READ MORE Busting the Myth: Perfectionism is Not A High Performance Trait After All | Harrison Assessments Busting the Myth: Perfectionism is Not A High Performance Trait After All | Harrison Assessments Using Harrison Assessments to Avoid Perfectionism and Perfectionist Cultures Ganga Harvey Broadly speaking, perfectionism is an irrational... READ MORE Do You Work in a Perfectionist Culture? Do You Work in a Perfectionist Culture? The Perfectionist Organisation Ganga Harvey I hear Execs saying with pride “Our organisation strives for perfection”, or “We are a perfectionist organisation.” My heart sinks... READ MORE Self-Confidence - Building High Performance Teams Is Self-Confidence Needed for Job Success? Will recruiting people with self-confidence contribute to high performance? We respond positively to someone who appears self-confident. It is easy to put our trust in... READ MORE A Check List of 10 Things You Should Know About Your Staff to Retain Them A Check List of 10 Things You Should Know About Your Staff to Retain Them Today's workforce is increasingly career driven and mobile. The focus on engagement and retention is... READ MORE Understanding Traits to Avoid in Harrison Assessments Are you a user of Harrison Assessments? Have you ever wondered what the scores for Traits to Avoid reveal? Quite a bit it turns out. Traits to Avoid are... READ MORE Learn to Understand and Manage your High Maintenance Employees Stop spending most of your time managing a few High Maintenance employees The 80-20 rule applies to managing your team - 20% of team members will take 80% of your... READ MORE Is your Employee Engagement Survey Working for You? Do it Differently - Employee Engagement The traditional approach to Employee Engagement Surveys is that the survey respondent is anonymous and that the results of the survey reflect on the... READ MORE We are a Social Cause Organisation - Can we be Permissive with our Staff? Organisations who work with volunteers and social cause staff face particular challenges in managing and leading their staff--for example: Not for Profits, Purpose for Profits, religious organisations, higher education... READ MORE 6 Culture Change Strategies Using Talent Analytics The Culture Change Gap and Talent Analytics Culture Change is a complex and frustrating process and you are not alone if the thought of embarking on a Culture Change initiative... READ MORE When Boards Need Psychometric Testing There have been a number of boardroom scandals over the past months that must have caused shudders in boardrooms across the country, and put a national focus back onto... READ MORE Agile in Business In the late 1990's the software industry was turning away from the rigid models and process of software engineering that defined the first decades of large-scale software development. These... READ MORE Focus on Clarity of Purpose Why is it that potential isn't doesn't automatically translate to highly successful, why do those who should be successful not automatically rise to the top? Jane seemed to have the... READ MORE Micro Manager, or Master of Delegation? As a person matures in leadership, their measures of success transition from being based on their technical ability and the tasks they perform, to focusing on their ability to... READ MORE Can Harrison Assessments be Manipulated? Can Candidates Cheat the Assessment? Can You Pretend to be Somebody that You Are Not with Harrison Assessments? I often get asked "Can Harrison Assessments be Manipulated? Can someone put on a mask with Harrison... READ MORE Resilience - Calm and Wisdom in a Crisis. 5 Ways to Build Your Resilience Life was never meant to be easy. How often do we hear that? Our elders, companions, peers and advisors keep bringing out that old cliqué. Even our politicians in... READ MORE The Four Types of People You Hire - And How to Get More of Those You Want Hire Right with Harrison Assessments. Be confident that you have hired Star Performers who will motivate the rest of the team and deliver on results. READ MORE The HR Crystal Ball - Harrison Assessments Talent and Decision Analytics Crystal Ball Thinking Wouldn’t it be great to have a crystal ball handy that you could whip out and use any time you needed to make an HR decision? I... READ MORE 12 Things to Look For When Choosing Your Hiring Assessment. Only the Best Hiring Assessments Ensure Excellent Job Fit Let's face it -- we are all comfortable using assessments to try to improve our hiring decision making. Good hiring practice,... READ MORE Calm in the Face of Change - How Tranquil Inertia Balances Strong Self Motivation The Challenge of Change Projects is Their Intensity Leading or being affected by change in an organisation can be stressful. The pace of the project and the impact on staff... READ MORE Ego Almighty! Working with Team Members with Strong Egos There are always all sorts of personalities working in an organisation. Thank goodness for diversity. But some of those personalities are more disruptive than others. In previous posts we've... READ MORE Be More Strategic - 14 Things Successful Organisations Do That You Can Too Are you looking for ways to be more strategic? We often work with organisations that have lost their focus on performance. This can occur for a variety of reasons. Rather... READ MORE 10 Ways to Re-inspire Yourself at Work | Balance and Wellness Are you feeling tired at work? Perhaps a little bored? Lacking some spark? Suffering from the Winter Blues? We all need to reboot and renew ourselves occasionally. Here are... READ MORE Build Balance and Strength by Working with our Traits Balance and Strength at Work This week we are focusing in on behavioural traits. Harrison Assessments identifies 175 traits that provide a profile of those traits that are strong for... READ MORE Are our Behavioural Traits Obstacles to Success? What happens when we distrust our behavioural traits? A small note today on our behavioural traits that might be holding us back in some way, compromising our ability to be... READ MORE Talent Analytics - Are you Ready? Talent Analytics - Important Aspect of Workforce and People Management The good news is that you do not need to hire teams of people including analysts, statisticians, psychologists, visualisation programmers... READ MORE The Ideal Size of Process Improvement Teams When you look at an organisation's structure and size of the departments/functions, it is easy to tell a lot about its health and ability to withstand changes in the... READ MORE Emotional Intelligence and Fakery While the evidence for EI being a positive contributor to business success, people are talking about a darker side to EI. But is it enough to mimic EI behaviours?... READ MORE Conversation as a Core Strategic Process Conversation as Communication Every conversation is an opportunity to delve deeper, be more innovative, reinforce values, explain strategic priorities, support, inspire, ask questions, provide information and advice, share history, and... READ MORE Keeping Your Workforce Engaged Keeping your workforce engaged is quite a paradoxical strategic challenge - to maintain a culture of engagement that treats and provides for people as valued individuals, while at the... READ MORE Using Paradoxes to Increase Performance Using Paradoxes to Increase Performance, Achieve Success "Don't exclude paradox, it is more than half of life itself!" As I read this quote this morning, I was reminded of how powerful... READ MORE Good Behaviour, Bad Behaviour I have had some conversations this week around good vs bad behaviour in the workplace. Outside of commonly agreed bad behaviour or illegal/unethical behaviour, determining "bad behaviour" is quite... READ MORE Good Reads - Culture and Business Development There have been some interesting reads on the internet this week. Here are a couple worth your time. Culture Change Questions Have you ever wondered how much more productive it is... READ MORE 3 Keys to Success in a Culture Change Initiative Embarking on a Culture Change Initiative? 3 Keys to Success Culture can be defined as the set of beliefs and behaviours of an organisation's workforce. It is created from the... READ MORE What we have been Reading - Leadership Articles to Inspire There have been some interesting reads on the internet this month. Here are a couple worth your time. Managing Clever People A short reminder that creative, clever people can be fun... READ MORE Innovation in Organisations - Are you Innovation Ready? I am currently preparing templates (using Harrison Assessments) to select the most suitable people to attend a high level program on Innovation. We are calling them Innovation Success Formulas.... READ MORE Critical Non Assertiveness in the workplace Critical Non Assertiveness - how it manifests in the workplace If you read this blog often, you will know that I truly believe that most problems in a workplace are... READ MORE Give of Your Time; Respect the Time of Others Time is an interesting commodity. It is used in different ways all around the world. In our so-called "time poor" countries we consider ourselves so busy that our responsibilities... READ MORE The Definition of a Problem - a Critical Step In one of our previous posts, Identifying Causes of Organisational Problems, we spoke about the layered questioning process that helps in solving problems of all sorts - the cause... READ MORE Leadership: Exploring Workplace Vulnerability Here in the offices of Indra Process and Performance Consulting, we are continually extending and updating our Deep Leadership modules and supporting material. It's a great and dynamic atmosphere... READ MORE Identifying the causes of Organisational Problems Solving Organisational Problems: Identifying those Causes In our previous post about Solving Organisational Problems , we mentioned the difference between symptoms, the pain that is being experienced at the moment,... READ MORE "No" is Enough - Saying No with Ease The challenge of communicating well in the workplace is complex and multi-faceted. One of the classic challenges is when to say more without it being too much, and when... READ MORE Solving Organisational Problems I discovered these definitions of problem recently, and appreciate the way that the definitions are succinct, accurate, and worthy of some contemplation. Having a problem is by nature a state... READ MORE More on Humility as a Leadership Trait Long ago, as I started my consulting career, I was assisting a colleague in running a Leadership Development Course. Over a period of several days, I watched this group... READ MORE Is Process in your End of Month Review? In a conversation this week with a colleague we discussed the importance of process in organisations and the need for carefully managed process life cycles. This includes very specifically... READ MORE One Pointed Business Determination Great Companies, Humble Leaders, One Pointed Business Determination Focus in Business It is interesting to be re-reading an article on Level 5 Leadership by Jim Collins, summarising the results of a... READ MORE Can You be Too Empathetic? Empathy at Work. Empathy at Work Empathy is a good trait to have. It allows us to understand the feelings of others, to predict the responses others might have to situations, and to... READ MORE Diversity of Leadership Styles builds Business In Performance Focused Organisations, diversity in style is welcomed. PFOs are not "cloned" organisations where a mono-culture exists. Rather the ideal is an active culture built around strong and... READ MORE Beware of These Communication Sins Is your Organisation Guilty of These Communication Sins? Why do things, even very simple ones, so often go wrong in organisations? Usually it's a matter of miscommunication. And, as organisational... READ MORE Customer Service - a Tiny, Gentle Reminder Customer Service is your most important business asset. Too many companies think of customer service as an expense to minimize. We believe that it’s a huge untapped opportunity for most... READ MORE Be Fearless - 5 Keys for Leaders Courage does not mean that you are free from fear. It means that you are able to face the fears that are obstructing you and move through them. Build your... READ MORE 5 Keys to Successful Change Management Generally, in my work with clients, I come across two approaches to announcing a change management project: The Powerpoint presentation that details the change and expects every one to enact... READ MORE Generation Z - A Management Challenge? This post was first written in 2010. How accurate was our thinking then? I am interested to hear your comments. The oldest amongst them are still at school, but already... READ MORE Formulate your Strategies It is that time of year when many companies begin to think about their course of action for the second half of the year. Strategies for this year, next... READ MORE Our Mind and Our Brain: Our Responsibility There is interesting research coming to light on the brain and the mind - in many ways this reflects the journey of science towards the philosophies of the East,... READ MORE Change Management | 5 Keys to Managing Change 5 Keys to Managing Change Are you trying to engineer change, yet find the passion and enthusiasm for change is going no further than the Management Team? To achieve sustainable change,... READ MORE Keys for Selecting Multi-Metric Staff Surveys Listen to the Data, not the Sales Pitch - Multi-Metric Staff Surveys Visiting a client recently to discuss information needs from their next staff survey, I was asked the question... READ MORE Do Your Leaders Demonstrate Social Intelligence? For those of us who are in leadership roles, there is good reason to monitor our social skills - they could be key determinants of our leadership success. The role... READ MORE Mentoring your Mind | Balance and Wellness at Work Have you ever thought how important your mind is to your life? Through our minds we create the results in our workplace, care for our families and ponder purpose and... READ MORE Bringing Business Strategy to Life through People - Part II In our last post, we discussed the challenges of implementing strategy in organisations and the problems that can occur in organisations when focus is removed from strategic priorities. We... READ MORE Bringing Business Strategy to Life through People - Part I Strategy through People As a Performance-based consulting business we understand what it takes to get strategy developed and implemented. It turns out that obtaining funding for strategic initiatives can be... READ MORE An Economic Downturn ... will the Real Leaders Stand Up Please? When you have worked through tough economic times you know that some leaders simply won't cope, while others will find the recession is pivotal in building a successful career.... READ MORE Improve your Value at Work with 12 Keys to Boost Performance How many questions do you answer with Yes? Do you: easily lose control of situations? seek reassurance from others constantly; have a high need for positive feedback? lack self-belief; don't have the confidence... READ MORE Using Visualisation as a Management Technique | Visualisation at Work Are you facing an important situation yet feel too nervous to do your best? It could be a presentation, a meeting, talking to a staff member about issues such... READ MORE Nothing Memorable Happens Without Some Kind of Risk Manage the Risk I don't need to mention the current climate. We couldn't avoid the talk or news stories about the GFC and the global impact of that recession. Current... READ MORE 6 Ways to Increase the impact of Learning and Development I was asked recently how to reduce the costs of learning and development, and at the same time increase its impact. It is such a loaded question -- training /... READ MORE Sleeping on the Job Increases Health and Energy Sleeping on the Job. Naps can Keep us Healthy and Increase Energy Levels The Boston Globe recently published its guide to napping. Take a look at this article. It says... READ MORE Great Customer Service - a Strategic Advantage You only have to google customer service to see how severely the level of customer service has dropped in the past 5 years. Site after site are detailing episodes... READ MORE Organisations with Rhythm Organisations with Rhythm- Routine sets you free The rhythm of business. This is what distinguishes a Performance Focused Organisation, intent on continued and controlled viability, from a group of people... READ MORE Your Support Workers Make You Successful Remember those people who make you successful. Those people who hold your ropes steady as you work towards achieving your business results and/or progressing your career. It is easy... READ MORE Paying Attention to Attention: Part 3 Paying Attention to Attention Over the last couple of weeks we have been discussing how to watch your attention each day to develop dynamic knowledge about yourself and your drivers... READ MORE Paying Attention to Attention: Part 2 Paying Attention to Attention Last week we looked at how dynamic knowledge of our own behaviours - drivers and motivators - can give us the edge in terms of our... READ MORE Paying Attention to Attention: Part 1 The reality is that as your management career progresses, your management style will change. The styles of supervisors are different to those adopted by middle managers who have primarily... READ MORE The Impact of Stress on Leadership Harvard Business Review in its September 2009 edition has a sidebar on Stress. The full article is "Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership" by Daniel Goleman and Richard... READ MORE Telling or Asking Questions? Performance Focused Organisations know that the best way to achieve their goals is to engage their staff in their journey of growth and success. That engaging the hearts and... READ MORE Workplace Paradoxes - Tensions of Direction There are many paradoxes in organisations - elements which are actually under tension, yet to be successful, an organisation must provide both elements. I will call them Organisational Paradoxes. For... READ MORE Spontaneous Recognition at Work | Leadership Reward and retention is a very hot area at the moment. There are real skills shortages and it is essential that organisations move strongly to retain good, solid... READ MORE The Importance of Leadership I want to quote to you today from a book that I have been reading. It is a wonderful couple of paragraphs, that considered will challenge and stretch us... READ MORE The Power of Sorry - A Strategic Advantage Here in Australia the word sorry has a strong meaning. An inability to apologise is part of our history.** I am similarly noticing a real reluctance in organisations to say... READ MORE Working Within The Big Picture Strategic Skills for Managers Managers are often told to see the big picture; maintain a big picture view; see the big picture first; operate from the big picture. But what... READ MORE Seeking Feedback - A Key Leadership Skill The Freedom to Seek Feedback Giving and receiving feedback are hard skills to master. How do you rate yourself in each one? Seeking Feedback Have you considered seeking feedback? Feedback is wonderful... READ MORE Hire Right, Retain Staff, Save Money Attracting and Keeping the Right People Select the Right Person First Time, and then Embark on a Continuous Journey of Good Management and Continual Learning Performance Focused Organisations understand that hiring... READ MORE Become a Performance Focused Organisation Forget the old definitions of Performance - they belong in the past. Organisations have three Key Performance Areas and each one deserves focus. Become a Performance Focused Organisation. Aspects of... READ MORE Dealing with staff when You're Stressed There is nothing more devastating than a manager who barks at their staff. Even if you have excellent communications skills 90% of the time, it is the 10% of the... READ MORE Unsocial Behaviour in the Workplace Unsocial Behaviour There are several behaviours that can occur in the workplace that should not be tolerated. The truth is, when these behaviours manifest in the workplace, they are counter productive... READ MORE Growing and Developing Resilience Resilience is another one of those things that I sometimes work on with my clients. As a generation, as a culture, we rarely talk about it. It is like... READ MORE Goal Setting and the Achievement of Goals I recently had a discussion with a manager about the nervousness his staff were experiencing when goal setting. They did not want to establish goals against which they could... READ MORE Hire Right. Reduce the cost of turnover. Did you know that employee initiated turnover costs $billions annually? In 2006, we conducted an analysis for a client who had a higher than average turnover rate. It was costing... READ MORE Understanding Performance Management Every organisation has an approach to performance management, even if it hasn't been recognised or communicated. For some it is a strictly documented system that is rigorously followed, and involves... READ MORE Communicate for Performance Communication is such a large part of life, and yet we rarely train ourselves to achieve the best out of communication. We attend courses to learn how to do strategy,...
READ MORE Busting the Myth: Perfectionism is Not A High Performance Trait After All | Harrison Assessments Busting the Myth: Perfectionism is Not A High Performance Trait After All | Harrison Assessments Using Harrison Assessments to Avoid Perfectionism and Perfectionist Cultures Ganga Harvey Broadly speaking, perfectionism is an irrational... READ MORE Do You Work in a Perfectionist Culture? Do You Work in a Perfectionist Culture? The Perfectionist Organisation Ganga Harvey I hear Execs saying with pride “Our organisation strives for perfection”, or “We are a perfectionist organisation.” My heart sinks... READ MORE Self-Confidence - Building High Performance Teams Is Self-Confidence Needed for Job Success? Will recruiting people with self-confidence contribute to high performance? We respond positively to someone who appears self-confident. It is easy to put our trust in... READ MORE A Check List of 10 Things You Should Know About Your Staff to Retain Them A Check List of 10 Things You Should Know About Your Staff to Retain Them Today's workforce is increasingly career driven and mobile. The focus on engagement and retention is... READ MORE Understanding Traits to Avoid in Harrison Assessments Are you a user of Harrison Assessments? Have you ever wondered what the scores for Traits to Avoid reveal? Quite a bit it turns out. Traits to Avoid are... READ MORE Learn to Understand and Manage your High Maintenance Employees Stop spending most of your time managing a few High Maintenance employees The 80-20 rule applies to managing your team - 20% of team members will take 80% of your... READ MORE Is your Employee Engagement Survey Working for You? Do it Differently - Employee Engagement The traditional approach to Employee Engagement Surveys is that the survey respondent is anonymous and that the results of the survey reflect on the... READ MORE We are a Social Cause Organisation - Can we be Permissive with our Staff? Organisations who work with volunteers and social cause staff face particular challenges in managing and leading their staff--for example: Not for Profits, Purpose for Profits, religious organisations, higher education... READ MORE 6 Culture Change Strategies Using Talent Analytics The Culture Change Gap and Talent Analytics Culture Change is a complex and frustrating process and you are not alone if the thought of embarking on a Culture Change initiative... READ MORE When Boards Need Psychometric Testing There have been a number of boardroom scandals over the past months that must have caused shudders in boardrooms across the country, and put a national focus back onto... READ MORE Agile in Business In the late 1990's the software industry was turning away from the rigid models and process of software engineering that defined the first decades of large-scale software development. These... READ MORE Focus on Clarity of Purpose Why is it that potential isn't doesn't automatically translate to highly successful, why do those who should be successful not automatically rise to the top? Jane seemed to have the... READ MORE Micro Manager, or Master of Delegation? As a person matures in leadership, their measures of success transition from being based on their technical ability and the tasks they perform, to focusing on their ability to... READ MORE Can Harrison Assessments be Manipulated? Can Candidates Cheat the Assessment? Can You Pretend to be Somebody that You Are Not with Harrison Assessments? I often get asked "Can Harrison Assessments be Manipulated? Can someone put on a mask with Harrison... READ MORE Resilience - Calm and Wisdom in a Crisis. 5 Ways to Build Your Resilience Life was never meant to be easy. How often do we hear that? Our elders, companions, peers and advisors keep bringing out that old cliqué. Even our politicians in... READ MORE The Four Types of People You Hire - And How to Get More of Those You Want Hire Right with Harrison Assessments. Be confident that you have hired Star Performers who will motivate the rest of the team and deliver on results. READ MORE The HR Crystal Ball - Harrison Assessments Talent and Decision Analytics Crystal Ball Thinking Wouldn’t it be great to have a crystal ball handy that you could whip out and use any time you needed to make an HR decision? I... READ MORE 12 Things to Look For When Choosing Your Hiring Assessment. Only the Best Hiring Assessments Ensure Excellent Job Fit Let's face it -- we are all comfortable using assessments to try to improve our hiring decision making. Good hiring practice,... READ MORE Calm in the Face of Change - How Tranquil Inertia Balances Strong Self Motivation The Challenge of Change Projects is Their Intensity Leading or being affected by change in an organisation can be stressful. The pace of the project and the impact on staff... READ MORE Ego Almighty! Working with Team Members with Strong Egos There are always all sorts of personalities working in an organisation. Thank goodness for diversity. But some of those personalities are more disruptive than others. In previous posts we've... READ MORE Be More Strategic - 14 Things Successful Organisations Do That You Can Too Are you looking for ways to be more strategic? We often work with organisations that have lost their focus on performance. This can occur for a variety of reasons. Rather... READ MORE 10 Ways to Re-inspire Yourself at Work | Balance and Wellness Are you feeling tired at work? Perhaps a little bored? Lacking some spark? Suffering from the Winter Blues? We all need to reboot and renew ourselves occasionally. Here are... READ MORE Build Balance and Strength by Working with our Traits Balance and Strength at Work This week we are focusing in on behavioural traits. Harrison Assessments identifies 175 traits that provide a profile of those traits that are strong for... READ MORE Are our Behavioural Traits Obstacles to Success? What happens when we distrust our behavioural traits? A small note today on our behavioural traits that might be holding us back in some way, compromising our ability to be... READ MORE Talent Analytics - Are you Ready? Talent Analytics - Important Aspect of Workforce and People Management The good news is that you do not need to hire teams of people including analysts, statisticians, psychologists, visualisation programmers... READ MORE The Ideal Size of Process Improvement Teams When you look at an organisation's structure and size of the departments/functions, it is easy to tell a lot about its health and ability to withstand changes in the... READ MORE Emotional Intelligence and Fakery While the evidence for EI being a positive contributor to business success, people are talking about a darker side to EI. But is it enough to mimic EI behaviours?... READ MORE Conversation as a Core Strategic Process Conversation as Communication Every conversation is an opportunity to delve deeper, be more innovative, reinforce values, explain strategic priorities, support, inspire, ask questions, provide information and advice, share history, and... READ MORE Keeping Your Workforce Engaged Keeping your workforce engaged is quite a paradoxical strategic challenge - to maintain a culture of engagement that treats and provides for people as valued individuals, while at the... READ MORE Using Paradoxes to Increase Performance Using Paradoxes to Increase Performance, Achieve Success "Don't exclude paradox, it is more than half of life itself!" As I read this quote this morning, I was reminded of how powerful... READ MORE Good Behaviour, Bad Behaviour I have had some conversations this week around good vs bad behaviour in the workplace. Outside of commonly agreed bad behaviour or illegal/unethical behaviour, determining "bad behaviour" is quite... READ MORE Good Reads - Culture and Business Development There have been some interesting reads on the internet this week. Here are a couple worth your time. Culture Change Questions Have you ever wondered how much more productive it is... READ MORE 3 Keys to Success in a Culture Change Initiative Embarking on a Culture Change Initiative? 3 Keys to Success Culture can be defined as the set of beliefs and behaviours of an organisation's workforce. It is created from the... READ MORE What we have been Reading - Leadership Articles to Inspire There have been some interesting reads on the internet this month. Here are a couple worth your time. Managing Clever People A short reminder that creative, clever people can be fun... READ MORE Innovation in Organisations - Are you Innovation Ready? I am currently preparing templates (using Harrison Assessments) to select the most suitable people to attend a high level program on Innovation. We are calling them Innovation Success Formulas.... READ MORE Critical Non Assertiveness in the workplace Critical Non Assertiveness - how it manifests in the workplace If you read this blog often, you will know that I truly believe that most problems in a workplace are... READ MORE Give of Your Time; Respect the Time of Others Time is an interesting commodity. It is used in different ways all around the world. In our so-called "time poor" countries we consider ourselves so busy that our responsibilities... READ MORE The Definition of a Problem - a Critical Step In one of our previous posts, Identifying Causes of Organisational Problems, we spoke about the layered questioning process that helps in solving problems of all sorts - the cause... READ MORE Leadership: Exploring Workplace Vulnerability Here in the offices of Indra Process and Performance Consulting, we are continually extending and updating our Deep Leadership modules and supporting material. It's a great and dynamic atmosphere... READ MORE Identifying the causes of Organisational Problems Solving Organisational Problems: Identifying those Causes In our previous post about Solving Organisational Problems , we mentioned the difference between symptoms, the pain that is being experienced at the moment,... READ MORE "No" is Enough - Saying No with Ease The challenge of communicating well in the workplace is complex and multi-faceted. One of the classic challenges is when to say more without it being too much, and when... READ MORE Solving Organisational Problems I discovered these definitions of problem recently, and appreciate the way that the definitions are succinct, accurate, and worthy of some contemplation. Having a problem is by nature a state... READ MORE More on Humility as a Leadership Trait Long ago, as I started my consulting career, I was assisting a colleague in running a Leadership Development Course. Over a period of several days, I watched this group... READ MORE Is Process in your End of Month Review? In a conversation this week with a colleague we discussed the importance of process in organisations and the need for carefully managed process life cycles. This includes very specifically... READ MORE One Pointed Business Determination Great Companies, Humble Leaders, One Pointed Business Determination Focus in Business It is interesting to be re-reading an article on Level 5 Leadership by Jim Collins, summarising the results of a... READ MORE Can You be Too Empathetic? Empathy at Work. Empathy at Work Empathy is a good trait to have. It allows us to understand the feelings of others, to predict the responses others might have to situations, and to... READ MORE Diversity of Leadership Styles builds Business In Performance Focused Organisations, diversity in style is welcomed. PFOs are not "cloned" organisations where a mono-culture exists. Rather the ideal is an active culture built around strong and... READ MORE Beware of These Communication Sins Is your Organisation Guilty of These Communication Sins? Why do things, even very simple ones, so often go wrong in organisations? Usually it's a matter of miscommunication. And, as organisational... READ MORE Customer Service - a Tiny, Gentle Reminder Customer Service is your most important business asset. Too many companies think of customer service as an expense to minimize. We believe that it’s a huge untapped opportunity for most... READ MORE Be Fearless - 5 Keys for Leaders Courage does not mean that you are free from fear. It means that you are able to face the fears that are obstructing you and move through them. Build your... READ MORE 5 Keys to Successful Change Management Generally, in my work with clients, I come across two approaches to announcing a change management project: The Powerpoint presentation that details the change and expects every one to enact... READ MORE Generation Z - A Management Challenge? This post was first written in 2010. How accurate was our thinking then? I am interested to hear your comments. The oldest amongst them are still at school, but already... READ MORE Formulate your Strategies It is that time of year when many companies begin to think about their course of action for the second half of the year. Strategies for this year, next... READ MORE Our Mind and Our Brain: Our Responsibility There is interesting research coming to light on the brain and the mind - in many ways this reflects the journey of science towards the philosophies of the East,... READ MORE Change Management | 5 Keys to Managing Change 5 Keys to Managing Change Are you trying to engineer change, yet find the passion and enthusiasm for change is going no further than the Management Team? To achieve sustainable change,... READ MORE Keys for Selecting Multi-Metric Staff Surveys Listen to the Data, not the Sales Pitch - Multi-Metric Staff Surveys Visiting a client recently to discuss information needs from their next staff survey, I was asked the question... READ MORE Do Your Leaders Demonstrate Social Intelligence? For those of us who are in leadership roles, there is good reason to monitor our social skills - they could be key determinants of our leadership success. The role... READ MORE Mentoring your Mind | Balance and Wellness at Work Have you ever thought how important your mind is to your life? Through our minds we create the results in our workplace, care for our families and ponder purpose and... READ MORE Bringing Business Strategy to Life through People - Part II In our last post, we discussed the challenges of implementing strategy in organisations and the problems that can occur in organisations when focus is removed from strategic priorities. We... READ MORE Bringing Business Strategy to Life through People - Part I Strategy through People As a Performance-based consulting business we understand what it takes to get strategy developed and implemented. It turns out that obtaining funding for strategic initiatives can be... READ MORE An Economic Downturn ... will the Real Leaders Stand Up Please? When you have worked through tough economic times you know that some leaders simply won't cope, while others will find the recession is pivotal in building a successful career.... READ MORE Improve your Value at Work with 12 Keys to Boost Performance How many questions do you answer with Yes? Do you: easily lose control of situations? seek reassurance from others constantly; have a high need for positive feedback? lack self-belief; don't have the confidence... READ MORE Using Visualisation as a Management Technique | Visualisation at Work Are you facing an important situation yet feel too nervous to do your best? It could be a presentation, a meeting, talking to a staff member about issues such... READ MORE Nothing Memorable Happens Without Some Kind of Risk Manage the Risk I don't need to mention the current climate. We couldn't avoid the talk or news stories about the GFC and the global impact of that recession. Current... READ MORE 6 Ways to Increase the impact of Learning and Development I was asked recently how to reduce the costs of learning and development, and at the same time increase its impact. It is such a loaded question -- training /... READ MORE Sleeping on the Job Increases Health and Energy Sleeping on the Job. Naps can Keep us Healthy and Increase Energy Levels The Boston Globe recently published its guide to napping. Take a look at this article. It says... READ MORE Great Customer Service - a Strategic Advantage You only have to google customer service to see how severely the level of customer service has dropped in the past 5 years. Site after site are detailing episodes... READ MORE Organisations with Rhythm Organisations with Rhythm- Routine sets you free The rhythm of business. This is what distinguishes a Performance Focused Organisation, intent on continued and controlled viability, from a group of people... READ MORE Your Support Workers Make You Successful Remember those people who make you successful. Those people who hold your ropes steady as you work towards achieving your business results and/or progressing your career. It is easy... READ MORE Paying Attention to Attention: Part 3 Paying Attention to Attention Over the last couple of weeks we have been discussing how to watch your attention each day to develop dynamic knowledge about yourself and your drivers... READ MORE Paying Attention to Attention: Part 2 Paying Attention to Attention Last week we looked at how dynamic knowledge of our own behaviours - drivers and motivators - can give us the edge in terms of our... READ MORE Paying Attention to Attention: Part 1 The reality is that as your management career progresses, your management style will change. The styles of supervisors are different to those adopted by middle managers who have primarily... READ MORE The Impact of Stress on Leadership Harvard Business Review in its September 2009 edition has a sidebar on Stress. The full article is "Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership" by Daniel Goleman and Richard... READ MORE Telling or Asking Questions? Performance Focused Organisations know that the best way to achieve their goals is to engage their staff in their journey of growth and success. That engaging the hearts and... READ MORE Workplace Paradoxes - Tensions of Direction There are many paradoxes in organisations - elements which are actually under tension, yet to be successful, an organisation must provide both elements. I will call them Organisational Paradoxes. For... READ MORE Spontaneous Recognition at Work | Leadership Reward and retention is a very hot area at the moment. There are real skills shortages and it is essential that organisations move strongly to retain good, solid... READ MORE The Importance of Leadership I want to quote to you today from a book that I have been reading. It is a wonderful couple of paragraphs, that considered will challenge and stretch us... READ MORE The Power of Sorry - A Strategic Advantage Here in Australia the word sorry has a strong meaning. An inability to apologise is part of our history.** I am similarly noticing a real reluctance in organisations to say... READ MORE Working Within The Big Picture Strategic Skills for Managers Managers are often told to see the big picture; maintain a big picture view; see the big picture first; operate from the big picture. But what... READ MORE Seeking Feedback - A Key Leadership Skill The Freedom to Seek Feedback Giving and receiving feedback are hard skills to master. How do you rate yourself in each one? Seeking Feedback Have you considered seeking feedback? Feedback is wonderful... READ MORE Hire Right, Retain Staff, Save Money Attracting and Keeping the Right People Select the Right Person First Time, and then Embark on a Continuous Journey of Good Management and Continual Learning Performance Focused Organisations understand that hiring... READ MORE Become a Performance Focused Organisation Forget the old definitions of Performance - they belong in the past. Organisations have three Key Performance Areas and each one deserves focus. Become a Performance Focused Organisation. Aspects of... READ MORE Dealing with staff when You're Stressed There is nothing more devastating than a manager who barks at their staff. Even if you have excellent communications skills 90% of the time, it is the 10% of the... READ MORE Unsocial Behaviour in the Workplace Unsocial Behaviour There are several behaviours that can occur in the workplace that should not be tolerated. The truth is, when these behaviours manifest in the workplace, they are counter productive... READ MORE Growing and Developing Resilience Resilience is another one of those things that I sometimes work on with my clients. As a generation, as a culture, we rarely talk about it. It is like... READ MORE Goal Setting and the Achievement of Goals I recently had a discussion with a manager about the nervousness his staff were experiencing when goal setting. They did not want to establish goals against which they could... READ MORE Hire Right. Reduce the cost of turnover. Did you know that employee initiated turnover costs $billions annually? In 2006, we conducted an analysis for a client who had a higher than average turnover rate. It was costing... READ MORE Understanding Performance Management Every organisation has an approach to performance management, even if it hasn't been recognised or communicated. For some it is a strictly documented system that is rigorously followed, and involves... READ MORE Communicate for Performance Communication is such a large part of life, and yet we rarely train ourselves to achieve the best out of communication. We attend courses to learn how to do strategy,...
