This page gives a brief description of some articles that I have written. Most of these are between 2 and 4 pages long. If you want to read any of them, e-mail me and I will forward a copy to you.
“REINVENTING THE OBVIOUS” : Change Management.
Despite change management not being seen as one of the fashionable terms these days, there is no doubt that the process of change management is still very much relevant. So in order to make it more palatable, we have to “re-brand it” or “re-align it”. I call this ‘re-inventing the obvious’, this is not a cynical act, but merely a marketing strategy that has occurred throughout time.
“CHANGE IS GOOD”
Change is good ! But we make hard work of realising it sometimes. In all aspects of our life change is inevitable and in some cases, we feel threatened by it. We think change is bad. This article is aimed at helping you to manage change in a positive and effective way. Because if we like progress but we don’t like change, we’ve got a dilemma!
“BEGINNINGS, MIDDLES and ENDS”
Organisational Development for the people who make your business work
All Organisations, in order to be, or remain successful, need to implement a variety of projects that change the way they operate, both externally and internally. These changes need to take place, to ensure that the Organisation is able to operate appropriate to the market they are in.
The rules of the market place are constantly changing due to a variety of influences e.g. the government, legislation, the customer / client base, the competition, the needs of the management / staff / clients etc.
“BURNOUT AND THE BOTTOM LINE”
Is STRESS and ORGANISATIONAL BURNOUT contributing to a reduction in the effectiveness of yourself, your colleagues or your staff, and in doing so damaging the reputation of your business and negatively affecting your bottom line? If it were, would you know how to recognise it ? What causes it ? What to do about it ? Or how to prevent it ?
“HOW TO BE HAPPY”
“Maximise your morale,recharge your energy and enjoy your career”.
What makes us happy? Chocolate! Drink! Money! Sex! Drugs! All of these may make us happy for a while but mostly they are temporary and are often followed by “side effects” which basically make us unhappy. It is always by choice that we strive to obtain these things but the choices we make are not always good ones! The items in list above are not needs but are “wants”.
WHAT IF THE STAFF’S PERCEPTION IS RIGHT?
Often when a business or Organisation uses Consultants, they want them to help to change the perception of the staff. They may indicate that it is primarily the negative attitude or lack of vision of the staff that prevents the business from blossoming. They may think that if the staff had a similar opinion to them, the business would be more effective! These are often the same people who are happy to say that their people are their greatest resource!
“NO TIME FOR TIME MANAGEMENT”
Tips for managing the time you didn’t think you had.
We all have one thing in common – 24 hours every day. Does any one get more that that ? Probably not, so it’s how we use our time that makes the difference. Time management largely depends upon our ability to prioritise – urgency (“Requiring immediate action or attention”) and importance (“Of great effect or consequence”). When we prioritise “in our heads”, we are subject to the seductions of self-deception. Otherwise know as procrastination.
Our perception of things can change according to a variety of circumstances, (try the Jack Daniels test). Therefore we need to prioritise and plan in a more effective and formal manner. With this article, I will attempt to give you a few great tips and strategies to help you do just that.
“TIME MANAGEMENT AND WORKING FROM HOME”
Working from home can be very satisfying, e.g. you can stay in your pyjamas (if you wear them) for a lot longer, you can phone people who are very well dressed and have tidy hair and clean shoes on, and you can be the opposite of that and they will never know . . . There certainly are many benefits, but there are also many pitfalls and disadvantages. In this article, I will offer a few ideas about becoming organised so that you can effectively work from home and avoid the inevitable temptation to procrastinate.
“SYNCHRONICITY” : A Unique Team Building Model
To build an effective team we need to develop a team and individual motivational structure. When this is “in tune” and is matched with a team focus in the form of goals and an understanding of individual team roles, we have “Synchronicity”.
Synchronicity can be defined as “ Harmony, organisation and co-ordination”, and this won’t happen consistently without someone to bring it all together and to keep the team members focussed and motivated. This person is the leader, and without a good team leader you won’t have a good team!
MAKING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL TRANSITION TO LEADERSHIP
It is reasonable to assume that most leaders have generally experienced some difficulty, coping with the transition from employee to leadership / management. We may have the will and the skill but we also need something else too. This is a degree of emotional and psychological strength that can only be developed over time. It requires “self-awareness” in the person if it is to be developed in a positive and effective way. Using a mentor can be a way of developing this. The alternative may be a leadership/managerial style that is fuelled by cynicism, sarcasm and negativity!
SURVIVING IN THE QUICKSAND WORLD OF LEADERSHIP
Lets put the whole issue of management and leadership into perspective. There is a lot of talk about “people being the most important resource in any business”. Whilst this may be true, it may also be true to claim that “people are the main reason why businesses fail”. It is what the people do, how often they do it, how well they do it and their motivation for continuously doing it that matters. And that is often based upon their primary reaction to, and the response of, their managers and leaders.
DEVELOPING A MOTIVATIONAL STAFF MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
This paper will look at the separate components of a staff management system that covers all aspects of an employees working experience, from Orientation, through Training and Development and Performance Appraisal. It does not concern itself with other related parts of Human Resource Management, i.e. Appointments, Interviews, Wage negotiations etc, but certainly reduces some of the problems that can occur in these areas.
The model I will be explaining in this paper is primarily based upon “Learning Organisation” principles, that is, it is concerned with the motivation of staff and their ability to learn how to learn.
The whole programme is a part of the STEM Organisational Development Programme, called “Beginnings, Middles and Ends”. In this paper I shall describe the components of the staff management programme, outlining how they fit in with each other, give an overview of common problems with staff management systems, and finally summarise the basic principles behind an effective programme.
“POOR STAFF PERFORMANCE – A SYMPTOM OF INCOMPETENT MANAGERS”
There is a revolution in management practices. It is to do with power and being in control. There is also an evolutionary process in management practices. It is to do with involvement with responsibility. They are opposites. The revolution, is in fact a counter-revolution to the new breed of managers that are evolving all over the world. I know this because it directly affects my work as a consultant and trainer in staff management systems and practices.
DEFENCE MECHANISMS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD
Defence mechanisms are our psychological protection mechanisms, they can have positive or negative effects on us in all areas of our lives. They are also present in the workplace. Recognising them is the first step identifying how you or your staff respond in stressful or conflict situations.