Dear Anna, I am finding my role as a School Business Manager very challenging at the moment for a variety of reasons. Could you give me some tips to reduce stress please? Sally. Dear Sally, I've actually delayed answering this question for a few weeks so that when I composed an answer for you I… Continue reading Ask Anna – Tips to reduce stress?
Dear Anna, Over Tapas with some business leaders last night we were sharing our experiences of managing challenging staff. One of our group was saying that issues were very much reduced if you set up "self-selecting teams". I'm not quite sure what that is or how I would go about it. Do you know? Señorita SBM Dear… Continue reading Ask Anna – What is a self-selecting team?
Having raised five children (admittedly not all biologically mine - if that makes a difference) I never cease to be amazed at how different they all are. You would think five people with similar nurturing and life experiences would have at least one thing you could pin a "how alike they are" on. But no.… Continue reading Challenging Stereotypes
Dear Anna, I enjoy using social media personally but I'm nervous about using it for work. I'm now beginning to hear about the opportunities for CPD, support and wellbeing available on Twitter for SBMs. Should I join in? Apprehensive SBM Dear Apprehensive SBM, I know exactly how you feel because until 2017 I felt the… Continue reading Ask Anna – Should I join Twitter?
Dear Anna, I applied for an exciting new job three weeks ago, and I've been constantly checking my emails ever since. After two telephone calls and four emails I've been firmly told that "the hiring manager will contact applicants they want to bring to interview." Does it really take this long for managers to arrange… Continue reading Ask Anna – How long should I wait?
Dear Anna, How do you present financial data to your Governors? Norma SBM Dear Norma, Before I start could I just give a shout out to anyone who isn't an SBM and has just fallen across this post in all innocence. Back away slowly if I were you. This post is going to be major… Continue reading Ask Anna – Presentation of Financial Data
I'm not a big fan of hospital or doctors waiting rooms. I imagine the medieval miasma gathering at ceiling level, forming a devastating suffusion of germs spiking into an unseen tornado of air, the tip of which sweeps through me, as a nurse bustles by. The lady sitting opposite me furiously applies antibacterial gel to… Continue reading Your No 1 priority is You
