Ae you frustrated by this? So many of the leaders and managers we speak to are too. I know you have the right intentions, but does it sometimes feel like you're banging your head against the wall wondering why nothing you're doing is making a difference? It's not your fault. For some reason, organisations instinctively offer training when someone is new to a role, but they don't offer training when someone is promoted to people management. So, let me ask, which of these (very scary) stats from Lorman do you fit into? 59% of managers who oversee 1-2 employees and 41% of managers
Performance
The scientific secrets of perfect timing
Want to know the scientific secrets of perfect timing? I devoured When by Daniel Pink which I wish I hadn't left sitting on my reading list for so long! Here's my 3 key takeaways: 1️⃣ Hourly 5-minute walking breaks sharpen focus, improve mood throughout the day, reduce feelings of fatigue in the late afternoon, enhance creativity, and increase motivation and concentration . These microbursts of activity are more effective than a single 30-minute walking break. Want to amplify the effects? Do it in nature, with someone you like, fully detached (from tech and from talking/thinking about
Pre mortems & why you need them
We all know what a post mortem is, but what about a pre mortem? Instead of asking what went wrong after the fact, a pre mortem projects out to the end of a project, imagining it was an absolute disaster, and asks “what did go wrong?” Research on prospective hindsight – imagining that an event has already occurred – has shown a 30% increase in the ability to correctly identify reasons for future outcomes. It’s always better to make a mistake in your head in advance than on an actual project. How to conduct a pre mortem Let’s imagine you’re the leader on a project and you’re having your
The Hack Trick
How many times have you gone for the clickbait that offers some kind of “hack”? Weight loss hack, productivity hack, brain hack, life hack… They’re so tempting because we all want to find an easier way. But, what about instead of looking for the hack, we just focus on building simple habits that allow us to succeed, without feeling the need to cut corners. Because let’s be honest, how often do the hacks really work? Often the most logical solution is the right one, so I challenge you today to look at a problem you’re facing or an area you’re struggling, and just ask yourself, ‘what’s
What’s your problem
How much time do you spend solving problems each week? Take a second here and think about a few current problems that you’re dealing with, e.g. out of stock products, customer complaints, unclear procedures, ambiguity in your role… Some problems are small and easy to solve by ourselves, others are complex and require collaboration, creativity and a considerable amount of effort. While change is to be expected and managed accordingly, we can’t afford to be solving the same types of problems over and over again. A problem as a variation from a standard - the difference between what 'should
