Season 3 – Episode 014 Welcome to A Job Done Well, the podcast for managers who want to improve their performance—and enjoy their jobs. Hosted by Jimmy Barber and James Lawther, this episode tackles hybrid working, a topic that’s causing headaches, heartburn, and heated debates in boardrooms and Slack channels everywhere. The pandemic proved that remote work could work. But now, as companies scramble to bring people back into the office, many are doing so in the clumsiest way possible: mandating days without considering the why or the how. The result? Frustrated employees, plummeting morale, and—ironically—often worse performance. In this episode, Jimmy and James … [Read more...]
Mastering Decisions
Season 3 – Episode 13: The Manager's Essential Skill In this week’s episode, we discuss effective decision-making. It is the cornerstone of good management, and makes up 80-90% of a manager’s role. While pressure and incomplete information are constants, improving this skill is the fastest route to better results. First, we discuss four common mistakes. Then, to help you make solid choices, we discuss a simple, three-phase model: By moving from guesswork to a disciplined, reflective process, you can make better decisions and significantly improve your performance. Further Information Decision Making Checklist Transcript Speaker 6: 0:03 Hello, I'm James. Hi, I'm Jimmy and … [Read more...]
Is Conflict Our Greatest Natural Resource?
Season 3 – Episode 012: With Charles Irvine This episode introduces special guest Charles Irvine, who proposes a provocative idea: Conflict is our greatest natural resource. Key Discussion Points The Problem with Denial: Jimmy, James and Charles discuss how much time, energy, and resource people dedicate to denying the existence of conflict or avoiding it, leading to a "long tail of conflict" through rumination and anxiety. The Water Analogy: Charles uses the analogy of water—an essential resource that can nurture or destroy—to explain that, while conflict can be destructive, it must be channelled and worked with rather than demonised or avoided. Conflict vs. Consensus: James raises the … [Read more...]
Can You Make Work a Source of Vitality?
Season 3 – Episode 5: With Ben Simpson Do you end each day full of energy or drained and in need of recovery? This week's guest, Ben Simpson, believes that our working lives should be a source of vitality, and not something we have to recover from, and he shares his insights on how to achieve that. Ben is the Chair of the Deming Alliance in the UK and co-founder of VitalOrg, so he knows plenty about what makes organisations and people tick. Plus, you hear from hosts James Lawther and Jimmy Barber to see if their working lives were ever a source of vitality. If that isn't enough, James takes a walk down memory lane, visiting universities with his daughter, whilst Jimmy is just back … [Read more...]
Masterful Manager or Inspirational Leader?
Season 2 – Episode 1: Management vs. Leadership, Understanding the Overlap In this kick-off episode of season two of 'A Job Done Well,' James, Jimmy, and guest Amanda explore the distinction and overlap between management and leadership. We discuss how the business pendulum has swung toward leaders and leadership training and away from management. Has leadership become an overplayed idea? Would your business benefit from some good old-fashioned management? Listen as we delve into the role of leadership in motivating staff and setting direction. Is it a critical skill or just H.R. baloney? Should you focus on managing your systems or leading your staff? Maybe you should do both, or is it … [Read more...]