Growing People in Business

Ways to Design Stories For Business and Presentations (part 3)

2011-12-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

This is the third in a series of posts about designing stories for business and presentations. Stories are so important because, done well, they evoke emotion. And as John Medina explains in Brian Rules:

"When the brain detects emotion the amygdala release dopamine into the system - aids memory and information processing. "

1. Create a picture association. People relate to pictures in very different ways to words. Pictures can be absorbed and read at very different levels. There has been a lot of study to look at people's eye movements in relation to pictures and which elements of a picture they go to first.

2. Create a word association. If the important part of a story is to get people to remember particular points then using certain key words that evoke an emotion each time they are used can be very powerful. If for example you have 3 key concepts that you need to get across, can they be reduced to simple words or phrases and how can you build a story around them?

3. Start at the end. A trick often used by Hollywood. By starting at the end and then going back to provide an explanation of how the characters got there.

4. When, Where, What, Who, Why, How? Ask these questions and fill in the gaps. Goes well with no. 5

5. Use Mind Maps. If you haven't used Mind Maps before then learn how to do so. They are great for creating ideas and then finding the links.

6. List of characters, emotions, place, time. This is another way to find different elements of a story.

7. Look at storylines of films/books/TV and substitute different elements. Most stories have already been written. Whether it is in great classics or soaps, stories remerge, reworked and with new names but often the same outcomes.

8. Create a journey. Most stories are about journeys from A to C via B. They are journeys of discovery about self, about others, about power and frailty, about selfishness and selflessness. It is the settings that change.

If you would like help finding your stories, get in touch.

Creating Your Own Stories for Business and Presentations

2011-12-06T06:43:00.001-08:00

Looking to create stories for your business? Stories are so powerful as they combine emotion, action, heros and villains and can really bring your business and presentations to life.

To start with you need to ask yourself aseries of questions.

◦ What is the goal of your story? What do you want to happen as a resultof telling your story?

◦ What’s in it for the audience? Why should they be interested? Why is itimportant that they listen?

◦ How much do they already know? If an audience is new to an area, howcan you make your story simple enough to introduce them to a brad concept whenthey don't have the detail?

◦ What do you want your audience to spontaneously recall? What do youwant people to walk away with?

o That the lemon wasorange? (ie not what they first thought.)

o That the product isfun? (ie: it makes them smile when they think about it.)

o An image of the brightred balloon? (ie. a specific picture.)

o It made me sad, but happy? (ie. a specific emotion)

o A shocking fact (one that is difficult to shift from your mind)

◦ Where is the best place to use your story in the presentation?

o The beginning - tocapture attention and make sure that they have got the gist.

o The middle - torecapture attention.

o The end - to leavethem with an emotional feeling to remember.

People's attention span is short. So usingstories at strategic points cannot only be used to create contrast, evoke emotion, explain difficult topics well,but it can also bring people's attention back to your narrative. Have fun with them!

Using Stories in Business

2011-12-05T03:21:00.001-08:00

Using Stories in Business

I recently watched a comedian strutting his stuff on stage and was struck by his ability to tell a simple story and have the audience respond with gales of laughter. What was it he was doing that was so successful? After all he was only telling a story about buying Christmas presents with his wife. The trials and tribulations, the misunderstandings, the ultimate denouement and the punchline. The story itself was very simple and ordinary but what he was doing was very clever. He was tapping into other people's perceptions and experiences and turning them on their head. Like most great comedy, it was taking the ordinary, making it extraordinary and evoking emotion along the way.

For centuries we have used stories to pass on information. But in much of modern business life we have forgotten how to use them effectively. This is particularly true when it comes to presentations. We all know that there are millions of presentations made every day, the majority of them less than riveting. So what can you do to stand out from the crowd and make you presentations really memorable?

Stories Stick

But why are stories so powerful? The impact of stories lies in the fact that they provoke emotion which is known to be a major influencer in maintaining interest and memory retention.

The brain processes meaning before detail. So starting your presentation with a story so that people get the gist of what you are going to say and then going into the detail improves both concentration and understanding.

It provides a series of hooks on which to hang further explanation. So you can refer back to the story and say "so when the comedian said....the audience rocked with laughter!"

By adding relevant stories at suitable intervals throughout the presentation it is possible to introduce new ideas and spark new interest and re-engage through emotion at a point when the attention might be flagging.

So next time you create a presentation, try starting with a relevant story. It doesn't have to be funny unless you are confident that you can make people laugh. If you can't immediately think of one, pinch a story line from somewhere else such as a movie or a fairy tale. Just make sure you create a relevant link.

Want to find out more about creating stories for presentations or training? We provide story telling coaching to help you find your own stories.

Stress - The 7 C's

2011-11-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Stress - The 7 C's

In time for National Stress Awareness Day, here are the 7C's behind Stress and what you can do about them.

Stressor No. 1 - PoorCOMMUNICATION

• Poorcommunication leads to misunderstanding, missed opportunities, bad feeling.

• Assertivecommunication helps deal with these. Learning good communication skills can help you at workand at home.

Stressor No. 2 - Lackof CAPABILITY

• Ifyou have not been trained to do a job then is it fair to expect you to do itwell?

• Giveyourself the best possible chance to do well by getting the best possibletraining for the job in hand.

Stressor No. 3 - Too little CAPACITY

· Not having enough capacity to deal with day-today issues can lead to a sense of overwhelm which can be overpoweringand cause you to want to give up or walk away.

· This may be a case of needing to review yourwork life balance or getting yourself organised.

· It may be the case that you need to learn how tosay "No."

· Make sure you review where you are in your life,the things you want to keep and the things you want to walk away from. Now workout a plan to do just that.

Stressor No. 4 - Lossof CONTROL

• Peopleget stressed about a situation because they feel out of control.

• Differentpeople react in different ways to loss of control and will use differentstrategies to get back to a level ofacceptable control for them .

• Learninghow you react to loss of control and the strategies that you use, can help youto understand what you might do differently.

Stressor No. 5 -Dealing with CHANGE

• Manypeople don’t like change and get very stressed as a result.

• Thefirst steps to dealing with change is to accept it is inevitable and then dealwith the consequences rather than the fact itself.

• Learnto embrace change so it doesn’t scare you as much.

Stressor No. 6 -Resolving CONFLICT

For those of us who don’t likeconflict, it can be a major source of stress. Learning to deal with it can be amajor benefit. There are many ways of dealing with conflict, dependent on yoursituation. Here are a few:

1. Don't take the bait.

2. Consider the underlying causes. Is it obviouswhy someone is upset?

3. Pause before you react. This will give youthinking time.

4. Check your own behaviour. Is it part of theproblem?

5. Listen.

6. Acknowledge that they may be correct in part oftheir concern.

7. Be willing to negotiate if appropriate.

8. Remain assertive.

9. Stay in adult.

10. Look forwarning and danger signs.

11. Checkyour distances.

12. Avoidcompeting.

13. ThinkWin/Win.

14. Beprepared to deal with emotion and anger.

15. Be aware,be alert.

16. Know yourlegal position.

Stressor No. 7 -Dealing with a CRISIS

• Weall have to deal with crisis from time to time, whether it is personal or atwork. Knowing how you are likely to react will help you plan on how to dealwith things in the future.

• Crisescan hit us at anytime. Illness, a death in the family, divorce, bad debt.Unfortunately they are all too common. And can really knock you for six whenthey happen.

• Ifyou are dealing with a crisis, make sure that you have the support mechanismsin place to help you as much as possible,. This might include medical and legalprofessionals, friends and family, a coach or counsellor.

Want to find out more about how you can manage stress moreeffectively? Here are some useful links:

De-StressYou- Kindle Version

UsefulGuides from Pansophix including: AUseful Guide to De-Stress You, A UsefulGuide to Resolving Conflict, A Useful Guide to Create a New You - by BerryWinter

For Stress Coaching - http://www.jamberry.co.uk/coaching/coaching_home.html

For a variety of online products - http://www.jamberryonline.co.uk/index.html

Managing Conflict - CUDSA

2011-07-19T03:18:00.000-07:00

When you are in a conflict situation, in the heat of the moment it can sometimes be difficult to remember what to do. There are a number of acronyms that may help you to remember. The first is:

CUDSA

Confront the behaviour

Understand each other's position

Define the problem

Search for a solution

Agree

Activity	Explanation	Example
Confront the behaviour	Concentrate on the behaviour not the person. Ask then to modify their behaviour so that you can talk about the issue.	I feel uncomfortable when you say xxx. Please can we discuss this calmly so that we can get to the problem.
Understand each other's position	Take the time to understand the other's position. Is it a real issue, or is it based on misunderstanding? Have you got all of the information, or only part of the story? Respect their position and ask them to respect yours.	Please tell me slowly what you think the issue is. Please then listen to my reply.
Define the problem	Get into the detail, but try not to react by becoming defensive, sulking, aggressive or other negative behaviour. Repeat back to the other party, your understanding of their side of the story. Stay in adult.	I understand that you feel ..., and that you have an issue with ..., and that the reason behind this is ... Is this correct? My position is ...
Search for a solution	This involves cooperation. Search for a win-win solution wherever possible. The best solution is one where each party feels that they have gained at least part of their point if not all.	I suggest that I will agree to ... if you are happy to give me ... This way we both gain something positive.
Agree	Get an agreement - even if it is an agreement to differ. Make sure any agreement is stated clearly and unambiguously. If necessary, write it down.	In these (...) circumstances, I agree to ... and you agree to ... If things substantially change then we will review this agreement.

Top 10: Ways to Lead by Example

2011-06-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Good leaders must lead by example. Through their actions, which are aligned with what they say, they become a person others want to follow. When leaders say one thing but do another, they erode trust, a critical element of productive leadership. Here are 10 of the dozens of ways to lead by example.

1. Take responsibility. Blame costs you your credibility, keeps team members on the defensive and ultimately sabotages real growth.

2. Be truthful. Inaccurate representation affects everyone. Show that honesty really IS the best policy.

3. Be courageous. Walk through fire (a crisis) first. Take calculated risks that demonstrate commitment to a larger purpose.

4. Acknowledge failure. It makes it OK for your team to do the same and defines failure as part of the process of becoming extraordinary.

5. Be persistent. Try, try again. Go over, under or around any hurdles to show that obstacles don’t define your company or team.

6. Create solutions. Don’t dwell on problems; instead be the first to offer solutions and then ask your team for more.

7. Listen. Ask questions. Seek to understand. You’ll receive valuable insights and set a tone that encourages healthy dialogue.

8. Delegate liberally. Encourage an atmosphere in which people can focus on their core strengths.

9. Take care of yourself. Exercise, don’t overwork, take a break. A balanced team, mentally and physically, is a successful team. Model it, encourage it, support it!

10. Roll up your sleeves. Like Alexander the Great leading his men into battle, you’ll inspire greatness in your company.

Find out more about how to lead your team and deal with difficult behaviour. Listen to our webinar. the 5 keys to dealing with difficult behaviour at work.

Build a successful team - interview

2011-03-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Trying to put together a team? Want to understand the process and what happens when you start to create a new team. David Mellor interviews Berry Winter about building teams and teambuilding. Team building should be more than just having a fun day out. In the interview we review the Tuckman model of forming, storming, norming and preforming. Below is an MP3 recoding of the interview.

Check out the Team Building Interview with Berry Winter

Ever wondered what a Johari window was?

2011-03-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

The Johari window is named after Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham. It is a model of human interaction, leadership and influence and how and what we choose to reveal about ourselves.

Check out the video.

Happy Christmas to you

2010-12-17T08:30:00.000-08:00

Team Building

2010-09-05T02:43:00.000-07:00

Check out the animation software at Animoto.com. You can create some great animations!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Keep a log

2010-08-23T03:53:00.000-07:00

Need to keep your motivated? Try keeping a log or diary of your daily events?

To find out more visit www.getmotivated247.com

Team building with drama (video)

2010-06-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Great day using masks and drama to explore communication skills

Get Paid for Who You Are Challenge! Help raise money for the rainforest

2010-04-15T02:16:00.000-07:00

Please help me raise some money for the Rainforest Foundation and the children living there. Get a free copy of David Wood's book Get Paid for Who You are. Follow the link below and help me get on the map!

7 Pitfalls when Making Presentations

2010-03-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

Making presentations is one of the key business skills that many of us fear. Here are some thoughts on the pitfalls that can befall us and how you can overcome them.

Pitfall 1. Not being prepared.

Even the best presenters need to know what they are talking about and what they are going to say. You can be the expert in your subject, but if you haven't ordered in your mind how you are going to put that across, then you may well fail to engage your audience and fail to get your message to them. Take the time to do your preparation well and thoroughly. It is also worth checking where you are in the running. What is the speaker before you likely to say? Will it be easy to follow it? Can you incorporate it into your own material by reference?

Pitfall 2. Believing your slides will do the talking for you.

Spending too much time designing slides to support you and not enough time thinking about what you are going to say. There is nothing more boring than just talking through you slides. Make sure that you are the star of the show not them. That is not to say that your slides should be boring, far from it. You must make sure that you slides are simple, visible by your whole audience and use colours wisely. Use them to illustrate your talk, not dominate it.

Pitfall 3. Not thinking about your delivery.

Good presenters have variety - variety in their voice, their stance and their material. People judge you on your body language so it is worth thinking about how you stand - feet apart with your weight evenly distributed. Use your voice to introduce variety into the presentation. Think about which points require emphasis and then how you can use your voice. Slow down, speed up, louder or quieter. Watch what others do. Listen to some great speakers from the past.

Pitfall 4. Not checking about the technical equipment.

How often do you turn up to talk to find that the PC and the projector are not compatible? Or there is no extension cable? Will you be using a microphone? Is it fixed or mobile? Will you get a chance to practice? It is worth spending sometime find out as much as possible about the venue, the facilities and the organisers expectations as possible.

Pitfall 5. Not knowing who your audience are.

Expecting an audience who know your subject well and understand all the references and get an audience who are new to the subject? Or get a group of experts who are looking for something new of the subject? Expecting 300 and only get 30 or maybe the other way around? The size and knowledge of your audience can make a huge difference about how you are able to interact with them. So check them out beforehand if you can.

Pitfall 6. Failing to practice.

Regular speakers making the same speech may not need to practice much. But for the rest of us, it is important to practice to ensure you are familiar with the material. Check you material isn't going to cause to you overrun your allotted time slot. Or that you are not going to run out of material half way through. Also think through any questions that might be asked and how you are going to answer them.

Pitfall 7. Failing to have a backup plan.

What happens if your worst nightmare happens and things go wrong? By thinking through all that things that might happen and planning for them you will feel more confident and able to relax. If the equipment is not working, does it really matter if you know your subject and can talk about it with confidence and ease? If you audience is bigger than you expected, embrace the challenge and work with them. Good planning will ensure that you can get through your presentation with the least possible trouble.

Good luck!

Team Building with Drama and Masks

2010-03-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

On this team building day we were exploring the themes of communication, presntation and working together more closely.

We had a great time using the wonderful Trestle Theatre masks on a drama team building session. They were able to allow us to explore body language and expression in an entirely new way.

Let's hand it to the team! #teambuilding

2010-03-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

You have to hand it to them! This team got together to create a collection of hand paintings based on their own hands. They now have a permanent reminder of the fact that they will be hands on in their jobs and work together more as a team.

Get Motivated, Stay Motivated

2010-02-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

Had a great time on our Get Motivated Stay Motivated Webinar. Click here to get the replay

Get Motivated, Stay Motivated

2010-01-14T10:15:00.000-08:00

Want to get motivated in 2010? Visit www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.co.uk and sign up for the FREE Webinar.

Motivation is about a state of mind. It is about the iner need that creates a compelloig desire to act. On the Webinar we will cover

A few concepts about motivation
Some things to do to improve your motivation and that of others…
…and, a Special Offer!

So if you would like to get motivated in 2010 come and join us on 18th February between 4 and 5 pm GMT

14 ways to Stay Calm

2010-01-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Keeping calm when all around you are in a panic. Here are some simple thoughts on how to Stay Calm! Enjoy

Cut Through The Noise - COL_UK

2009-11-10T08:55:00.001-08:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Cut Through The Noise - COL_UK

View more presentations from roger1080.

7 Ways to Deal with Difficult People

2009-11-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

Dealing with difficult people is about staying in control of yourself, of the situation and the conversation. Sometimes you have to brave it out. This doesn’t mean fighting back but it may mean waiting until they have vent their spleen. Here are a few ideas on how you can deal with difficult people.

Listen – people like to talk about themselves so let them have their say. By listening you are creating an opportunity for that person to release pent up feelings. The trick is to know when to say stop, now I have listened and it is time to move on.

Build empathy – empathy is about being able to respect each others different points of view. You have opened up the communications channels. You do not have to sympathise with someone to build understanding about someone else’s position.

Build rapport – by listening you have started the process. It enables you to find the points of connection and build on those to create a good working relationship.

Be patient – difficult people are not always the loud ones. Sometimes quiet people can be just as difficult to deal with. They may come across as shy, sullen, uncommunicative etc. Give them the opportunity to overcome their reluctance to communicate in a non-threatening environment.

Stay in adult – if someone is acting in a childish way, don’t react by becoming childish as well. Stay in adult mode and wait for them to catch you up. Remember how frustrating toddlers are to deal with. Give them some space to work things out for themselves.

Bring them back to the point – the difficulty may be someone who likes to talk too much. Each time they go off the subject bring them gently but firmly back to the matter in hand.

Watch your language – you can’t always understand someone else’s feeling, but you can accept that they have the right to have them. Avoid “I understand how you feel…” and substitute “I understand that you are feeling…” Always comment on the behaviour not the person.

Give Yourself a New Job Title

2009-10-26T08:09:00.000-07:00

How much does your job title define your job? How much does it determine your approach to your job? How does it affect other people's approach to you? The name of your job very often tries to describe what you do. so on that premise if you want to do something different, or want your staff to, then change the name!

Imagine you had a new job title. Not any old title but one that would make a difference - to you and your team. Take for example Director of Making a Difference. What is the difference that you would make? It could be a different way of getting things done, or it might be making the difference to your customers.

What about Head of Momentum? Where might you find momentum in your organisation? How would you go about creating it?

Here are a few more different job tiles you could use:

Company Journey Planner
Director of Money Matters
Head of Executions
Company Team Tracker

Changing the name of your job may change the way you view it and where you place the emphasis - so go on give your job a new name!

6 Mistakes when Leading Teams

2009-10-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Leading teams can be fraught with difficulties. Here are just a few of the most common ones.

Believing your whole team understands and accepts the team goals.

Issue: When did you last check that your team understood the overall team objectives and their role within that? Teams are made up of individuals and unless all the individuals are on board with the basic messages then there will always be forces pulling the team in different directions.

Next step: Set up meetings with individuals, groups, whole teams and ask them what they believe their goals to be.

Believing team name does not make a difference.

Issue: Your name is part of your identity. So it is with teams. Call a team Complaints Dept and they will. Teams need to be branded in a way that they find acceptable and ideally presents a positive image to the people they have to deal with outside the team.

Next step: Conduct a team branding exercise. Ask about perceptions of the team as it stands and what needs to be change. Make the team and brand an aspirational place to work.

Allowing the latest person to join the team to be trained by the last person to join.

Issue: Ever heard of Chinese whispers? Everyone puts their own interpretation on instructions and if training is conducted by someone different each time, then the messages on how to do jobs well is likely to get diluted. Training someone to do their job well needs to be done by someone who understands the job objectives and the purpose of the team. Not paying attention to the messages that people are receiving in the early days in the job means that bad practice gets spread around and become entrenched.

Next step: Always be involved in some aspects of the training and make training part of someone’s job description.

Teams need to be controlled

Issue: High performing teams have a clear sense of direction, but they do not need to be controlled. There needs to be to be regular check points but not to the extent that they get in the way of the teams’ performance.

Next step: Set fair performance targets for the team with a way of measuring and rewarding tasks that get done well.

Teams that appear alright on the surface are OK.

Issue: All good leaders should be aware of any underlying problems in their teams and look for ways to tackle them before they become a major issue. Ignoring problems very often means that they will just fester under the surface and inhibit a teams progress.

Next step: Build trust with your team, one at a time if necessary. Teams don’t necessarily have to like each other, but they do need to respect each other. Make sure respect is one of your teams’ values.

The leader knows better than the team.

Issue: Great team leaders know when to listen to their team. Team members are doing the job day in and day out and their opinions are vital to the success of the teams’ objectives. As team leader you need to take on board members views and where appropriate act on them.

Next step: Set up a listening post – some form of process for allowing your team to past back vital bits of information about the operation, project, product, customers – whatever - so that you can act on it.

Manual Handling training made fun

2009-09-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Manual Handling comes under one of those categories where everyone goes "why do I need to know about that!" that is unless they already have a bad back, or have damaged themselves by carrying heavy objects, awkward parcels or recently had an office clear out!

So when we set out to train a group recently, we made sure that not only did they learn some valuable skills which will help them look after their spines and other bits of their skeleton and bodies, but that they also had fun in the process!

So next time you are thinking of moving something heavy or awkward, stop and think:

does it need moving?
am I the best person to move it?
how clear is my route?
do I need help?

Stay safe and look after yourself!

Five course menu and Drumming!

2009-07-30T03:49:00.000-07:00

Just had a great couple of days with a team who chose to create a five course menu and follow it the next day with a drumming session. Great fun had by all.

Not only that they felt that they had got to know each other better and had re-energised as a team.

Which hat are you wearing?

2009-07-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

With all the doom and gloom that has been around, you could be forgiven for wearing your black hat. This looks at all the negatives and what else can go wrong. For many, they seem to be wearing a red hat for anger. Anger with Fat Cats and anger with the politicians. A White hat may keep you aloof and concentrating on the facts and figures, whereas with a Green hat your imagination could run wild. A Blue hat would allow you to summarise everything and tkae a longer term view. Personally I prefer the idea of a Yellow hat. Let's keep things as sunny as possible and find some positives out there!

I used the "Six Thinking Hats" - Edward de Bono

Spinning the plates

2009-06-29T03:22:00.000-07:00

Images of customers spinning plates on the JamBerry stand at Let's Do Business last week. All the talk there was about re-energising people and teams for the future.

Pitfalls of Managing Change

2009-06-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nore more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order, and only luke warm defenders in all who would profit by the new order.

The lukewarmness arises partly from fear of their adversaries whi have the law and traditiion i their favour and aprtly from the incredibiltyof mankind who do not truly belive in anything new until they have had actual expereince of it."

Machiavelli (1513)

Reshuffle Your Cabinet

2009-06-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

With a reshuffle in the air, what shoud Gordon Brown remember about change management?

1. Establish a sense of urgency - there's nothing worst than change that drags on, leaving everyone frutated in its wake.
2. Develop a vision and strategy - make sure you are clear on where you want to get to and when
3. Communicate the change vision - don't forget to tell everyone where the organisation is now headed for and why
4. Introduce new customs and practices - make change visible so that it doesn't just become bsuiness as usual
5. Empower a broad base of people to take action - action makes change happen, without it you are lost
6. Generate short term wins - and celebrate them appropriately
7. Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate

Good luck Gordon!

The Keys to Success

2009-03-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

Found this great little video for all those entreprenuers out there

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/70

Making Heros

2009-03-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

Ways to Make Heroes

We all need a hero from time to time - but we can also make people into heros - here's how!

1. Whether they are officially rewarded or not, say thank you to employees who have achieved their targets.
2. Thank people for their suggestions whether you use them or not. Thank them for their concern.
3. Take your boss to lunch in appreciation for their help on a project or piece of work.
4. Keep an innovation book for good ideas and recognise those that get adopted.
5. Create symbol’s of a teams work or efforts (T-shirts or coffee mugs with motto or logo)
6. Reward those who are not normally in the limelight for doing their job well.
7. Support staff in their continuing professional development. Encourage them to learn.
8. When discussing an idea with your boss that has come from an employee, make sure they get the recognition.
9. Create group level awards to recognise teamwork.
10. Provide a donation in the name of an employee to a charity of their choice
11. Create an ongoing recognition award named after a particularly outstanding employee.
12. Create a company Oscar ceremony to recognise outstanding performance.

Beat this for Teams

2008-12-17T06:41:00.000-08:00

Listen up! When this team wanted to round off their day with some music this got them working together, listening, laughing, having fun and most of all making music together as a team!

Team Building with Profiteroles!

2008-12-17T06:33:00.001-08:00

Now when it comes to a great end to the day, eating profiteroles made by your team has to take the biscuit - or should I say cake!

Whichever, the profiteroles were great and the team worked beautifully together which obviously came out in their cooking!

Now if we could just add a bit more cream.....

Wish for more Skills!

2008-10-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Don’t wish for fewer problems. Wish for more skills!

How often do you wish that you had fewer problems? We all do at some point. But supposing we wished for more skills to deal with those problems instead?

A problem is an issue if we don’t have the resources to deal with it. Whilst many issues are not of our own making, nevertheless knowing that you have the resources to deal with whatever is thrown at you can turn a nightmare situation into a manageable challenge.

Personal and management development can ensure that individuals have the skills they need to deal with difficult situations when they arise. Whether it is dealing with people, budgets, projects, or planning, knowing what to do, who to ask or where to find out the answer can make all the difference.

And for businesses, knowing that their staff are flexible, knowledgeable and competent can make the difference between loss and survival or indeed survival and growth!

Don’t wish for change, change what you wish for.

Don’t wish for less challenge, accept the challenge and wish for more wisdom to both understand and overcome the challenge.

Team Building with The Music Gym

2008-08-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

Isn't it great when you can do your job and have fun and help others? Talk about a win, win situation!

We have done just that by teaming up with The Music Gym to allow us to provide team building using audio and sound technology, originally designed for the disabled, but adapted to create a great experience for others as well. And whilst we are having fun and helping others learn about teams, and team dynamics, some of the the fee goes back to helping the disabled. Great eh?

Masterchef helps with Teamwork

2008-07-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Masterchef Peter Bayless joined our Team Building day last week, bringing his own spin on cooking pasta to the fray. With recipes such as Between the Blankets and Putanesca Sauce the team had fun making the pasta and eating the results. Thanks Peter.

Motivation

2008-06-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

5 ways to motivate others:

1. Motivating employees starts with motivating yourself. Find out what motivates you and use it.

2. Each person is motivated by different things. The first thing you need to do is to find out what it is that really motivates each of your employees.

3. Few of us have the outstanding qualities of inspirational figures such as Nelson Mandela but we all have an ability to inspire employees in small but meaningful ways. When people are inspired they become more enthusiastic, motivated and engaged which invariably improves their performance

4. Killer whales like fish. Their trainers use it to raise the bar that they jump over – a bit at a time.

5. Learn to let go – you need to trust people to use their own judgment .

Creating Great Presentations

2008-05-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Want to create a great presentation? Here are a few tips.

1. Know your subject - there is nothing worse than some talking about something they know nothing about. The audience will see through you. Do your research and you will feel much more relaxed.
2. Understand your audience - know who they are and what they want to get out of being there. Remember, your audience want you to succeed. Who wants to sit in a presenation that doesn't? So they are on your side.
3. Have a conversation. Keep the audience involved by getting them involved.
4. Dress well - make sure you look the part - looks really do count.
5. Speak up - if you have something to say make sure you can be heard otherwise your audience will go to sleep!
6. Don't overcrowd your slides - good visuals are so important in a world of constantly changing images being presented to us all the time.
7. Have fun - if you are having fun then the audience is more likely to.

Training yourself out of recession

2008-04-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

OK so the winds of a down turn are beginning to bite, but it doesn't have to be all doom a gloom. There is evidence to suggest that organisations who spend on training in a recession are the first to emerge and grow rapidly at the end of it. It makes sense after all. If you look after your staff and develop their talents whilst your competitors are failing to do so, then your company will be in a much better position to take advantage of an upturn when it does come along.

Not only that, you will weather the storm itself much better. Flexible staff, who are committed to the organisation, inspired by new ideas and committment from their managers will certainly give more of their best than those who are told "wait and see, perhaps next year".

If you want to get more done, you have to show people how to do it more effectively.

Team Building at Brighton Science Festival

2008-03-07T11:02:00.001-08:00

Team building can be a tricky business. It requires good communication and concentration. Recently attending the Brighton Science Festival, we challenged a number of teams to lay a stick on the floor without any team member losing touch with the stick, which was resting on their fingers, or hooking their fingers around the stick. A seemly easy task, it can prove difficult to accomplish. Small movements can cause the stick to rise rather than fall, causing confusion and disarray.
Here is a team from the Open University trying their hand at it, and successfully laying it to rest on the floor!

Top Tips for Middle Managers

2008-02-29T02:15:00.000-08:00

Top Tips for Middle Managers

Based on ‘Managing in the Middle’ by Barry Oshry, which can be found at www.executiveforum.com

Even in today’s world of flatter, leaner organisations, most organisations continue to have three levels of hierarchy. At the top there are the people who shape and give direction to the entire organisation. At the bottom are the workers, who manufacture the business’s products or render its services. Between them are those in the middle, often torn between meeting the demands of those at the top and responding to the needs and concerns of the workers they are expected to manage. The middle can be a confusing and ambiguous place, yet it is potentially a point of powerful influence, both upwards and downwards.

Some Top Tips for Middles

Resist the urge to make other people’s problems, issues and conflicts your own. Your job is to coach and empower them to resolve their issues, not take responsibility for them

Keep your own mind. Pay attention to your point of view, your values, your solutions. This will maximise your personal contribution to collective problem solving.

Be a Top whenever you can. If you can resolve a problem without passing it up to the Top, then do it. Tops only need to be involved with problems that are unsolvable at the Middle level.

Be a Worker when you should. If your team is short-staffed or has a sudden influx of work, then help them out with it. But remember, this should only be a short term solution. If it becomes long term then you need to re-focus on the systemic problems which are causing it.

Facilitate solutions by bringing together the people who need to be together, and helping them to have productive interactions. This is more effective than trying to act as a buffer between them.

Integrate with other Middles. Strong, interactive relationships with your peers will enable you to make a strong collective contribution and reduce your feelings of isolation.

To see the full version of this article visit http://www.satc.org.uk/62/managing-in-the-middle/

Team Building with Cooking

2008-02-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

There is no doubt that working together to make a meal is a rewarding experience. We've just had fun working with a client on a team building exercise where they had to put together a meal of ravioli, lasagne, tagliatelle and foccacia. Making the pasta from scratch was a good way of working out any initial frustrations and the resultant meal was a feast, tasting all the better because they had cooked it themselves. The team also had the opportunity to share the experience which would stand them in good stead back in the office. All in all, a good days work!

Value & Beliefs in Coaching

2008-02-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

In order to build rapport with a client it is important to respect the client's values and beliefs. This does not mean that you have to agree with them, but we have to be willing to see events from their perspective.
Having taken on the client, a coach needs to work with them at the value and beliefs level, as it is at these higher levels that it is possible to fully unlock the potential for performance and behaviour change. So, as an example, even if a client has the skills and capabilities, he will not use them if his belief is such that he can't. Even if he believes he can, he won't if he is not motivated by his values to do so.
By working with beliefs and values we are working directly with the client's beliefs about themselves and with their self-esteem and motivation, both vital ingredients to success and excellence.
We need to work with the client to discard the beliefs that are holding them back, and replace them with beliefs that are conducive to success and the desired results.

Manual Handling training or not?

2008-02-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

Whilst I don't usually recommend the Daily Mail have a look at the following articler;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=511611&in_page_id=1774

Then read the following comment:

It is well known in the Health & Safety industry and the HSE that the recommended techniques are 'open to question' and do not actually work in reducing the risk of back injury. With the current HSE recommended techniques as the centre of training courses workers don't change their habits sufficiently for them to make a difference as it becomes obvious that they are not possible in so many tasks.
We provide this training and use the HSE Techniques as a starting point. In reality the only way to genuinely reduce the risk is for each individual to be trained in Manual Handling Risk Assessment so that they can make informed choices rather than being taught by rote a set of techniques that are impossible to apply in far to many cases.
As for suggesting that we all try to stop Manual Handling, the reality is that many of these tasks have to happen and a lot more practical advice, financial support and encouragement should be forthcoming from governmental agencies.

Unlocking Creativity

2008-01-24T02:38:00.000-08:00

10 Mental Locks and Some Ideas on Opening Them

10 Mental Locks

In his book 'A Whack on the Side of the Head' (Warner Books, 1990) Roger von Oech identifies ten mental locks - restrictive ways of thinking that we get shut into:

The right answer
That's not logical
Follow the rules
Be practical
Play is frivolous
That's not my area
Avoid ambiguity
Don't be foolish
To err is wrong
I'm not creative

'A Whack on the Side of the Head'

Von Oech suggests that 'we all need an occasional whack on the side of the head to shake us out of routine patterns, to force us to re-think our problems, and to stimulate us to ask the questions that may lead to the right answers'.

Fortunately the 'whack on the side of the head' recommended by von Oech is a metaphor - no physical violence should be involved! Metaphors are a powerful technique for unblocking thinking which has become stuck and helping us to see things differently.

Metaphors

Much of the language we use when talking about business involves the use of metaphors - we talk of 'flooding the market', 'pumping money in', or 'freezing assets'. Some of these metaphors have become cliches - so commonly used that we no longer register the gap between the words used and the message they convey.

Stand-up comedians are good at coming up with new metaphors, which make people look at the world in a different way. For example:

"Whales living off krill and plankton is like Geoff Capes eating only hundreds and thousands."

(Sean Lock)

"The Football Association holding an inquiry into why England didn't qualify for Euro 2008 is like an inquiry being held into why the Titanic sank by the iceberg."

(Sandi Toksvig, The News Quiz)

A business presentation will be enhanced by the use of metaphors. Some you can take 'off the shelf' (to use another metaphor!) - for example:

"The mind works like a parachute -it works best when it is opened"

(The Dalai Lama)

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily."

(Zig Ziglar)

At other times we might want to illustrate our points by coming up with our own metaphors. For example, in an e-mail to Sally Holloway when we were designing our 'Comedy Skills for Business Presenters' course, I wrote:

"It's like cooking a meal using two very different ingredients. Will it work best if we mix them together - like duck in a plum sauce; or will it be better to keep them separate as a main course and dessert, like chicken and banana?"

This metaphor helped to unblock our thinking and make decisions about when to bring together stand-up skills and business presenting, and at which points to keep them apart.

'What if?' Questions

Another useful technique for unblocking creativity is to ask "What if?" Paul Merton's flights of fancy on 'Have I Got News for You' often begin with a statement like 'Wouldn't it be great if...'

Wouldn't it be great if...

We started doing what we enjoy, rather than what we think will make a profit?

We told our customers/colleagues/bosses what we really think of them?

We made all public servants wear fancy dress (not just the judges!)

Some 'What if?' questions you might like to apply to your business - or which might prompt a reaction from your audience if used as part of a presentation:

What if...

We throw out all our policies and procedures and make up the rules as we go along?

We all stopped bothering to turn up in the morning?

Whenever we get a piece of advice, we do the opposite?

Paradoxes

"How wonderful that we've met with a paradox. Now we have hope of making some progress."

(Niels Bohr, physicist)

Paradoxes can be a great source of inspiration. Von Oech writes 'the very act of seeing the paradox is at the crux of creative thinking - the ability to entertain two different, often contradictory notions at the same time'. For comics the bringing together of these different or contradictory ideas is often the source of their jokes.

Some paradoxes for you to mull over:

"If you can remember the sixties, then you weren't there"

(Timothy Leary)

"We can't leave the haphazard to chance"

(N. F. Simpson)

"I wouldn not care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as a member"

(Groucho Marx)

Challenge the Rules!

Stand-up comedians are very good at challenging 'rules' - often through asking 'why' questions. They'll identify an absurd aspect of everyday behaviour then ask "Why do we do that?" They'll also be willing to slay sacred cows (after all, they make great steaks!). The role of the comic is often to think the unthinkable and say the unsayable.

So - what if you started doing more of this in your business presentations? You'd certainly stimulate a reaction!

Steve Amos

January 2008

What is Charisma?

2008-01-21T09:38:00.000-08:00

What is charisma?

Often, when discussing leadership, the subject of charisma comes up. Do leaders need to be charismatic? If so, is it something you can learn?

The Cambridge dictionary defines charisma as 'a special power which some people possess naturally which makes them able to influence other people and attract their attention and admiration.' Saying people use it 'naturally' may suggest you have to be born with it, is this true?

Well-known leaders such as Ghandi or Churchill are often cited as leaders with charisma, yet we could all probably name others who are very successful but seemingly quite ordinary. So how can you be a leader who is able to influence other people and able to attract their attention and admiration?

Something that helps is being clear about your operating values, the principles by which you live your life and conduct yourself as a leader. Having a strong set of positive values means you are more likely to have a clear sense of self, be grounded and have a framework for decision-making. This strong sense of self is also very likely to be communicated to those around you.

Another factor that is often present with charismatic leaders is a willingness and ability to take a genuine interest in those around them. Charismatic leaders reach out to others and show a real interest. In that way there appears to be an increase in energy when they engage with others. Ineffectual leaders on the other hand, often have little impact on the energy of those around or at worst, even drag energy levels down.

There are of course other aspects that can contribute to a leader's ability to influence and gain respect. Each leader can develop a style that 'fits' with them as individuals as well as meeting the needs of the organisation. This is where leadership training programmes and \ or coaching can make a real difference. Having an opportunity to explore individual strengths, values and style can lead to a real growth in leadership effectiveness and that is likely to translate into better results all round.

Women in Business

2008-01-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

Did you know that although women represent almost half the workforce, studies have revealed that they reach management positions in less than 64% of UK companies.

I have recently become a mentor for the women's mentoring network, based in the SE under the auspices of SEEDA. The aim is to encourage women to tackle issues at work and at home that might be holding them back. These issues can be many and varied as I know from the training we do. So I am looking forward to working with these women to help them make the most of themselves!

See our new Women's training programme launching in Feb!

Why do experiential training?

2008-01-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

We are sometimes asked "Why do you do experiential training? Isn't training in the classroom just as good?"

We do Experiential Training because it involves all the learning skills: listening, watching and doing which in turn lead to:
· Better communications at all levels
· An understanding of working together to achieve a specific end result
· A common language to develop across the team based on the experience

These in turn will lead to:
· Better rapport between managers and others
· A development in sensory acuity – improving awareness of their own senses and others
· Outcome orientation – switching attention to what you want to achieve and away from reasons why it “won’t work”.
· Behavioural flexibility – enhancing the ability to recognise how to change behaviour, both in themselves and in others

Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act

2008-01-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act comes into force on the 6th April 2008. Are we all ready?
The Act makes provision for a new offence of corporate manslaughter and for this to apply to companies and other incorporated bodies, Government departments and similar bodies, police forces and certain unincorporated associations.
Prior to this legislation it was possible for a corporate body, such as a company, to be prosecuted for a wide range of criminal offences, including manslaughter. To be guilty of the common law offence of gross negligence manslaughter, a company had to be in gross breach of a duty of care owed to the victim. The prosecution of a company for manslaughter by gross negligence was often referred to as "corporate manslaughter". As the law stood, before a company could be convicted of manslaughter, a "directing mind" of the organisation (that is, a senior individual who could be said to embody the company in his actions and decisions) also had to be guilty of the offence. This is known as the identification principle. Crown bodies (those organisations that are legally a part of the Crown, such as Government departments) could not be prosecuted for criminal offences under the doctrine of Crown immunity. In addition, many Crown bodies, such as Government departments, do not have a separate legal identity for the purposes of a prosecution.
Therefore it was extreemely difficult to actually have a sussecful procecution in this matter.
The new offence builds on key aspects of the common law offence of gross negligence manslaughter in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. However, rather than being contingent on the guilt of one or more individuals, liability for the new offence depends on a finding of gross negligence in the way in which the activities of the organisation are run. In summary, the offence is committed where, in particular circumstances, an organisation owes a duty to take reasonable care for a person's safety and the way in which activities of the organisation have been managed or organised amounts to a gross breach of that duty and causes the person's death. How the activities were managed or organised by senior management must be a substantial element of the gross breach.
The elements of the new offence are:
The organisation must owe a "relevant duty of care" to the victim.
The organisation must be in breach of that duty of care as a result of the way in which the activities of the organisation were managed or organised.
The way in which the organisation's activities were managed or organised (referred to in these notes as "the management failure") must have caused the victim's death. The usual principles of causation in the criminal law will apply to determine this question. This means that the management failure need not have been the sole cause of death; it need only be a cause.
The management failure must amount to a gross breach of the duty of care. The Act sets out the test for whether a particular breach is "gross". The test asks whether the conduct that constitutes the breach falls far below what could reasonably have been expected. The Act sets out a number of factors for the jury to take into account when considering this issue. There is no question of liability where the management of an activity includes reasonable safeguards and a death nonetheless occurs.
To read the act in full go to: CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER AND CORPORATE HOMICIDE ACT 2007

In reallity, whilst this will be hyped in the press and by many companies selling products, the basic requirements of managing Health & Safety in the workplace have not changed. If your current systems for the management of Risk (Health & Safety) in your organisations are robust then little will change or require to change. If on the other hand you do not know whether they are robust enough or are aware of weaknessess then now would be a good time to review them. This need not be a start from the begginning but at least an audit to determine where work may be required. If you would like support in the process please give us a call we are only to happy to discuss your requirements.

Welcome to our new blog!

2008-01-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our new blog. This blog aims to provide you with tips and insights into issues around personal and team development. We have contributors from a range of different backgrounds from trainers, coachses, marketing and more. So if you want to know anything about how to get the best from your staff, this is the place to be.

Please do join in our conversations!