The Amazing Power of One More Question

Building strong relationships is all about having two sides appreciate each other and want to build a bond that works both ways. This can generate the enormous benefits of collaboration, which is a valuable interchange of ideas and effort that is better than one plus one. When you are a boss, it’s quite natural to take the lead in conversations, and those who work for you usually take the subordinate role as a matter of course - it’s what they’ve always done! So you need to do more... Read more »

A Complementary Team

We all have weaknesses. Whatever our roles. In management positions, one of the bigger challenges is to recognise our own shortcomings and alter our own behaviours. Sometimes this can be very challenging. Often a hint is that there are areas of your work where you feel like you really struggle, or are things you avoid. Or are things that you don’t enjoy doing. So you do other things that you do like and leave gaps. Spaces in your attention that are important, but get missed. You are not alone,... Read more »

Team Building - Inherit or Create?

Is it easier to have a bunch of people that are brand new to a team, or one that you mould from those you inherit? In my business life I only had the latter. An existing group of employees, in each business who I had to work with, from each new day one. Never a new set that I could grow for myself. There are different challenges in each case. With an existing team you have to challenge and change ideas and behaviours set in their ways, unchallenged, sometimes for years. You run the risk that they... Read more »

Ten Ways to be Better at Creating A Winning Business Culture

1.Great Environment Have the place you work comfortable, with all resources in place. You have to get this right first, before expecting a great culture. 2. Be Very Clear Through having a set of standards you state clearly and a process for identifying to people exactly what is expected of them, there will be no surprises. People will have their goals and targets. It will be easy for them to understand and deliver. 3. Encourage Sharing Through your own modelling, you can help all of your people to... Read more »

Managing Your Boss - Taking the Initiaitve

Building relationships is vital in business. When you are employed and have a boss it’s even more critical, because you have an incentive to get the best from your boss - and the onus is on you. For bosses, try on this as a set of expectations your people have from you. You are limited in how much control you can have in the employed world. Much is passed down to you and this can feel frustrating because you feel ‘done to’; without any input in how your experience, day-by-day,... Read more »

Asking for Help

When we lead and manage a team, whether we are business owners, run a department or just supervise a group of people in our business, we are on show. Part of our make up ensures that we ‘lead from the front’ and take all that the world throws at us - after all, that’s what we are paid for - isn’t it? This is where many managers struggle, with the pride factor. And pride can cause many pitfalls because we might feel obliged to battle on fending off every issue that comes our... Read more »

The Power of Groups

You are the leader of your team, your department or your organisation. You are the owner and amongst you all, no one can do the job; run the place, like you do. We all know that and have been there. It’s tough because someone has to do it. In fact it’s a struggle and because you are building something worthwhile, someone once told you that you don’t get anywhere without hard work. Period; full stop; whatever. In fact there is a lot of research now that shows you are wrong. Not just... Read more »

Team Building Icebreakers

The first challenge you will encounter on any teambuilding exercise is personal introductions. Members of the teambuilding course need to become acquainted with each other and the course leader. These initial exercises are commonly called ‘icebreakers’ as they break down any barriers between team members. The most popular icebreaker is for the team leader to arrange the team members in a circle and ask them one by one to stand up and tell the group a little about themselves. Each member... Read more »

Accepting Thanks With Good Grace

There is a huge value in accepting help in your business, to build your own capacity as well as growing your team too. And often, when we are given a compliment, or someone says ‘Thank you’, we feel it is polite to gently decline. We say things like ‘It’s nothing’ or ‘No, no - it was all you’. As part of a business transaction I’ve been involved in, which has not gone that well and one which I have been chasing hard to make anything out of for a bunch... Read more »

What A Difference A Week Makes

Sometimes a little tweak in how you manage your people can make all the difference. And sometimes, it’s vital to look for something that will change relationships - and that can mean moving your focus slightly for a while. I’m a great believer in the simple things in management. It is NOT hard to so - it’s simple. One of the most valuable activities a manager can take is just to get into conversations with his people. A middle manager I’ve been working with, recently found... Read more »