Becky Travis-Booker

Becky Travis-Booker, Leading Beyond How many times have we implemented a system that is a product in its own right? Different modules, and yet not built around how we actually work or what is going to serve our customers. “Right then, before we look at anything, talk me through how it works today.” This is all about serving customers, whether they are patients, clinicians, nurses or contractors. Be clear about how you work and what they need from you before you go anywhere near a system. I...

I was at a CIPD event recently, and something said in the room has been rattling around in my head ever since. The conversation was about disciplinary policy. About how processes that are well-intentioned and technically sound can still end up harder to navigate than they need to be. For the person being investigated, for the manager, for the HR team. Resulting in lengthy investigations, significant cost, and a real hit to morale, not just for the person going through it, but for everyone in...

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a hurdle as “a light portable barrier over which runners jump in a race” , and more broadly as “a difficulty or obstacle which must be overcome.” We use metaphor all the time in leadership conversations, usually without stopping to notice it. People talk about being stuck, carrying too much, firefighting, spinning plates, or trying to get back on track. These aren’t throwaway phrases; they’re the language people reach for when they’re trying to make sense...