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Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Use distractions where possible

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Use distractions where possible

In the previous tip I talked about how distractions can get in the way of effective communication, but in this one I want to look at how distracting someone can be a helpful thing to do in certain circumstances. It is a technique well known to many parents: to distract their child when they are misbehaving, getting upset or otherwise being demanding. But few people recognize that it can also work well with adults (provided that it is not done in a patronizing way). It can be useful when someone is anxious and/or fixated on a particular concern, depressed or agitated. It has to be done tactfully and sensitively, but it can make a very positive difference in the right…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 2, 2020
Lived experience influencing policy – How we did it

Lived experience influencing policy – How we did it

The Poverty2Solutions journey began over three years ago. Three grassroots organisations led by people with lived experience of poverty (ATD Fourth World, Dole Animators and Thrive Teesside) teamed up with Dr Ruth Patrick from the University of York and graphic designer Dan Farley to share and merge their expertise. Our aspiration is to ensure that the voice of lived experience is taken seriously and can inform decisions that have an impact on the lives of people in low-income communities. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
December 2, 2020
Seth Godin’s Blog – The incoming

Seth Godin’s Blog – The incoming

Standing at my desk this summer, it had just turned 10 am, and I realized that I’d already: Heard from an old friend, engaged with three team members on two continents, read 28 blogs across the spectrum AND found out about the weather and the news around the world. Half my life ago, in a similar morning spent in a similar office, not one of those things would have been true. The incoming (and our ability to create more outgoing) is probably the single biggest shift that computers have created in our work lives. Sometimes, we subscribe or go and fetch the information, and sometimes it comes to us, unbidden and unfiltered. But it’s there and it’s compounding. Click here…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 2, 2020
Conflict at work: A new leadership model for a virtualised world

Conflict at work: A new leadership model for a virtualised world

2020 has been a strange year. In many ways, the pandemic has brought us closer together. At the beginning, we stood united. And since the nation was forced into giving home working a try, many of us have been invited into the homes of colleagues, gaining a unique and privileged insight into the personal lives hiding within our professional networks. But in other ways the crisis has divided the nation. The three different tiers are a rather crass example of that, but there is other ‘othering’ at play, too. While most agree the health of the nation is the prerogative, there are split opinions in terms of what aspect of health to prioritise – physical versus mental, versus economic. These…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 2, 2020
Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Remove distractions where possible

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Remove distractions where possible

Effectiveness in working with people relies to a large extent on being able to communicate successfully, to make a genuine and meaningful connection with the person(s) concerned. Distractions can get in the way of this (for example, a television being on during a home visit or noise coming from an adjacent room). We need to be tuned in to how problematic such distractions can be, and this is for two reasons. First, it makes it harder for both parties to ‘connect’ where there are distractions; and, second, if it is clear that you are aware of such distractions and you are doing nothing about it, both your credibility and your effectiveness go down significantly. So, having the presence of mind…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 17, 2020
Taking action against ageism

Taking action against ageism

It is essential that we challenge ageism at every opportunity. However, many older people have told us that they find it difficult to recognise ageism, and are unsure what to do to challenge ageism when they encounter it. That's why we've developed a new guide - Taking Action Against Ageism - which provides a range of information about the different types of ageism and age discrimination people may experience, the ways that ageism and age discrimination can be challenged and the organisations that can provide help and support. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
November 17, 2020
The Spectrum magazine

The Spectrum magazine

Welcome to the Spectrum magazine, one of the UK's largest collections of autistic art, poetry and prose. Created by autistic people, our content covers all things autism - from articles on ASD and aliens, to everyday reflections of life on the spectrum. Here you can download our latest issue in PDF format, subscribe to the paper version, or read the magazine online. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
November 17, 2020