The conversation was robust. We had been going through the issues for the past three hours – some had dug their heels in and simply said: “This is not going to work”; others complained: “You have not even given us a chance to prove that this could end up positively for all of us”. Emotions…
“Proper preparation prevents poor performance” (British Army adage) More than ever before, there is pressure on businesses to ensure that their respective assets (people, intellectual property, products and machines) deliver real results. As cash is not as readily available as a decade or so ago, companies are forced to refocus energy on business efficiency, sustainable…
Corporate sustainability starts with a company’s value system and a principles-based approach to doing business. This means operating in ways that, at a minimum, meet fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Responsible businesses enact the same values and principles wherever they have a presence, and know that good practices…
“A picture speaks a thousand words” (Anon) With the acceleration of smartphone technology and the subsequent use of the mobile phone as the key communication medium adopted by the world, so also the development of lens technology accelerated to keep pace with the needs of device owners. Most smartphones now have two or three lenses…
Whilst leadership teams are comprised of managers with different personalities and varying communication abilities, all members of this senior team are required to communicate the relevant company messages with clarity. These company messages include, but are not limited to, vision, mission, values, strategy, targets, expected behaviour, culture, focus areas, future plans and direction. The same…
They know what needs to be done. They are typically good at doing it, as they have had many years of practice. They are usually quite faithful. They work hard, albeit that many are somewhat tired. Many of them care deeply about the business brand and the company values. Some have become really successful and…
There may be great excitement for most people when moving to a new place of residence – usually an upgrade on what one had previously – but this excitement is typically counter-balanced by the arduous task of packing and unpacking, sorting and throwing out and coping with a messy environment. Of particular irritation is the…
The English word “lawn” originated from the Norman (French) word “laund”, meaning an open, often grassy, space in a woodland clearing – a glade amongst trees. These spaces were prized as they created rare and welcome respite from the encroaching trees when Europe was mostly wooded. In much the same way, garden lawns came to…
“It’s depressing to think that company culture is still seen as a ‘soft’ area of corporate life. Culture is everything: it dictates both the behaviour of those in leadership and the wider employee base” (Eugenio Pirri – Chief People & Culture Officer at the Dorchester Collection) In recent study results from Mercer, there is confirmation…
In a very competitive market, nothing is more valuable than reputation. With companies across different sectors rising and falling overnight, the responsibility of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders, in partnership with customers, to sustain and grow value for the long term is more important than ever. Co-creating value should be everyone’s priority, especially when a…
Most employees have it – a desire to express themselves, creativity, ingenuity, an innovative spirit, loyalty, the ability to work with other team members, resilience, energy, ideas, etc. – but much depends on the environment in which these employees work if they are to live out their innate abilities and express their skills. “Being skilled”…
“What is planted in people is more important than what is poured into them” (Alinda Nortje, Founder and CEO of Free To Grow) Forward-thinking companies typically host many interventions for their employees (workshops, dialogue groups, seminars, e-learning platforms, coaching, etc.) to accelerate learning and grow the knowledge base of the business. Whilst these attempts are…
