It can somehow seem that running a business, or a team within a business of more than about 30 people, can appear to be extremely complex, full of hidden secrets as to how it all works. Of course, we have the option to make it complex, but the secret of success is to keep it simple. The totally transferrable secrets of success are: Have a clear vision of what you… read more →
We were sent this thought a little while ago by Neil Crofts, founder of Authentic Business, and decided to pass it on: It is very tempting to hide behind the mask of prudence, to temper our efforts with caution, to avoid exposure to risk or danger. And not just tempting, it is positively encouraged in our society to play safe. The English have a subtle double-speak to indicate when you… read more →
Accountability is a key concept underpinning leadership. But how do you manage people when they sit at different levels of accountability? We look at how your behaviour needs to adapt to each level when you’re a leader. In a previous post we looked at the two aspects that define leadership accountability: your willingness to make binding commitments for yourself your relationship with the circumstances that surround you When these two… read more →
When we talk about an organisation’s health what we mean is that company’s ability to achieve its goals. And it does this within a culture that supports its employees whilst improving organisational performance. You can view these as two different perspectives but issues in one of these areas will affect the other. Organisational Health can be broken down into the following ten areas: Being goal-focused Where your company’s goals and… read more →
Love your colleagues? This is not a word you often hear bandied around in an office environment. But strangely enough, if you ‘feel’ love at work, then the more engaged you’re likely to be. We’re talking here about compassionate love, a feeling of warmth and affection, of connecting with your fellow co-workers. It’s not surprising to discover that those who care about their colleagues perform better, but an emotionally focused… read more →
As a leader, it’s important to be able to create both a climate of creativity and drive innovation. Paul Sloane offers ten tips on how to foster creativity and drive innovation in the workplace: 1. Have a vision for change You cannot expect your team to be innovative if they do not know the direction in which they are headed. Innovation has to have a purpose. It’s up to the… read more →
Every successful organisation has their own unique formula as to why they’ve seen growth and healthy profit margins, where others haven’t. But all the consistently top performing companies worldwide share certain criteria which has led to their success (according to a report from the European Management Centre). We take a look at the top 7 reasons why – do you recognise any of these statements as being carried out in… read more →
How can you become more effective in your verbal communication? By listening actively and questioning effectively. If you don’t question effectively during verbal communication, then it’s unlikely you’ll understand what the speaker is talking about and you certainly won’t be capable of offering help. Think about your questioning technique as a funnel. At the top (wide part) of the funnel you ask questions that look for information, facts, feelings or… read more →
If you look at the lifespan of high-growth, successful businesses, they all seem to go through similar phases. It makes sense that as a successful leader you have to change your focus along with those phases. The first phase is all about understanding the market opportunity. Or, understanding the problem that needs to be solved. It’s important to understand not just the problem, but also the number of people who… read more →