According to the Grattan’s Institute report “Productivity growth is the most important determinant of long run improvements in any country’s sustainable standard of living. After decades of decline relative to other countries, Australia substantially improved its productivity performance in the 1990s. However productivity growth has slowed substantially during the current decade.”

The Australian Labour Productivity as a percentage of the US level fell almost 10% in the last decade (1998 to 2008).

So what has contributed to this drop in productivity?

Paul Eslake and Marcus Walsh have discussed the key factors at lengths in their report a summary of the key findings were covered in my first article on this topic.
The more recent business news will add some fresh perspective to the story.

Just take a look at Holden, Toyota, Qantas, BHP Billiton and Heinz. What do they all have in common?
If you ask Toyota’s Australia president Max Yasuda he will point blank tell you: “Australia’s inflexible Industrial Relations System and Lazy Workplace Culture”.
He explained the axing of the 350 jobs at the Altona plant in Melbourne with declining international competitiveness, influenced by lack of flexibility to respond to changing business conditions, increased union influence, bogus sick leave and absenteeism rate of 30%.

We all know what happened with Qantas, fresh information from Alan Joyce suggesting that Jetstar will be pulled from Darwin and Cairns if he’s not allowed to employ foreign labour.
Heinz has relocated its tomato sauce manufacturing plant from Victoria to New Zealand.

So what are the solutions?

From a macro-economic point of view the Government has undertaken a review of the Fair Work Act, which is expected to conclude next month.
And whilst regulatory restrictions have a significant influence on business results the answer to productivity will not be resolved with changes in the regulations or even Government alone.

Let’s get back to the Australian “lazy workplace culture”.
For an outsider, such as Max Yasuda, it may appear this way, especially if we look superficially at sick leave and absenteeism numbers, or at “face time” (the number of hours spent in the office, a major KPI in Japan, also an indicator of dedication to the company).
But, as always, we need to investigate the causes behind the numbers.
However, from our experience, working with both manufacturers and service providers, we know that managers do not always look beyond the first layer when problem-solving.
It reminds me of the Operational Manager of a car component manufacturing client who complained that his team could not deliver the product on time.

His reason – “I’ve trained them numerous times and they still can’t do it”, Why? –“Because they are thick”, was his answer.

As it turned out, after some more in-depth analysis of the potential contributing factors behind the “thick-ness”, it was the company culture and management style to blame, which always allowed time extensions if delivery targets could not be met, and without any sanctions.
So the reasons for subdued productivity are almost never found in your staff – lazy, incompetent, thick, etc.

You, as a manager, as a CEO, need to get back to the drawing board and start exploring.
And no, it doesn’t take too much time and resources, if you have the right mental models in place.
Some mental models, such as the fish-bone diagram, strategy maps, decision-making trees, cause-benefit analysis, the peak performer model, to name just a few, are covered in engineering degrees.

But all, without exception, are taught in a good management development programme.

Going back to Max, we can assume, that like the majority of organisations pursuing productivity improvement, his approach was/is to drive people harder.
This is a very simplistic approach and on its own will only result in short-term improvements (a band-aid solution). It’s like starting a strict diet to lose weight fast and expecting to achieve long term, sustainable results. And yet people do and that feeds an enormous, multi-billion dollar “health” industry.

A more long-term, sustainable approach to productivity boost involves a multi-level plan/strategy including:

1. Education

Interestingly enough a recent report, Managing in a Multi-Speed Economy 2011-2012, found that only 37% of managers could define productivity, though 50% considered productivity a business priority for the next 12 months.

Productivity is briefly defined by “units of output (product or service) per unit of input (resources)” – or achieving more with less.
Sometimes, however, productivity is only interpreted as efficiency focusing on quantity, rather than quality, even though the quality parameters are being met.

This paradox stems from the fact that quality and productivity may be driven and defined internally, using “maker” rather than “user” definitions.
Take for example the very common situation where IT system designers meet their own very high quality standards but fail to meet the functionality, user-friendly standards of the user. They may have come with the solution quickly but if it wasn’t the right solution they failed the quality or effectiveness productivity test.
This problem is easily avoided with well defined value streams and value drivers and the right education – in strategic customer service, in strategic management, in continuous improvement, in decision-making, etc.

2. The Right Strategic Plan and Performance Measurement System

The 2011 Telstra Productivity Indicator found that while 76% of Australian organisations ranked productivity as a top priority, only 24% measured it, which left a “productivity gap deficit” of 52%.

Just saying you want to improve productivity is not good enough – it needs to become a strategic goal;
You need to track its value stream and use the right measures.
I’ve reviewed strategic plans where productivity and efficiency are mentioned in numerous contexts but never explicitly as a goal and a measure.
You almost get to think that they are there because it sounds and looks good. When asked, the strategy implementers (i.e. staff) could not really define what was meant by productivity in all those different contexts.

A few more words on the value streams – there is nothing more powerful for any organisation’s success then indentifying the value creation map, in other words how is value delivered to the stakeholders.
Yet very few organisations have identified their value maps and designed their business strategy and plans around them.

3. Communication

A lot of discussion about productivity happens between business and government but not always within the business itself.
When you decide to focus on productivity as either a key continuous improvement goal (incremental improvement) or as a “our back is against the wall” measure (quantum leap improvement) your intentions and actions should be transparent and explicitly communicated throughout the entire organisation.

Let’s look at two examples.

One of our client companies had implemented a 5S system, which is essentially a waste reduction initiative with the main purpose of streamlining operations. It does take time and resources to implement, which the company had successfully done. However a few of the areas had problems maintaining the initiative especially in the “Shining” (Cleaning) component of initiative.

I asked the guys on the management programme we were running with them at the time if they knew what the purpose of this initiative was and why they thought the “Shining” wasn’t happening.
The answer was they didn’t quite know what the purpose was and that the workers, the majority of them males, did not like cleaning after themselves as they didn’t see this as part of their job.
We see this lack of understanding of the meaning/purpose of initiatives (even single jobs) quite often and had these guys known that it wasn’t about aesthetics but about waste and efficiency they would have had a different mind-set and respectively different behaviour.

They just didn’t know/were not explicitly told.

The other example is much more painful, as the organisation in question is no longer trading.
I remember the frustration of the GM, when they were going through restructuring and having to roster people in fortnightly shifts of work/off-work.

Most of his concerns were caused by what he labelled as “reckless” behaviour – people leaving work for their 2 weeks of enforced leave and leaving the powerful machines and work equipment on, wasting resources and time while at work and not empathising with the company situation.

And yet, even at this stage there was nothing visual to encourage people to save resources. Instead all visuals were related to procedures and work safety with signs plastered above staircases telling people not to fail to notice the staircases!!!!
Visual communication is very powerful as it focuses the attention and has a direct line of “communication” to the brain – hence the proliferation of visual poka-yokes in recent years, not just in the high risk industries (health-care and heavy manufacturing) but also in the service industry

4. Reward and Recognition

This one is a huge topic on its own.
For now it’s worth considering the fact that the Asian businesses, known for their huge innovation, technology and efficiency progress in recent years, are known for their good reward and recognition programmes.
One example of such initiative, which works really well is “gain-sharing” where the company gives back a percentage of the realised benefit (saving or profit) back to the contributor/s and as such encourages people to innovate.

5. Lead by example

As the famous management thinker Peter Drucker once said “The Productivity of Work is not the responsibility of the Worker, but of the Manager”.
There are a lot of managers who are way too operational or hands-on and even pride themselves on that.
I think it’s a case of a misinterpreted “lead-by-example” principle.
The main purpose of any manager and leader is two-fold: remove the obstacles and develop the person so that they can achieve their goals and enjoy the process.
So leading by example is about the demonstration of the right values and behaviour, not doing the job yourself.

6. Culture and Employee Engagement

Speaking of values and their role in sustainable productivity gains, make sure that productivity and its interpretation in your organisational context is embedded in your organisational value set.
Because being a Low-cost provider – one of the key top level corporate strategies according to Strategy Guru Michael Porter – is no longer a strategy of choice, no longer a differentiator and source of competitive advantage.
It is a necessity, a responsibility of every single organisation to continuously employ fewer (optimal) resources and maximise value to the customer.
How to create a culture of continuous productivity improvement?
Engage people – link values to your reward and recognition system.
A few years ago, (yes, it is not a new “thing”), I saw a software developer from Sydney showcasing how their Reward and Recognition software was used solely to reward and recognise staff based on adherence to preferred values, demonstration of the right attitude, behaviour and workplace communication.

7. Technology alignment and Innovation

When it comes to productivity improvement there is nothing that can give you and your organisation a bigger, more tangible boost than the right technology.
It’s only a matter of what to use and how to get your people on board as quickly as possible, applying the change management principles from the early stages of the decision making process.
We, as a company, and as part of our new Work Smart – Have Fun programme, have made it a priority to research and assess the best examples of technology enablers and embed them into our own and our clients’ practices.
If you’re still unsure about new technology, just ask your pre-schooler to show you a mind-map – my daughter’s school note books (and she’s only 4) are loaded with mind-mapping and decision making software, something that we teach in our management development programmes for grown-ups.
So jump on board, don’t let your kids embarrass you by showing you how!

You finally get around to organising that weekend away with the family – you know, the one you’ve been promising for the last 100 weekends – when your boss comes to you on Thursday afternoon and says: “We’ve just found out that we’ve won that new contract! But we must have all the logistics in place by next Friday. You’re the only one here that can do that, Jack, but I’m afraid it’s going to mean you working this weekend”.

You start off on the right track… “I’ve got some family commitments this weekend…”, but then you pause…and the boss doesn’t fill the crucial silence…so you do…”but, I suppose I could re-arrange those…” and the deal is sealed with, “Thanks Jack – I knew I could rely on you!”

So why didn’t you say “no”? Was it because the whole team is depending on you? Maybe it’s because the annual reviews are due in the next couple of weeks and you really don’t want a black mark against your name at this time of year? Or do you just lack the assertiveness to spit it out? It could be something as simple as the fact that your family are easier to negotiate with than your boss – BUT, ask yourself who you would miss more if they weren’t around…???…!!!

I’m sure you could add your own examples here…but the main issue is very simple…

Saying, “Yes” when we really mean (and want to say!), “NO” is one of the biggest causes of extra work and associated stress.

The main problem is that we start the process from the wrong end. We start from, “What will people think of me? Will I lose their respect and damage our relationship.” That’s the “Guilt-Trip” worry.

Then there’s the fear of criticism that might undermine our confidence. Even worse, when we all crave being accepted and liked, there’s the fear of rejection. And deep down we feel that if we use our power of “no”, then we’ll be seen as aggressive.

All of these, of course, could be true – but how many are likely to be true?

My “MUST DO” hints on saying “No” confidently, respectfully and without guilt: -

1. Never be afraid to think first or call for a time-out. People don’t want your kneejerk reaction. They want the reaction that you will follow through on.
2. Don’t start from “no” – start from saying “yes” to yourself regarding those things you hold to be important – be that family, friends, activities you enjoy or commitments that you have made.
3. Ensure that those things reflect your core values – those things that you hold as central to who you are and know where your line in the sand is!
4. Work out some alternatives to just plain “no” – options for the other person to consider.
5. If that doesn’t work, have a Plan B – but remember that line in the sand!
6. Choose your battles wisely – some people just automatically say “no” because that’s their nature and then change their minds in seconds. Try not to become known as “The No Person!”
7. In all situations (potential “yes” and potential “no”), ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen? And am I prepared to accept the consequences of my actions?”

The key to successfully saying “NO” is to make it as positive as you can and that’s not a skill that comes naturally to many people.

More of us easily say “yes” – most of us really struggle to say “No”

So if you’d like some help with that, please free to give me a call. I promise not to say “no”, unless it’s the weekend I’ve promised my family!!!

Or check out our Say “NO” Working Breakfast on our website.

Alan Slater

It’s pointless…if done only once a year.

The Return on Investment is minimal.

This is not to say that Reviews are useless – they are a huge drain on our limited resources if done only once a year, not backed up by a good system and not followed through.

I conducted  informal research in several of my professional groups – it wasn’t meant as such but the article I posted for feedback caused so much interest that a month after the posting HR managers, CEOs and PM professionals are still posting and arguing their points.

Here’s a summary of the Pros and Cons as viewed by professional from Australia and overseas.

THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW DEBATE

Arguments AGAUNST Performance Reviews:

1. The primary impact of annual reviews is filling in files with questionable information/reviews that make arbitration difficult when the company finally decides to act upon poor performance.
2. The usual annual or twice a year report has no measurable impact upon performance at individual or group levels.
   They are mostly “stick” and very little “carrot.”
3. Conventional performance reviews are a bureaucratic construct that have no place in 21st Century staff performance management; they may be outdated and not applicable to current dynamic external environment.
4. Today’s technology enables employees to measure their own performance, ideally daily, preferably weekly and at least monthly.
5. Dishonest reviews lead to the wrongful dismissal of highly competent, qualified folks who simply had the misfortune of having the wrong supervisor.
6. It opens the door to more subjectivity – glowingly positive or glaringly negative – further distorted by hidden agendas or dysfunctional politics.
7. Reviews may not be properly understood or indeed have the wrong Key Performance Indicators attaching to them.
8. After review, very little action happens; No real time taken to effect change. No one made responsible for effecting real change after review.
9. No one in the organisation fully aware of really what is ‘strategic fit’ necessary and how each performance review report is translated to this overall fit.
10. It is a waste of time and resources, a burden to both employers and employees
11. In many cases overly specific performance reviews will hinder the potential for top performers from using their skills to think “outside the box” when they are being graded within the box.
12. There is the practice of performance reviews and there is the task of filing a document.

Arguments FOR Performance Reviews:

1. Every employee: 1) knows what they are expected to accomplish, where they stand overall, specifically where they are doing well and where they can do better; and 2) stays focused and motivated.
2. The performance review also provides a solid basis for coaching, reward and recognition, corrective action, compensation adjustments, and promotions.
3. Performance appraisals have an important place in any organisation that wants to make promotion, selection for advanced training, selection for important assignments both fair and legally defensible.
4. A good system realises that entry-level people might need a performance appraisal every six months. A good system has performance expectations tailored for the individual’s position in the organizational structure.
5. Setting SMART objectives and being evaluated on them helps me to prioritise what the organization and my boss think is important. This enables me to either say “no”, “out of scope at this time”, or “let me try to negotiate space to do that.”
6. Without a plan (developmental) and a review (performance measurement) how would anyone know what is being accomplished?
7. Performance management fails when it is done badly; Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean that you should scarp performance reviews
8. Good review processes give organisations and individuals an opportunity to audit the effectiveness of an organisation’ management as well as individual’s performance.
9. “What you aren’t measuring, you aren’t managing”, If targets and individual performances are well managed then the Performance Review is a great opportunity to celebrate success.
10. Preparing for reviews is a great way to take stock, reward high performing team members with praise, and get a start point in place for recovery of underperformers.
11. It is when people find they haven’t had them that they realise the value to themselves as individual employees. Otherwise, with poorer managers, they can find years have passed without that formal opportunity.
12. Performance reviews are essential in that they continuously remind everyone in the organisation, regardless of level in the organisational structure, that his or her roles, responsibilities and accountabilities are monitored and will be assessed in line with expected outcomes.

Where to from here:

Most professionals are in favour of performance reviewing in general. The objections have been primarily against the Annual Review as an event, questioning its relevance, methodology and outcomes.

I believe in performance reviewing in all its forms – self-reviewing, peer reviewing, organisational plans/strategies reviewing. Without reviewing there is no point in planning in the first place.

It seems that a lot of confusion and dissatisfaction is created by the multitude of objectives the single event of Annual Performance Review is trying to achieve, i.e. Review individual performance, Review contribution to team performance, Review contribution to Organisational goals, Review application/demonstration of company values, Review achievement of personal goals, Motivation levels, Plan next year’s goals (in all the above areas) plus fit in some coaching/counselling for a quick problem fix.

It’s quite a significant ask from all parties involved…

The obvious solution/approach is to split the formal Review into several “conversations” – an ongoing review “sessions” with a minimum reportable period of 1 week.

Some people have suggested daily reporting and reviewing….

Is this not verging on micro-management and over-reporting?

I believe everyone can self-manage on a daily basis and review their own performance. (there are exceptions of course, high-risk industries for example, but then you’re monitoring organisational key value drivers on a daily basis not individual performance….)

If the Annual Review is not a single performance management event, it becomes a relevant summary of what is already known and addressed in the previous 12 months; therefore its main purpose is developmental – to set the individual’s performance/development plan for the following year, whilst also acknowledging their improvement efforts and achievements so far.

So what can you do in your organisation?

1. Having an automated, easy to use system is important – we are currently reviewing several for meeting our key criteria below:
2. The Performance Measurement System should be aligned with the process of creating and tracing/measuring value in the organisation.

If this path is not well defined there is disconnect between what is measured and what the organisation as a whole needs to achieve.
How do you do this? – not as easy as it spans Strategic Management, Operations, HR and Strategic Marketing, which are normally addressed by different departments, consultants and systems, which come in separate packages.

We have designed a system that brings all these strategic elements together, and are in the process of  pairing it up with the most suitable Performance Measurement software.
Our system is incorporated in our new programme/ new business philosophy Work Smart – Have Fun, which will be launched in late March with first participants intake in April.

Let us know if you want to be part of it.

Denitza Genova

It might be relaxing with a book at the beach, playing with the kids, visiting some remote places, catching up on sleep or re-connecting with friends and family.

This time of the year is a wonderful opportunity to take some time off our busy schedules and re-charge our batteries.

And while you are relaxing or having some serious fun make sure you really re-energise yourself.

One thing, which is even more important than New Year Resolutions and carefully thought out plans is to start the new year with the “Best You”, which is basically the very simple “Being Healthy and Happy“.

I do believe that in order to realise any other goals and dreams you may have you need to have a sound body and a sound spirit.

Use the down-time to introduce and establish some healthy routines, which will turn into healthy habits. Here’s how…

It is much easier to start and succeed with new routines when we are relaxed and have more time:

1. Replace junk food with healthy snacks; experiment with some healthy meal recipes and have them ready for when you get back to work.
2. Rediscover the joy of sport and play – get involved with the kids, leave the car at home and walk; research your local sport and social clubs and join before the season starts – you will enjoy some early bird discounts as well (I got 5% discount off my tennis membership for next term). Also for some very simple health tips, check the new book from Michelle Bridges “5 Minutes a Day” - it will be the best $10 you spend this holiday.
3. Try and stick to a healthy bed-time routine (early to bed and early to rise) – even though it may be challenging it will keep your body clock in-tune and make the transition back to work very smooth.
4. De-clutter your home (and office) – get ready for a spring-start to the New Year by throwing/donating/selling all those things, which you never use but invariably get in the way of finding what you really need and enjoy.( I have 2 home de-cluttering rules: “Buy one – throw one” and a Saturday “Salvo Box”)
5. Learn a simple relaxation routine – I recommend chakra meditation, which is basically a combination of breathing and colour visualisation, which helps to relax your mind and body and clear up the energy blocks in your body. There are a lot of books and CDs on chakra meditation. If you haven’t meditated before this is a good one to start with because it’s easier to focus on colours in order to take your mind off the daily grind.
6. Get yourself a massager (hand-held, chair, foam roller). It is very handy for unblocking trapped energy and relieving pain in sore and tight muscles; also very easy to use. I use all 3.
7. Make sure you have a lot of fun.

This is a regular annual event, which demonstrates the benefits of Reserve service to employers and provides them with an opportunity to experience life as a Reservist.

During the Exercise, we were physically and mentally stretched (though to a much lesser degree that a Reservist would be) and enjoyed a range of educational, physical and social experiences.

This was a very intensive programme, extremely well organised by the Defence Reserves Support and was a showcase of brilliant implementation of sound management tactics and operations – project management, risk management, team building, training and development, motivation, creating a challenging but enjoyable environment.

I was very impressed with the skills and attitude of the Women in tough leadership positions – EES Director in South Australia Major Wendy Rydon , EES Project Officer WO2 Chris Wytwer and our Navy Team Leader LEUT Roxanne Price.

I thoroughly recommend the programme to other employers and encourage them to consider hiring a Reservist. As an associate of ours recently said on her Office Manager/Reservist – “This is the best employee I’ve ever had”.
Check the Defense support programs which will assist you in managing Reservist staff: Defence Reserves

2,500 workers were surveyed across different industries, regions and organisational levels.

The key findings of the survey reveal the Productivity Levels of a worker’s average day and the 4 Major Drivers of organisational productivity.

Individual Productivity Levels

In an average day people spent:

• only 58% on work that directly adds “real value”
• 18% on work that wasted time and effort
• 12% on networking with colleagues
• 9% on other activities that added value
• 3% on activities that added to personal development

Given the annual wage bill in Australia is approximately $606 billion, total organisational productivity wastage could be valued at as high as $109 billion.

4 Productivity Drivers

The 4 main influencer on individual productivity are considered to be:

1. People Management – 54% of respondents believe this to be the biggest driver
2.  Organisational Structure, Design and Operating Model – 23%
3.  Innovation – 15%
4.  Technology – 8%

The Specific Recommendations for each Productivity Driver are:

1. People Management

In order to boost productivity people’s full value needs to be realised and their motivational drivers truly understood.

Whilst 71% of the people surveyed are motivated to do their job to the best of their ability, only 62% believe their skills are strongly utilised by their employer, with 38% of people with skills which could be used more productively.

When it comes to motivation “The Work that I do” and “Work/Life balance” came as the first and second biggest motivators for all 35+ workers and “Salaries, Incentives and bonuses” were most important only to the 15-19 years group.

2. Organisational Structure, Design and Operating Model

The number one recommendations for improving organisational productivity is to Reduce bureaucracy and red tape.

In reducing bureaucracy and red tape you need to take a holistic approach across the organisation and to identify and eliminate regulatory inefficiencies without compromising quality and high standards.

Another two key recommendations in these area are Having a clear vision of the organisation’s future and Having confidence in leadership.

3. Innovation

The 3 key recommendations for using Innovation to boost productivity are Give innovation the right strategic focus and attention, Recognise and reward Innovation and Implement good ideas.

4. Technology

65% of respondents believe that New and improved technology would make their organisation more productive in the long term. 42% need the Right training to apply technology effectively.

So in summary in order to improve your organisational productivity:

1. Truly understand what drives your people and
2. Realise their full value/potential
3. Reduce beaucracy and red tape
4. Have a clear vision of your organisation’s future
5. Develop your leaders to inspire confidence and trust
6. Give innovation the right strategic focus and attention
7. Recognise and reward innovation and
8. Implement good ideas
9. Upgrade your technolgy and
10. Train your staff to apply technology effectively.

Denitza Genova

The trained business manager makes better business decisions more quickly!

Making great decisions faster improves business performance and businesses management, here’s how:

1. Managers need to think faster
2. Managers thinking needs to be organised

If you want to accelerate your business and your management decision-making now click on the image (video).

The Science behind Decision Making

There has been a lot of talk about the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Intellectual Intelligence (IQ) at work (and in life)with the emphasis on EQ particularly for management and leadership positions.

One way to look at how these relate is to understand how our brain makes decisions. (in simple terms).

Our brain has two parts responsible for our emotions and logic.

The amygdala is the emotional part of the brain, the cortex is the rational.

However the amygdala has 10 times more neurons going to the cortex than it receives. So while the amygdala can send a lot of messages to the cortex, the cortex can’t do much in return.

Information reaches our emotional brain faster than the cortex. Therefore we are hardwired to react emotionally to people and situations (this is heightened in people with emotional issues).

What does this have to do with management?

It’s a common management reality nowadays that “we hit the ground running”, “decisions are made on the go”, “we’re fire-fighting a lot of the time but we’re good at it”.

It’s interesting that it’s almost escalated to a coveted status, a measure of the manager, the yet to be recognised KPI of management output – “Quantity of decisions per 15 min” (the average time managers spend on a single task).

So what actually is happening is that we are restricting the ability of our rational brain to take part in the decision making. A lot of decisions are made on gut feel and not followed through.

What can we do to manage better and make better decisions?

We are certainly not advocating analysis paralysis here, deliberating extensively and evaluating a never-ending stream of options.
The pace of life is only going to get faster so we just need to get our brain to think faster.

The solution is not as simple as we might want it to be but it makes a lot of sense.

The three (3) steps to getting our brain to think faster:

1. Accelerate your ability to process information faster
2. Improve your brain’s ability to sort and file information
3. Accelerate decision making

1. Process Information Faster
You need to accelerate your rational brain’s ability to process information faster:

a. Keep active: exercise sends oxygen to the brain; practice the inverted yoga pose in the office when you’re tired (no, you don’t have to be a Yogi to do so)
b. Prioritise
c. Build frameworks of information blocks

2. Rationally Sort and File Information
Accelerate your rational brain’s ability to sort and file information:

a. Break down complex information
b. Record and process in manageable chunks – the brain needs focus and clear instructions
c. Use your framework of information blocks

3. Accelerate Decision Making
Improve your rational brain’s ability to make decisions
a. Perform a mental scan of your framework of information blocks
b. Choose your information blocks
c. Make a decision

You might have noticed that there is a common element in all the 3 steps – it is the framework of information blocks.

Put simply this is your accumulated knowledge organised in a specific system which helps you to make sense of the world. It’s a like a big library where everything is stored in a strictly systematised order. The speed and quality of information retrieval from the library will depend on the size and organisation of this library.

The best way to build a strong library inside your brain is through formal, applied management training.

Formal management training provides the building blocks of your brain framework so that every piece of information could be quickly processed and filed for future use and not left circulating aimlessly in your brain space, soon to be cast to oblivion and forgotten forever.

Still not convinced?

Formal training works – here are some examples.

Those of you who love watching crime shows are probably fascinated about the uncanny ability of Profilers and Crime Investigators to work with seemingly unrelated clues and snippets of information to build the crime scene and the picture of the perpetrator.

I’m sure you’ve noticed their use of the white board or even better the glass screen displaying an info matrix which neatly brings all pieces together to spit out the answer in a blink of the eye. As professionals they are trained to use these tools and processes to getter better decisions faster.

Or why is it that if you spent more time and effort on maths at school (because of the evil teacher) later in life you find doing mental arithmetic and calculating your loan interest payment easier than your colleague who thought maths wasn’t their thing.

Why – because you received training.

Yes it does have something to do with the fact that you may have liked maths but more importantly it’s because you built your foundational framework of information blocks through training which then made adding more information to it much easier and faster than if you didn’t have it at all.

Have you built your management framework of information blocks? We can certainly help you with this: 

The advantage of the formally trained manager: Making great business decision fast every time.

Call 8212 4852 to get your free 30 minute management accelerator assessment and find out how management training can:
- generate a business improvement 30% or more,
– provide a potential cash return on investment of 154% and
– reduce costs by 25%.

Diploma of Management

I’m not sure which came first – the “Rules” or the “clichés”, but I’m pretty sure that the best way forward is to bust some of those restricting and unnecessary rules.

In business there should be no sacred cows, no no-go areas and certainly no, “we’ve always done it this way” mentality – and yes those attitudes ARE still alive and kicking in 2011!

Let’s look at those we should keep and cherish and let’s boot out those that have NO place in our organisations – and let’s start with one of everyone’s favourites – “Employees are our most valuable asset”

The first and most obvious problem here is that, generally speaking, assets are things you own and you certainly don’t own employees. And don’t think that Contracts of Employment, Awards or any of that contractual obligation stuff actually helps with the “owning” thing! ALL employees are really sub-contractors that provide their services for a fee. Only for you it’s called a salary.

Now anyone who has managed for more than a day knows that some employees are better described as “liabilities”, rather than assets – but I believe that if we assumed that they’re are ALL liabilities, it would help us, as Managers, to look at how to get the best ROI.

So the first thing we need to do is to re-assess the real (as opposed to perceived) value of our employees and make the best decisions concerning them as if they were financial assets.

It was also interesting to note how quickly these “most valuable assets” were disposed of in the recent GFC…

Another favourite of ours is the “Work / Life Balance” – you know that perennial myth that we’ve all been chasing since we were old enough to realise that it might be an issue. Way too many issues to go into there in any detail, but here’s a few to get you thinking…

a)  Surely it’s in the wrong order? Surely it’s supposed to be a Life / Work balance, isn’t it?

b) The myth assumes, incorrectly in our view, that these are two separate entities. That work and life exist as independent bodies of time and experiences and that separation by “balance” is either desirable or necessary. But it is inevitable that there is a huge overlap between the two and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

c) The main issue here is that all the focus seems to be on either prioritising while you are at work and then doing the same, but less formally, while you at home. If however we actually sat down and prioritised our LIFE, including work AND home/family to fit our value system, then the balancing act would be superfluous and the guilt that we’re supposed to feel if we choose to work 60 hours per week would disappear.

d)  If I was being cynical, (as if!) I might argue that the term “workaholic” could be used to describe someone who uses their job to get some well-deserved time away from their loved ones…

e)  But, to be fair, not many people on their death-bed are heard to say, “Gee, I wish I’d spent more time at the office!”

OK, last one for now – “The More You Do, the Less Gets Done!”

This one is a particularly common issue with our clients and we think that it’s because the desired and, to a certain extent, esteemed “spirit of mateship” that exists in Australia actually gets in the way of good leadership. We seem to really struggle with the Mate vs. Manager or Boss vs. Buddy problem, to the point where it’s easier to do the job yourself and thus avoid the hard conversations that we really should be having.

If you can step back and then up and take the “balcony” view, rather than being on the stage, this will certainly help you to avoid some of the potential battles. (I’ve never liked the “helicopter view” and if you’ve ever been in one, you’ll know exactly why I don’t like it!)

And another thing that will particularly help the technician who’s been promoted to Supervisor / Manager – it is important to be mediocre in order to be brilliant! “What?” I hear you cry…let me explain. As a technician you probably excelled. But as a Manager you need to excel at Managing and it’s virtually impossible to do both. You may want to continue to excel at the technical stuff, but you sure don’t need to. You need to focus on the Managing and let everyone you work with deal with the technical issues. I know, I know…it’s hard because that was your comfort zone – but there’s a technical phrase for this – it’s called “Growing up!”

So just a few of the things that we need to do on a regular basis in order for the Management Realty Check to work! None of them are easy, but hey, whoever told you that life as a Manager was easy, was lying to you!

Enjoy!!!

Alan Slater

“It’s sad, so sad

According to Elton John, “Sorry” seems to be the hardest word. But there’s a word that’s only 40% of the length of sorry and, I believe, is infinitely harder to say.

That word is, “No”.

Despite this great difficulty, “no” is ranked anywhere between 45th to 84th most common word in the English language, depending on which list you look at – but then, “sorry” isn’t in the top 500, allegedly, so maybe it is harder…

You know how the story goes…

You finally get around to organising that weekend away with the family – you know, the one you’ve been promising for the last 100 weekends – when your boss comes to you on Thursday afternoon and says. “We’ve just found out that we’ve won the new contract we’ve been chasing for the last four months! But it’s a condition of the client that we must have all the logistics in place by next Friday. You’re the only one here that can do that, but I’m afraid it’s going to mean you working this weekend”

So why can’t you say “no”? Because the whole team is depending on you? Because the annual reviews are due in the next couple of weeks and you really don’t want a black mark against your name at this time of year? Or do you just lack the assertiveness to spit it out?

It wouldn’t be so bad, but this is the umpteenth time this has happened to you over the last few years – you just seem to have reluctantly accepted the role of “Hero-of-the-moment”, even if it doesn’t come with any recognition or dollar signs attached to it.

Saying, “Yes” when we really mean (and want to say!), “No” is one of the biggest causes of extra work and associated stress and the main problem is that we start the process from the wrong end. We start from, “What will people think of me? Will I lose their respect and damage our relationship.” That’s the “Guilt-Trip” worry.

Then there’s the fear of criticism that might undermine our confidence and competence. Even worse, when we all crave being accepted and liked, there’s the fear of rejection. And deep down we feel that if we use our power of “no”, then we’ll be seen as aggressive.

All of these, of course, could be true – but how many are likely to be true?

My “MUST DO” hints on saying “No” confidently, respectfully and without guilt: -

1. If you know that there is a storm coming, look for the umbrella now – not when it’s already pouring down!

2. Never be afraid to think first or call for a time-out. People don’t want your kneejerk reaction. They want the reaction that you will follow through on.

3. Don’t start from “no” – start from saying “yes” to yourself regarding those things you hold to be important – be that family, friends, activities you enjoy or commitments that you have made.

4. Ensure that those things reflect your core values – those things that hold as central to who you are and know where your line in the sand is!

5. Work out some alternatives to just plain “no” – options for the other person to consider.

6. If that doesn’t work, have a Plan B – but remember that line in the sand!

7. Choose your battles wisely – some people just automatically say “no” because that’s their nature and then change their minds in seconds. Try not to become known as “The No Person!”

8. In all situations (potential “yes” and potential “no”), ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen? And am I prepared to accept the consequences of my actions?”

The key to successfully saying “no” is to make it as positive as you can and that’s not a skill that comes naturally to many people.
So if you’d like some help with that, please feel free to give me a call. I promise not to say “no” to your call!

Or get some more information on our EQ Management tool here.

Alan

So I didn’t know what to expect when Steve Wozniak took the stage. I did expect him to read his presentation, since, pardon the stereotype, a lot of engineers like Steve feel uncomfortable presenting without “security blankets”.

But it wasn’t the case with Steve. He didn’t read his speech, and he didn’t have sensational facts and stories to tell us.

He just told his story and the story of Apple Computers, and in doing so he captured the undivided attention of every single person in the hall for a whole hour.

Such is the power of Story Telling, it is not just for kids, it is for adults in business suits as well. And this skill is priceless. But I will get back to it later.

For now I just want to present the profile of the Inspirational Leader, from the way I saw and heard Steve Wozniak.

1. Passionate about his “job” –

He talks with great passion about what he does, has very expressive body language, is animated, and uses a lot of gesticulating

2. Unique and life-long approach to learning -

Steve started learning and experimenting from a very young age; growing up in Silicon Valley he had the most conducive environment in which to develop his skills and knowledge.

He has a unique way of learning – “The best things I’ve learned I didn’t read in a book – I wrote the book myself! It’s better – you think through the process!”

3. Hard Work –

An example of his passion and work ethic he gave was of his time at Hewlett Packard – he used to start his work day at 5.30 am each morning, read all the latest news on electronics to keep up to date.
And he didn’t do that because of career aspiration – he just loved being an engineer for Hewlett Packard

4. Entrepreneurial mind-set –

He always looks at the latest technology, not with the view of having and using but of having and making it better.
He said numerous times in his presentation, referring to new competing technology, – “ I’ve got to have this – I’ve got to design it!”

Steve Wozniak is not a typical innovator, he doesn’t start things from scratch, more often than not he sees something and designs his version of it – better, different.

5. Child-like curiosity and zest to invent and play with new toys

Steve told the story about the Breaker Game – the pong game he invented working on his design for 4 days with no sleep!!!! Such was his drive, which was greatly fuelled by his desire to do something for the kids – He kept telling himself “I’ve gotta do this for the kids”

6. Great Story Teller

Totally mesmerised the audience to the extent that everyone wanted to be part of his world and share the excitement (how important is this for your business and your staff engagement!!!!)

7. Finding the right business partner

This is the point at which Steve Jobs come on the scene.
Steve Wozniak gives Steve Jobs a lot of credit for the success of Apple as a company. He recognised that without Steve’s business acumen they wouldn’t be where they are now! “ I was just inventing things for myself. Steve was the sales person!”

8. Social thinker

It is interesting but not surprising, given the image of the Apple Brand, that what really drove Steve Wozniak throughout his creative life, was not the desire to make more money or be famous or recognised, but the desire to give.

“How can I benefit people?”  I wasn’t selling them to the other students (talking about his inventions during his Uni years) – I was giving them away so that more people could use them and make computers more popular.

Based on this values and motivation it is easy to understand now why Apple products are not as restrictive as Microsoft and can be easily expanded and upgraded (the example given was of Apple 2, a very successful product for the company).

9. Build your team of people sharing the same values

“I put together a team that believed in people so that they could create something good for the user”

So here is a truly inspirational entrepreneur, who is not self-serving but led by a dream to build something better for the world.

I think all of us can learn something from people like Steve and it is a privilege to get close, even for a moment, to their world.

And whilst there are many useful traits we can try and emulate, the story telling talent that Steve has is the dark horse. It is something that business leaders underestimate…

So I’d like to offer you the opportunity to learn more about The art and science of Story Telling in business.
We are putting together a short working session on this topic, which will be facilitated by Alan Slater, whom many of you know.

Please register your interest with us and we will send you further information once we establish level of interest.

Denitza Genova