Whoo!, with additional Hoo!

by Suw on July 16, 2004

It’s funny how things work out sometimes. No more than a couple of weeks ago I was sitting on a plane on my way to Vienna when the steward announced that if there was a Mr Lee Bryant on board he should raise his hand. Knowing we had mutual friends and were both heading to BlogTalk2.0, I went over to say hello.
Today I went up to London to meet up with Lee, his business partner Livio Hughes and the rest of the crew at Headshift, with whom I am delighted to say I will now be working.
In what has to be the co-incidence of the year, when I turned up at the Headshift offices at Butlers Wharf – a place I used to walk through daily when I first moved up to London in order to cross the tube zone 1/2 boundary and save myself 70p – I was greeted by Sigrun, one of my fellow Zoetropers. Who would have guessed?
I take all this as a good omen, myself.
So, what will I be doing at Headshift? What I’m best at – writing, blogging, talking to people, getting my head round the bigger picture and communicating it to anyone who will stop still long enough.
I am very excited about working with Lee, Livio and the guys. Not only are they a sterling bunch of people, they are also doing what I consider to be some very cool work using blogs and other tools as a way to create social knowledge networks within organisations such as the NHS.
I like their approach to the whole issue of knowledge management (a jaded term that really doesn’t do them justice). For them it’s all about finding out what the people who actually use the tools need to do and then figuring out what will enable them to do that. It’s good, solid, bottom-up emergent behaviour thinking, the sort of thinking that most companies appear to be allergic to.
Lee and Livio gave me a run through of what they’re doing, the projects they have ongoing at the moment and an overview of the way they work. I felt a wee bit like the recipient of an over-zealous Vulcan mind-meld as I tried to take it all in, but in a good way, obviously.
It’s going to take a massive brain dump and a lot of mind-mapping for me to get my head round all this new data, but I can’t say how much I am looking forward to getting my teeth into it. It’s the first time I’ve felt really excited about working with a company in ages. Good feeling.
Disclaimer: And I’m not just saying that cos I know they read my blog. Honest, guv.

Anonymous July 16, 2004 at 9:06 pm

Congrats, Suw! Look forward to hearing more about the new job and watching you in action on the work blog.

Anonymous July 16, 2004 at 9:07 pm

Woohoo, indeed. 😉
Warmest congratulations, Suw, and best of luck at your new position!
So does this mean you'll be moving up to London?

Anonymous July 16, 2004 at 9:22 pm

That's terrific Suw. Many congrats! And congrats to Lee et al as well!
best,
Ton

Anonymous July 16, 2004 at 9:24 pm

Thank you both!
AndyA, yes, it does mean I will be moving back to London, although not sure when. Definitely not for a couple of months as I have to cat/house sit whilst my parents are off living it up in Australia. Maybe in Sept/Oct though. Sooner the better though, really.

Anonymous July 16, 2004 at 9:31 pm

s/you both/all three of you!

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 3:13 am

Hi Suw,
I can't believe it. That is fantastic. It sounds like you.

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 5:23 am

Hi Suw. Allow me to offer my congratulations too.
It's the way of the world, isn't it: change is often quantum in nature and comes out of nowhere. Almost every job I've had has come up suddenly by way of people I've known.

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 5:24 am

er, that was me, andrew 🙂

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 8:25 am

Thank you Sam, Andrew. And Andrew, you're right – when the time is right, things just happen! I was a bit shellshocked at one point yesterday, thinking 'two weeks ago, I didn't even know this company existed!', it was just a real wierd thought that this job came out of me just doing what I do naturally.

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 9:06 am

Wanna' share a flat?

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 4:56 pm

Well, congrats!
See what I told you about the way things happen? You're sure glad you came to Vienna now, aren't you?

Anonymous July 17, 2004 at 6:57 pm

I was glad I went to Vienna pretty much from the moment I got to Heathrow on the way out. 😉

Anonymous July 18, 2004 at 12:46 am

Well done, and if you are in London more now I might finally be able to meet you face to face as it were.
Just don't get ill on my watch…

Anonymous July 18, 2004 at 2:33 pm

Maybe. We'll talk nearer the time.

Anonymous July 18, 2004 at 2:37 pm

Ha ha! No, I'll be sure not to break anything on your watch, I promise. Cos that would be a really crappy way to meet.
“Hi! Reynolds! I'm Suwwwwaaaaaaaaaah my leg!”
We'll sort something out though. Quiet pint at a Thames-side pub, I think. Sound good?

Anonymous July 19, 2004 at 12:16 am

Sounds very good…

Anonymous July 19, 2004 at 7:27 am

Consider it a deal then!!

Anonymous July 19, 2004 at 11:08 am

Congratulations Suw!
A job that comes out of you “doing what [you] do naturally.” sounds the best sort of job…

Anonymous July 19, 2004 at 3:41 pm

That is freakin' awesome, Suw! Congrats (if a bit late).

Anonymous July 19, 2004 at 10:19 pm

Thanks! Start tomorrow. 😀 Looking forward to it!!

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