Series 2 – Episode 18: The Lifeblood of Work, or Just Corporate Treacle? On average, we spend 28% of our working lives in meetings. So how do we make the most of this time and ensure meetings are productive and positive rather than "hours of my life I won't get back."? This week's podcast discusses the importance of meetings and how we fool ourselves by using them to define our status and importance. By following some simple principles, you can turn the corporate treacle into an invaluable investment of your time and your organisation's money. After all, you don't want to waste a quarter of your time at work! If you want to make your meetings work, please contact James … [Read more...]
Mastering Emotions – Boosting Work Performance and Enjoyment
Season 2 – Episode 4: Advice From Rachael Edmondson-Clarke Following the episode on mood, Rachael Edmondson-Clarke returns to delve into the interconnected topic of emotion. While mood is an internal state, emotions are our responses to external stimuli. They can surprise us and disrupt both performance and relationships. Rachael helps us understand why emotions affect us and how we can manage, select, and alter our natural reactions. We contribute with perspectives on DIY, football, golf, and road rage, but fortunately, Rachael offers more intriguing insights that will help you enhance your performance and enjoyment at work. To find out more, contact Rachael, Jimmy or James. … [Read more...]
Are Operations a Thing of the Past?
Season 2 – Episode 3: Don't Get Left Behind. This week's discussion centres on the future of 'operations' within the U.K., where over 80% of us work in service industries. We delve into potential future scenarios and the historical undervaluing of 'operations'. We also examine the trends that are likely to influence this sector. We ask if A.I. will replace all our jobs and wonder why technological trends don't deliver as promised. Although the world and work will change, the fundamental challenges will persist—achieving cheaper, better, and faster outcomes. The conversation turns to practical operational thinking and the importance of enhancing operational capabilities … [Read more...]
The Simple Habits That Make Managers More Effective (With Hugh Alley)
Season 1 – Episode 26: Things You Wished You'd Known Were you taught how to manage the work? We are all trained on the technical aspects of a job and the leadership of a team, but we are rarely taught how to manage the actual work. Managing work is vital whether you're a first-line manager or running the country! To provide valuable insights on the best way to manage and improve your teams and their work, we are lucky to have Hugh Alley, a successful author who has trained over 1,000 supervisors in his time, as this week's guest.Hugh shares the background and structure of 'Training Within Industry', which has the potential to dramatically improve team performance.Enjoy this … [Read more...]
Authentic Leadership
Season 1 – Episode 14: What Is It and How Do You Develop It? Welcome to the second episode of our monthly series on leadership. Our learning and development guru, Amanda Gilbert, joins us again, bringing much-needed sense and insights to the discussion. We explore what authentic leadership is in its different aspects and share stories and experiences we have of being authentic or not in some cases! Then, we discuss the value and impact authentic leadership has on others. Most importantly, we hear from Amanda about how you can develop your authentic leadership skill set and positively impact everyone around you! If you have any questions, comments, or experiences you want to share or … [Read more...]