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
Do collaborations tools help or hinder? An Open Letter To Microsoft & LinkedIn
Microsoft and LinkedIn have the power to change the way we do business and collaborate - but have they blown it?Over the years I have used many collaborative tools. I was also part of an external team of people supporting IBM Social Business platform Connections. Now that product although used extensively internally has never really made it into the mainstream. Its a shame, but it was very well integrated. Integration with other software is critical for long term adoption and … [Read more...] about Do collaborations tools help or hinder? An Open Letter To Microsoft & LinkedIn
Nine Box Grids for Talent Management
Tool for identifying & retaining key talent in organizations - 9 box grid Background to the Nine Box Grid The nine box grid or matrix, is believed to have originated within McKinsey to assess different business units and to prioritise the investment in individuals. This was developed for GE in the late 1960s and 1970s to enable them assess the potential of individuals in its business and prioritize their investment and overall strategy. It is claimed that it is based on the Boston … [Read more...] about Nine Box Grids for Talent Management
ICAEW Directors Briefings #Updated
Directors briefings are for senior managers and strategic decision makers. Directors Briefings, Resources for busy professionals:Every now and again as a consultant, manager or business adviser we need to put our hands on short, accurate and trusted materials covering a wide range of topics.In a previous blog entry, I highlighted some of the fact-sheets available from the CIPD most of which are open to any web site visitor. In the same way that the CIPD fact-sheets provide HR based … [Read more...] about ICAEW Directors Briefings #Updated
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
What is the IDEO Deep-Dive™ Brainstorming technique?
Deep-Dive™ is the name of a technique used to rapidly immerse a group or team into a situation for problem-solving or idea creation. This approach is often used for brainstorming product or process development. History of Deep Dive Originally developed by the IDEO group (a learning design company) for rapid product development, the Deep-Dive technique is now widely and increasingly used for innovation not only in product development but process improvement and customer service strategies. The … [Read more...] about What is the IDEO Deep-Dive™ Brainstorming technique?
Amazon Kindle, trainers and a Virtual Library
Amazon Kindle, trainers and a virtual library Technology is changing all the time, but one thing that has moved (historically) least is display technology. Is the Kindle e-book reader from Amazon a valuable tool for professionals? Is it worth the money and more importantly the weight and space in our already busy lives? The launch of "virtual paper" (e-Ink) displays is one of the 'newer' technologies, and being in a household that devours books I thought it was time to explore these, both for … [Read more...] about Amazon Kindle, trainers and a Virtual Library
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
Reviewing employee performance through effective communication
It is important to review performance through good communications. As the snow recedes our thoughts turn to the spring and the unpopular annual appraisal season. Why are appraisals or performance reviews dreaded by some and feared by others? Many managers despair at the thought of stopping work as they see it to have to prepare and then interview their team members. This stoppage, of course, is accompanied by a complicated, sometimes arcane system which does not look as if it has anything to … [Read more...] about Reviewing employee performance through effective communication
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
Organizational Development a true path to strategic development?
Is Organizational Development a true path to strategic development? In the past it has been behaviourally focused. Now it is time for change. Time to get more holistic. More business like. More balanced.Traditionally Organizational Development (OD) was mainly concerned with the three S’s of an organisation:Structures Staff and SkillsSpecialists and consultants practising in Organizational Development would look at an organization and identify its stage of growth or maturity. … [Read more...] about Organizational Development a true path to strategic development?
6 Steps to Successfully Setting Up a Marketing Automation Campaign
We all know that writing and processing content for your content marketing strategy is thirsty work. The entire process is time-consuming, and you never know whether or not your hard work is going to pay off until you’ve published it unless you’re prepared.One of the best ways to save yourself some time so you can focus on promoting your content and writing content to the highest possible quality for the highest possible engagement rates is to automate some of your processes.If … [Read more...] about 6 Steps to Successfully Setting Up a Marketing Automation Campaign
What is a business blog? A marketing tool?
What is a Blog?Lets look at the background behind this technology, so we can understand where it is coming from.Research into the history behind blogs suggests that it was Pyra Labs is the company that adopted the word Blogger, and made the service a big success (now known as Google blogger/ blogspot).The people that were the co-founders of Pyra Labs were Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan. "Pyra" was also the name of the company's first product. It was a web based application … [Read more...] about What is a business blog? A marketing tool?
PRIMO-F Model for Business Development
PRIMO-F the Business Growth Model Often in organizations we use a SWOT analysis as a way of identifying priorities and areas for improvement. While theSWOT is a wonderfully flexible tool, it is too easy to miss out key elements. We tend to use a SWOT based on our experiences, rather than the actual situational needs.As SWOT analysis is made up of two internal elements (SW) and two external elements (OT) it is helpful to use a structure to give us a guide for what should be … [Read more...] about PRIMO-F Model for Business Development
The Insanity of looking at the “wrong” LinkedIn metrics on articles
Looking at the wrong LinkedIn metrics? Are you guilty of looking and focusing on inefficient LinkedIn metrics? There are some an old sayings, Just because you can measure something,does not mean you should. And What gets measured gets done. Looking at the wrong LinkedIn metrics? Why do we focus on some metrics and not others? Dowe look at the right or wrong LinkedIn metrics?I was at a networking event recently and the talk was about LinkedIn Posts/ articles and … [Read more...] about The Insanity of looking at the “wrong” LinkedIn metrics on articles
Why blog? Is it a Marketing tool?
Why should we blog?For some time I have been promoting Twitter as a good thing for people running small businesses to do, but recently I have been asked “why blog” and what is the value to small businesses and freelance consultants and trainers.I guess that because I have been doing this for some time that I overlooked the basics. This article is the first is a short series to show why and how to blog for business.People and business blog for a wide range of reasons including: … [Read more...] about Why blog? Is it a Marketing tool?
5 Female Leaders Paving The Way For Others
A study by Harvard Business School found that businesses had a higher collective IQ score when their team included females in the top positions of the company.Female input at the top has also been found to enhance business equity by 53%. Further, women leaders can produce a 42% increase in sales revenue.These statistics and results from many other studies show that women’s unique skills and attributes significantly bolster a business's success.Former CEO of eBay, Meg Whitman, told … [Read more...] about 5 Female Leaders Paving The Way For Others
