Do you have a 1900’s website?

Do you have a 1900’s website?

Website’s weren’t around in the 1900’s, they came much later!

Think about this, films today are so different to those made years ago. Films have continued to develop in the way they are made and produced. If you can understand that then think of your business as a film. Just as films have and continue to develop and adapt, so must you and your business.

One focus could be your website. Paying for a website might be difficult at the start, however, your website is the window by which you showcase you and your business and so investing in it is important.

All those wanting to work with you, connect with you, buy from you or support you need to feel they know you. Business and charity are more to do with people than what the business or charity actually does. You can put your products and services on your website but to those visiting it’s so what? Its the why should they buy from you, who are you, why this business and why this product?

8 Tips for your website:

* Spend what money you can on the best website you can
* Engage a copywriter and/or PR expert to help write the content and try not to use jargon – try using plain
English
* Make your website uncluttered – Home, About, Product and/or services, contact
* Have a video – a silent website is like a silent movie, not interesting and out of date. Make your video
effective or different and make sure that a video is on the correct website page and make the video relevant to
the audience
* Keep your landing page simple and concise – remember the 8 second rule? Visitors have just 8 seconds to decide
about looking further
* Include your branding throughout
* Follow up all messages – as time goes on and you become busier you may engage a virtual assistant or an associate
* Review your website, does it still represent your business/charity and you?

Do you have a 1900’s website? Only you have the answer.

Alison Cross-Jones

A New Year, A New Start

A New Year, A New Start

2019 has already well and truly begun! For me its been with a bang, a health scare but its been the jolt I needed! No matter who we are or what we do we all need a ‘jolt’ something that makes us stop and reevaluate where we are, where we’re going and how we can get there. Sometimes life throws things into the mix and then no matter what we first thought, our journey changes.

My journey this year is a bit like that. My health scare has put a different focus on my year ahead, a prospective move and a change within my job are all things that will change my direction. I’m looking at each one as a new and exciting challenge.

Whilst frightening at the time my health scare means that I now need to refocus on my weight loss, eat less sugar (again) and drink more water.

My home move is an opportunity to build a home that’s all mine, one where I can make new friends and have a new start.

Any change in employment is an opportunity to learn, develop your skills and progress yourself and that has to be positive, so embrace these, don’t shy away, be fabulous!

I did have other plans for 2019 and while those won’t be forgotten, the focus has changed but that’s okay and that’s positive too. My Nan used to say that every new year was an opportunity to write a new chapter and it was down to all of us to make it good.

A New Year, A New Start, I intend that it will be, what about you?

Networking – What is it really all about?

Networking – What is it really all about?

Is networking meeting up once a month for an enjoyable round of coffee (and cake) and telling those present about what you do?

While this is enjoyable and its nice to know about other businesses and what they do and a great way to meet people, if you’re really serious about your business, is it really going to be of benefit? can you clearly state tangible outcomes for your business?

Is networking about going along to ‘networking’ clubs or meet ups where you pay to meet people, exchange business cards and find out about what other people are doing?

Another enjoyable past time. It can be a great way to begin real networking because in finding out what people actually do, you can work out how they can work, help or buy from you and how you can reciprocate that back. this may not be the same either way. However, are you really going to be able to do that at that particular busy event? In my experience – not. What’s needed is further communication between both parties by phone, email and a meet up! It takes time to properly understand what others do and who they are!

Is networking about paying to join a networking club?

Investing in your business is essential for success anyone who doesn’t invest is nuts! However, look at what’s being offered. Yes, meeting high powered business people is great but ask yourself how are they going to do business with you and be realistic! If they’re not, can you learn from them? What do you need or want to learn from them? What is the networking club offering? Meet ups, opportunities to meet people? While both of these are great, we’ve already seen that networking is so much more!

Is networking being given the opportunity to meet business experts?

Meeting experts, hearing their story and understanding what they’ve done to get where they are is positive. However, are they going to give you practical and tangible tips and advice that can really help you in your business? If not then going to an event where they’re speaking is of no more use to you and your business but is just as pleasurable as seeing your favourite band or show!

Is networking exhibiting at a business event or show?

It could be the start of networking. However, like many of the above you’re not going to have a meaningful conversation at the event. This is merely an opportunity for an introduction! What you do after will determine what happens next! The host of the show should be able to give tangible examples of how exhibiting at their event has helped other businesses. Some organisers will say “all our exhibitors said that the event really helped them” or “all the exhibitors and visitors rated the event 9/10”. My own response is “that’s nice”. I want to know how exhibiting actually improved them or their business! A response like “3 businesses gained 4 more customers/business referrals” is tangible. This might persuade me to exhibit.

What is a network?

1. Connect as or operate with a network
2. Interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts

I have been to many business events. I’ve made lots of professional contacts. Through these I’ve worked with professionals, referred others to them (increasing their business), bought products and services from them (increasing their business), invited them to business meet ups that I know will help them in aspects of their business (which could potentially increase their business).

In turn they’ve done the same! For me that’s true networking! Ongoing communication and working with people in this way, is the one thing that will build lasting relationships and trust. Remember, communication is much more than just talking to one another!

Don’t underestimate the importance of the social element of networking but keep a balance and don’t make it the main or only part!

If you do join a business networking club, look carefully at what’s being offered! It has to be value for money, you have to understand and clarify and quantify exactly what’s on offer to you and your business! Look at your planned KPI’s (Key Performance Indicator’s) in your Business Plan for the year ahead. Being a member has to be more than, meet ups, listening to speakers and business experts. What’s on offer has to be tangible and measurable to you and your business otherwise why bother? Ask yourself, what will be different in my business a year after joining this business club? If its I’ll have had great nights out and met lots of people, is that important to you?

Networking clubs are all different and costs vary. Look and shop around to find one that’s really going to help you. Those organising networking clubs should teach you about best practices in business. The do’s and don’t’s in business. They will have the best overview of their members and they will know who to link together and more importantly the why they should!

Networking clubs should actively encourage their members to do business together, they should make the introductions and could even organise member meet ups. Networking clubs should find out at the beginning what you need and understand why you need it. They should make that your KPI (Key Performance Indicator) their business KPI for the year ahead! If you need grants or loans they should not only tell you but should be able to directly or indirectly help you to apply.

I’ve often wondered why we pay membership to business clubs and then pay a meeting cost in addition? With other clubs you pay an annual fee and group meets are free to members! Special events might include a reduced cost for members. A well planned business of any kind knows what its annual costs are likely to be and should be able to forecast the annual income needed and understand how many customers/members they need and how much to charge them to cover it all.

Networking – What is it really all about? It’s about considering a lot of factors and its about being serious in your business!

Puppies! You have no idea!

Puppies! You have no idea!

We all see puppies out there and think how cute they are. Indeed we’re right they are cute. Some of us take on one pup and those of us who have know it’s hard work at times. However, having a litter of pups is on another level and unless you’ve been there, you have no clue!

Nineteen weeks ago the journey of having a litter of pups began with Lady Bass having a mini break at Rodney’s! Once we knew pups were on the way the air was full of excitement. A scan six weeks in, showed that Lady Bass was full of pups! Shihtzu litters are normally between three and five, so we reckoned on five at most but possibly six. By the end poor Lady Bass could hardly walk and her tummy was centimetres from the floor!

Saturday 15th July 2017 will be a day none of us could forget. A day of excitement, happiness but saddness too. As the pups came thick and fast at first their was sheer joy. One, two, three, four! How easy was this we thought! Lady Bass was brilliant she knew what to do and just got on with it!

Pup five arrived, no bag, fetal distress and unresponsive. It was time for the humans to step in, vet on the mobile giving instructions to guide. A loud “Jonny Five is alive” the pup was breathing! Now to see if Mum would accept it. Sure enough Lady Bass was happy to have her baby. Jonny Five is her name, she was initially sexed as a boy but she’s a girl! Having a boy’s name somehow suits her!

Puppy six came and we instantly knew something was very wrong. The bag was so thick it couldn’t be broken, so again the humans stepped in. This time there was to be no surviving pup. Angel pup was never going to be! A severe birth deformity had taken our beautiful pup. We were gutted, Lady Bass looked at us, wishing the pup to wake up. Angel will always be with us because its buried in Dad’s garden.

After more hours pup seven arrived! We were shocked! Seven pups is a huge litter for such a small dog. We all thought that was it! There couldn’t possibly be any more pups! We waited and waited, no more pups arrived for many more hours. That’s it, we’re done! There we were sitting having a cuppa, talking about the day and then suddenly another pup arrived. This time we were faced with fetal distress and half a puppy delivered. The humans again had to step in, deliver the pup and revive it! Lucky Number Eight is our girl and to see her today you’d never know!

Over the last ten weeks we’ve watched them grow, given them love, prepared their food, cleaned up lots of poo ……….. well more than lots!! We’ve played with them and we’ve seen how much each of them is developing their own character. There’s been pup updates on Facebook, lots of phone calls and video chats and all about the pups.

After all the hard work (and it has been hard work), its time for them to leave. Its been much harder than we ever could have imagined! As each pup leaves, we feel sad and blessed because although they’re leaving us behind, each of them has a home where we know they will always be loved. They are lucky puppies each and every one.

Would we do it again? I’m not sure our nerves could stand it! But we’ll never forget this incredible experience and we’ll always love those seven little ones we once took care of at the start of their life journey.

The joy, the sadness, the journey and the roller-coaster.

Puppies! You have no idea!

Finding love when you’re over 50 it’s a different kettle of fish!

Finding love when you’re over 50 it’s a different kettle of fish!

When you’re young you go out, you embrace and enjoy life. You find someone you fancy or even lust over, you’re not afraid to take a chance and even if you’re knocked back you bounce back up and carry on with life. When you’re young you are fearless! Okay so each persons sense of fearlessness will differ because we’re not all the same but I’m sure that each of us looks back knowing that things we would do or attempt to do when we were younger, seem alien to us now!

What happens to us in the intervening years? As we get older our zest for life and fearlessness seems to diminish? Has life really been that cruel to us? Is it because we’ve felt the pain that relationship break ups cause? Do we think rejection is failure? Do we suddenly become more self-consciousness about the way we look or what others think of us?

For me its kind of a bit of all of the above in a way! I’ve been on my own now for almost twenty years! “Get back into the driving seat” people say and all the while I’m thinking, driving seat? “I wasn’t good the first time round in the driving seat and in the last 20 years I’ve lost the manual!” I find myself in need of a set of instructions! In some ways climbing Mount Snowden would seem an easier challenge right now and it was bloody hard the first time and that was over thirty years ago!

Being over 50 seems to be no longer about finding someone you fancy and if you do you probably have even more to worry about because how the hell do you start by letting a complete stranger know that you fancy them? I currently have this dilemma and I have no idea where to start? If I use the same approach I would have used in my twenties he might think of me as some nut and steer clear!

My Nan used to say that looks aren’t everything as long as you get butterflies when you see someone, that you have laughter and some of the same interests, enough to be compatible but others that are different because it gives you things to talk about. She was a wise woman and I miss not having her here to talk to.

My children encourage me to find someone, my family and close friends are behind me supporting me as they always are but it’s a fact that finding love when you’re over 50 it’s a different kettle of fish!

Good luck in your quest to find love! There are people who successfully find love when they’re over 50 so I know it’s not an impossible dream and I remain hopeful!

What would Dickens say today?

What would Dickens say today?

In the last few days my youngest daughter (Alex) and I had the privilege of meeting Matthew in London. Matthew is homeless, he grew up in care, left care at 16, went to college and successfully became a plumber. Matthew felt he’d achieved something, he told us he was proud of who he’d become. He met a young lady and had a daughter. Life seemed perfect for Matthew, life couldn’t get any better! His young daughter became ill and Matthew couldn’t cope with the prospect of this and after his daughter passed away aged 6 years, his partner asked him to leave the family home. She couldn’t deal with her own grief and Matthews too so Matthew found himself homeless, on the streets with no one to support him! He lost the job he’d worked so hard to get and was proud of, he’d lost his daughter and his home! Matthew felt low. He’s contemplated giving up on life but despite everything he wants to prove he can achieve once again.

He told us that two years ago while he was still in grief he had a brief relationship with a homeless girl who had his son. She got off the streets and has a home. She didn’t want Matthew to live with her because he was still not emotionally ready and the authorities wouldn’t let Matthew move with her and so she now brings his son to visit London once a month.

Matthew is desperate for someone to give him a chance. He can’t get a job, claim benefits or register with a GP/Dentist because he has no home! He told us that he doesn’t want to claim benefits, he desperately wants to work! He wants to be someone, a someone who helps others! It struck us that despite what life had thrown at him, here he was wanting to give to others. We admired that strength and courage.

Alex and I took him to somewhere to eat as our guest. The server looked at Matthew and started to say “we don’t serve ….” I stopped her and told her that Matthew was my guest, I was spending my money and she was going to serve me or I would make a scene! I reminded her that Matthew is a person and he deserves the same respect and customer service as any other customer! Needless to say she could tell, I meant it! She continued to stare as did many others but we didn’t care.

Matthew had a drink, a burger and fries. He ate everything including the garnish salad and pickle! I’ve never seen a human devour food like he did, a starving dog but not a human being. Matthew told us very few people were kind to him, even those who give him money don’t speak to him! People walked past every day. It got me thinking about each of us in our daily lives, how many of us walk past people not ever knowing or caring what life is about for them. Have we really become a society that doesn’t care? I’d like to think not!

Matthew told us how well meaning people are giving out items like soap, toothbrushes, food etc. I learnt from him that without a place to go these items although well meaning were useless but that he could sell them for money for food.

Matthew also shared the horror stories of life on the streets. How he’s seen friends die, of the people who encourage the homeless to deal drugs for more money and a place to stay, how people abuse those who are homeless by kicking them or throwing buckets of cold water over them, to listen to Matthew was heart breaking and it was difficult to hold back the tears! He was determined that the drugs people weren’t going to ‘use him’ and to avoid them he moves around! He’d thought about getting a dog because they help keep the homeless warm, they offer companionship and because friends who had dogs were given more money from people passing. Matthew went to Battersea but they said no! Matthew shared how he’d asked local gyms if he could use their showers to wash, even offering to pay, he was turned down! You didn’t need much to realise that Matthew probably hadn’t washed in weeks even months but Alex and I didn’t care.

We gave Matthew food, our small change and most importantly we gave him our time! On these cold nights, I’ve thought about Matthew often and all those whose lives are just like him. We all live on the edge in life and in an instance any one of us could find ourselves facing adversity. Imagine what would happen if each one of us helped someone like Matthew every single day? A word of kindness, companionship, support, these things aren’t big but to someone like Matthew they mean the world.

Matthew would love to get out of London and start afresh but let’s face it, he’s never going to be able to. He’s trapped on a never ending merry go round of poverty and despair! Moved on from tourist places because heaven forbid they see the reality of our country!

Matthew is looking forward to Christmas Eve because then Church Halls and community centres across London open their doors and give the homeless, fresh clothes, bathing facilities, a piece of foam to lay their sleeping bags on, new sleeping bags and clothes if they need it and three hot meals a day. On January 2nd Matthew will be back on the streets, living an unbearable life but hoping that someone, one day will just give him a chance!

Why do I do what I do? Why did I set up HEALS of Malmesbury? To help all those like Matthew, those who struggle, those whose lives are difficult. If there were no HEALS I’d still help when I could. My mother tells me, it’s been who I am all my life!

Both Alex and I left Matthew with tears in our eyes and sadness in our hearts. No one should have to endure this hardship, not in this country in 2016! This is why HEALS exists! You can help by donating your time or money to HEALS or any other charity helping today!

What would Dickens say today? I think he’d be horrified! At least in his day there were places for the poor! These no longer exist and where they do they are over subscribed with people to help! So the next time you walk down the street, think about those you pass. We all live on the edge, in an instance we can be like Matthew, let’s hope unlike Matthew, there’s someone there to help!

http://www.healsmalmesbury.com

When death creates the action that life failed to do!

When death creates the action that life failed to do!

The death of a loved one hits us all hard. I’ve experienced this and I know how much pain it can cause. Why is it then that sometimes in certain circumstances the death of a loved one, spurs some people into action in a way they never did when the person was alive?

If you never in life visited them, helped them, offered them no comfort at their lowest times (no matter how hard it got), even deterring others from offering them help and made awful comments about them, why would you then after death suddenly rally around and be seen to want to help or even then ask others to do it for you? It makes no sense!

Surely its been better to help our loved ones in life, when they need us the most. This of course isn’t always easy. Loved ones struggling will take out their anxieties, frustrations and anger on those they love the most and that has to be the hardest thing for relatives and loved ones to endure. I’ve been there and worn the t-shirt, as have other family members. However, its at the hardest and most difficult times our loved ones need us the most. Our loved ones are ours and we should help and not be absent!

Perhaps death somehow makes people see, understand and is a reminder of what they should have done in life? Its a question that only those involved can answer and if they feel the need to make amends then that’s down to them but should they be asking others to pay for things that perhaps they themselves should and could have done?

For me its about being their for those we love while we still have them because we should love no matter what and unconditionally. Of course loving someone doesn’t mean liking their life choices, their actions or what they say because we don’t but love, real love goes beyond that.

Billy Ocean made a song called ‘When the going gets tough’ and the line says ‘the tough get going’. Well I guess in some cases that’s true and in those cases its sad. So today and everyday, show you care for friends, neighbours but especially for those we are related to, those we should love, no matter what because one day they may not be here and then it’ll be too late for them and too late to put right your actions. Once they’re gone you can’t put things right and asking others to pay for the things you should have done right will not ease your own conscience.

Its strange that in some situations death creates the action that life failed to do!

Every small action today will build a brighter tomorrow.

Every small action today will build a brighter tomorrow.

For a very long while we’ve been aware of the war in Syria and the horrors people face. We’ve seen the growing number of refugees/migrants in Calais and other places for even longer. The world stood by, perhaps we felt helpless, maybe we thought it was their problem, some might have not cared or maybe we buried our heads in the sand hoping someone else would do something. Whatever our view point, little has been done and the problem has escalated and now we are faced with an unimaginable crisis.

Recently we’ve seen scenes on social media and in the papers that have shown things we probably never thought we’d ever see. We’ve seen pictures of a small innocent child smiling with so much hope for the future and that same small child’s lifeless body with all hope gone. My heart goes out to all those who’s lives are so horrendous they are willing to risk their own safety and that of their children in the hope of a better life. We’ve heard about unscrupulous people taking money from these desperate people with the promise that they will take them to safety. These accounts are comparable to stories told by many Jewish people during the 1930’s and 40’s where families paid individuals to take them to safety too so that they could escape the horrors from the Nazis. Just like the stories emerging today, many lost their lives because the money was taken and they were abandoned. The images we’ve seen and the stories we’re hearing, mean that the world is no longer willing to stand by and let these people suffer. They’ve brought the reality home and many are doing the things they can to help.

I’ve heard people say “these people should fight back” would we given the same circumstances? We’d do what they are doing, we’d run to have a chance of living. Would we stay, fight and face certain death? Of course we wouldn’t! Man’s basic instinct is to survive. Others say we should fight but this means committing the lives of our brave service men and women.

Some say don’t help these people, instead we should focus on helping those at home. Some of those saying this won’t help those at home, they’ll use the ‘helping those at home’ argument to justify not helping at all.

For me, what’s happened cannot be changed, it can be learnt by and I hope those in governance and power across the world do learn from this. I doubt they will but hope they will.

As individuals we can all should reach out to those in need be they from home or away. Each and everyone of us must follow our heart and our conscience to do what we can in whatever way we can to help. No matter what everyone will have a ‘view’ on how to solve this crisis.

There are many selfless people going out to Calais and other places to do what they can. Who are we to judge what they are doing? I’ve heard it said that those in Calais are dressed in designer clothes with iPhones! I’ve heard first hand from those ‘processing’ refugees that the reality is those they come across are frightened, dirty, starving individuals who have scabies and lice because of the terrible prolonged conditions they’ve been living in. Perhaps those suggesting otherwise come from the school of thinking that now says the plight of the Jewish people in the second world war was made up! People say this and some believe it! Thank goodness many more know this is complete rubbish! There may be a small minority of people taking advantage of this crisis with iPhones, wearing designer clothes but the majority are people who need our compassion and kindness. Thankfully, there are people doing just that and I’m proud to say I know some of these incredible people.

Is there a definitive answer to this crisis? I’m not sure there is and I know whatever the answer is it will take a huge and combined world effort. My Nan used to say words are meaningless actions speak louder. So make your actions count by supporting those in need at home or away and if you can’t, use your actions to support those who are, in the end we can all only do what we can and give hope to some.

In the words of a Michael Jackson song written for a different plight but nevertheless relevant to this crisis,
“Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race, there are people dying
if you care enough for the living, make a better place for you and for me …”

Every small action today will build a brighter tomorrow.

http://www.alisoncross-jones.com

Those we fail today, we continue to fail time and time again!

Those we fail today, we continue to fail time and time again!

In the course of my work it never ceases to amaze me how we as society have and continue to fail others! We don’t seem to see it or are we choosing not to? On the outside we portray a society that cares, a society that accepts everyone ~ yet I see a different side of the coin!

Let me tell you about Dylan (named changed).

Some time ago I went to the jobcentre with someone I was supporting. On arrival I was aware of Dylan, he was shouting asking for help to fill in a form. Time and time again Dylan went to the desk to ask or help in completing a form so he could apply for money. Time and time again he was told that no-one could help him. Staff told him to go and call the advice line. Dylan tried to explain (in his own unique way) that he’d spent the two hours a day for the past two days on the phone getting nowhere! He wasn’t believed and the Jobcentre staff asked him to leave, the security guard was at the ready too!

What they saw was an angry young man, a nuisance, someone they could do without!

What I saw was someone desperate for help, someone trying to get their message across ~ should I offer my help was a question I didn’t have to answer, I knew already I would! I made a ‘deal’ that once I’d finished what I came to do, I’d sit down and help him with the form. The smile on Dylan’s face and the look of gratefulness in his eyes said everything.

He kept to his word and so did I!

Whilst filling in the form I realised that this wasn’t just a form filling situation, it was about much more.

Dylan was someone who’d been failed his whole life! His learning disability had failed to be recognised at school, except it had been but he had no clear diagnosis (label) and without this he and his family had failed to get the support they needed. Did Dylan’s disability go undiagnosed because of lack of money or was it he was deemed not worth investing in? I realised this was a young man who’s gone through the system failing at every step, thinking it was him when all the time it wasn’t! What cut through me was when Dylan said that dying seemed his best option! I tell you how I didn’t cry there and then! I knew that I had to do everything in my power to change this even if it meant more work, Dylan was far too important!

I stopped the form filling and arranged for him to come and see me as he didn’t have any money himself (because he hadn’t been paid benefits, because he couldn’t fill in the form), I gave him the money from my own pocket.

Since that first meeting I’ve got to know Dylan and what a great young man he is! He has a strong work ethic, he really wants to do something and be somebody. His issues have gone far beyond form filling or his undiagnosed disability, there’s debt, a feeling of worthlessness, the list seemed endless ~ if I felt this was it any wonder he felt as he did?

Overtime we’re putting his life puzzle together, it’s going to take a while and we’re both in it for the long haul but working together, we’ll make the changes we need to ensure that Dylan’s future is much brighter than his past.

At our last meeting Dylan and I cried tears of sorrow and laughter and he told me that he now feels lucky he met me that day because his life is changing, he doesn’t feel alone anymore! He said he now wants to live! That for me means everything and says it all! It’s exactly the reason why I do what I do everyday!

Things could have turned differently that day had Dylan and I not met. It’s likely he’d have been removed from the jobcentre, arrested, his form would have remained uncompleted, he’d have no money and would have continued in the spiral of being failed! Thankfully, we did meet and HEALS is able to help him and failure is now part of Dylan’s past.

Our next huge challenge is to try and get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, because Dylan is an adult, some of the tests he could have had done on the NHS or by experts as a child (under 16)are no longer available and cost. I’ve managed to persuade two of the top UK Specialists to see Dylan for £1,350 instead of their usual £3,000 fee. Of course they’ll be accommodation and travel on cost bringing it to just under £2,000.

He shouldn’t have to pay! I can hear you say. You’re right he shouldn’t but he does because Dylan has been failed and I for one have no intention of failing him anymore. How and where to find the money is my challenge but I face it with passion and determination!

Dylan has so to offer and I plan to give him his dream of being someone and he’s going to help and inspire others and show them that where you start out in life doesn’t determine where we end our journey! And he’ll show them that disability is no obstacle!

Dylan is just one example, I’m helping more like him everyday, all needing assessments costing between £350 and £1,500 each and everyone just as deserving.

Those we fail today, we continue to fail time and time again ~ except on my watch!

If you would like to help please donate via: http://localgiving.com/charity/healsmalmesbury

Name has been changed to protect identity.

http://www.alisoncross-jones.com

“If you love a book you tend not to follow it’s surface value, you follow the other things in it” ~ Danny Boyle

“If you love a book you tend not to follow it’s surface value, you follow the other things in it” ~ Danny Boyle

This is true many times friends have said you should read this book, they’ve outlined the contents and if I’ve been interested I’ve asked to borrow it, gone to the library or bought a copy. In other aspects of life we use the same approach. If someone says they’ve had a great service at a restaurant it’s likely you’ll go, if someone likes the quality of goods at a shop you’ll probably take a look, the list of examples goes on.

So why is it that with people we tend to make a judgement on the surface? People are about more than the external packaging. Vincent D’Oriofrio says “it’s pretty simple, pretty obvious: that people’s first impressions of people are really a big mistake.” Just like a book we should be looking beneath that cover! “When people rely on surface appearances alone and use society’s stereotypes then they lose their ability to assess and understand people accurately. Had they looked beyond the service they may have been surprised and in some cases averted negative situations.

I know and work with lots of people in business and while I don’t hide any of the things I’ve done in my life and whatever I’ve done can be found on Google, I’m amazed that so many have absolutely no idea of my experience, knowledge or qualifications. Are they seeing society’s stereotypes? Are they just seeing the lady who heads HEALS (Help Empowerment And Local Support)?

I wonder what they’d think if they looked beyond the surface? There’s much more to me than they choose to see! I’ve worked in retail management, I’m a qualified adult educator and have taught on a range of subjects, I’ve been a non-executive Director of three organisations and was Vice Chair of a national UK organisation. I’ve been an Audit Commission Inspector, a publican, a sub-postmistress and I’ve given presentations to audiences of over 500 people!

As Jim Brown said “I’m not interested in trying to work on people’s perceptions. I am who I am and if you don’t take the time to learn about that, then your perception is going to be your problem.” It’s interesting that to some degree I’ve been overlooked while others have been put centre stage yet it’s these people’s actions who’ve proved to be false and it’s been their actions that were detrimental. On another level my ideas are recognised and so I’m left bemused.

What can I do to help people understand me? I can change my approach, I can change the outside appearance, I can talk about things in my life other than HEALS but no matter what I do if people are not prepared to listen, it doesn’t change. Believing in yourself, having integrity and holding to your values will always get you through, in business and life!

Looking beyond the surface with people is important in business because you’re trusting others with your brand. If you trust the wrong person you put everything you’ve worked for and your brand at risk. Developing relationships and trust is vital. Perhaps we should all reflect and think about the people in our working lives just like a book. As Danny Boyle says “if you love a book you tend not to follow it’s surface value, you follow the other things in it” because when we do then the doors to success in life can really begin.

http://www.alisoncross-jones.com