker bio words sent to Dr. Sally Penni MBE for her Women in the Law UK conference.
* Words at the 2020 annual lunch. Reunion words with TEDx buddy Lucy McLaren; her educating words about Down Syndrome Cheshire; networking tip words with Ellen Kitson’s 17 y.o. daughter; Catherine Sandland's words 'networking is just conversation; & mutual ranty words with Lucy Jackman in a listening exercise.
* Poetic words at Kate Jenkinson’s book launch with fab spoken word readings.
Thursday
* Words of excitement at new opportunities for training & speaker work.
* Connecting words – 9 emails sent to introduce connections.
Friday
* Warrington Business Conference by #WBEx. Words focused on Brand Warrington to inform & inspire the business community. MP’s, leaders from Hoover, Greenall's, @Warrington Wolves Community Foundation, Warrington & Co., Eddie Stobart, & Spire Healthcare Group plc.
* An invite from host Chris Maguire to share words ab
Look what happened over the weekend! My 30-second TEDx talk short came out. One of the biggest things I've done for a long time so I'd love you to watch (maybe even click through to the full talk too if you've not seen it).
Watch the full TED❌ talk at: https://youtu.be/KnseD4tteic?si=ocQutr9cN27C9UCo
#onesmallstep #TEDx #TEDx2024 #TEDxNorthwich #events #community #purpose #connection #collaboration #networking #ideasthatcanchangetheworld #ideasworthspreading #northwich #cheshire
Thank you Samantha Newey, Catherine Sandland, Ashley Costello, Katherine Butler and wider TEDxNorthwich team
Networking, rainbows 🌈 and strong business relationships.
I'd like to give a shout-out to colourful emotions and business friendship.
What you see in this photo of the KTS Women in Business Summer Networking 2024 event I hosted with Tricia Peters and Sue France is NOT just...
* 80+ women in business, networking comfortably;
* 5 amazing speakers presenting on menopause, personal brand and breast cancer prevention;
* delicious, healthy, locally-produced food;
* a stunning and unique venue at Groobarbs Wild Farm;
* 3 sponsors who thanked us for letting them invest in the event when the gratitude is to them for supporting us; and
* a delighted charity (Prevent Breast Cancer) who'll receive over £500 from our raffle & a tonne of awareness.
What you may not see but it was there in bucket-loads was the rainbow of thoughts and feelings that spread throughout that room.
* emotion and tears on the faces of the audience as we heard lived experiences;
* nods of understanding and feeling understood;
* friendship amongst colleagues of larger businesses who attended for team-building time out and amongst single business owners who crave connection and support; and
* a celebration packed with emotion that it was the last event as KTS WiB as this marked Sue's upcoming retirement. We commended her and in true Sue spirit, she threw the praise back on Trish and I. We stayed on till near 6pm not to dissect the event but to talk about 'other stuff" in our lives and support one another.
Was business done at this networking event?
I've no bloody idea but I'd put my life savings on the fact it was.
Though that will come later.
Because the right environment, right people, and right attitudes build the right style of connection.
They say in life that to be healthy, we should eat a rainbow (ie plate with variety of colour and lots of veg).
I'd apply this to business too and advocate that having a rainbow of business friendships and learning environments is essential for our pe
Thank you to Kellie Gray of Barrington Hulse Tax & Advisory for this video feedback after April's Warrington networking learning group.
These learning sessions are always about the people, ideas and solutions so it's lovely to hear that attendees get what I promise.
Looking forward to this Thursday’s session where we'll focus on the marketing collateral you can use in networking.
As well as networking, we’ll be playing a game of ‘Show and Tell’ using a prop to explore how we can use physical resources in our networking, meetings and marketing activities.
Link in comments for those in the Warrington area this Thursday 23 May, 9.30-11am.
#networking #collaboration #communication #connection #events #relationshipmarketing #warrington #cheshire
Heather Hiley Financial Planning
Kirsty James
Friday Feel-Good Feedback is ... challenge, pride & fundraising success! I've not done my Friday post for a while but today, it has to be this 👇
I'm so unbelievably proud of my husband and friends for their TCS London Marathon success last Sunday.
It has been the focus in our family and friendship group for months.
He trained. And ran. I focused on fundraising. And support. And wearing orange wigs (which the kids disliked).
10 months of commitment.
541 miles of training.
112 days without alcohol.
4hrs 9 mins achieved (smashing his 4. 5hr goal).
And over £7000 raised for Muscular Dystrophy UK - a national charity with an important place in our local hearts for the support it gives our friends whose lives are impacted every day, not just for a few months. #respect
With races in the news all the time, we can underestimate the achievement of a marathon sometimes. For each and every one of the runners, it is huge. Every single training mile in nasty weather, every social occasion sacrificed, every mental and physical wall broken through. My husband hit his walls at 17 and 21. We were there at 19 and 25 to rally him onwards. So many tears.
And the fundraising.
Wow!
Claimed as the largest single fundraising day in the world with over £67million raised for charity.
I have immense respect for every one of the 53000+ runners, aged 18 to 91: the elite, the amateur, the fun-runners, the fundraisers, the 'Ever Presents' (6 who've run every year since 1981), and those over 8hrs who finished in the night on an alternative course with one of the many tail wagger volunteers for support. Love the stories and stats of this community event.
Such an emotional and exhausting weekend for all (including the cheer squad 🤣). And boy has it given him some great content as a teacher for his Year 11 motivational pep talks this week (though his legs have struggled to do playground duties and he's had to radio for back-up a few times 🤣).
So looking forward to the final fundra
Friday Feel-Good Feedback:
Given that Monday to Wednesday saw tears, exasperation and frustration, I'm delighted that Thursday involved these words...
Brilliant
Energised
Enjoyable
Great
Buzzing
Excellent
Supportive
Fresh
Inclusive
Lovely
One of the best
These are the words that appeared in feedback posts after I hosted a new networking group in #Warrington yesterday.
I’m very grateful for the feedback.
I never take my years of event and networking experience for granted.
We all like to get positive feedback.
To feel appreciated for our hard work.
To be acknowledged for the value we add.
Even more so if you’ve worked hard for 17 years in a particular field, dedicating yourself to a subject, as I have with networking, events and marketing.
The last week has seen some interesting experiences.
I’ve been verbally attacked three times by an employee of a client who I suspect harbours ill-feeling at my involvement and a misguided view of their role and authority which is not being managed internally.
And I’ve experienced some of the worst customer services I’ve seen in years from a leading high street retailer. Rudeness and incompetence beyond belief.
So many other things I could list. That’s life, I guess, and we all deal with rubbish some weeks, insignificant though matters may be in retrospect.
As someone who specialises in relationship-marketing, including work around customer retention, reputation management, profile-building and networking identity, experiences like this week fascinate (& preoccupy) me.
I try to remember that situations like this often arise when someone is insufficiently trained, supported or managed in their role. Or if they have personal stuff going on. Or if they feel they have no purpose at work.
And I try to remind myself of all the great people surrounding me in my personal and business life.
(And then I head to a boxing class to direct my pent-up frustrations on the pads instead 🥊 🤣 ).
The words of feedb
A tinkle on the ivories to tickle your fancy on this icy, wintery Monday morning back at work.
Along with many other people I'm sure, it's my return to a full working week. Whilst deep down, we all know we'll benefit from a return to routine, it can be tough to get going.
One of my strategies for tackling new weeks, new months and even New Years is to book in several social outings and catch ups with people I enjoy hanging out with and that bring out the best in me. And then to reflect on those moments - usually in my Feel-Good #fridayfeedback post (if I get chance).
This was one of those occasions last Friday. A held-back birthday voucher from last March to use as a New Year treat. Time spent with two lovely business colleagues, turned personal friends who can bring cheer to anyone's wintery day. Time out to put the world to rights and muse over 2024 plans.
Enjoy a chuckle.
It's a little Victoria Wood-esque in style and may spread a smile or two.
On to work now but an early finish planned to pop in another social moment. Hubby's birthday so cake and cinema planned.
Monday or Friday, book in those moments of connection with the right people this year.
Happy January 8th.
Do you have a tactic for tackling the return to work and new weeks/months/years?
#connection #networking #communication #collaboration #gratitude
Catherine Sandland Samantha Newey
