Business Transformation - are we nearly there yet?.pptx
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Are we nearly there yet? As a father of four, I've heard that expression many times over the years. Usually, it meant they were bored, didn't know where we were and didn't really know where we were going. Far too frequently, it was also followed by the dreaded phrase: "I need the toilet" - timed to perfection as we drove past the last service station for 20 miles! But when it comes to leading business transformation programmes, I strongly believe that an integral part of the job is to ensure that stakeholders don't need to ask that question or sit cross-legged! They should already know the answer because their expectations have been fully managed from the outset and they've been kept fully informed and involved throughout the project life cycle. Most people have short attention spans so it's vital that you regularly remind them of the vision and objectives within your strategic plan, report progress against key project milestones and celebrate mini-successes along the way. Unlike my kids in the opening paragraph, if you take everyone on the journey with you, they should enjoy the experience. But what can you do to enhance that experience and optimise the outcome? I remember once, before the days of satnav, driving to work and my usual route through a village was blocked by an accident that had happened a few minutes earlier. It was too soon for an official diversion to be in place, and I didn't know the local area, so I decided to follow the car in front - assuming that the driver would know an alternative route. I followed the car for about 10 minutes and realised I'd made a mistake when he slowed down, made a right turn, and parked his car on the drive in front of his house! What made it worse was when I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw that three other cars had followed him, and I was now in pole position! I knew roughly where I was and certainly knew where I was heading so, fuelled by adrenaline, I followed my sense of direction and managed to re-join my usual route several miles later. What really surprised me was that my detour turned out to be quicker than my usual journey. Not only had I enjoyed the thrill of the ride, but I'd also discovered a better way to get to work! Whilst it's important for an organisation to have a clear business transformation strategy to ensure everyone knows where it's heading, for optimal results it should also build in some flexibility around how it will get there. Sometimes, you just have to go with the flow and grab the wheel of opportunity with both hands! I've summarised the above points on a slide - I hope you find it helpful. Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-transformation-we-nearly-yet-jon-stephenson
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Business Transformation - what a refreshing change! .pptx
It's not just operational processes that could benefit from joined-up thinking, cross-functional teams, and a holistic approach - I think these principles can also be applied to change initiatives.
I've supported, led, and sponsored many projects and business transformations throughout my career. I've experimented with, endured, and embraced lots of different styles and approaches. Taking the best bits from each of them, here’s my top ten list of actions that I think make for a refreshing change programme.
I hope you find it useful.
Full LinkedIn article, inspired by a classic TV advert for Heineken, to follow - watch this space!
Job Hunting - pick over this fishbone for telephone interviews!.pptx
I've received some great tips from colleagues, fellow job hunters, and recruitment consultants regarding telephone interviews.
I've since tried them out and been really pleased with the end results.
I decided that the best way to capture and consolidate the advice would be to create a fishbone diagram as a checklist.
I hope you find it useful.
Following the steps in the fishbone diagram should give you a fighting chance of getting through to the next stage of the interview process.
On the other hand, if you don't get past the telephone interview this time, you can use it to identify the root cause, add further bones, and improve your chances of success next time.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/preparing-pass-telephone-interviews-using-dr-fishbone-jon-stephenson
Resource Management - you don't need a DeLorean!.pptx
Here are my top tips for Time & Motion exercises and resource models - with a Back To The Future theme!
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/resource-management-you-dont-need-delorean-jon-stephenson-lybce
Continuous Improvement - implementing a clear strategy.pptx
I remember being part of a site wide initiative where everyone was given a plain white T-Shirt and a set of fabric pens. We were then asked to add our own design to represent continuous improvement (CI).
Continuous Improvement (CI)I is not a one-off box ticking exercise - it is a never-ending journey that needs to be embedded within an organisation's culture.
A CI strategy should be an integral part of any Business Transformation programme and incorporate a three stage process - Input, Throughput and Output.
I have summarised the key points to consider at each stage on a Continuous Improvement slide.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/continuous-improvement-been-made-t-shirt-jon-stephenson
Presentations - ensure your slides go down well!.pptx
I was talking to a colleague recently about the "Bring Back Bovril" presentation I'd once delivered on a training course to illustrate the link between my favourite football team's decline and it's removal of Bovril as a hot drink option for spectators. I convinced my fellow delegates through graphs and anecdotal evidence that re-introducing the beef-extract beverage would help restore the team to it's former glories, and by the end of my presentation they were all chanting my BBB war cry!
They were worried about an upcoming presentation so they'd asked me for some tips. As my suggestions and stories seemed to go down well, I thought it would be another good topic for an article.
In my experience, successful presentations are built around two main pillars - preparation and delivery.
I've summarised my tips on a slide - I hope you found it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/presentations-ensuring-your-slides-go-down-well-jon-stephenson
Job Hunting - hats the way to create a strategy!pptx
I've often used Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats® at work to provide a structured but creative and highly effective approach for formulating strategies to tackle difficult and challenging situations, on both a group and individual basis.
As I have recently left my employer, I thought I would apply the hats to develop a clear job hunting strategy for securing my next role.
The easiest and, in my opinion, most effective way to use the hats is to do so sequentially:
White Hat - what are the facts (not opinions) about the situation you want to address?
Red Hat - how do you feel about the facts/situation?
Black Hat - what are the causes of your negative feelings and what do you consider to be the downside of the situation?
Yellow Hat - what are reasons for your positive feelings and what do you consider to be the upsides?
Green Hat - what ideas/options can you identify to overcome your negative feelings, address the downsides and build upon your positive feelings and the upsides?
Blue Hat - taking everything into consideration, what clear actions are you going to implement to take control of the situation?
I found the experience to be very cathartic and I have produced a couple of slides to summarise the outputs.
If you have any questions about de Bono's hats and their practical application, I'd be happy to help.
Hopefully this will resonate and inspire you to create your own job hunting strategy.
Good luck!
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-edward-de-bonos-six-thinking-hats-support-your-job-stephenson
Absence Management - treating people fairly 241222.pptx
I've summarised my approach to managing absence on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Adopting these principles is not easy because you need to take responsibility for your actions and be prepared to justify your decisions, as you can't hide behind a generic set of rules. It will, however, improve overall performance and increase people satisfaction with reduced absence, absenteeism, and attrition rates.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/absence-management-you-cant-say-fairer-than-jon-stephenson
Job Hunting - the key characteristics of a successful job hunter?!.pptx
What's got three pairs of arms, giant feet, eagle eyes, a pig's snout, a brass neck, and thick skin?
If you're looking for a new job, I hope you match that description because I reckon those are some of the key attributes that a job hunter needs to be successful!
I'm sure we'd all agree that finding a new job isn't easy and it's a real test of mental strength. Based upon my experiences so far, I've pulled together a list of characteristics that I think you'll need during your job hunt.
I've captured them on a slide alongside some supporting steps - I hope you find them interesting and useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full LinkedIn article:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/key-characteristics-successful-job-hunter-jon-stephenson
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Business Transformation - what a refreshing change! .pptx
It's not just operational processes that could benefit from joined-up thinking, cross-functional teams, and a holistic approach - I think these principles can also be applied to change initiatives.
I've supported, led, and sponsored many projects and business transformations throughout my career. I've experimented with, endured, and embraced lots of different styles and approaches. Taking the best bits from each of them, here’s my top ten list of actions that I think make for a refreshing change programme.
I hope you find it useful.
Full LinkedIn article, inspired by a classic TV advert for Heineken, to follow - watch this space!
Job Hunting - pick over this fishbone for telephone interviews!.pptx
I've received some great tips from colleagues, fellow job hunters, and recruitment consultants regarding telephone interviews.
I've since tried them out and been really pleased with the end results.
I decided that the best way to capture and consolidate the advice would be to create a fishbone diagram as a checklist.
I hope you find it useful.
Following the steps in the fishbone diagram should give you a fighting chance of getting through to the next stage of the interview process.
On the other hand, if you don't get past the telephone interview this time, you can use it to identify the root cause, add further bones, and improve your chances of success next time.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/preparing-pass-telephone-interviews-using-dr-fishbone-jon-stephenson
Resource Management - you don't need a DeLorean!.pptx
Here are my top tips for Time & Motion exercises and resource models - with a Back To The Future theme!
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/resource-management-you-dont-need-delorean-jon-stephenson-lybce
Continuous Improvement - implementing a clear strategy.pptx
I remember being part of a site wide initiative where everyone was given a plain white T-Shirt and a set of fabric pens. We were then asked to add our own design to represent continuous improvement (CI).
Continuous Improvement (CI)I is not a one-off box ticking exercise - it is a never-ending journey that needs to be embedded within an organisation's culture.
A CI strategy should be an integral part of any Business Transformation programme and incorporate a three stage process - Input, Throughput and Output.
I have summarised the key points to consider at each stage on a Continuous Improvement slide.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/continuous-improvement-been-made-t-shirt-jon-stephenson
Presentations - ensure your slides go down well!.pptx
I was talking to a colleague recently about the "Bring Back Bovril" presentation I'd once delivered on a training course to illustrate the link between my favourite football team's decline and it's removal of Bovril as a hot drink option for spectators. I convinced my fellow delegates through graphs and anecdotal evidence that re-introducing the beef-extract beverage would help restore the team to it's former glories, and by the end of my presentation they were all chanting my BBB war cry!
They were worried about an upcoming presentation so they'd asked me for some tips. As my suggestions and stories seemed to go down well, I thought it would be another good topic for an article.
In my experience, successful presentations are built around two main pillars - preparation and delivery.
I've summarised my tips on a slide - I hope you found it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/presentations-ensuring-your-slides-go-down-well-jon-stephenson
Job Hunting - hats the way to create a strategy!pptx
I've often used Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats® at work to provide a structured but creative and highly effective approach for formulating strategies to tackle difficult and challenging situations, on both a group and individual basis.
As I have recently left my employer, I thought I would apply the hats to develop a clear job hunting strategy for securing my next role.
The easiest and, in my opinion, most effective way to use the hats is to do so sequentially:
White Hat - what are the facts (not opinions) about the situation you want to address?
Red Hat - how do you feel about the facts/situation?
Black Hat - what are the causes of your negative feelings and what do you consider to be the downside of the situation?
Yellow Hat - what are reasons for your positive feelings and what do you consider to be the upsides?
Green Hat - what ideas/options can you identify to overcome your negative feelings, address the downsides and build upon your positive feelings and the upsides?
Blue Hat - taking everything into consideration, what clear actions are you going to implement to take control of the situation?
I found the experience to be very cathartic and I have produced a couple of slides to summarise the outputs.
If you have any questions about de Bono's hats and their practical application, I'd be happy to help.
Hopefully this will resonate and inspire you to create your own job hunting strategy.
Good luck!
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/using-edward-de-bonos-six-thinking-hats-support-your-job-stephenson
Absence Management - treating people fairly 241222.pptx
I've summarised my approach to managing absence on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Adopting these principles is not easy because you need to take responsibility for your actions and be prepared to justify your decisions, as you can't hide behind a generic set of rules. It will, however, improve overall performance and increase people satisfaction with reduced absence, absenteeism, and attrition rates.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/absence-management-you-cant-say-fairer-than-jon-stephenson
Job Hunting - the key characteristics of a successful job hunter?!.pptx
What's got three pairs of arms, giant feet, eagle eyes, a pig's snout, a brass neck, and thick skin?
If you're looking for a new job, I hope you match that description because I reckon those are some of the key attributes that a job hunter needs to be successful!
I'm sure we'd all agree that finding a new job isn't easy and it's a real test of mental strength. Based upon my experiences so far, I've pulled together a list of characteristics that I think you'll need during your job hunt.
I've captured them on a slide alongside some supporting steps - I hope you find them interesting and useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full LinkedIn article:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/key-characteristics-successful-job-hunter-jon-stephenson
Customer Experience - don't forget the bigger picture!.pptx
I once ran an offsite exercise where I tasked four cross-functional groups of managers to make four separate items - a horse, a jockey, a stable and a fence.
Each group was given a card with the name of the product they needed to make and some basic design requirements - the colour of the horse, the clothes for the jockey, the number of doors and windows for the stable, and the type of panels for the fence. They were also given a mixture of materials and tools to help them complete their tasks - different ones in each group.
I told them it was a team challenge and said my co-facilitators and I would be observing their behaviour during the task, and we'd judge their products at the end of the exercise.
At the end of the task, I asked them to come up and present their products. When all four groups had finished, I complimented them on the quality of their individual items but then reminded them that it had been a team exercise.
I said the objective of the team exercise had been to create a jockey, a horse, a stable and a fence so, as their customer, I wanted to judge how well they all went together. I could hear the pennies slowly dropping before the protests started as we discovered that the jockey was too big for the horse, the stable was too small for the horse and the fence was too high for the stable!
Individually, the items were fine, but the overall effect was disjointed - the whole was less than the sum of the parts. They hadn't considered the bigger picture or looked at it holistically from their customer's perspective. They hadn't involved me (their customer) in the contextual design of their products or sought my feedback during the task.
They'd chosen to internalise their measures of success and work as individual groups jockeying for position rather than one large team. They'd created their own silos and thrown the problems for the customer over the fence - even though they knew the purpose of the offsite was to encourage cross-departmental working!
It was a powerful message - departments in the best organisations work together, not against each other, to improve their overall performance and deliver an optimal customer experience.
I ran the exercise at four more offsites and each time it was the same outcome. I'd sworn the earlier participants to secrecy and the first thing they asked their colleagues, when they returned to the office, was "How big was your horse?"!
The offsites had the desired effect - a clear commitment from everyone to step outside silos, establish cross-departmental communication channels and work collaboratively as one business. Clients welcomed the joined-up approach and there was an increase in satisfaction levels, cross-sales and retention rates.
I hope you find this slide useful.
You can check out my full LInkedin article using the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/teamwork-dont-forget-bigger-picture-jon-stephenson
Incident Management - learn fast but don't get furious!.pptx
I've managed quite a few incidents (and false alarms) throughout my career - loss of systems, power cuts, supply chain issues, adverse weather conditions (including golf-ball sized hailstones), small fires, staff shortages and even one where a colleague was stuck in a lift.
Proactive planning and preparation make incidents easier to manage, but I've still gained experience and learned valuable lessons from every one of them. For example, I now know that you don't tell someone who is stuck in a lift that the engineer will be here in 20 minutes because you might panic them, if they think that's a long time! You should avoid giving timescales - simply reassure them by saying help is on the way and you'll soon have them out of there.
I was thinking about the advice I'd give to someone managing an incident for the first time and I came up with the following list:
- Stay calm under pressure and reassure others
- Be assertive, not aggressive
- Ensure there are no egos in the room
- Listen to the experts
- Be decisive and inspire confidence
- Provide clear instructions
- Be prepared to react to a changing situation
- Learn fast and keep learning
- Stay in the present, don't look back
- Leave any retrospection for the Post Incident Review
- Make a record of all actions and decisions
- Communicate regularly to the wider team
- Revise your business continuity plans (after the incident) based upon the lessons you've learnt
I've summarised the above list on a slide. If you're new to incident management, I hope you find it useful. If you're an experienced Incident Manager, what would you add to the above list?
To read my full article, please go to:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/incident-management-learn-fast-dont-get-furious-jon-stephenson
Team Feedback - you've been framed!.pptx
I was introduced to the A-Frame by an inspirational boss many years ago, and I've used it ever since with both new and established teams.
It takes its name from the main headings of a four-box grid - Applaud, Ask, Assert, Anticipate, and it focuses on what people want/don't want and get/don't get from a particular situation.
It can be used to structure discussions on lots of different subjects, but I like to use it to request feedback on my situational leadership:
Applaud - what would you like me to continue doing?
Ask - what would you like me to start doing?
Assert - what would you like me to stop doing?
Anticipate - what don't you want me to start doing?
Before committing to the exercise, it's essential that your team feel empowered to provide objective feedback, and that you're in the right frame of mind to receive it. Don't be defensive or try to rationalise it - take it as an opportunity to learn.
I've found that it works best if you ask your team to collectively agree the feedback, and then meet with them to review it. Each time it has prompted excellent discussions. I've used the feedback to produce a development plan for myself and, at the same time, to document the support I need from them to help me become a more effective leader.
It's important to track progress against the plan and request feedback on a regular basis as their needs may change over time. You'll find that your team will be more precise and get better at providing examples each time they complete the exercise.
I've summarised the above points on a slide - I hope you find it useful. I've also included the 'A' Frame on a separate slide.
So, why not give it a go? I'm sure your team will engage with the process, and they'll be delighted with the changes you make and the positive impact it has on their intrinsic motivation and overall performance. Embrace it and you'll start to hear great things, like what you see, and have a spring in your step!
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/team-feedback-youve-been-framed-jon-stephenson
Client Retention - a strategy to mind the gap!.pptx
Whilst I fully accept that it's everyone's collective responsibility to optimise the customer experience and reduce attrition rates, I believe it's essential for organisations to develop a clear and robust retention strategy.
I remember being asked to devise and implement a retention strategy for a professional services business. Renewal rates had been on a downward trend for several years, so I was keen to understand why this was happening. When I sat down with the account managers, I discovered that most of their time was dedicated to contacting clients in the last six months of their contract and attempting to secure their renewal.
Unfortunately, by the time they reached out to their clients, it was usually too late - most of them had already made the decision to either stay or move on, so their efforts had no meaningful impact on the renewal rates. Additionally, there was no attempt to win back lost business or address the root cause of customer dissatisfaction.
It was very clear that there were rudimentary gaps in their approach and a radical overhaul was required, so I created a five-stage strategy covering Attention, Detection, Prevention, Retention and Redemption.
It was a major programme of work but, crucially, it had the full backing of the SLT and within twelve months we'd reversed the trend and renewal rates started to climb dramatically.
I've summarised the five stages on a slide - I hope you find it useful. I've also included a mind map showing the five stages and their linked activities.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/client-retention-strategy-mind-gap-jon-stephenson
Business Transformation - getting ready to scale and polish!.pptx
Scaling-up is about achieving an exponential increase in capacity and productivity without sacrificing quality. It's not a one-size-fits-all process, and you'll need to tailor your solutions to provide the polish, but the ten principles on this slide should form the basis of your strategy.
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-transformation-getting-ready-scale-polish-jon-stephenson
Mentorship - the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker!.pptx
If you get the opportunity to become a mentor, through a scheme or a direct approach, I’d highly recommend it, and I'm sure your future self will thank you.
I’ve always enjoyed helping colleagues and I’d like to think I’ve played my part in their subsequent development and achievements, and developed a few skills myself along the way.
So what skills do you need to be a mentor? When I joined my first scheme, I was told that I'd need to be a coach, a counsellor and a cheerleader but based upon my experience as both a mentor and mentee, I'd say the different hats you need to wear are more akin to the characters from an old nursery rhyme - butcher, baker and candlestick maker!
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn to find out why:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mentoring-schemes-say-hello-butcher-baker-maker-jon-stephenson
Stakeholder Management - just what the Doctor ordered!.pptx
I've always believed that stakeholder management is key to business transformation. If you want to be given a clean bill of health and avoid major surgery after you introduce change within your organisation, it’s essential that you manage your stakeholders effectively throughout the programme.
My prescription for good stakeholder management covers four essential areas:
- Identifying stakeholders
- Managing expectations
- Engaging appropriately
- Communicating effectively
I've captured my tips for managing these four areas on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full LinkedIn article:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stakeholder-management-just-what-doctor-ordered-jon-stephenson
Performance Improvement - at least we're not going backwards!.pptx
I recall a business analyst saying to me "I don't know why you want me to look at that measure again, the rate hasn't changed since the last time I reviewed it."
I explained that the lack of improvement was precisely the reason I wanted him to look at it again. I was shocked by his blasé attitude towards performance management, but I was pleased that he'd given me an idea for another article!
Standing still will usually result in your organisation moving backwards because whilst you stagnate your competitors will all be attempting to move forward. Unless you're in a rowing boat or a tug-of-war team, forward momentum is key to success. If you become complacent about your performance, you'll soon start shipping customers, and then you'll get that sinking feeling!
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn using the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/performance-improvement-least-were-going-backwards-jon-stephenson/
Trust and Integrity - key behavioural traits.pptx
Here's my personal checklist for Trust and Integrity - I hope you find it useful.
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn where I discuss some instances where trust an integrity wasn't foremost in people's thoughts:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/trust-integrity-dog-ate-my-excuses-jon-stephenson
Judgement & Decision-making - the joys of blissful ignorance!.pptx
I've found that sound judgement and decision-making requires an open mind and a proven process.
I've captured the main points of the process and the likely outputs in a slide.
I've also included a grid showing the four main decision types based upon their urgency and importance.
I hope you find them useful.
Please use this link to check out my full LinkedIn article that was inspired by the comments of a former colleague about my approach to decision-making:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/judgement-decision-making-joys-blissful-ignorance-jon-stephenson
People Retention - maximising intrinsic motivation.pptx
People retention is a key issue in many sectors - so what can you do to reduce attrition rates?
In my opinion, it's about winning hearts & minds rather than just using carrots & sticks.
I firmly believe that many organisations fall into the trap of trying to make a boring, tough or stressful job more tolerable through extrinsic motivation. Yes, we know it's not a great job but look at the rewards & benefits package, the team spirit, the social events and the prizes (carrots) you can win! But if you're not very good at it, the carrots turn into sticks. When people leave these organisations, they often talk about missing their colleagues but very rarely their jobs.
So why don't you make it less boring instead?
Instead of just compensating for the nature of the role, you should also look at ways to make the job more interesting and enjoyable - enabling people to derive intrinsic motivation from it.
Creating a role that offers intrinsic motivation is more likely to reduce attrition. It will stop most people looking in the first place and make the others think twice before moving on. If people enjoy their roles, they are less likely to wonder if the grass is greener on the other side. When people do leave, they usually talk about missing their colleagues and loving their jobs. They also tend to retain a sense of pride, loyalty and emotional attachment to the organisation.
So how do you create the right environment for intrinsic motivation?
Alfie Kohn, in his excellent book Punished by Rewards, breaks it down into collaboration, content and choice. I have distilled this further into practical tips and summarised it on a slide I hope you find it useful.
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/intrinsic-motivation-key-people-retention-jon-stephenson
Managing Upwards - show them who's boss!.pptx
I've had the pleasure of working for lots of great bosses and I've learnt from all of them. They've had different approaches and leadership styles, but I've discovered over time that, when it comes to managing upwards, they generally all have the same needs. These tend to fall under three main requirements - they want their teams to support, impress and respect them.
With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to summarise in a slide some of the key principles that I try to follow. I hope you find it helpful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/managing-upwards-show-them-whos-boss-jon-stephenson
Project Management - at least it was delivered on time!.pptx
In project management, there are four main levers you can choose if you're struggling to meet the target implementation date - time, cost, scope and quality.
I've captured my thoughts on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my pizza-inspired article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/project-management-least-delivered-time-jon-stephenson
Cost Management - don't flatten to deceive!.pptx
I remember a newly appointed Head of Finance in our first meeting, after he had been in the job a few days, saying to me "I’ve worked out where you can save a load of costs - you’re spending too much on associate consultants. I'm going to recommend to the CFO that we reduce the budget by 50%."
I asked him if he knew why we used associate consultants and he said he didn’t but he did know that it was too much. I then asked him how much time he had spent with the consultancy teams trying to understand the way they worked and if had he reviewed our cost-to-serve model. "None" and "No" were his answers.
I applauded his enthusiasm. I said I understood that he was eager to impress his new boss and wanted to make his mark by achieving some quick wins but he was genuinely surprised when I told him that I found his suggestion disrespectful. I said I needed a Finance Business Partner to help me manage costs - not somebody who just rolled up and proposed arbitrary cost cutting exercises without any context.
Tough love perhaps but too often in the past I'd seen short term gains leading to long term pain. Thankfully, I'd been blessed with some great business partners over the preceding years within that organisation and I knew the business couldn't afford to reverse the trend. Severe arbitrary cost cutting is deceptive and counter-productive - it will almost certainly damage your brand and, paradoxically, put more jobs at risk.
One of my old bosses used to call it "lazy management" - managing the numbers, not the business. Anyone can cut costs but managing them is a skill and it doesn’t have to be painful.
Some organisations default to major redundancy programmes to control costs. I've never lost sight of the human impact of redundancies so I prefer to minimise them by managing costs on an ongoing basis. Here's my slide summarising the key actions you can take.
Going back to my first story, we didn't reduce the associate consultant budget by 50% but we did improve the cost-to-serve, enhance the customer experience and raise intrinsic motivation levels. And the Head of Finance? It was an ongoing battle (after all this is a true story and not a fairy tale!), but it became easier over time as he started to see the long term benefits.
So, when it comes to costs - don't flatten to deceive, manage them to achieve!
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cost-management-dont-flatten-deceive-jon-stephenson
Positive Influencing - pull the other one!.pptx
I was first introduced to the concept of Positive Influencing on a leadership course many years ago and I have tried to apply it ever since.
The principle is simple but very effective. If the definition of influencing could be described as "affecting or changing the way that someone acts, behaves or thinks", Positive Influencing adds the caveat "...where both parties are happy with the outcome."
If you enter into a conversation thinking purely about achieving a pre-determined, one-sided outcome, you may succeed but it will probably end up being a Pyrrhic victory. You may achieve a quick win but if one party is unhappy, it's unlikely to be the start of a successful, long term relationship. The objective is to achieve a win-win where both parties view the end result as positive.
There are two main ways to influence people - using push (active) or pull (passive) behaviour.
I've summarised these approaches and their pros and cons on a couple of slides - I hope you find them useful.
Using the right techniques to positively influence people will definitely open doors for you.
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/positive-influencing-pull-other-one-jon-stephenson
Change Management - always use pencils when launching new initiatives!.pptx
Great ideas can easily be ruined by poor execution and/or premature celebration of success. There's a growing tendency in today's fast paced culture for project teams to launch a new initiative, tick a few boxes and then think they can sail off into the sunset - expecting the change to be embedded within an organisation purely on its own merits.
In my experience, people not involved in the embryonic conception and development of a new initiative rarely share the same enthusiasm and excitement for it as the project team. They haven't been on the same journey, lived and breathed it for several weeks, months or even years. They haven't invested the same amount of time, energy, and commitment throughout the process, so consequently they haven't developed the same emotional attachment to the change.
To them it's another change, perhaps the latest flavour of the month, and possibly tomorrow's fish & chip paper. It's easy to overlook this and get carried away with the buzz of bringing an idea to fruition. It's tempting to give yourselves a congratulatory pat on the back, put some big ticks in those 'job done' boxes using your best pens and move on to the next project, and then wonder why it didn't deliver the expected results.
Think of embedding change as a marathon not a sprint. If you focus all your energy and planning on a quick burst of activity at the start, it might feel great at first, but it's very unlikely that the change will last the full distance.
I've summarised my recommended actions in a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-management-always-use-pencil-when-ticking-those-stephenson
Talent Management - give it the high five!.pptx
A 9-box grid for talent management broken down into five main categories - the High Five
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/talent-management-give-high-five-jon-stephenson
Business Transformation - running back to happiness!.pptx
Last month at work, we held a walking challenge encouraging teams to record the aggregate number of steps they had completed each week - I was a proud member of The Red Hot Chilli Steppers!
It occurred to me whilst I was walking that there are lots of similarities between exercise regimes and business transformation programmes.
I've captured my thoughts on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn and learn about the well of wellbeing:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-transformation-walking-back-happiness-jon-stephenson
Change Management - tackling resistance to change.pptx
These slides summarise JP Kotter's theory about why people resist change, the escalating approaches that you can use to overcome this resistance and the main elements of a change matrix.
Please use the following link to check out my full article and dog-walking analogy:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-management-taking-lead-when-tackling-jon-stephenson
First-time Management - tips from the high chair!.pptx
We were giving some parenting pearls of wisdom to a colleague, who's soon to become a first-time father, when it struck me that they were similar to the tips I usually give to first-time managers.
Thinking about it, it's not that surprising when you consider that both roles can initially feel quite intimidating, exhausting, and overwhelming, and they throw up some common challenges:
- suffering from imposter syndrome
- feeling like everyone is staring and passing judgement
- having a few sleepless nights
- dealing with teething problems
- coping with tantrums
Thankfully, there are lots of transferable skills that first-time managers can use if they're already parents, and first-time parents can use if they're already managers.
I've summarised my top ten tips for new parents on a slide and how they can also be applied to people management. I hope you find it interesting.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/first-time-management-tips-from-high-chair-jon-stephenson
ModelingMarketingStrategiesMKS.CollumbiaUniversitypdf
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
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More from Jon Stephenson
Customer Experience - don't forget the bigger picture!.pptx
I once ran an offsite exercise where I tasked four cross-functional groups of managers to make four separate items - a horse, a jockey, a stable and a fence.
Each group was given a card with the name of the product they needed to make and some basic design requirements - the colour of the horse, the clothes for the jockey, the number of doors and windows for the stable, and the type of panels for the fence. They were also given a mixture of materials and tools to help them complete their tasks - different ones in each group.
I told them it was a team challenge and said my co-facilitators and I would be observing their behaviour during the task, and we'd judge their products at the end of the exercise.
At the end of the task, I asked them to come up and present their products. When all four groups had finished, I complimented them on the quality of their individual items but then reminded them that it had been a team exercise.
I said the objective of the team exercise had been to create a jockey, a horse, a stable and a fence so, as their customer, I wanted to judge how well they all went together. I could hear the pennies slowly dropping before the protests started as we discovered that the jockey was too big for the horse, the stable was too small for the horse and the fence was too high for the stable!
Individually, the items were fine, but the overall effect was disjointed - the whole was less than the sum of the parts. They hadn't considered the bigger picture or looked at it holistically from their customer's perspective. They hadn't involved me (their customer) in the contextual design of their products or sought my feedback during the task.
They'd chosen to internalise their measures of success and work as individual groups jockeying for position rather than one large team. They'd created their own silos and thrown the problems for the customer over the fence - even though they knew the purpose of the offsite was to encourage cross-departmental working!
It was a powerful message - departments in the best organisations work together, not against each other, to improve their overall performance and deliver an optimal customer experience.
I ran the exercise at four more offsites and each time it was the same outcome. I'd sworn the earlier participants to secrecy and the first thing they asked their colleagues, when they returned to the office, was "How big was your horse?"!
The offsites had the desired effect - a clear commitment from everyone to step outside silos, establish cross-departmental communication channels and work collaboratively as one business. Clients welcomed the joined-up approach and there was an increase in satisfaction levels, cross-sales and retention rates.
I hope you find this slide useful.
You can check out my full LInkedin article using the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/teamwork-dont-forget-bigger-picture-jon-stephenson
Incident Management - learn fast but don't get furious!.pptx
I've managed quite a few incidents (and false alarms) throughout my career - loss of systems, power cuts, supply chain issues, adverse weather conditions (including golf-ball sized hailstones), small fires, staff shortages and even one where a colleague was stuck in a lift.
Proactive planning and preparation make incidents easier to manage, but I've still gained experience and learned valuable lessons from every one of them. For example, I now know that you don't tell someone who is stuck in a lift that the engineer will be here in 20 minutes because you might panic them, if they think that's a long time! You should avoid giving timescales - simply reassure them by saying help is on the way and you'll soon have them out of there.
I was thinking about the advice I'd give to someone managing an incident for the first time and I came up with the following list:
- Stay calm under pressure and reassure others
- Be assertive, not aggressive
- Ensure there are no egos in the room
- Listen to the experts
- Be decisive and inspire confidence
- Provide clear instructions
- Be prepared to react to a changing situation
- Learn fast and keep learning
- Stay in the present, don't look back
- Leave any retrospection for the Post Incident Review
- Make a record of all actions and decisions
- Communicate regularly to the wider team
- Revise your business continuity plans (after the incident) based upon the lessons you've learnt
I've summarised the above list on a slide. If you're new to incident management, I hope you find it useful. If you're an experienced Incident Manager, what would you add to the above list?
To read my full article, please go to:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/incident-management-learn-fast-dont-get-furious-jon-stephenson
Team Feedback - you've been framed!.pptx
I was introduced to the A-Frame by an inspirational boss many years ago, and I've used it ever since with both new and established teams.
It takes its name from the main headings of a four-box grid - Applaud, Ask, Assert, Anticipate, and it focuses on what people want/don't want and get/don't get from a particular situation.
It can be used to structure discussions on lots of different subjects, but I like to use it to request feedback on my situational leadership:
Applaud - what would you like me to continue doing?
Ask - what would you like me to start doing?
Assert - what would you like me to stop doing?
Anticipate - what don't you want me to start doing?
Before committing to the exercise, it's essential that your team feel empowered to provide objective feedback, and that you're in the right frame of mind to receive it. Don't be defensive or try to rationalise it - take it as an opportunity to learn.
I've found that it works best if you ask your team to collectively agree the feedback, and then meet with them to review it. Each time it has prompted excellent discussions. I've used the feedback to produce a development plan for myself and, at the same time, to document the support I need from them to help me become a more effective leader.
It's important to track progress against the plan and request feedback on a regular basis as their needs may change over time. You'll find that your team will be more precise and get better at providing examples each time they complete the exercise.
I've summarised the above points on a slide - I hope you find it useful. I've also included the 'A' Frame on a separate slide.
So, why not give it a go? I'm sure your team will engage with the process, and they'll be delighted with the changes you make and the positive impact it has on their intrinsic motivation and overall performance. Embrace it and you'll start to hear great things, like what you see, and have a spring in your step!
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/team-feedback-youve-been-framed-jon-stephenson
Client Retention - a strategy to mind the gap!.pptx
Whilst I fully accept that it's everyone's collective responsibility to optimise the customer experience and reduce attrition rates, I believe it's essential for organisations to develop a clear and robust retention strategy.
I remember being asked to devise and implement a retention strategy for a professional services business. Renewal rates had been on a downward trend for several years, so I was keen to understand why this was happening. When I sat down with the account managers, I discovered that most of their time was dedicated to contacting clients in the last six months of their contract and attempting to secure their renewal.
Unfortunately, by the time they reached out to their clients, it was usually too late - most of them had already made the decision to either stay or move on, so their efforts had no meaningful impact on the renewal rates. Additionally, there was no attempt to win back lost business or address the root cause of customer dissatisfaction.
It was very clear that there were rudimentary gaps in their approach and a radical overhaul was required, so I created a five-stage strategy covering Attention, Detection, Prevention, Retention and Redemption.
It was a major programme of work but, crucially, it had the full backing of the SLT and within twelve months we'd reversed the trend and renewal rates started to climb dramatically.
I've summarised the five stages on a slide - I hope you find it useful. I've also included a mind map showing the five stages and their linked activities.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/client-retention-strategy-mind-gap-jon-stephenson
Business Transformation - getting ready to scale and polish!.pptx
Scaling-up is about achieving an exponential increase in capacity and productivity without sacrificing quality. It's not a one-size-fits-all process, and you'll need to tailor your solutions to provide the polish, but the ten principles on this slide should form the basis of your strategy.
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-transformation-getting-ready-scale-polish-jon-stephenson
Mentorship - the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker!.pptx
If you get the opportunity to become a mentor, through a scheme or a direct approach, I’d highly recommend it, and I'm sure your future self will thank you.
I’ve always enjoyed helping colleagues and I’d like to think I’ve played my part in their subsequent development and achievements, and developed a few skills myself along the way.
So what skills do you need to be a mentor? When I joined my first scheme, I was told that I'd need to be a coach, a counsellor and a cheerleader but based upon my experience as both a mentor and mentee, I'd say the different hats you need to wear are more akin to the characters from an old nursery rhyme - butcher, baker and candlestick maker!
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn to find out why:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mentoring-schemes-say-hello-butcher-baker-maker-jon-stephenson
Stakeholder Management - just what the Doctor ordered!.pptx
I've always believed that stakeholder management is key to business transformation. If you want to be given a clean bill of health and avoid major surgery after you introduce change within your organisation, it’s essential that you manage your stakeholders effectively throughout the programme.
My prescription for good stakeholder management covers four essential areas:
- Identifying stakeholders
- Managing expectations
- Engaging appropriately
- Communicating effectively
I've captured my tips for managing these four areas on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full LinkedIn article:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stakeholder-management-just-what-doctor-ordered-jon-stephenson
Performance Improvement - at least we're not going backwards!.pptx
I recall a business analyst saying to me "I don't know why you want me to look at that measure again, the rate hasn't changed since the last time I reviewed it."
I explained that the lack of improvement was precisely the reason I wanted him to look at it again. I was shocked by his blasé attitude towards performance management, but I was pleased that he'd given me an idea for another article!
Standing still will usually result in your organisation moving backwards because whilst you stagnate your competitors will all be attempting to move forward. Unless you're in a rowing boat or a tug-of-war team, forward momentum is key to success. If you become complacent about your performance, you'll soon start shipping customers, and then you'll get that sinking feeling!
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn using the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/performance-improvement-least-were-going-backwards-jon-stephenson/
Trust and Integrity - key behavioural traits.pptx
Here's my personal checklist for Trust and Integrity - I hope you find it useful.
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn where I discuss some instances where trust an integrity wasn't foremost in people's thoughts:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/trust-integrity-dog-ate-my-excuses-jon-stephenson
Judgement & Decision-making - the joys of blissful ignorance!.pptx
I've found that sound judgement and decision-making requires an open mind and a proven process.
I've captured the main points of the process and the likely outputs in a slide.
I've also included a grid showing the four main decision types based upon their urgency and importance.
I hope you find them useful.
Please use this link to check out my full LinkedIn article that was inspired by the comments of a former colleague about my approach to decision-making:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/judgement-decision-making-joys-blissful-ignorance-jon-stephenson
People Retention - maximising intrinsic motivation.pptx
People retention is a key issue in many sectors - so what can you do to reduce attrition rates?
In my opinion, it's about winning hearts & minds rather than just using carrots & sticks.
I firmly believe that many organisations fall into the trap of trying to make a boring, tough or stressful job more tolerable through extrinsic motivation. Yes, we know it's not a great job but look at the rewards & benefits package, the team spirit, the social events and the prizes (carrots) you can win! But if you're not very good at it, the carrots turn into sticks. When people leave these organisations, they often talk about missing their colleagues but very rarely their jobs.
So why don't you make it less boring instead?
Instead of just compensating for the nature of the role, you should also look at ways to make the job more interesting and enjoyable - enabling people to derive intrinsic motivation from it.
Creating a role that offers intrinsic motivation is more likely to reduce attrition. It will stop most people looking in the first place and make the others think twice before moving on. If people enjoy their roles, they are less likely to wonder if the grass is greener on the other side. When people do leave, they usually talk about missing their colleagues and loving their jobs. They also tend to retain a sense of pride, loyalty and emotional attachment to the organisation.
So how do you create the right environment for intrinsic motivation?
Alfie Kohn, in his excellent book Punished by Rewards, breaks it down into collaboration, content and choice. I have distilled this further into practical tips and summarised it on a slide I hope you find it useful.
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/intrinsic-motivation-key-people-retention-jon-stephenson
Managing Upwards - show them who's boss!.pptx
I've had the pleasure of working for lots of great bosses and I've learnt from all of them. They've had different approaches and leadership styles, but I've discovered over time that, when it comes to managing upwards, they generally all have the same needs. These tend to fall under three main requirements - they want their teams to support, impress and respect them.
With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to summarise in a slide some of the key principles that I try to follow. I hope you find it helpful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/managing-upwards-show-them-whos-boss-jon-stephenson
Project Management - at least it was delivered on time!.pptx
In project management, there are four main levers you can choose if you're struggling to meet the target implementation date - time, cost, scope and quality.
I've captured my thoughts on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my pizza-inspired article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/project-management-least-delivered-time-jon-stephenson
Cost Management - don't flatten to deceive!.pptx
I remember a newly appointed Head of Finance in our first meeting, after he had been in the job a few days, saying to me "I’ve worked out where you can save a load of costs - you’re spending too much on associate consultants. I'm going to recommend to the CFO that we reduce the budget by 50%."
I asked him if he knew why we used associate consultants and he said he didn’t but he did know that it was too much. I then asked him how much time he had spent with the consultancy teams trying to understand the way they worked and if had he reviewed our cost-to-serve model. "None" and "No" were his answers.
I applauded his enthusiasm. I said I understood that he was eager to impress his new boss and wanted to make his mark by achieving some quick wins but he was genuinely surprised when I told him that I found his suggestion disrespectful. I said I needed a Finance Business Partner to help me manage costs - not somebody who just rolled up and proposed arbitrary cost cutting exercises without any context.
Tough love perhaps but too often in the past I'd seen short term gains leading to long term pain. Thankfully, I'd been blessed with some great business partners over the preceding years within that organisation and I knew the business couldn't afford to reverse the trend. Severe arbitrary cost cutting is deceptive and counter-productive - it will almost certainly damage your brand and, paradoxically, put more jobs at risk.
One of my old bosses used to call it "lazy management" - managing the numbers, not the business. Anyone can cut costs but managing them is a skill and it doesn’t have to be painful.
Some organisations default to major redundancy programmes to control costs. I've never lost sight of the human impact of redundancies so I prefer to minimise them by managing costs on an ongoing basis. Here's my slide summarising the key actions you can take.
Going back to my first story, we didn't reduce the associate consultant budget by 50% but we did improve the cost-to-serve, enhance the customer experience and raise intrinsic motivation levels. And the Head of Finance? It was an ongoing battle (after all this is a true story and not a fairy tale!), but it became easier over time as he started to see the long term benefits.
So, when it comes to costs - don't flatten to deceive, manage them to achieve!
Please use this link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cost-management-dont-flatten-deceive-jon-stephenson
Positive Influencing - pull the other one!.pptx
I was first introduced to the concept of Positive Influencing on a leadership course many years ago and I have tried to apply it ever since.
The principle is simple but very effective. If the definition of influencing could be described as "affecting or changing the way that someone acts, behaves or thinks", Positive Influencing adds the caveat "...where both parties are happy with the outcome."
If you enter into a conversation thinking purely about achieving a pre-determined, one-sided outcome, you may succeed but it will probably end up being a Pyrrhic victory. You may achieve a quick win but if one party is unhappy, it's unlikely to be the start of a successful, long term relationship. The objective is to achieve a win-win where both parties view the end result as positive.
There are two main ways to influence people - using push (active) or pull (passive) behaviour.
I've summarised these approaches and their pros and cons on a couple of slides - I hope you find them useful.
Using the right techniques to positively influence people will definitely open doors for you.
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/positive-influencing-pull-other-one-jon-stephenson
Change Management - always use pencils when launching new initiatives!.pptx
Great ideas can easily be ruined by poor execution and/or premature celebration of success. There's a growing tendency in today's fast paced culture for project teams to launch a new initiative, tick a few boxes and then think they can sail off into the sunset - expecting the change to be embedded within an organisation purely on its own merits.
In my experience, people not involved in the embryonic conception and development of a new initiative rarely share the same enthusiasm and excitement for it as the project team. They haven't been on the same journey, lived and breathed it for several weeks, months or even years. They haven't invested the same amount of time, energy, and commitment throughout the process, so consequently they haven't developed the same emotional attachment to the change.
To them it's another change, perhaps the latest flavour of the month, and possibly tomorrow's fish & chip paper. It's easy to overlook this and get carried away with the buzz of bringing an idea to fruition. It's tempting to give yourselves a congratulatory pat on the back, put some big ticks in those 'job done' boxes using your best pens and move on to the next project, and then wonder why it didn't deliver the expected results.
Think of embedding change as a marathon not a sprint. If you focus all your energy and planning on a quick burst of activity at the start, it might feel great at first, but it's very unlikely that the change will last the full distance.
I've summarised my recommended actions in a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-management-always-use-pencil-when-ticking-those-stephenson
Talent Management - give it the high five!.pptx
A 9-box grid for talent management broken down into five main categories - the High Five
Please check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/talent-management-give-high-five-jon-stephenson
Business Transformation - running back to happiness!.pptx
Last month at work, we held a walking challenge encouraging teams to record the aggregate number of steps they had completed each week - I was a proud member of The Red Hot Chilli Steppers!
It occurred to me whilst I was walking that there are lots of similarities between exercise regimes and business transformation programmes.
I've captured my thoughts on a slide - I hope you find it useful.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn and learn about the well of wellbeing:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-transformation-walking-back-happiness-jon-stephenson
Change Management - tackling resistance to change.pptx
These slides summarise JP Kotter's theory about why people resist change, the escalating approaches that you can use to overcome this resistance and the main elements of a change matrix.
Please use the following link to check out my full article and dog-walking analogy:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-management-taking-lead-when-tackling-jon-stephenson
First-time Management - tips from the high chair!.pptx
We were giving some parenting pearls of wisdom to a colleague, who's soon to become a first-time father, when it struck me that they were similar to the tips I usually give to first-time managers.
Thinking about it, it's not that surprising when you consider that both roles can initially feel quite intimidating, exhausting, and overwhelming, and they throw up some common challenges:
- suffering from imposter syndrome
- feeling like everyone is staring and passing judgement
- having a few sleepless nights
- dealing with teething problems
- coping with tantrums
Thankfully, there are lots of transferable skills that first-time managers can use if they're already parents, and first-time parents can use if they're already managers.
I've summarised my top ten tips for new parents on a slide and how they can also be applied to people management. I hope you find it interesting.
Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/first-time-management-tips-from-high-chair-jon-stephenson
More from Jon Stephenson (20)
Customer Experience - don't forget the bigger picture!.pptx
Customer Experience - don't forget the bigger picture!.pptx
Incident Management - learn fast but don't get furious!.pptx
Incident Management - learn fast but don't get furious!.pptx
Client Retention - a strategy to mind the gap!.pptx
Client Retention - a strategy to mind the gap!.pptx
Business Transformation - getting ready to scale and polish!.pptx
Business Transformation - getting ready to scale and polish!.pptx
Mentorship - the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker!.pptx
Mentorship - the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker!.pptx
Stakeholder Management - just what the Doctor ordered!.pptx
Stakeholder Management - just what the Doctor ordered!.pptx
Performance Improvement - at least we're not going backwards!.pptx
Performance Improvement - at least we're not going backwards!.pptx
Judgement & Decision-making - the joys of blissful ignorance!.pptx
Judgement & Decision-making - the joys of blissful ignorance!.pptx
People Retention - maximising intrinsic motivation.pptx
People Retention - maximising intrinsic motivation.pptx
Project Management - at least it was delivered on time!.pptx
Project Management - at least it was delivered on time!.pptx
Change Management - always use pencils when launching new initiatives!.pptx
Change Management - always use pencils when launching new initiatives!.pptx
Business Transformation - running back to happiness!.pptx
Business Transformation - running back to happiness!.pptx
Change Management - tackling resistance to change.pptx
Change Management - tackling resistance to change.pptx
First-time Management - tips from the high chair!.pptx
First-time Management - tips from the high chair!.pptx
Recently uploaded
ModelingMarketingStrategiesMKS.CollumbiaUniversitypdf
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
Sustainability: Balancing the Environment, Equity & Economy
[Note: This is a partial preview. To download this presentation, visit:
https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations]
Sustainability has become an increasingly critical topic as the world recognizes the need to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. Sustainability means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves long-term planning and consideration of the consequences of our actions. The goal is to create strategies that ensure the long-term viability of People, Planet, and Profit.
Leading companies such as Nike, Toyota, and Siemens are prioritizing sustainable innovation in their business models, setting an example for others to follow. In this Sustainability training presentation, you will learn key concepts, principles, and practices of sustainability applicable across industries. This training aims to create awareness and educate employees, senior executives, consultants, and other key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and supply chain partners, on the importance and implementation of sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts that form the foundation of sustainability within corporate environments.
2. Explore the sustainability implementation model, focusing on effective measures and reporting strategies to track and communicate sustainability efforts.
3. Identify and define best practices and critical success factors essential for achieving sustainability goals within organizations.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Key Concepts of Sustainability
2. Principles and Practices of Sustainability
3. Measures and Reporting in Sustainability
4. Sustainability Implementation & Best Practices
To download the complete presentation, visit: https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations
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Cracking the Workplace Discipline Code Main.pptx
Cultivating and maintaining discipline within teams is a critical differentiator for successful organisations.
Forward-thinking leaders and business managers understand the impact that discipline has on organisational success. A disciplined workforce operates with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of expectations, ultimately driving better results, optimising productivity, and facilitating seamless collaboration.
Although discipline is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it can help create a work environment that encourages personal growth and accountability rather than solely relying on punitive measures.
In this deck, you will learn the significance of workplace discipline for organisational success. You’ll also learn
• Four (4) workplace discipline methods you should consider
• The best and most practical approach to implementing workplace discipline.
• Three (3) key tips to maintain a disciplined workplace.
Premium MEAN Stack Development Solutions for Modern Businesses
Stay ahead of the curve with our premium MEAN Stack Development Solutions. Our expert developers utilize MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js to create modern and responsive web applications. Trust us for cutting-edge solutions that drive your business growth and success.
Know more: https://www.synapseindia.com/technology/mean-stack-development-company.html
20240425_ TJ Communications Credentials_compressed.pdf
"𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑼𝑵 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑱 𝑰𝑺 𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑭 𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑬"
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 (𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬) is a professional event agency that includes experts in the event-organizing market in Vietnam, Korea, and ASEAN countries. We provide unlimited types of events from Music concerts, Fan meetings, and Culture festivals to Corporate events, Internal company events, Golf tournaments, MICE events, and Exhibitions.
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 provides unlimited package services including such as Event organizing, Event planning, Event production, Manpower, PR marketing, Design 2D/3D, VIP protocols, Interpreter agency, etc.
Sports events - Golf competitions/billiards competitions/company sports events: dynamic and challenging
⭐ 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬:
➢ 2024 BAEKHYUN [Lonsdaleite] IN HO CHI MINH
➢ SUPER JUNIOR-L.S.S. THE SHOW : Th3ee Guys in HO CHI MINH
➢FreenBecky 1st Fan Meeting in Vietnam
➢CHILDREN ART EXHIBITION 2024: BEYOND BARRIERS
➢ WOW K-Music Festival 2023
➢ Winner [CROSS] Tour in HCM
➢ Super Show 9 in HCM with Super Junior
➢ HCMC - Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Festival
➢ Korean Vietnam Partnership - Fair with LG
➢ Korean President visits Samsung Electronics R&D Center
➢ Vietnam Food Expo with Lotte Wellfood
"𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬."
Authentically Social by Corey Perlman - EO Puerto Rico
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Social media for business Organizational Change Leadership Agile Tour Geneve 2024
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Enterprise Excellence is Inclusive Excellence.pdf
Enterprise excellence and inclusive excellence are closely linked, and real-world challenges have shown that both are essential to the success of any organization. To achieve enterprise excellence, organizations must focus on improving their operations and processes while creating an inclusive environment that engages everyone. In this interactive session, the facilitator will highlight commonly established business practices and how they limit our ability to engage everyone every day. More importantly, though, participants will likely gain increased awareness of what we can do differently to maximize enterprise excellence through deliberate inclusion.
What is Enterprise Excellence?
Enterprise Excellence is a holistic approach that's aimed at achieving world-class performance across all aspects of the organization.
What might I learn?
A way to engage all in creating Inclusive Excellence. Lessons from the US military and their parallels to the story of Harry Potter. How belt systems and CI teams can destroy inclusive practices. How leadership language invites people to the party. There are three things leaders can do to engage everyone every day: maximizing psychological safety to create environments where folks learn, contribute, and challenge the status quo.
Who might benefit? Anyone and everyone leading folks from the shop floor to top floor.
Dr. William Harvey is a seasoned Operations Leader with extensive experience in chemical processing, manufacturing, and operations management. At Michelman, he currently oversees multiple sites, leading teams in strategic planning and coaching/practicing continuous improvement. William is set to start his eighth year of teaching at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches marketing, finance, and management. William holds various certifications in change management, quality, leadership, operational excellence, team building, and DiSC, among others.
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to ma...
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Kyiv PMDay 2024 Summer
Website – www.pmday.org
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/startuplviv
FB – https://www.facebook.com/pmdayconference
Building Your Employer Brand with Social Media
Presented at The Global HR Summit, 6th June 2024
In this keynote, Luan Wise will provide invaluable insights to elevate your employer brand on social media platforms including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. You'll learn how compelling content can authentically showcase your company culture, values, and employee experiences to support your talent acquisition and retention objectives. Additionally, you'll understand the power of employee advocacy to amplify reach and engagement – helping to position your organization as an employer of choice in today's competitive talent landscape.
Call 8867766396 Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Satta batta Matka 420 Satta...
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Research Meas_Dylan_DMBS_PB1_2024-05XX_Revised.pdf
Personal Brand Statement:
As an Army veteran dedicated to lifelong learning, I bring a disciplined, strategic mindset to my pursuits. I am constantly expanding my knowledge to innovate and lead effectively. My journey is driven by a commitment to excellence, and to make a meaningful impact in the world.
An introduction to the cryptocurrency investment platform Binance Savings.
Learn how to use Binance Savings to expand your bitcoin holdings. Discover how to maximize your earnings on one of the most reliable cryptocurrency exchange platforms, as well as how to earn interest on your cryptocurrency holdings and the various savings choices available.
Event Report - SAP Sapphire 2024 Orlando - lots of innovation and old challenges
Holger Mueller of Constellation Research shares his key takeaways from SAP's Sapphire confernece, held in Orlando, June 3rd till 5th 2024, in the Orange Convention Center.
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Business Transformation - are we nearly there yet?.pptx
- 1. Jon Stephenson https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephensonjon • Communicate your vision & objectives – set out the roadmap for the journey ahead! • Involve the right people – you don’t want the steering group to be full of passengers! • Manage stakeholder expectations – ensure they know where you’re heading! • Provide regular progress updates – against major programme milestones • Celebrate successes along the way – drive-up engagement and buy-in • Give them permission to try other routes – to find the best one • Build in some extra flexibility – around how you will get there • Empower your people – establish some clear ground rules • Grab that wheel of opportunity – with both hands! Business Transformation – are we nearly there yet?