What are you missing?

When you are building a team to take your business to the next level. You can often hire for the skills that you need and not take into consideration the team dynamic.

That’s not to say that you hire team members to be friends, but you do need to think about how individuals will mesh; and how they will work with your clients.

Look at the Premier League Football teams, they can have the very best players, who look like a winning team on paper but if the players don’t work well together no silverwork will be won – and the manager may not stick around!

The last thing you want is to invest in building a team and then get to a point where your business accelerates and you get a flood of resignations.

The first time that it happened to me, I was gutted. I’d invested in building a team and just when I was moving up and was preparing my team to step into my shoes, some decided to move to other organisations.

Where did I go wrong?

I had been so busy focusing on delivery that I hadn’t taken the time to properly listen to what my team members aspirations were and I’d tried to mentor them into thinking the way that I did, rather than understanding their unique strengths.

Every individual is different and will bring different strengths, skills and potential challenges, it’s important to make sure that your team dynamic is positive and any conflicts are addressed swiftly.

There are three things I always do when I’m adding or developing a team (for me or a client):

1.       Never replace like for like – Always review the role and the business needs to create a revised role that hits the needs of the business going forward.

2.       Recruit for a 70-80% skills match so that there will be a period of stretch and development.

3.       Look for the personality traits that we may be missing to add balance to the team. There are many personality frameworks; Myers Briggs, Colorworks, Five Voices, etc, that can be used to assess your team and give you a common language to use

Throughout this month I will be sharing tips to improve team dynamics but  If you need help with building your team or your team dynamic, schedule a FREE 20-minute Team Strategy Call

What exactly is going on?

Do you find it a challenge to get a straight answer from your team?

Ever had a client ask you what’s happening or tell you about a problem that you were not aware of?

Are you trying not to micromanage your team, but you aren’t getting the updates that you need?

Back when I was working corporately, I was often away from my office working on tender, and I struggled to stay updated with what was happening with my team back in head office. Beyond our regularly scheduled catch-ups, I’d need to call or corner someone in the break room to get caught up. I found it really stressful as I was often only in the office for client meetings and would pitch up with a report to present but not have the background to deal with any issues or concerns.

It was my fault I didn’t set out my expectations correctly, I agreed objectives with my team and didn’t tell them that I needed regular check-ins or ask for the narrative behind the reports.

Trusting your team to deliver and keep you updated with what's happening, shouldn’t be a challenge but it can be hard to find the balance between giving your team the freedom to deliver and micromanaging.

You want your team to be problem solvers, not problem multipliers and work within their zone of genius, but if you don’t ask for what you need from your team, the problem with their performance might not be them, it might be you.

Working with teams based in different locations, working a variety of shifts and on multiple projects would be difficult to juggle for anyone, Here are 5 things you can implement to help you stay on top of what's happening:

Daily/weekly team briefings – A half an hour meeting at the start or the end of the day to discuss priorities and any challenges will give you comfort that your team are on the right track, or if they are not will allow you to redirect their attention.

Weekly online updates – Create a template that is updated weekly in your file share (google docs, dropbox, etc). I like the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) method as an easy way to check progress on objectives – find out more here.

Be specific about what you need – Schedule a regular call for when that report drops, so that you can discuss it in-depth or be clear about when your team needs to give you a heads up that a client has a problem, even though they are on top of it.

Shadow and delegate – Provide opportunities for your team to shadow your interactions and present the reports so that they can see the purpose of their objective and get a deeper understanding of your client's expectations.

Add a buffer – Don’t leave things to the last minute, give yourself some time to review and reflect.

Let us know which tip/s you’ll be implementing with your team and if you need some strategic advice about motivating and managing your team, schedule a FREE 20-minute Team Strategy Call.

You talk too much

“My company communicates with me too much”, said no employee ever!

Well that’s not strictly true!

 I remember working for a large consultancy who sent out all their staff communications by email, between the HR, IT, Recruitment, Marketing and unit specific communications staff could receive several emails a day. So, staff got email fatigue and stopped reading them.

I’d have my monthly team meeting and start talking about a new initiative and no one would have heard of it, some of my team told me that they had set up a rule to automatically file the emails in a folder and they never got around to looking at it.

This meant that I had to go out of my way to ensure that my team were hearing the information I needed them to hear.

I found two things that worked much better than the email; a quick 5-minute scrum first thing in the morning or a lunchtime meeting where I’d bring in some tasty deserts and we could eat and chat.

You see, when you communicate there are two things that need to happen:

One – You transmit your message

Two – Your message is received as transmitted

You could have the most amazing message or opportunity to share but if no one is receiving what you are transmitting, you may as well save your breath or fingers.

You need to check that what you have communicated has been received, miscommunication is often the reason why targets get missed.

According to the VARK model, there are 4 primary types of learners; visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinaesthetic.

Visual learners learn best from visual representations such as, maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other elements, that can be used to represent what could have been presented in words

Auditory learners learn best by accessing information that is “heard or spoken.” they learn best from lectures, group discussion, radio, using mobile phones, speaking, web-chat and talking things through.

Reading/writing learners learn best from text-based input and output, reading and writing in all its forms but especially books, manuals, reports, essays and assignments.

Kinaesthetic learners learn by getting hands-on and applying what they have learnt practically.

When you are speaking with your team it is important that you communicate in a way that engages the different learner types, for example having visual representations of the subjects that you wish to share, asking questions to make the session interactive and asking different members of the team to scribe or demonstrate a process.

If you need some help reviewing the way you communicate with your team as a group and individually, contact us to see how we can assist you.

Are you prepared for change?

‘Julie has resigned, I don’t know what to do. She's the only one that can cover for me, no one else knows how the booking system works. I’ll be lost without her! Shall I offer her money to stay?’

My client Patrick called in a panic as the administrator/controller of his chauffeur business had handed in her notice. He’d recently changed his booking system and had sent Julie on the two-day training so that she could be the superuser and train his other controllers and drivers.

That system was the lynchpin of his business!

Do you have systems and processes in your business that only one person can complete?

Building a business that can work without you is key, you shouldn’t feel like you are being held hostage by your staff.

As awesome as your team is you have to be prepared for the fact that people will leave and you’ll need to adjust.

If Julie didn’t have all the knowledge of the new system Patrick wouldn’t have been concerned by her resignation. She was late often and overrode the price list without asking for approval for discounts.

I told Patrick that offering an increased salary would only be a sticking plaster on a gaping hole, but would give him a chance to get a few members of his team up to speed with the new system if she accepted - in the end, we managed to get the team trained during her notice period and a detailed manual created to train new joiners.

And then we reviewed the business functions to make sure that there weren’t any other single points of failure, we found a few and put a plan into place for those too!

To ensure your business can function you need to eliminate single points of failure and have up to date process manuals so that your business can still function should anyone leave or fall ill.

It’s also important to think about succession planning so that you can start training your staff and giving them acting up opportunities to prepare them for their next role.

Need help with future-proofing your business? Schedule a call to see how we can help you.

Cultural differences

Do you know the difference between postponing and preponing?

The first time I heard the term prepone it was during my induction for a new role. I was working for a multinational company and they took you through cultural diversity training so that you would understand the nuances of working with teams based all over the world. Most teams were a 50/50 mix of local hires and internationally seconded staff who would spend a few years in different countries building their skills.

I needed to understand why some male colleagues wouldn’t shake my hand or that the pub wasn't a good location for a chat or why I kept being invited to dinner at colleagues homes rather than to a restaurant for dinner.

It was a whole cultural awakening.

We live in a multicultural world and with the increase in remote working our employees and team members could be based ANYWHERE in the world. Do you take cultural nuances into consideration when you are hiring and managing your team?

For example in many countries publicly disagreeing with your boss can be regarded as disrespectful, while in other cultures giving your honest opinion when asked is a prerequisite for progressing your career.

I sat on an interview panel for a client and they asked candidates to give examples of how they have convinced their manager or stakeholder to change their mind. Some candidates had great examples but one candidate said she supported her manager to achieve their aims and kept them compliant by giving advice and highlighting the risks. 

My client wanted a different type of response and didn’t want to take the candidate further, even though they had loved all of her other responses. I managed to convince them to get her back in for a second chat and it turned out that her boss regarded it as disrespectful to be told what to do and so she used different tactics to ensure compliance. She was hired and is still there 2 years later.

Do you ask why your candidates or team members respond differently to your expectations? It might not be a lack of knowledge or braveness, a person’s culture can have an affect on how they communicate in the workplace.

Remember:

• There can be multiple right answers

• Get the why behind the answer

• Don’t judge a candidate based on one response

• Gather the opinion of others 

If you need help ensuring your recruitment process isn’t losing you quality candidates, schedule a call with us here.

Taking the holistic approach to change

ABC Corporation changed their annual leave policy to state that you couldn’t take more than 10 consecutive days holiday, they made the change with the best of intentions, they wanted staff to take breaks more often, rather than just taking 3 or 4 weeks of leave so that they would be less likely to get ill or get overwhelmed from working in a fast-paced industry. 

However, there was an outcry from all of their staff with families from countries that required a long haul flight to visit.

Denise has elderly parents who live in Jamaica, she visits them every January to take care of them, ensure any repairs that are needed for the family home are completed.

Ahmed’s wife and children still live in India as they have family support there, he goes back twice a year and his wife brings the children to London for the summer holidays. Countless others have family in America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia that they visit, but also staff who took their children back to the land of their (or their parents) birth, so that they could spend time with family, learn about their culture and experience a different way of life.

The leadership team that decided for the policy change were all British, a family visit for them was car ride or short-haul flight. They hadn't even asked their staff reps for input, as they saw it as an operational matter.

After staff, some of whom had already booked their flights and had extended leave approved, explained why they preferred to take extended leave the policy was revoked, but the change led to a drop in morale as staff felt like they weren’t being treated like they were capable of choosing when and how to use their annual leave.

To avoid a misstep with your team, it is important to do the following:

Consult with staff, regarding any change that will affect them, whether or not you think it will be well received, you don't know everyone's personal circumstances.

Pilot new schemes to see how they work in reality, there may be positive or negative impacts that you do not realise until you try.

Review your policies annually to see if they are fit for purpose and remain competitive, as your business grows you’ll need to check that your policies are fit for purpose.

You need to ensure that your policies and processes do not disadvantage any members of your team, including those with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity).

If you need help making sure your policies are up to date and relevant for you and your team, schedule a call

Are You Ready To Listen?

This week has been interesting and painful in equal measure, there have been so many clients, colleagues and friends of all races wanting to know what to do next to truly make a positive change in the way that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals are treated in the workplace and society.

Now if you’ve never seen my photo you might not be aware of the fact that I am a Black woman and so I do have a vested interest in this matter.

I thought long and hard, and I believe that understanding the biases (unconscious or not) begins with listening to the experiences of the BAME community WITHOUT comment, to truly understand all of the different ways that prejudices have been made that have affected us individually and collectively.

Understanding a persons ‘Lived Experience’ and validating it is essential. Historically when BAME individuals express how they feel in situations they have been told that they are being sensitive and so have buried those feelings to continue to function. It is those raw feelings that are being released at the moment, as finally, the world is seeing how BAME people are treated by those who should be protecting them.

I can remember my very first experience of racism at primary school, when I was told “to go back to where I came from” I was totally confused. I couldn’t understand why this snarling white boy was telling me to go back to my house across the street! Do you know I remember that boys name and face to this day? He was probably just repeating something he’d heard his parents say to someone but for me, it was the realisation that I could be hated for the colour of my skin.

I have so many other stories and I’m not going to share them here, but I would say if you want to stop racism and prejudice, first talk to your BAME staff, colleagues and friends. Listen to their experiences, educate yourself and then work together to put the measures in place to bring about equality of opportunity, prosperity and progression.

Three things to do as an employer today:

• Ask your BAME employees about their experiences and really listen

• Arrange unconscious bias training for you and your team

• Gather the data – What is the demographic mix within your organisation, at operational, strategic and executive level

You have to know what you need to address before you can address it. If you need help creating an inclusive people plan, schedule a call with us.

Does diversity in the workplace matter?

Do you keep track of the diversity within your organisation?

When I first started working in HR for organisations that worked with local and central government we were often asked about the demographic of our workforce and if it matched theirs. We would say ‘We don’t capture that information, we just hire the brightest and best wherever they come from”.

And in a way it was true, but we recruited from a small pool. Most of the graduate hires and experienced consultants all had a similar background; red brick university degree in classics, History or Maths. We never actively built relationships with any London Universities, so the only way we would hire anyone from a different background would be if they actively searched for the openings, which was rare as it was a small boutique consultancy.

The lack of diversity in the business meant that there was a lack of knowledge of what our client's customers experienced. It’s hard to understand the challenges that citizens have communicating with their local council if you only contact yours to pay your council tax, get a parking permit or get your bulk waste collected.

Diversity is the key to innovation and business growth, if everyone in your organisation has been taught to think in the same way there will be no challenge.

It’s time to think differently about the way you recruit, here are my three top tips:

Invest in unconscious bias training for your team

We all have biases, it is important to build awareness of what they are and then address them.

Review your job advertising

Its time to review the imagery and words that you use to advertise your roles, showing images of a diverse workforce and using words that speak to your ideal candidate's skills and experience rather than educational background (unless it's absolutely necessary).

Diversify your recruitment panel

It’s important to have a panel that is diverse and can understand the nuances that come from a variety of backgrounds.

If you need any assistance reviewing your recruitment process so that you can diversify your workforce, schedule a call here

Why HR?

Is your business your first, second, third (or more) career?

I’ve worked with childcare providers who were social workers, website designers who were teachers and holistic therapists who were accountants.

I’m a firm believer that finding the thing that you love to do, as opposed to what you can do to make money is a journey littered with lessons to get you to your ultimate destination (at least for most of us).

When I share my background, people are often surprised that my first degree was in Computer Science. Growing up I loved chess and electronics. Studying IT was an easy choice for college and university. But at university I realised that my passion was finding a solution for my clients, looking outside for the box and being creative with the solutions.

I was heartbroken when I was told that I’d need to work as a programmer for 10+years before I’d be able to be in front of clients creating solutions and overseeing them being delivered. 

So at graduation, I took an office manager role that required some skill with creating databases and it was there that I was introduced to HR. And once I started studying I never looked back.

HR ticked all my boxes:

1. There were challenges that I needed to find solutions for.

2. I had to engage with people to find and execute the solution

3. Sometimes systems and processes were part of the solution.

It was perfect for me.

What makes your business perfect for you?

When we are hiring for our team, we can sometimes get stuck looking for a person who has all the right employment history instead of looking for the transferable skills needed, for example, an ex-teacher will be able to break down complexities and make them easily understood, a stay at home mum will be a master negotiator.

Don’t overlook a candidate because they don’t have the history you are looking for. Look for the skills, you can teach the rest.

How will you change your adverts and selection process going forward to make sure you don’t miss your ideal candidate?

Need some help with your selection process? Schedule a call to see how we can help you hire the best candidate for your business.

Causing a stink

Stuart was an ideal employee, an amazing customer service officer who the clients loved, as he always went the extra mile to make sure they were happy. He was always on time, was hardly ever sick and consistently exceeded his objectives. 

There was just one problem, Stuart’s personal hygiene was not consistent, some days he smelt super fresh on other days his odour was eye-watering. Staff complained but no one spoke to Stuart.

Ever been in a situation where everyone is aware of a problem except the person who is causing the problem?

Rather than addressing his body odour issues, his manager placed him in a separate office, stating that his telephone conversations could be distracting to other members of the team. However, when a team leader position became vacant and Stuart applied, someone had to talk to him and you guessed it, it was me as the HR Manager.

He and I had a private chat, where I discussed the situation and tried to find a resolution. Stuart felt so embarrassed. He hadn’t known that his odour was a problem and couldn’t understand why no one had spoken to him sooner. 

The problem was that he shared a house with roommates and wasn't always able to get into the bathroom to shower before he needed to leave for work (he knew he wasn't super fresh on those days but didn’t think he was stinky). He had felt that his colleagues were avoiding him and thinking back could understand some interactions better. Stuart’s confidence was destroyed. He wanted to retract his application for the team leader position.

That wasn’t what we wanted. He was a great candidate for the role. We discussed options to improve his hygiene - like using the showering facilities at the office but building his confidence in his manager and colleagues was the bigger issue.

We needed to build an environment that was open and honest so that any issues could be brought out in the open and addressed before it caused a longer-lasting problem. I mediated a meeting between Stuart and his manager who was clearly uncomfortable with discussing personal issues and so some additional management training was given to him. 

Stuart was able to get his hygiene under control and get the team leader role. His colleagues and team members warmed up to him once they were able to share the space comfortably and his manager became more effective at addressing challenging issues.

Do you have an issue that you haven't addressed because it's awkward and/embarrassing? 

Having challenging conversations can be hard, here are 5 tips to help you to address the stinky issues:

1. Stick to the facts, be clear about what the issue is and why it needs to be addressed.

2. Show empathy, as awkward as you may feel the other person will be trying to absorb the information.

3. Ask about mitigating situations, there may be business or personal issues that can cause or affect the issue.

4. Offer solutions suggest some options that can resolve the issue 

5. Follow up, don't just talk and run, check-in and make sure that the individual is ok.

Use these tips to address your challenging team issues and let us know how it goes

I cried every morning for a week

Have you ever just been frustrated with the situation that you find yourself in?

I couldn’t even put my finger on exactly what was making me wake up crying and desperate to get back under the duvet.

Technically I was in a good place; I was leading an HR Department of 67, implementing a new system and creating efficiencies, bidding to win more work for the team and pregnant with my first child.

I should have been happy but I had spread myself too thin, all the deadlines were looming and I didn’t know where to start.

I kept saying YES when I should have said NO or LATER.

Have you ever been there? You start a project and think I should not be doing this. This is definitely not the best use of my time.

I wasn’t delegating properly because I’d made a fundamental mistake. I believed that if it was my responsibility, I had to do the work – even if it killed me!

I knew that I had to start training others and allowing them to grow, stretch and use their talents to the fullest. I was doing too much of everything and not enough of the important things.

Have you ever been there?

I stopped saying yes to everything and started to take the time to assess what I should be doing and what things could be delegated to others.

I was helped by reading a book called The Best Yes by Lisa TerKeurst, which talks about the 4 questions that you should ask before you say Yes to something:

1. Do I have the capacity physically? Do you have the time? Can you fit it into your workload?

2. Do I have the capacity financially? Is there a cost?, Would it cost you if you didn’t complete it? Can you afford to delegate the task?

3. Do I have the capacity spiritually? Is this something that goes against your core values? Will it cause an inner conflict?

4. Do I have the capacity emotionally? Can your mental health bear the load of another task?

Now when I get asked to do something, I almost always say I need to check my schedule and will get back to you, unless its an easy Yes or No. It gives me time to check myself and reign in my inner people-pleasing tendencies.

In these times where we are more accessible than ever with all the remote working technology, it can feel harder to say I don’t have time or I have other plans. We have to own our No.

If this new normal has you feeling stretched and stressed, take a step back and assess your To-Do list using the questions above and let me know what you are going to delegate or ditch going forward.

Are you ready to lead?

Steve was so frustrated with the way his team dressed in the office, no matter how many times he said ‘smart casual’, people would turn up in jeans, trainers and unironed t-shirts. Even new additions to the team started coming into work smart, as he’d instructed during the recruitment process, but within a month their standards slipped too.

You didn’t have to look far to see what the problem was, the CEO came into the office in flip flops and shorts, often covered in dog hair – the only way the team knew that an important meeting was taking place was when he showed up in a shirt and trousers, with his hair brushed!

Have you ever had this kind of experience?

Leading others effectively is impossible if you are not prepared to demonstrate the values and behaviours that you wish to see and develop in your team.

Say your values are: Transparency, Responsiveness and Innovation. How are you embodying them daily?

Does your team know what your plan is for business growth? Do they know there is a problem BEFORE you start reducing the outgoings? Do you respond to requests for help or assistance promptly (even if it’s just sending a holding message)? Do you shoot down any ideas that don’t come from you?

Do you think your team would be transparent, responsive and innovative with you, your business or your customers?

Being a true leader means taking a hard look at yourself and making the changes that you need to influence in the right way because whatever you do positive or negative you are making an impression on those around you.

Take this quick exercise and see what you need to work on  -

• Take a pen and paper

• Write down your top 3 – 5 business values

• Write down an example of how you have demonstrated (or not) each in the last 2 weeks

• Assess what you could have done better and decide what you will do the next time

Be honest, if you can see that you aren’t demonstrating your core values, make a plan for how you can set a better example for your team.

Need some help on your leadership journey? Schedule a call and see how we can help you build a positive legacy of leadership

I'm just checking

Ever asked “How's everything going?” to be told “Fine”, when really what you wanted was an update on a project or task that you had assigned to a member of your team? 

You want to check how they are doing but you don’t want to appear to be micromanaging them, it’s a delicate balance; you need to give your team the freedom to complete their objectives but you want to know that they are on task (and that they really understand the task).

When I first started managing a team, I’d be working ALL THE HOURS fixing errors my team had made rather than getting them to fix their mistakes, ever thought “I can do it quicker myself?”, but I soon learnt that I wasn't doing my team or myself any favours - and I certainly needed more sleep!

So I set clear SMART  objectives, created process documents, retrained my team on the processes and used two effective ways to the reassurance that my team would deliver on time (and on a budget).

If you are having the same challenges try::

1. Schedule a regular catch up meeting, this needs to be 30/45 minutes where you check on the following:

   1. How the individual is doing

   2. If their workload is ok

   3. If there is any support or training they need

   4. How they are progressing with their objectives

1. Use the OKR document (I discussed in my previous blog) as a working record of progress, store each individual ORK document on your file share and ask each team member to update their progress every week/month dependent on the project, you will be able to see how they are progressing with the results linked to their objectives so that if they aren't on track you have time to make any necessary changes.

It’s time to empower your team so that you can have the freedom that business ownership should bring, while you grow and scale your business.

Get our Management Fundamental Course to build the confidence and HR knowledge you need to be a proactive leader and take your business to the next level or to have a chat about how we can help you schedule a call here .

Have you got time ?

I was speaking with a client who has been having a problem with a member of their team and as we were discussing the challenges; it was a matter of how they say things, rather than what they said, I asked if that had been communicated to the individual, the manager said no, but it was in their objectives, as it is for all managers.

So I asked what happened when you discussed these objectives as you set them, I was told we were really busy at the time, so I put them on the system but we never had a conversation - “they know they are there though” 

How do your objective setting conversations go with your team? Have you ever formally set objectives?

A wise woman once said “just because you’ve sent me an email doesn’t mean I've read it or actioned it if you want me to do something come and talk to me”

Setting amazing. Motivating, empowering objectives means absolutely nothing if you haven't taken the time to discuss them individually with the members of your team. This is the reason why so many employees believe that annual objectives are not worth the paper they are written on and that any bonus or progression linked to them is worthless.

Have you ever been in that position? You think you have ticked all of the boxes and then some new skill or behaviour is added to the mix?

It’s more important than ever to make sure that you are clearly communicating your objective with your team, individually. Make the time to schedule a meeting (video call) to discuss the objectives, rather than just setting them and saying “come back to me if you have any questions”.

Here are some tips to ensure that your conversation goes well:

• Set a time and date to meet, this isn't an ad hoc conversation. Give the meeting the respect it deserves

• Ensure there are no interruptions, don't be checking your emails or answering your phone (unless there is a specific urgent call that you are waiting for, in that case, make the individual aware)

• Have a Face to Face conversation (virtually at the moment), this isn’t a phone call type of conversation

• Share an agenda (e.g, Business update, Organisational objectives, Discuss previous objectives, Discuss career path, Discuss developmental needs, Discuss new/revised objectives, Confirm next steps)

• Take time to check how the individual is doing outside of work things, that they don't have any external stressors that could be contributing to poor performance

• Have the individual take the notes and send them to you, that way you can check that they fully understand their new objectives.

Get that meeting scheduled, prepare beforehand, share your business vision and get your team to join you on your journey - an effective team needs to be pulling in the same direction.

Need help communicating effectively with your team, schedule a call to discuss how we can help you here

Got a pen?

I like to say that you are only responsible for one review - your own!

Reviewing the performance of your staff and setting new objectives can feel like a big job, but I’ve got a solution that means that you’ll never be bogged down with the paperwork again and you can be sure that each member of your team has a full understanding of the outcome expected of them, win/win right?

So here's how …

Last week we looked at how you set your business objectives with the four areas (Financial, People, Internal Process and Learning & Growth) which you can read here. From those, you should set your objectives as CEO and share both documents with your team, and ask them to create their objectives and share with you ahead of your objective meeting.

I know what you are thinking, how do I lay the objectives out so that my team understands?

The format that I find most useful and recommend to my clients is the OKR method. OKR stands for Objective and Key Results. You break each objective into the main steps you need to take to complete it successfully, for example:

Objective:- Move to a 5000 Sq Ft Office by September 2020

Key results: 

• Decide on location by April 30

• Engage Estate Agent by May 5

• Select new space by July 14

• Arrange decoration and furniture by Aug 1

• Book movers by August 1

Breaking the key results down like this enables you to keep a track of progress and put things back if they are getting off track, also this process enables you to see if you are being realistic with your timings and see where any dependencies may be. It’s like having a project plan for each objective.

Don’t worry about the system you use to log your objectives, a spreadsheet or word document is fine, it's really the conversation that is important - the documentation is there to ensure that everyone is clear of what is expected and what support is required.

We will talk about the conversation next week.

Need to get your objective setting on point, grab our Online Management Fundamentals Course, where we have a whole module on objective setting with OKR templates to help you. Check it out here.

What’s your standard?

It’s that time of year when we review how our business and team has performed and set our objectives for the year ahead. And as the CEO you set the direction of your business, with the input of your team of course!

Even through a time of change, it's important to have clear objectives of what you want to achieve as a business and use those to create tailored objectives for yourself and your team. 

I know you have a business plan (written or stored in your head) with short, medium and long terms plans for astronomical growth, but you’ll never achieve your goals if you aren't setting objectives that pave the way.

Start with the end in mind - Stephen Covey

Your business objectives should be the golden thread that runs through every team and individual goal.

“91% of companies who have effective performance management systems, say that employees' goals are linked to business priorities”

Simply put, your team will be more effective if they can see how their individual goals fit into the big picture.

So how do you set those business goals for the year ahead:

Firstly, Review:

What was the best thing that happened in your business in the least 12 months? What one thing you will never do again? What was your biggest learning?

Secondly, Know your numbers; Income, Profit, Customers (new and recurring) 

You want to set achievable but stretching objectives, you can’t go from £100,000 to £1,000,000, use last year's data to help you set realistic goals.

Third, Do your research

What are your competitors doing? What do your customers want? What skills or technologies do you need to develop?

Now you are ready to set your business objectives::

Try to set at least at least one objective for each of the four elements and don’t forget to ensure that they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound.

Financial - Income and Profit Goal

Customer - Number, Type, Niche

Internal process - What can you make more efficient? 

Learning and Growth - What new skills do you need to develop within your organisation? 

Setting focused business goals, will make it so much easier to set team and individual goals.

Next week, we will take you through the process of sharing your business objective with your team, decimating them into individual goals, so that you can take them with you on your journey to astronomical business growth.

Need help developing your strategy? Book a HR Strategy session here

A period of change

Are you ok?

Are you trying to cover all the bases and keep everyone happy?

I have spoken to so many clients who are focussed on delivering services and products to their clients, while taking care of their team, often also balancing caring and teaching responsibilities, working longer hours than ever.

Is that you? Are you still waiting for the downtime that everyone else seems to be enjoying? 

At the weekend I was watching FB live about the freeze, flight or fight reactions that we have to change or crises. And I know that most business owners (myself included) go straight to fight mode, looking for solutions and reassuring your team, but we need to remember we aren't alone - even if we can't physically meet.

This period of change will end and we need to keep healthy in mind, body and spirit for the rush that will happen then.

Here are a few things to do, to keep your balance while everything is shifting:

Schedule your time - Working from home can make it really easy for your working day to get longer. Plan the hours that you are working each day and set alarms to remind you when to eat and stop. Also, if you don't have an office door that you can shut. Pack the laptop and papers away at the end of your working day, so that you are not tempted to go back after your allocated hours.

Pick your fights - Plan to complete no more than 3 tasks a day, prioritise your task list by deadline and urgency, so if you manage to complete your allocated three tasks you can move on the next task.

Ask for help - You have a team, allocate some tasks to them to free you up to focus, they are just as aware of the situation as you are and may have some insights to help you as you move forward. If you are considering furloughing or making redundancies, get in touch with us to discuss your options

Exercise - Try to move every day, it can be 10 minutes of dancing or an online class (my personal fav) but do something that raises your heart rate and your spirits.

Be still - Take some time every day to just be still; watch the clouds, feel the sun on your face, meditate or pray.

Have fun - Enjoy this time; watch a film, play some games, have an indoor picnic, create a new cocktail, have a PJ day

You have the schedule in time to take care of yourself every day, switch off the noise and you will be a better leader for it. The best ideas come in times of adversity.

Stay safe and healthy

Work Life just got complex and I’m so glad

One of the most frustrating things I found with corporate life was the assumption that you couldn't look after your children and be an effective employee simultaneously - although it didn't stop my colleagues calling me when I wasn't supposed to be working as I was looking after my daughters! 

It felt like a big double standard ...

When my mother was having her first round of chemotherapy I was allowed to work from the hospital to take her for her appointments and for treatments, taking calls in hallways and losing connection as the thick walls and tonnes of equipment made reception terrible, but working with a sick child sleeping on the sofa next to me was a no no!

So to have the government insisting (non key-worker) employees work from home, with their bundles of joy home from school, is a big leap for a lot of employers.

I can’t tell you the amount of business owners, who have businesses that can actually thrive in the current circumstances that are worried about how they will get their full 7 or 8 hours of work out of their employees while they are working from home.

I hear all of the talk about team dynamic and collaborative working but let me let you in on a little secret, 90% of staff give you MORE value when they are working from home. They tend to work a longer day as they aren't commuting, lunch is prepped and eaten while they work and they’ve got no colleagues distracting them.

Having children around brings an added dimension, but good parents know how to occupy their children and will plan their day accordingly - this morning my key worker hubby worked from home (he’s on an office rota) starting before 8am, so the girls and I did PE with Joe wicks and while they had their bath I made calls and set out their literacy work. When they completed their literacy, they created some art masterpieces and then after a snack, they played in their bedroom until lunch. And so the day continued until my hubby finished his work and set up the Nintendo Switch for some Mario fun, while I wrote this.

This is life for a lot of freelancers pre pandemic and so we are more experienced with the juggle, but i want to let business owners know that you can trust your staff to act like adults and manage their work and parenting responsibilities, if they can’t manage their lives you would have seen it already (you can still use your capability policy if they aren't delivering).

To manage your team remotely, there are some tips and tools that you can use to help you feel confident that your team are on top of their outcomes:

• Set clear objectives with detailed outcomes

• Have morning team meetings by video call

• Have 1-2-1’s with your team as usual

• Work from Google docs or your shared drive, so you can check progress

• Use a project management tool to assign work, e.g. Asana, Monday,Trello

• Gather feedback from your clients

Want help to manage your team remotely? Join us live on Facebook at 9pm tonight

Why Flexible Working is Vital for Small Business

With the events of the past few weeks leading more businesses to think creatively about how and where their staff work from, this week’s blog is very timely ...

When I speak with Entrepreneurs about the reasons for striking out on their own, apart from passion for their area of expertise, almost all of them stated increased flexibility. Whether to spend the entire summer away, attend all of their favourite football team’s away matches or be able to collect their children from school. However, when their staff start requesting to work flexibly, they find it difficult to accommodate them.

Small businesses are by their nature lean, so finding yourself missing a vital member of staff one day a week or for additional hours every day, can present an issue with your ability to deliver a quality service to your customers. However, if you can find a mutually agreeable solution, you get to retain passionate, motivated and dedicated staff. After all, it’s only natural that they would be as dedicated to things of importance outside of work, as they are inside of work.

Legally speaking, when you receive a formal request for flexible working, you have to give it serious consideration and should you be unable to accommodate the request, explain your reasoning for declining a request in writing.

Below are some things to consider when you receive a request:

·       Does the role have to be performed from the office?

·       Does the role have to be performed during your regular office hours?

·       Is there potential to review the role and create efficiencies?

·       Could you make the role a job share?

·       Is there a potential compromise?

·       You can have trial period

·       You should have a regular review period, not an open-ended agreement

·       Make sure everything is documented

Also, remember having the reputation of being a flexible employer will help you to recruit highly qualified staff who are unable to work full time or standard hours. This will increase your resource pool and ability to flex your workforce according to your business demands.

It really can be a win/win.

Catch the replay of our livestream about managing your staff remotely on Boss It Live TV to get some tips

Do you have the time to Coach?

Studies show that whenever you take your children away on holiday or spend significant time focus on them, they will have a developmental leap; either physically or mentally.

Every time my husband and I take our girls away, we see a leap. In February we took them to Butlin’s (UK family orientated holiday park).

We went on walks, to the pantomime, saw live shows, met Paddington Bear, ate ice cream and generally had fun. At the end of the five days; my five-year-old verbal dexterity and understanding evolved, while my seven-year-old had progressed with her swimming and reading. It was really great to see, but as a mum, I also thought “soon they won’t need me anymore!”

Now I know my girls need to progress and develop, and if they were not I’d have a different kind of concern, but there is a part of me who loves being needed – MOST of the time!

Teaching new skills and giving them an opportunity to test them out, takes time and patience. Which is why I think my girls develop when we aren’t in a rush and have time to answer lots of “Why” questions and eat waaaaay past dinner time because the girls want to peel the potatoes! They learn by doing, asking questions (there are no silly questions) and making mistakes.

Coaching your team is a lot like that. You need to ask questions, rather than give answers. Be accepting of the fact that someone else isn’t going to carry out a task as quickly or in the same manner that you would.

For a long time, I would do all my employee statistics myself, I would spend at least three days a month deep in the spreadsheets manipulating the data and ensuring I understood why the differences occurred and what things we needed to address. Then, my additional responsibilities meant that something had to give. I handed my precious statistics work over and when I received the report and asked penetrating questions, I wasn’t able to get the answers I needed. The temptation was to take it back and do it myself, but instead, I took the time to explain what my senior team needed to know and we reviewed the calculations and made some changes together. The next month I had better figures and a faith that my spreadsheets were in great hands!

Coaching is definitely more time consuming than telling, but it can be really freeing for you. 

Some good coaching questions to ask are:

What would you do?

Why?

So what?

How does that make you feel?

What’s the worst thing that could happen?

If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?

The next time a team member asks you for an answer (unless it’s time bound or something only you would know) try asking a coaching question and see what happens. It will take time, because it is a change to our natural inclination to give others an answer. 

Give it a try and let me know how it goes.