Weeknotes #8
The one where I find the connection behind #joinin, cats and being agile
It’s been Christmas week. It’s been quality crimbo limbo. I’ve refilled my social pot (well, as full as mine needs to get), my glittering painted nails now have a chip and my body clock has shifted to owl-mode. It must be time to get back to work. So, my notes will be short (again) and not cover my whole week (also again).
Joinin isn’t just for Christmas?
I heard about Sarah Millican’s #joinin recently and wasn’t sure about it so I had a look on Christmas Day. It appears I was wrong. I saw people sharing their fear, joy or sadness — clearly and openly to strangers. And, just as importantly, hopefully-friends-in-the-making replied back with kindness, good humour and often with comments/questions to help others feel included, supported and able to look forward (sometimes just to the end of the day). I chatted with a few people and sent off some tweets.
Ive looked back since then at #joinin, #joinin247 and #joinin365 and have found that the connections and chatter have continued. Do they make a difference? It’s not for me to judge. I can ‘join-in’ at home by speaking out-loud, by picking up the phone and calling/texting someone. Not everyone has that. (Yeah, I know this isn’t an earth-shattering realisation).
Sheffield vs Cats
#Joinin was creating too many tweets for me to look at so I focused — cats and Sheffield (though the former definitely won). ‘The company of another living being can make all the difference’ keeps coming back to me. Is loneliness a common theme behind areas I’ve written about before— not being heard, not asking for help and not being included or considered? I don’t know that it is and I need time alone (as opposed to being lonely) but it’s got me thinking.
It’s all agile innit?
The agile manifesto states,
Why has #joinin gained popularity? Sarah Millican created the hashtag, spoke clearly and enthusiastically about it, answered people’s questions about what to do and, importantly, got out the way and trusted people run with it as everyone ‘self-organised’ about what to say and who to contact. She then tweeted along just like the ‘team’ — pausing sometimes to praise and thank people for getting involved.
She created a tone, a space, a purpose and a method and let people find their way, grow and develop it further.
The manifesto also includes, ‘the most efficient and effective method of
conveying information to and within a development
team is face-to-face conversation’.
I’m intrigued if those Christmas #joinin connections will last into 2018 and, if any will spill over into face/face contacts. If not — does that matter?
And my final question, how can I be more Sarah Millican in 2018?