The one with a few pre-match thoughts

I have an interesting week ahead.

Largely on the back of this blog I have been invited by the generous folks of the CIPD to be at their annual conference and exhibition. Since the invite is blog related I have a journalist pass and can effectively join any session I want…. The downside of this for you gentle folk is likely to be a rush of posts this week so please consider this your due warning.

I’ve just started the process of collecting stuff together to chuck in a bag and was thinking about the last time I went which made me remember a few things I thought I’d share:

Billy No-Mates

I last went to this event in either 2002 or 2003 with my then boss and aside from him, I knew no one else there. This time it’s VERY different, due largely to Twitter I know quite a few people going and through various conferences and meet ups in pubs, they are not just avatars but fully rounded (in some cases!) people who it will be good to catch up with. That said there are a few people going who are still just avatars so putting people to pictures will be good.

The (Print) Media Parties were best

I went to several parties whilst there (thanks mainly to the fabulous client service director at our recruitment advertising agency) and for the most part they were hosted and paid for by the print media. Telegraph, Guardian, Sunday Times and Personnel Today. I think the online guys were there but they were definitely the side show and not throwing money around (well not at a bar in my vicinity). I think this time it’ll be different!

Level 5 Terry

The opening keynote on my last visit was Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great”. I had never heard of either him or the book previous to hearing him speak. I came away enthused and read the book. I filed it in the “some great ideas as part of the mix” a view I still hold. But the idea that really stuck with me was Level 5 leaders and how, amongst other things, they ensure succession and the business continues to be successful once they have departed.

The opening keynote this year is Sir Terry Leahy. It goes without saying (so I’ll say it) that he was phenomenally successfully during his tenure as CEO of Tesco. The question I am hoping he addresses or someone poses to him is how does Tesco’s performance since his departure reflect on his legacy? I am going to the keynote so will follow this up but I’d be willing to put a sizeable wager on it remaining in the box marked ‘elephant in the room’

For the record I believe that Tesco is an incredible business. I don’t feel any resonance with the brand and it’s not my choice of shopping experience but I think what they have achieved is astounding. Whether they should have been allowed to achieve it and the impact they have is a whole other kettle of fish but I am very interested to hear what he has to say considering under this leadership HR apparently went back to personnel in both name and operation and did not sit on the executive.

Anyway enough of this….I’m off to find the 7 chargers I seem to need any time I leave the house these days. If you’ve just got ‘a week’ then good luck with that, if you’re going to #cipd11 then see you in Manchester!