Look at me. Rather than jumping back into the emails after eating lunch, I'm taking 15 minutes to listen to a few tunes before getting back at it. And I want you gift you those fifteen minutes. Take them. Take longer. Come back refreshed and ready.

If you are looking for a relaxed Sunday morning read. This might be it open.substack.com/pub/kieranfe...

My latest writing explores how I allow the winter season to feed into the way I live, learn and work: Steeped: On Deep Work in the Dark months. open.substack.com/pub/kieranfe...

My latest writing explores how I allow the winter season to feed into the way I live, learn and work: Steeped: On Deep Work in the Dark months. open.substack.com/pub/kieranfe...

A Christmas Story...

According to my five year old, "Nothing changes at the weekend... Only the wind". And now we all need to reflect.

Thank you to the Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) for inviting me to talk on Public speaking to Policymakers today and thank you to attendees for a wonderfully engaging session where we talked about audience, storytelling, evidence, emphasis, nerves, confidence, energy, and context.

I am toying with the idea of running an open, free (monthly? bimonthly?) virtual imagination book club, where we read and discuss a range of different writings on how we can better live and work with imagination? Would that be of interest to anyone?

Come and join me in January! (Details below)

Lovely to be back at Teesside University International Business School today to deliver a guest lecture on imaginative leadership as part of their Future-Proofing Business Module.

Layers.

This by Patrick Kampff is great and brings joy to my heart: "Efficiency reduces; imagination expands". www.raconteur.net/marketing-sa...

York and London Connections! I'll be visiting York on the 14th/15th and London on 16th/17th Oct. If you fancy grabbing a coffee over imagination, change, leadership, or anything else, do drop me a line!

Today, I had six hours free in London and woke up unsure what to do. I immediately start thinking about how to best use my time and make it count. And then I remembered some advice I shared with my team in my last role, courtesy of Maya Angelou... kieranfenbyhulse.substack.com/p/on-taking-...

Colleagues! I'll be in London tomorrow and Wednesday for a few meetings. If anyone fancies a catch up or if you want to hear more about what I'm plotting with One Little Spark, let me know!

When I stumbled across Lorin F. Deland’s *Imagination in Business* (1909), I was really struck by how relevant his words are today: “Imagination is as valuable in the management of trade as in any of the arts.”

My first post on my substack on leadership and imagination. open.substack.com/pub/kieranfe...

I am so ready for the shades of autumn and layered clothing.

It's been quite a different summer! At the end of July, I left my role in academia after 20 years to focus on all the best bits and founded One Little Spark Training and Consultancy. Also sneaked in Birthday and became even more mid-life.

I'm now on Substack too. Come join me if you're there. substack.com/@kieranfenby...

So, if you don't follow me on LinkedIn, you may be unaware that a few weeks ago I made the decision to leave academia and set up my own business. And that becomes a reality today as I launch One Little Spark, a training and consultancy that puts imagination at the heart of work onelittlespark.uk

Dizzee Rascal to Michael Tippett was a bold and quite enjoyable transition on my shuffle this afternoon.

So, if you don't follow me on LinkedIn, you may be unaware that a few weeks ago I made the decision to leave academia and set up my own business. And that becomes a reality today as I launch One Little Spark, a training and consultancy that puts imagination at the heart of work onelittlespark.uk

Can't believe the five year old thinks he's going to beat my army when I have this line up...

Flashback to my researcher developer days! This popped up on one of my socials today from a two day course I co-led on Research Leadership with Paul Toombs almost ten years ago!

Lovely father's day at RSPB Saltholme with the kids today, with one of my favourite #Teesside views. Saw a Little Grebe and also learnt how #saltmarshes are hugely important in terms of their significant capacity for carbon capture as well as protect coastal communities.

Looking forward to day two of #UKREiif. Starting off with a roundtable on connecting clusters, something that lies at the heart of our approach at Institute for Collective Place Leadership. If you want to find out more about about what we do, or grab one of our new brochures, drop me a line.

Really looking forward to attending #UKREiiF this week. If you're there and want to hear more about what we are up to at Teesside University and at our Institute for Collective Place Leadership, drop me message on here or on the app.

The five year old wants to buy eight (and no more) baths bombs from Lush and I don't need to worry because he has lots of pounds.

Brain: time for bed, yea? Me: absolutely. I'm done. Brain: great, let's sleep. ... But, before we do, do you want to hear about a new TV show I've developed? Me: No, not really. Could do with getting some sleep. Brain: ok. ...

'Twas the night before work...

Bringing in the new year with one of my most enjoyable hobbies: ironing. And with my new Christmas iron too.

I've just seen Su Pollard sing I will survive at the pantomime and I have inadvertantly completed my gay bingo card.

It's that time of year where we watch the Judy Garland Christmas Show for the eighth million time as we wait for the kids to go to sleep.

Just started a new Christmas tradition of having a bath as the husband does the pots.

Before we get into the throes of Christmas, it's time to share the best Christmas song ever written. youtu.be/Ko3yBFoTm5c?...

I'm off to the North Yorkshire Pole!

What a whirlwind of a year it has been! It certainly hasn't been an easy year, but I have had wonderful conversations with fantastic people and have the privilege of working with an incredible team. For now, out of office is on, blanket is on, Christmas film is on, and snuggled up with my two boys.

Looking forward to speaking this morning at the WIG webinar on *Delivering 'Best in Class Public services*. I'll be talking about policy innovation, place, and cross-sector leadership, as well as about some of the work we are undertaking at our @icpl.bsky.social @teessideuni.bsky.social

I have new followers I don't know and have been a little quiet of late, so here is a ramen I've just made because I hadn't realised I had ran out of baked beans.

Decorations are up. But the big question is: which Father Christmas portrait are you? 1. Santa Saxes 2. Santa Smiles 3. Santa Swings

I was thinking, as there are so many new people here, as an introduction, and in celebration of the new Wicked Film, I'd share an extract from my Academic Cabaret: ED(I) Won't Wait - Defying the Academy. Hope you enjoy! youtu.be/FmXB_H8yNcA?...

So what is that exciting Mancunian dinner you planned, I hear none of you ask. WELL, it's the first Christmas dinner of the lextended season!

I'm in Manchester for the first time in far, far too long for a Westminster Industry Innovation Group event with HM treasury tomorrow. I have an exciting dinner for one planned that will have you all incredibly jealous I'm sure!

People of Bluesky! Let's get to know each other better. What is your favorite movie from 1987?

Last night I was at the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation Dinner. Great to hear about some of the brilliant work happening across the region. And I even got a picture with Rory.

Pleased to announce that our Institute for Collective Place Leadership is now official: www.linkedin.com/posts/kfenby...

I really have missed you all!

I am completely humbled, excited, and definitely delighted to announce that I have been awarded a Professorship and am now a Professor of Civic Imagination, Engagement, and Impact!

Sun waking up *fierce* today.