Did it really happen? Was I really lucky enough to get together with over 60 curious, caring and sharing people for a great day of learning last week? If the number of encouraging and motivating blogs and tweets are anything to go by then the answer is a resounding yes.
Many people have summed up the day in lovely detail, with pics and videos to boot. An on the day itself I don’t know how Charlie Duff’s fingers didn’t melt from all the live tweeting and blogging! There’s talk of revolution, bravery, and inspiration. I’ve put together a list to the fabulous blog posts I know about down below.
For me the day can be summed up best with a single word. Encouragement.
People who have never written publicly before have been encouraged to do so.
People who had never led discussion groups before were encouraged to do so.
People who maybe haven’t taken their personality to work before were encouraged to do so.
I was encouraged too. By Darius Norell who whispered to me “why don’t you sing a song about today?” and to Jon Ingham and Mervyn Dinnen who gently reassured me, “it’ll be fine”.
Inspired stuff from Jon and Gareth Jones, well done for having the courage to break the mould. And well done to everyone who came along and helped to break it too. Even FlipChartFT who the following day took the mickey out of me for recycling old Damned tunes!
The ConnectingHR Unconference was one of the very best days I’ve invested in personal, community, and social development. I’m proud and humbled to be a part of it. Still buzzing four days later, and I don’t want to go to another “traditional” conference ever again!
Here’s that list of wonderful reading I promised you:
- Abi Signiorelli
- Will Cleare
- Callum Saunders
- Laura Chamberlain
- Alison Chisnell
- Alan Whitford
- Lucy Cotterill
- Sarah Foster
- Bill Boorman
- Gavin McGlynn
- Flora Marriott
- Mervyn Dinnen
- Val Garside (special guest appearance over at HRD Towers)
- Gareth Jones
- Jon Ingham
And because I haven’t sung a song for a while, there’s a copy of the little closing ditty I penned for the day over at the website.
Thanks Gareth and Alan Whitford for recording this