VIVIDA

“Be afraid! Be very afraid!” It’s easy to see how ‘AI’ evokes this feeling in many. I get it. Many of those who I have been peers over the last 2 decades have already been rocked by the disruption from AI. Some of you remember that I used to be a well known photographer. As an example, AI has become so powerful already, that photography industry has being impacted negatively or positively depending on your outlook. I was asked to join a panel for BYP at their Careers and Leadership conference. I looked down at the audience of young Black talented people who were clearly questioning how to navigate their next steps due to AI. I was wearing a few hats. - One as a creative who has pivoted and skill stacked over the years. - A Founder who fights to deliver value to the market as the landscape changes. (Workplace L&D) - And finally as a Trustee of the Ideas Foundation who have the role of helping creatives navigate their way into industry. Often deliberate and continued reframing has to be a priority. My comments conveyed in the video highlight my view. It’s a matter of framing. Let me know if my analogy of walking in plains of the Masaai Mara resonated! Be curious. Experiment. Discover. Adapt. Evolve. Thanks for having me BYP Network. It was a pleasure to share the stage with Des Massicott, CISSP, CEH and Danielle Cudjoe-Michalski (ICF ACC, PMP).

This month is like an inciting incident. This is a storytelling term for the trigger that drives a change in behaviour. It's that moment at the beginning of the story that sets people off on a journey into the unknown. This for me is how we drive a change in behaviour. But once colleagues start on the journey, how do you keep engaged and keep them going in the right direction. Truth be told, I've been thinking about this a lot. Our client testimonials and awards show we are among the best in the world at the creating the inciting incident. Though I feel that for 2025 together we need to provide organisations with an approach that creates and continues the momentum all year round. Do you have the same struggle? There is a major gap that hasn't been addressed. There is a work in progress and I know a number of you have been feeding into this. THANK YOU. We need more help for those of you interested in shaping a new approach that you can sustain organisation wide. Thank you all.

We just won an award!.... ...because the penny dropped a few years back. Training that strategically moves an organisation forward, has to overlap with Internal Comms. Internal Communications is an enabler Or...... A number of years back whilst working with Global Bank with Mike Butler and his crew. He told me that the reason why were were working together was because we were formatting education, awareness and training into formats that people wanted to share and talk about. I'd never thought of it like that. Fast forward and I'm talking to HSBC's Nigel Gay, Matt Duggan about an idea that myself and the team at @VIVIDA had been working on called "In Their Shoes" A blend of our learning tech, storytelling and a subject we now call Inclusion that was important to the Technology Group at HSBC. The programme was 'In Their Shoes' I was introduced to Amy Barnes and Stephen Bayly who confirmed nearly 3 years ago that 'In Their Shoes' would be an exciting way to create empathy and understanding. What came after was 2 years of dedication as both teams worked together to deliver 'In Their Shoes' to thousands globally in Tech and outside of the tech teams. I'm so proud to say we one another award which is dedicated to everyone who shared their personal stories, so that we could show what inclusive and non-inclusive behaviour FEELS like. Working together with HSBC, VIVIDA won, Institute of Internal Communication Award for Best Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Campaign. Shauna R., Lennina O., Mitra Janes, Sebastian Wilson Bsc, Catriona Cayley, Alan Higgins, Michael Rose, Shruti Punni, Mike Carbon, Vivian Cole, M Mashigo, Natalie Daley, Wande Adu, Sam Mbatha, Seyi Okuyemi-Daniel, Andreas Eracleous,@barbara amin and so many more.

🎉 Congratulations to all the winners of the #StrategicAndCampaigns category at the #IoICAwards2024! 🎉

Don't blink! It feels like if we blink, we will be left behind due to all the changes in technologies. It's easy to panic and freeze. To make excuses for not keeping up. Or to only complain because we feel like we are left out as an individual or as a group, marginalised of otherwise. I've had to change so much over the years, that I'm almost sick of it lol. But now is not the time to wish I could just use my existing knowledge and skills. I look forward to joining the panel at the BYP Network leadership conference on Friday in London. I'll share my experiences and help you feel excited for how you are going to develop and adapt in the coming months and years. I'll be with Des Massicott, CISSP, CEH

Give away a 'Smile' for free. I’ll tell you how to make and distribute one. This morning I saw a South Asian man in his late 20s walking across the road. Possibly Muslim. I looked at him. I lifted the corners of my mouth, so that my cheeks plumped slightly. Whilst maintaining eye contact, I nodded. He then mimicked my expression. We were smiling at each other! 😀 This act continued for 3 seconds. When I looked back, his face was STILL stuck in with this smile expression some 30 seconds later. I started to smile to myself again. I think this was good for both of us. I think he needed this 'Smile'. The effect of this 3 seconds will have a positive effect on the remaining 46824 seconds of his day. Over the last couple of weeks Black & Brown people in some corners of the country have felt a less welcome by a small group of attention grabbing people. These 'Smiles' are free and are especially appreciated right now. You may know others that need these free smiles. What made me think of this complex genius act? I was thinking about the what makes ME feel seen and welcome. I realised it was this act of raising the corners of the mouth. An expression called a 'Smile'. I was hoping to rally support for this movement. But I was told that it's something that is an established behaviour that just needs to be reignited. So please spread the word. Spread the smile. Share this reminder.

Recent labour market intelligence showed that only 12% of undergraduates and 23% of postgraduates working within cyber are female.     Tune in to our latest podcast episode with Dr Heather Melville, OBE CCMI, Simeon Quarrie, and Nina P. as they look at how the cybersecurity sector can embrace and facilitate a diverse range of individuals with different approaches, backgrounds, and perspectives.     Available to listen and view from June 26th on Podbean. #CyberSessionsbyCIISec #Diversity #Inclusion