From the desk of Caspar:
Why aren’t you getting the best out of your people?
The past few weeks I’ve noticed an uptick in business activity. The economic indicators are pointing towards one hell of a boom in prospect.
Whilst it might not feel like that for you right now, this is what the data I’m paying attention to is pointing at.
The last 12 months have presented one set of challenges.
The next 12 months are likely to present a different set of challenges.
Challenges around swerving burn out, looking after people and building and retaining the teams needed to tackle ambitious goals.
The common theme I’m seeing behind many of the challenges appears to boil down to the sentiment that we’re not getting the best out of our people. It appears as the through line in comments like:
“We need to be more growth mindset”
“We need to look after our teams mental health”
“How do we retain our top talent (much harder for organisations that haven’t looked after people for the last year)
“We say one thing and we do another thing”
“We’re working in silos and we’re not working effectively”
“The levels of trust are low”
And many more…
The analogy feels to me like we’re driving at 30 mph on B roads with semi flat tyres and wonky wheels. And you’re about to hit the motorway doing 70. Those flat wonky wheels are about to become a lot more of a problem.
What’s the answer?
Invest more in your people. If you don’t, they’ll either burn out, leave or throttle back.
What if I’m wrong?
You’ve invested in your most important asset, your people and you’re unlikely to go wrong by doing that. You’ve shifted time and resources to protecting the engine of your growth.
What if I’m right?
You’ll be speeding down the motorway past cars pulled out over on the hard shoulder tending to punctures. You’ll be looking at your competition in the rear view mirror.
I think we’ll park the driving analogy. It got us from A to B ;)
Punchline. Now is the time more than ever to take care of and invest in developing your leaders and people.The results will follow.
The Idea Espresso Hit
The big bold idea you didn’t move on is seldom lost.
It’s simply actioned by others.
I’m a bit of a cynic when it comes to motivation speakers
It’s been a busy few weeks working with companies like TietoEVRY, Excellence Squared, NATO, Air Liquide, Belfius, Scottish Water and Keystone Law both delivering talks and interactive workshops to develop their teams and leaders.
Proving that it’s not just ideas, it’s what you do with the ideas that count and making things simple and easy is this lovely quote from Helen, a partner at global law firm, Keystone Law:
Big Bold Bites
The question that stopped me in my tracks…
PS If you like this, you can subscribe to the Big Bold Goals YouTube Channel to get these tips every week rather than just every fortnight.
Thought for the day
““I’m normally a bit of a cynic when it comes to the usefulness of motivational speakers, but I’ve never been so riveted”