New Horizons
Someone I consider a friend, is venturing off into the great unknown of starting her own business. However, she has been here before just in a different form.
Prepare for the Festive Season
I don’t know about you, but I am feeling pretty tired. It’s been a busy year and now it is EXTREMELY HOT. When you’re tired or suffering from heat exhaustion, it’s easier to take the easy road. Making decisions which don’t take much brain power to think about.
Who are you to judge?
Have you ever made a judgment about someone or something without all the information? Have you made decisions in relation to your business without having all the information?
Noise -V- Silence
I often write about sporting teams. The successful teams and the not so successful teams. Reason being, they are great examples and analogies when it comes to talking about what is present in high performing teams and, of course, those who don’t perform as well.
No One Likes Change... Apparently
‘People don’t like change.’ I hear this statement a lot. But it is one of those all-encompassing statements applied to a large group of people with really no firm basis.
A Day of Firsts
On Sunday I had a day of firsts.
I rang triple 0 for the first time. I had an ambulance come to my home. I then sat in said ambulance to be attended to by the paramedics...
Knowing When It’s Time
As I write this, Billy Slater, Queensland Legend and surely one day Immortal, is preparing for his last State of Origin game. The week prior, the AFL world received the news Cyril Rioli, at only 28 years of age, would be retiring. Very sad news for a Hawthorn supporter like me but it is obviously the right choice for Cyril.
Learning Business Communities
Learning is unquestionably invaluable. Whether it is a formal education setting or the experiences of life, learning ensures we evolve and enables us to achieve more because of the wider view learning provides to us.
Working on the Right Things
I wrote an article recently entitled ‘Is Investing in Your Business Discretionary’. The article focussed on where business owners will invest their money to improve the performance of their business. The article questions our discretion in where we place our investment. It goes hand in hand with what we, as individuals, believe needs to be worked on first.
Try Something New! What could go Wrong?
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.’
Why do people continue to do the same thing? Why don’t they try something new?
Is Investing in Your Business Discretionary?
What do you believe are the most important things to invest in for your business? Where do you invest your time and money to improve your business?
What Will Your Legacy Be?
Recently, I have had the privilege of working with a number of individuals seeking self-awareness and teams delivering self-awareness and awareness of those they work with. Awareness of the strengths of your team mates as well as the areas in which they may not be so strong is an integral part of utilising shared synergies and constructive conflict to achieve, both for the individual and the team.
What Does Safety Mean To You?
Safety. It’s a part of every workplace, or should be. Safety has changed over the years. In a business I worked in, I was told by long term employees they were safer when they could take a six pack on board with them. The prevalence of signs everywhere was a cause for more than a few jokes.
I Can Do It!
I was having coffee with a dear friend recently and our conversation turned to business. The core of the conversation was the understanding by others of the purpose and value of another business service.
Understanding What People Want
How sure are you that you know exactly what your customers and potential customers want? How do you know you are giving them what they want? You may think these are stupid questions. If they keep showing up you must be giving them what they want mustn’t you?
Prepare Or Repair
Have you worked with someone who attacks everything head on? Doing a million things all at once. You wonder if they are ever really listening to you. They may get a lot done but it isn’t always what was asked of them or even what the business needs.
Diversify, Diversify, Diversify!
Diversifying our workplaces is making the headlines at the moment. In particular, there is the focus on educating young women in the STEM disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – to ensure their place in these areas in our workplaces.
Things Aren't Always As They Seem
How often do you make a comment about somebody based on what you see on TV? We get to see what the producers want us to see right? I have often seen the same story reported differently across three or four different news channels. Missing information or elaborated information depending on what message they want to get across.
It's Just Not Cricket
Every week there is a scandal to write about. This week - Australian Cricket. Cricket lost me years ago. I was an avid watcher during the era of Lillee, Marsh, Chappells and Thommo. Those were the days! The sad reality is, the platform for this scandal involving Smith, Warner and Bancroft, was laid long ago.
The Nature of Neuroscience
Neuroscience has become a bit of a buzz word in recent times. This is the despite the fact the practice of neuroscience within businesses has been happening for quite some time. Neuroscience is a very valuable tool to have in one’s tool kit – for business and life.
Knowledge & Experience through the Ages
There is no secret we are facing a shortage of skilled people across many facets. Trades, technical, administrative, human resources and health professionals. The list goes on.
The Difference Between Business & Sport
The difference between business and sport. Is there any? I would argue probably not. Even at the grass roots amateur level there are requirements which need to be in place to protect players and administrators. Of course, sport isn’t just about fun. It’s about competition and winning. Sometimes at any cost.
Keep on Going – The Art of Persistence
We are into the New Year. The New Year gives us the motivation to get things moving. People are keen to get back to work and get things cracking.
New Beginnings
It’s that time of year again. New Year. Some make resolutions. Some see it as the chance for new beginnings in certain or all aspects of their life. Yet most New Year’s resolutions are not kept and not achieved.
Blending In
When I started working at Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal many moons ago, my work attire was blouses, skirts and heels. The guys in the field wore work clothes but there was no high visibility workwear.
Words and Their Implications
It’s pretty easy for a business to find themselves in front of the Fair Work Commission. Don’t get me wrong. We need a body to protect employees when employers take action which is inappropriate. Because, unfortunately, there are still business owners who like to ignore the law and treat their employees disgracefully.
Prepare For The Festive Season
Harvey Weinstein. Most people have probably never heard of him or were aware he produced their favourite movies. You would have to be living in a cave not to have heard of him now. His name is being splashed all over the news for all the wrong reasons.
Diamonds in Our Community
Believe it or not, there is a lot of talent in our community. People with natural born talent. Others who have been provided opportunities to learn from leaders in industry. Sometimes these talented people are known or not known at all.
What’s in an Opinion?
Opinions. Everyone has them. Differences in opinion may have dramatic, even fatal, consequences. The recent happenings in Charlottesville in the US attest to this.
Why Should I Buy from You?
‘Why should I buy from you?’ It’s a perfectly good question for a customer to ask. You are basically being asked what do you differently from your competitors? What sets you apart from others in this industry? What will you do for me which will satisfy my needs?
Set The Benchmark
I recently read an article regarding the toxic cultures created in businesses such as Macquarie Bank, Uber and Fox News. These toxic cultures have been protecting employees demonstrating bad behaviour relating to a number of issues including drug taking, sexist and chauvinistic behaviour. These businesses chose not to take any action against these employees who, in most cases, were apparently high performers.
Never Stop Learning
Knowledge. Education. Experience. These three things go hand in hand. You could say they are one and the same. Possibly. What I know is that knowledge, education and experience opens our eyes and opens our world. If we let them.
Rewarding Performance
Recently, I wrote about Bernard Tomic and his loss of love for tennis. The article explored Tomic’s only playing tennis to support the lifestyle he wants to lead. This then lead to the comparison with employees who are also only turning up to work to support their lower order security needs in their life. Hence meaning employees not working to their potential or at their best.
The Changing Faces of the Team
It must be very interesting to work at the White House during any administration let alone the current one. I loved the West Wing TV show! Imagine showing up to work not knowing if your boss will be the same person it was yesterday.
When The Love Is Gone
Like many Australians, read ‘tennis lovers’, I watched with interest the interview with Bernard Tomic recently. Before I go on, I must say I do not feel sorry for Bernie but do feel sad for him. Sad for the waste of talent and what he may, and still may, have achieved.
Is the customer always right?
It’s the old saying following business owners around. ‘The customer is always right.’ But are they? We all have customers who may prove difficult for one reason or another. Regardless of how you feel about that, it is important to understand why.
Are You Willing?
Last year I wrote an article about business owners who won’t face the truth about what is happening in their business. It can be a lot of things they don’t want to face but especially their involvement in what is going on.
Networking... Ugh! or Yay!
Depending on who you are your response to networking will vary. Some people find it quite easy. Others feel very uncomfortable.
Using The Silence
I love quotes. It is surprising how so much more can be said in a sentence or two than in an entire book. But, of course, it depends on the quote. It also, sometimes, depends on the person delivering the quote and your situation at the time.
Common Practice
Recently I wrote an article about the importance of protecting your brand due to the PricewaterhouseCoopers debacle at the last Academy Awards. Yet we have another great example of damage to a brand in one swift ‘blow’.
What’s the Next Step – Succession Planning
Business owners open their businesses for different reasons. For me, it was a mix of wanting to share my experience, work with different businesses and flexibility. For others it’s the loads of money they will make.
Protecting Your Brand
The recent Oscars debacle of announcing the wrong winner for Best Picture is a great example of how your brand can be affected negatively on a grand scale.
Are You Really Being You?
Leaders are always being watched. Their every move and word. Every decision. Constantly being reviewed, critiqued and dissected.