Managing for Progress – Using Small Wins to Motivate Teams
December 4, 2011 by Di
Filed under goals, leadership, motivation, performance management, productivity
“So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to do work.” ~ Peter Drucker
As any fan of The Office can attest, negative managerial behaviour severely affects employees’ work lives.
A Leadership Dashboard for Managing Complexity
October 3, 2011 by Di
Filed under change leadership, leadership, performance management, productivity
Leading people and organisations is fundamentally more complicated than it was 20 years ago—and it’s not getting any easier. Economic and global uncertainties, along with innovative technologies, complicate efforts to run a business.
Businesses are also becoming more intrinsically complex. It’s harder to predict outcomes because intricate systems interact in unexpected ways.
The Business Case for Positivity
June 4, 2011 by Di
Filed under performance management, productivity
As scientists study the brain and learn more about how we achieve optimal functioning, the term positivity has finally captured business leaders’ interests.
One study of CEOs showed that positivity training could boost their productivity by 15 percent, and managers improved customer satisfaction by 42 percent. Despite such training’s amazing results, many leaders remain completely unfamiliar with the concept.
7000 Ways to Stop Information Overload
March 13, 2011 by Di
Filed under coaching, productivity
How many times have you screamed to yourself: “There is too much information online! Make it stop! Argh!”
According to a 2009 study conducted by the University of California, San Diego, Americans consume on average approximately 34 gigabytes of information a day. This translates to about 100,000 words of information in a single 24-hour period.
Debunking Multitasking Myths: 10 Tips for Getting More Done
September 29, 2010 by Di
Filed under performance management, productivity
The term “multitasking” was originally used to describe computers’ parallel processing abilities. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the term began appearing on resumes as jobseekers restyled themselves into high-tech, high-performing team players.
In the business world, where time management is always a priority, multitasking skills are expected, especially in younger workers reared in multiple media environments (i.e., computers, iPods, iPhones, TV, video games, online social sites, texting and instant messaging).
Get Back in Control with SMART Goals
February 22, 2010 by Di
Filed under change management, goals, integrity, values, productivity
Maxwell SMART Agent 86 from the GET SMART television series and movie has a lot to teach us about aligning our values with our intentions and goals. His character is crystal clear about his values and priorities. He is on a mission as an agent of CONTROL battling the forces of KAOS and always emerges triumphant at the end of the day – even though his GOALS for success are often fraught with obstacles.
Just as Agent 86 had his heart and mind focused on a specific intention, it is equally crucial that you motivate both your mind (what you think you should do) and your heart (what you value). It is difficult to examine your values, beliefs, and true purpose without a trusted partner such as a coach. Once you have explored with your coach what is really important to you in your life (career, family, community, your values and purpose), it should become clear what you need to do. Setting goals then becomes a natural extension of your values.
Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail: Creating Goals That Last the Distance
January 10, 2010 by Di
Filed under change leadership, coaching, goals, productivity
Are you enthusiastic about your plans for the new year? Perhaps you want to lose weight, get fit, study, earn more money, improve your relationships, invest in your personal development or uncover more business opportunities. Or maybe you’re a little more cynical about New Year, deciding instead not to waste your time with new “resolutions”, because, like most people, you’ll probably wind up breaking them.
How do you make New Year’s Resolutions and goals that last the distance?
Relax, Don’t Worry: The Brain Science of Productivity
December 17, 2009 by Di
Filed under goals, leadership, performance management, productivity
Everyone you meet these days is overworked and out of time. In our tech-enhanced world, we have more timesaving helpers and systems than ever before.
Goal-Setting: Clear the Clutter for Christmas
November 25, 2008 by Di
Filed under change management, goals, productivity
What better way to get ready for the Christmas/ new year break than clearing out your cupboards. I’ve decided to motivate myself to clear the clutter with a a garage sale so I can grab some extra Christmas cash at the same time.
I’ve often read that clearing the physical clutter lying around your house or your office is a really important part of clearing your head in preparation for new plans and goals – like the ones you set for the new year. You can’t really put new goals on top of old distractions, else the old distractions will keep sabotaging your efforts to focus on the new direction. It’s important to make a space first.
Performance Management – Why don’t we play to our strengths?
November 18, 2008 by Di
Filed under performance management, productivity
If we were being really honest with ourselves, we’re probably not fantastic at every part of our job. If we were even more honest, we’ve probably learned to fake it a little – or a lot. It’s quite odd that we willingly subject ourselves to the stress of exerting constant effort to either fix, divert attention from or hide some part of our job performance we feel insecure about. This is instead of celebrating and growing the parts of our job that we’re really good at. In fact, we are so concerned that we will be busted for doing something wrong in an area we either don’t like or are weak in, that research by author Marcus Buckingham shows that 89% of us think that battling with our vices is our ticket to success.
It’s not as though we don’t have a choice. A staggering 74% of us feel we could adjust our job duties to suit our strengths. Yet we don’t.
Welcome to this on-line forum for leaders of change. My name is Di Worrall, and I help business leaders with the skills and confidence to make change happen for themselves, their career and their business. As an author, organisational change specialist and executive coach, I work with leaders to create a clear path through change and uncertainty; build their leadership skills and confidence; and create systems for lasting change and a more prosperous and sustainable future. For regular updates on our best leadership and change articles, you can subscribe to our fortnightly ezine below.
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