“When a culture adopts ‘what’s the next action?’ as a standard operating query, there’s an automatic increase in energy, productivity, clarity, and focus” (David Allen – Getting Things Done) Strategy execution isn’t a module or programme that you add on to an organisation but rather a discipline that you build into the organisation’s culture. Execution…
The human resources function in companies and other organisations has come a long way in the past two decades – there has been a huge shift from previously “managing” all the issues that go with having employees to navigating, together with others in company leadership, the pressing issues that the world is facing currently. From…
“Nothing kills ‘one team one goal’ thinking like silos” (John G Miller – author of QBQ) A Silo Mentality is defined as “A mind-set present in some companies when certain departments or sectors do not wish to share information with others in the same company. This type of mentality will reduce the efficiency of the…
Wellbeing, and specifically mental health, is much more than the absence of illness or disease – it encompasses feelings of comfort and happiness, positive and constructive thought-processing, and a strong sense of self-efficacy (the belief that you have the ability to find solutions to any of the challenges that may come your way). This resilience…
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states: “Mental health is critically important for everyone, everywhere, and goes beyond the mere absence of a mental health condition. It is integral to well-being, enabling people to realise their full potential, show resilience amidst adversity, be productive across the various settings of daily life, form meaningful relationships and contribute…
“We’re all fragile threads, but what a tapestry we make” (Jerry Ellis) Mahatma Gandhi suggested that one of the greatest challenges of our day is finding unity amongst diversity. Unity implies oneness, but oneness does not necessarily mean sameness. In other words, we may all be different, unique individuals, but through unity of purpose we…
Businesses, all over the world, are experiencing severe pressures in one form or another. The seeming normality of our world has changed – disruption, international security issues, the COVID pandemic, global warming, the expectation to ‘go green’, pollution issues, inflation, etc., mark the new environment in which production must take place and services must be…
“People don’t change that much. Don’t waste time trying to put in what was left out. Try to draw out what was left in. That is hard enough” (Buckingham & Coffman: First, break all the rules: What the world’s greatest managers do differently, 1999) Whilst the human resources department has the daunting task of understanding…
“Set team members free to grow within the organisation” (JNM) We all want them in our respective teams – talented people who make a remarkable impact on our team’s efficacy. These ‘stars’ are innovative, positive, future-oriented, visionary and hard-working. They make us look good. Others start noticing our respective department’s inputs and outputs and hail…
Consultants, particularly those who are proficient in their respective disciplines, can be hugely helpful to their clients and business as a whole if they don’t only focus on the one issue that needs fixing, but also apply their minds to all the people factors that influence the effectiveness of the companies for whom they consult….
“Move out of your comfort zone. You only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new” (Brian Tracey) In an accelerating, disrupted and challenged world, change visions are becoming more stretched of necessity. More and more executives, in their ongoing quest to become industry leaders or having a…
“The purpose of pruning is to improve the quality of the roses, not to hurt the bush” (Florence Littauer) Pruning involves the selective removal of “diseased, damaged, dead, non-productive, structurally unsound or otherwise unwanted plant material from crop and landscape plants” (Wikipedia). Some horticulturalists call the categories “The 4 D’s: diseased, dead, damaged and deranged”….
