So what is the difference between team working and team building? Are they 2 phrases for the same thing? I have seen the terms used interchangeably in articles and in the workplace, but does that help or hinder?In our article on collaboration how is it different from team work we explored the definitions of some terms. It often helps to start with some commonly accepted definitions: Definition of Team Working Team Working, The earliest definition I could find is: Source - … [Read more...] about Difference between team working and team building
Training Room Layout
Room Layouts suitable for group training So you are having a training session or meeting. Have you considered what layout would be best for you?Have you ever had a meeting in a room that was in a different configuration from your usual format?Was the meeting more or less effective than normal?This guide can be used when you ‘book’ or hire a training or meeting room. Remember to state the layout and the number of participants required. Importance of effective training room … [Read more...] about Training Room Layout
GDPR Get your head out the sand – Part 2 for sole traders and Micro businesses
GDPR is just around the corner and it is time to get your head out of the sand if you are a sole trader or micro-business. In my recent piece - GDPR Checklist – for sole traders and Micro businesses, I summarised my learning on the recent journey for RapidBI. In that journey, I thought I had covered 99% of the bases. But it seems I missed one KEY POINT. And this one is a big one! I have since added it, but as many won't read all the piece I thought it worth a short piece of its own. ICO … [Read more...] about GDPR Get your head out the sand – Part 2 for sole traders and Micro businesses
What did he say? #GDPR?
Find out more on our GDPR summary page aimed at sole trainers and micro business #GDPR #security #cybersecurity … [Read more...] about What did he say? #GDPR?
Book Review – Who the hell wants to work for you by Tim Eisenhauer
This is a great employee engagement & leadership 307-page book. It asks a great question, "Who the hell wants to work for you?". A refreshing approach to leadership that is more self-reflective than preaching. An approach not uncommon in this genre of management/ business book. This is a light, but substantial read.About the author, Tim Eisenhauer is Cofounder and president of Axero who have developed a social collaboration platform. Interestingly a tool that started out as a customer … [Read more...] about Book Review – Who the hell wants to work for you by Tim Eisenhauer
GDPR Checklist – for sole traders and Micro businesses
Data protection law changes on 25 May 2018 for all of us in Europe & beyond. There is a lot of information out there but little about GDPR for Sole Traders and Micro-BusinessesUPDATED 14 MAY to include ICO registration requirementsThe law on data protection says what you should do when you collect, use, store or do anything else with people’s personal data. This law changes on 25 May 2018.As a freelance or independent professional (working as a sole trader or micro-business/ … [Read more...] about GDPR Checklist – for sole traders and Micro businesses
Why are we so bad at communicating and presentations
Are we catering to all our employees' needs? Are we really aware of everyone's disability?Why are most of us being discriminating? Why do we put some of the people we should be supporting at a disadvantage?A few months ago I had personal reasons to look at the material I was producing for clients. Are we as professional communicators providing the best service we can? Or are we providing what looks good to our immediate paymasters?Am I blind? A few months ago I was unfortunate to … [Read more...] about Why are we so bad at communicating and presentations
Competencies – are they dead? Or are we ignoring the true 3 core competencies?
Competencies – are they dead? Are competencies and how HR (and managers/ professional bodies) often relate to them irrelevant in today's business world? Do we actively ignore true core competencies?I was at a training workshop recently, and the trainer was talking about competencies. He was talking about the fact that the core competencies had changed in that profession. That new course materials were being developed all the time to ensure. We see this is every profession and industry. … [Read more...] about Competencies – are they dead? Or are we ignoring the true 3 core competencies?
Why we need to explore all options BEFORE going to social media #hrblog
Social media is great, but some people need to learn to use it to complain as the last resort, not a first resort. This was brought home to me very personally in the last few days. Without knowing it, an individual went on social media and in essence attacked me. An unprovoked attack with no warning. I am not even sure the individual realised what they were doing. I suspect they thought they were attacking a large, faceless organisation. They weren't.How it started A recent comment about … [Read more...] about Why we need to explore all options BEFORE going to social media #hrblog
SWOT or SOAR? – Strategy and tools in business
Strategy and tools in business - To SWOT or SOAR? Over the years a lot of good and bad things have been said by many HR and consulting practitioners about the SWOT analysis. Certainly it is not the most robust of tools in its basic form. But when used in the way it was originally developed, it is a powerful methodology and framework. Some people have argued that it is time to move on from the SWOT analysis to other tools and techniques. In this piece we explore SOAR an Appreciative Inquiry … [Read more...] about SWOT or SOAR? – Strategy and tools in business
What is persona mapping in change management?
What is persona mapping in change management? We can use Persona mapping to help understand the needs and wants of a target audience or market. Persona maps can ensure we meet the needs of our stakeholders. A Persona map is a fictional character. At the same time, it needs to be a realistic profile of our target customer. They reflect characteristics like job or role title, personal attributes, goals, motivations, attitudes etc.For any given product or service there … [Read more...] about What is persona mapping in change management?
Dangers of online Ishihara Colour Tests – Are you colour blind? Can you trust the online tests?
Using any test for recruitment has its problems. There are dangers of online Ishihara Colour Tests too. In a professional HR community I belong to there have been recent discussions about identifying if people are colour blind or not. This is historically because in some industries this is an important safety concern. In the past employers would use Occupational Health providers to do these tests. there are industry standards for this. The name of this test is the Ishihara Color Test.Sites … [Read more...] about Dangers of online Ishihara Colour Tests – Are you colour blind? Can you trust the online tests?
Is the fast food approach to learning and development working? #hrblog #cipdLDShow
Is the fast food approach to learning and development working? Last week I was at the annual CIPD conference for Learning and Development professionals. Whilst much of the content of the paid for conference sessions was about ensuring training and learning activities were effective, the mood on the exhibition floor was different. Off the shelf or bespoke? Every provider that offered off-the-shelf learning solutions also offered bespoke solutions. But the emphasis for may was the off-the-shelf, … [Read more...] about Is the fast food approach to learning and development working? #hrblog #cipdLDShow
What came first, the job or the experience? #HRBlog
Every year 1000s of graduates and others face the challenge of "Come back when you have more experience". But it's not just graduates. It is people from the military.People from public sector organizations trying to work in the private sector. people trying to change sectors. people trying to change careers. You get the picture.It's tough, but rather than make assumptions on the past we look at some ways to break this cycle The problem - Job or Experience? The problem is often said … [Read more...] about What came first, the job or the experience? #HRBlog
Applying LEAN to HR, Training and other administration based departments #HRBlog
The term Lean has been in manufacturing organizations for many years. Increasingly organizations are applying Lean to HR and Training departments too. Lean Thinking Many take it to be a process to do with the improvement of manufacturing efficiency. Indeed it was in the Toyota factories that the process started. Even in Toyota in the early days it was about a lot more than manufacturing processes. It covered supply, sales, logistics and administration of all kinds.In the last 5 years, … [Read more...] about Applying LEAN to HR, Training and other administration based departments #HRBlog
Why change management often fails to deliver management expectations
Why do most change management initiatives fail? Many of us are involved in change management and yet we often do not learn from previous mistakes as to why change management often fails to deliver. Change happens but we often fail to deliver management expectations.Over the past 15 years The RapidBI team have researched and investigated the reasons why many organizational change and improvement initiatives fail to deliver bottom line results. Indeed many change and improvement initiatives … [Read more...] about Why change management often fails to deliver management expectations
A Comprehensive Guide to Common LinkedIn Profile-Building Questions #HRBlog
Many of us have a LinkedIn profile, and there are many common LinkedIn profile-building questions that this article seeks to address. First off, when did you last update your profile? When did you add that MOOC course? - is your profile up to date or stagnant?Networking is the primary way to go about looking for a new job. Spread your net far enough, and you will eventually catch something. LinkedIn is the premiere job networking social media site. It enables users to form “connections” with … [Read more...] about A Comprehensive Guide to Common LinkedIn Profile-Building Questions #HRBlog
Knowledge Understanding Action
Knowledge Understanding Action Introduction to KUA Knowledge Understanding Action is the principle that RapidBI base all of our programs, products and developments. We recommend that the approach to organizational development and change management follow this simple structure:Knowledge - learn principles, information, behaviours and concepts Understanding - from that knowledge develop your understanding of what is meant and what it might mean. Action - to do - to do something … [Read more...] about Knowledge Understanding Action
When is a DeepDive not a Deep Dive
So When is a deepdive not a deep dive? It is interesting how the use for a name in a given field changes over time. Or to be more realistic how a sexy name for an interesting subject gets hijacked by others without really understanding or respecting difference?In innovation, marketing and management the term Deep Dive was a methodology originally made popular by Ideo. It was a brainstorming or idea creation methodology.Then came along Stanford with their DeepDive ( … [Read more...] about When is a DeepDive not a Deep Dive
PRINCE2 Project Management – 7x7x7 #PMOT
PRINCE2 Project Management. We hear this talked about in many organizations, but what is it really? What is PRINCE2 Project Management? The organization that sets the standard say that it is: PRINCE2 (PRojects INControlled Environments) is a process-based method for effective project management. PRINCE2 is a de facto standard used extensively by the UK Government and is widely recognised and used in the private sector, both in the UK and … [Read more...] about PRINCE2 Project Management – 7x7x7 #PMOT