Neil Hopcroft

A digital misfit

Gamla stan

In the centre of Stockholm is the island of Gamla Stan (actually an area consisting of several islands, for the pedants out there), the old town. While I was walking around I happened upon the Nobel Museum, which was having an open day. So I took a look inside. I guess the biggest surprise (for me at least, I’m sure you all know this) was to find that Alfred Nobel made his money from the manufacture of explosives.

Looking across toward Södermalm and Högalids kyrka
A statue
A typical old street
The back of the Nobel Museum





Book review: How to Read a Room

[audiobook]

Navigate any Situation, Lead with Confidence and Create an Impact at Work. https://www.mikebechtle.com/books/how-to-read-a-room/

I got this audiobook with the aim of understanding a bit more about what is going on in meetings of various sorts. I had forgotten, at the time, that I don’t actually attend meetings that much any more, so I’m not sure I can really get much value from the information contained within.

The book starts out as a fairly standard ‘change your mindset’ business leader book, then takes a bit of a detour via ‘how to win friends and influence people’ before getting to the interesting parts.

There are some useful observations, but they are mostly a collection of near-obvious things, like:

  • Watch the room before you interact with anyone
  • Don’t be in a rush
  • When you talk with someone, make smalltalk by asking questions and listening to their answers
  • Be engaged, don’t look around or at the clock or the door

Later in the book he covers how to apply these techniques to online meetings, again bringing me little that I don’t already do, camera on, good lighting, be in charge of the mute button.

The final part of the book talks about servant leadership, which was a little more interesting. This is about leading from positions which are not formally leadership positions. Bringing positive attitudes and communications styles to teams which are in some ways dysfunctional.

All-in-all, a mildly interesting book but I probably wouldn’t bother unless you really are new to all these communications approaches. It did make me nostalgic for the days I used to actually talk to people face to face, but there are so many down sides to that that I am unsure I could go back to it any time soon.


Lilla Rinkeby

Wandering around another part of Kista, next to the nature reserve there is another, quite different, nature reserve. This is a marshy area with a walkway across the swamp to a little birdwatching shelter. The day I was there it had frozen overnight so the walkway was treacherous.

The walkway
Looking back at the science tower from another angle

Lindormsnäs

I thought I’d take advantage of having a car and have a bit of a drive around after dropping A off at the airport. A quick look at the map showed a labyrinth near Bro, so that seemed like a viable destination. However I got a bit distracted on the way there and found myself following signs to Lindormsnäs.

Its a small village on a ness pointing out into Lake Mälaren. I was a little disappointed when I got there how unimportant the lake seems to be to the village, its something at the bottom of the fields, rather than being a central part of character of the place.

A Saab graveyard
Mistletoe