A Half Dozen Things Podcast by Pete Rushmer

A Half Dozen Things Podcast's new series 3 launches with this episode we will be focusing on the Flagship Partners vision of making our clients Safer, Greener & Greater. What does this mean? This series the podcast is going to focus on real world practical advice on how you business can increase it's impact. Increase how it focuses on People, Planet & Profit and the impact your business can have as a force for good. We hope you love series 3 as much as we are going to making it, there will some fantastic guests and very interesting and exciting subject matters covered, so please stay tuned! PR

What is the Met Commercial Vehicle Unit with Inspector Richard Wenham..  Richard (or Rik) Wenham is an Inspector with the Metropolitan Police and heads up the Commercial Vehicle Unit, that deals with crime, incidents and accidents related to vehicles over 7.5T within the Met's jurisdiction. Rik discusses his fresh approach to policing CV's in London as well as dispels a few myths on what to expect from his team if you deal with them.  Rik and his team hold HGV licenses themselves and it is clear the increased empathy for professional drivers in the industry and he ensures they are treated as such. This means a mix of high expectations, after all drivers will be treated as the professionals they are, but also high levels of respect and dignity too.  Listen in to find out more as well as the key metric for success in Rik's department which is to reduce KSI's (Killed or Seriously Injured) on London's roads. Rik shares insights of his work as well as discussing mental health and the way incidents are managed by the force.  Rik also explains the amazing proactive work he and his team are carrying out through education and their toolbox talk. If you want to find out more about anything we discuss in the episode please use the links below; email commercial-vehicles@met.police.uk  to find out more about the free toolbox talk the text service we discuss is SHOUT 85258.  If you want any further info please reach out to us direct on hello@flagshippartners.co.uk  

What is NaVCIS and how large is our Freight & Cargo crime problem? In this episode with Mike Dawber, Field Intelligence Officer-Freight Desk with NaVCIS we hear about NaVCIS (National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service). Mike explains how NaVCIS works by gathering and then utilising data from police services across the UK.  Then uses the data to help tackle crime across a range of vehicle crime areas and Mike's expertise in Cargo and Freight crime specifically.  The stats around Freight and Cargo crime are staggering and eye watering! The service is entirely funded by industry, so please do listen in and consider the value Mike's intel could have for your business.  Then think about signing up to support the valuable work that Mike and his team do, you can find out more here; https://navcis.police.uk/  

HSE's Peter Kelly on reducing workplace stress and supporting your teams mental health.  In this episode hear Peter who is a clinical psychologist and helped devise the HSE's management standards approach discuss stress and mental health in the workplace. Peter has decades of experience having formulated the management standards back in the late 90's.  His mission is to make all employers realise their commitment to their people and proactively manage stress and support peoples mental health in the workplace. We discuss the HSE's Management Standards which are, Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role and Change.  If you want to find out more, check out the website here; https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/ Flagship Partners offer a range of stress reduction and mental health support and training for your workplace.  Visit this link to find out more; https://flagshippartners.co.uk/training-peterborough/mental-health/  

 Understanding Peer to Peer Mentoring with Fleet Geeks.  Fleet Geeks have been running their Peer to Peer mentoring group for 3 months now with the 4 session happening on the 31st August this month. This is YOUR invitation to join us for 1 session for FREE.  We are opening the group for new applications and therefore offering fleet and transport professionals like you the opportunity to try the mentoring group for FREE for 1 month. Then we can show the value of joining this amazing group for you and your professional development.   If you are interested please complete this enquiry form; https://afx.one/c14bdb42  And to find out more about the Peer to Peer Group sign up here; https://flagshippartners.co.uk/fleet-geeks-peer-to-peer-group/ I also discuss our FREE MONTHLY Networking on the last Wednesday of the month, you can sign up for that here; https://afx.one/ba713ebf  

In this episode, Pete speaks to Lisa Fleming founder of Logico. They are a consultancy and training provider located in Durham that specialise the Transport Sector. Lisa and Pete discuss public inquiries and driver conduct hearings. Lisa attends around 4 PI's per month supporting clients when they face the traffic commissioner. Logico are also approved for Earned Recognition so there is some discussion around this as well as the pitfalls and areas for Restricted Operator Licenses to be careful. As well as when they should really consider themselves and reapply for a Standard National Operators Licence. Thanks Lisa for joining the podcast and we hope you enjoy it.

In this episode listen as host Pete Rushmer and director of Flagship Partners discusses plans for the year ahead. The Flagship year runs from 1st June to 31st May each year. The year until May 2022 has been a time of significant growth and change for the business. Pete reflects on this as well as his personal development over the year. Then we look at the impending financial doom that the news sees in the near future and what the plans are for 2023 and the next 12 months too.

In this episode Pete meets with Billy Shaw, Commercial Solicitor with Rotheras solicitors. Billy is a Sheffield lad and fantastic guy. With a background in Youth Work before training as a brief and lots of charity work Billy is an all round good guy and has a really strong understanding of the Transport Sector. This is thanks to his experience with Rotheras and their Regulatory Transport Department. Billy and Pete discuss the factors to consider when setting out Terms and Conditions and contracts for businesses. In particular a consultancy business and an external transport management agreement. Vital listening for any company director or prospective external transport management. Thank you Billy for coming on the show and sharing your wisdom.

As we release this podcast it is early July. It's that time of year when everyone seems to be having a break. For the first time in 4 years Pete our host is taking a 2 week break from the stresses and strains of running Flagship Partners. It is tough as a company director and in a regulated industry where you are expected to have continuous and effective control of a fleet as a transport manager to take time off and actually switch off. In this episode we explore why it is vital to ensure you do take that time and do properly switch off too.

In todays episode I discuss the value of peer groups and formal mentoring group sessions for professionals with Colin Nottage. Colin is the founder of Influential Management, Safety Remotely and Co-Founder of Project Mollitiam and network for safety professionals. Colin is a Safety, Environmental and Quality consultant who also helps with business improvement. Project Mollitiam is over a year old and is an incredible community of Safety professionals, with a range of services, from networking, to mentoring and philosophy calls too. The Fleet Geeks concept is founded on similar principles and leads the way in the Transport and Fleet sector. Listen in to find out more about how you can develop yourself with peer to peer group mentoring.

How to save on your Fleet Insurance and Insurance Top Tips from Natalie Goodson.  This week I speak on things Fleet Insurance with Natalie Goodson, Director of Robert J Goodson in Peterborough. Robert J Goodson are an insurance brokers, who offer a whole of market insurance broker package and tailored advice for your business.  We discuss best practise for Fleets on how to minimise their insurance expense and how to keep their fleet safe. Natalie also discussed what insurance Freelance Transport Managers and Transport Consultants need too. Please make sure you subscribe for our other episodes too.

How do you have Effective 121's with your team? Why have 121's? Listen in to find out more.... In this session I cover the 6 KEY SKILLS managers need to carry out Effective 1:1s 1) No blame; your people do the best they can, with the information, training & support you provide them. You need to take responsibility for their current performance too. If you need to provide developmental feedback, it’s best to manage it at the time the performance shortfall has occurred (don’t save it up for your 121 see rule 5 in the next section below). 2) Empathy; the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. A core skill required for effective leaders & managers. Be caring….you’re a good person right?! 3) Problem solving mindset; be collaborative and see skills 4 & 5. 4) Be curious; seek to understand the situation, don’t jump to conclusions, seek first to understand, practise listening without judgement. 5) Be supportive through praise & recognition; this can be really difficult, particularly if it is new to you. The best way to develop is through encouraging and recognition of the good which is more effective then criticism of the poor. (Have you ever felt like you only get picked up when things go wrong, not told what went well, or what goes well is never noticed….don’t be that d*£k.) 6) Be open; openness & transparency are vital for engagement. Encourage your team member to ask you questions and respond as openly as you are able. Have the humility to admit you don’t know too, if needed. I also cover the 6 Ground Rules for Effective 121's too; 1) Make time & space with no distractions, diarise & don’t move 2) Set clear goals that align expectations, be honest in your feedback 3) 3 stages to trust 4) PPPPP-Preparation prevents piss poor performance 5) Ask open questions and REALLY listen (2 ears & 1 mouth), 121 is THEIR time not yours. 6) Make time for developmental discussion I hope you enjoy this session and please make sure you subscribe.

In todays episode I interview James Dawes. James is a fascinating chap, the founder of Dawes Highway Safety. Dawes Highway Safety are committed to improving safety for all road users. James is a former Cop with the Met and has seen his fair share of disastrous incidents, which will have taken their toll on him and those around him. Once he realised the common factor around people getting 'sucked' into the back wheels of trucks, he realised his calling to found Dawes Highway Safety and invent the People Panel. Listen in to find out more about the People Panel and James' other safety solutions. James and I sit on the Transport Committee at the BAA and James is responsible for numerous road safety campaigns too. Thanks James for joining me on today's show you are a real gent and I love your passion for road safety.

In this episode I discuss all things Concrete Mixers! Including Mixer Rollover Awareness and Road Safety with expert Mark Cowan. Mark Cowan wears a few hats including MinTrain, expert trainers in the quarrying industry as well as a director at the BAA (British Aggregate Association). We discuss just how many Mixer Rollovers there are in the UK every year and how this can be prevented with quality and relevant training. We also discuss the dent we are looking to make with the British Aggregate Association and the amazing support we are offering members. We discuss road safety campaigns like driving for better business and the recent campaign that was Mark's called, 'Safe Load, Safe Road.' A link for the website can be found here; https://baa-active.co.uk/safe-load-campaigns/ Mark is a superstar and well worth a listen so please do enjoy, subscribe and share with your friends.

In this episode I interview Tom Reddy for a second time. Previously we had discussed technical elements for a Transport Manager and External Transport Manager role. In this session we chew the fat on various other challenges in the sector including; -How should an ETM structure there business dealings? -Is the TM CPC fit for purpose? What would we change? -Facebook groups, the good the bad and the ugly. We hope you enjoy this session, please do subscribe and share with your friends.

In this episode your host Pete Rushmer gets grilled. Mike Vickers from the Fleet Geeks takes over as host and interviews Pete for today's episode. Pete's A Half Dozen Things are; Why- Set your vision, Focus on your personal development, become a leader, understanding principles and values are vital, the value of networking and finally being true to you & your relationships. Please do check it out and let us know what you think, we hope you enjoy this 2nd anniversary special to mark 2 years of A Half Dozen Things Podcast.

In this episode previous guest Jonathan Pittam rejoins us for a Lunchtime LIVE on how to cope with stress in a transport office. Driver stress and mental health challenges are well documented. With the Mental Health Driver CPC course a big hit with our clients. However rarely do we address the copious amounts of stress endured by the Transport Office and in particular the Transport Manager. The role has a huge responsibility and we explore that and the stress in this this episode. What is stress? Why is a Transport Office stressful? What can we do to improve?

In today's episode I am joined by Keith Gray. Keith currently is an expert in instructional design and dangerous goods, running his own business covering both areas. In his career he has spent almost 13 years with the FTA (Freight Transport Association) building and then heading up their training department. Keith shares amazing insights about training. I really enjoyed interviewing Keith and it has delivered a fantastic episode so do enjoy. The 6 areas we discuss are; 1. How a trade association works 2. The Training Budget – statutory vs non-statutory training (inc. quasi statutory) 3. A Transport Manager’s professional development – beyond TM CPC 4. Instructional Design principles – why thinking often trumps doing when it comes to designing content 5. the beauty of Lifelong learning - see book recommendations below! 6. DGSA Academy Book recommendations are; Obliquity by John Kay – really interesting book from renowned economist about how life’s goals are best approached indirectly. The Essential Drucker by Peter Drucker – the Grandfather of management consultancy and a very sharp mind. Many of his original concepts (SMART / management by objectives) have been so embedded into business as usual that we have long forgot the origin. 21 Letters on Life and Its Challenges by Charles Handy – Although his books are about organisational dynamics, he’s really a philosopher at heart. His books are beautifully written - accessible but you also feel like you’ve learned something on every page. The Second Curve by Charles Handy – yes, chucked another in. He makes you stand back with him and shows you a different view on the accepted principles of society and life in general. Business Model Generation by Alex Ostewalder – This became an instant business classic on strategy when it came out. It takes a look at how different business models work (and what specifically makes them work). The ‘canvas’ in there is really useful as a lens for your own business. Good to Great by Jim Collins – perhaps a bit dated when you look at the case studies but another good one about business principles. Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen – a good primer on Instructional Design

What should an External Transport Manager charge? This is a question the Fleet Geeks get asked so often. In this episode we showcase the recent Fleet Geeks Webinar. What is the going rate for an ETM? In this webinar Fleet Geeks Mike and Pete are joined by industry experts and ETM's Tom Reddy and Richie Iddon to discuss what is the 'going rate'? Why ETM's should NOT follow others pricing models instead deciding their own rates and negotiate on a case by case basis with their prospective operators. We touch on how some ETM agencies will suggest fees and what you should do about it. What do you think? Please drop us a comment below.

Check out this episode of A Half Dozen Things, we mash it up the Fleet Geeks joining me to discuss how vital it is to attract and retain the best drivers for your fleet. The 6 areas we discuss are; 1) respect 2) cash & remuneration 3) covering drivers costs - inc CPC 4) Equipment and investment 5) management capability 6) culture - how do you support your people? Listen in for 6 key focus areas that you can work on today that will help stop Drivers leaving you and ensure you you retain drivers......the one's you want to keep anyway!