The Public Sector HR Podcast team have just released their latest episode…a special show recorded at our recent conference in Manchester, featuring interviews with all the keynote speakers including David Ulrich, Jackie Orme and David Fairhurst.
It gives a really good flavour of the three days - you can listen to it here.
Gill
Well the time finally came last week for me to take over the reigns as President of PPMA from Stephen Moir. In my acceptance at the AGM I said how surreal the moment was as I had sat in the audience at PPMA Conferences more times than I care to remember never thinking that one day I would be wearing the chain of office!
It’s going to be a very hard act to follow the outstanding year that Stephen has had but we have a great team at PPMA and we will all work hard to make sure that this year is equally successful as last.
I took a bit of a gamble in moving our flagship conference to Manchester but I have to say I think it paid off. The theme for the conference was Purpose, Passion and Performance. All the speakers focussed on what that meant and were able to bring invaluable thoughts, ideas and debate to the bumper size audience. For those of you who were not able to attend, the speakers slides will be available for download form the PPMA website later this week. On the front page of the conference section you will also see a downloadable version of my opening address at the conference.
Copies of pictures from a very entertaining Thursday night can also be downloaded from www.prazzi.com/ppma2009
I also set out my manifesto for the year at the AGM and this is something that I will be focussing hard on over the next twelve months. The five key areas of focus are:
Watch out for more news on these issues throughout the year.
Finally, I also had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people from PPMA, our sponsor organisations and partner organisations from across the globe during conference week. I was a pleasure to meet you all and thank you for your support at the conference. It is certainly a week I will remember for a long, long time to come.
Gill
Well, who would have believed that 12 months could go so quickly? I’m still a bit surprised that the PPMA conference is almost here again. As I write this post, I’m already in Manchester at the conference venue, with the team of people that are helping to get everything ready for the days ahead.
The conference run up has once again seen PPMA in the media including our incoming President giving some hard but necessary truths about public sector employment, especially in a time of recession, in People Management last week. I also wrote my last H R Columnist piece in the same edition of PM. I’m also sure the media profile for PPMA will again go through the roof this week as the conference gets into full swing (the cast of speakers alone merits this).
So, that’s really it. My Presidency comes to an end tomorrow at the AGM and all that remains is for me to thank you, the PPMA members, who gave me this wonderful opportunity. It has been my distinct privilege and pleasure to serve as President for 2008/09 and I look forward to continuing to serve as both Past President and Treasurer for the next 12 months.
In case you wanted to ask the killer question has the last year been worth it? The answer is a resounding yes from me, the real test is whether or not you, as the Association, also think my tenure has been worthwhile - I hope you equally agree.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing you in Manchester later this week - Gillian, over to you and best of luck.
Best wishes and thanks to all,
Stephen
Hi all,
Well I know I’m a Dean Martin fan (oops, other musical confession made), but I didn’t really expect the weather to change so significantly over last weekend. As a Scotsman I’ve usually looked on with a degree of bemusement to the reaction to snow the further south I’ve lived. On this occasion, my degree of bemusement came back to bite me and I’ve spent the start and the end of this week working from home with a car that was unable to get me onto a main road due to the weather! It also meant that I spent time working remotely and ensuring that the Adverse Weather Policy provisions were applied for Cambridgeshire’s operation, we seem to have coped really well and our gritting teams especially have worked really hard. I hope your own organisations are coping well and that you have all been safe and warm.
PPMA wise, I’m really excited about next Friday - which sees the formal launch of Raising the Standard, a major product that PPMA has been working to implement with our colleagues at the IDeA and the IES. The brain child of our one and only Alan Warner, this is something quite special that was trailed at our conference in Brighton last year.
Talking of Mr. Warner, many of you will by now be aware that he is moving onto pastures new (not put out to graze) after some 22 years as a Director at Hertfordshire CC. Without wanting to make Alan blush with embarrassment (which I’ve never seen happen anyway), he is quite simply one of the most outstanding HR professionals in the public sector and has been at the pinnacle of his profession of years. Under his leadership, Herts CC HR has become an exemplar of best practice to many of us and is still innovating - I seem to remember Alan and the team being the first in the public sector to win a Personnel Today Award, but that’s a few years ago now and just says how long I’ve been around! Seriously, Alan’s gain is Hertfordshire’s loss….but I’m confident we can find a way to ensure his continued contribution to PPMA in the future. Whilst on the subject of ‘movers and shakers’ Brendon Hills from Shropshire CC and Chair of the West Midlands PPMA region / lead officer on LGR is also moving on - Brendon’s decided to break with tradition and move out of the HR profession into a front line job as Corporate Director (Community and Environment) at the London Borough of Harrow - you see, HR people can go onwards and upwards! I wouldn’t be surprised if Brendon wasn’t a Chief Executive in the future.
Finally, I know that you’ll probably have other things on your mind, but the relentless march of time towards our conference in Manchester continues - and so will my reminders to book a place if you haven’t already. Also as a reminder, have you nominated your ‘Most Influential’ for HR Magazine this year? The clock is ticking on this as well - points make prizes, or in this case votes create profile for the public sector - get e-mailing and if you need the details of where to drop your votes, please see my previous blog entry on this subject.
Right, that’s about enough for this “Winter’s Tale” (l promise no more sad musical references).
Best wishes
Stephen
Not a lot to say this week or last week really (makes a change I know!) Lots of energy and attention still going on behind the scenes to prepare for the PPMA conference - have you booked your place yet?
On the PPMA front, I’ve been fairly low key in the last couple of weeks, simply due to the needs of Cambridgeshire County Council. However, yesterday I attended the IDeA Board meeting (via PPMA I get a seat on the Board as a non-executive director). Whilst performing this role on behalf of the IDeA, I still ensure that issues relating to HR/people management are kept in the minds of the Board. With the current situation at the LGA and Lucy De Groot due to leave the IDeA at the end of March, HR issues featured heavily on the Board agenda - watch the local government trade press to find out more in the coming weeks.
Other than this, today has seen me do some ‘hands-on’ HR work within my authority, dealing with a particular issue - it’s nice to know that I can still actually do operational things and I still get a bit of a buzz from this….note to my team, no don’t worry I won’t make a habit of this!
Anyway, have a good weekend - sure to have some more news for you next week.
Best wishes
Stephen
Hi all, not much to report this week - surprisingly I’ve actually managed to get another day to work at home - twice in two weeks is a bit of a record! All things PPMA are becoming really quiet pre Christmas, although I did have a chance to catch up with John Tonks last night and all seems to be moving along well for the 2009 conference - but can I remind you all to please book your places as soon as possible - leaving this to the last minute will only lead to disappointment…
That’s pretty much it for this week - I’ve now got another piece to write for People Management - let’s hope the creative instinct kicks in soon!
Have a good weekend and wrap up warm.
Stephen
Well, I’ve just attended one of the most sociable, informative and enjoyable conferences I’ve ever been at! The content was good, including: Prof. Cary Cooper; Grieg Aitkin (RBS Group and PPMA speaker this year) and Cllr. Pat Waters (President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities - COSLA) amongst others. If Cllr. Waters and COSLA (LGA equivalent) didn’t give it away…I’ve been attending the SPDS (Society of Personnel Directors in Scotland) annual conference in St. Andrews.
Along with Dean Shoesmith, Anne Gibson and John Tonks, PPMA was well represented (including both Dean and I providing input as speakers on the programme - Dean provided an informative and challenging issue around the ’skills timebomb’). The details are due to emerge later this week, but I’m delighted to confirm that SDPS and PPMA have concluded a formal partnership agreement to bring the two organisations closer together - many thanks to SPDS President Murray MacFarlane and Past President Iris Wylie for their leadership and support to achieve this (I’m proud of being involved as a Scot as well!).
Scotland apart, this week sees a number of key activities, including a PPMA/LGE workshop session on pay and reward and the PPMA Policy Board on 14th November.
Final post - is that the much-awaited 2009 PPMA conference has arrived and what a conference it is! Apart from the great venue of Manchester, Gill Hibberd has put together a stellar programme, including no less a person the David Ulrich. This is a not to be missed opportunity, so economic climate in perspective folks this is a conference second to none, with the chance to select a range of masterclasses, skills workshops and to learn, share and network in a great location! A range of delegate packages means that this offers real value for money. Get booking your places now - I know that I am!
Best wishes
Stephen
P.S. I’d love to get your feedback on any of the topics discussed in this post - it’s very easy to join in the conversation and get your views heard, just click on ‘Leave a comment’ underneath the headline of this post and type away.
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