What is a typical workday like for you? Do you work between 7 to 12 hours a day? If you do this consistently then during the weekdays you’re working between 29% to 50% of the total available hours. Did you know that working more than 11 hours a day increases the risk of heart disease by 67%? (Source: University College London). We might think we’re invincible or are just too busy to contemplate anything different, but maybe it’s not our job that’s bad for our health. Instead, we just might need to rethink our approach to work.
5 tips for any team
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. - Henry Ford
Teams come in all shapes and sizes. Over the years I’ve been a member of many teams at work and in sport. Essentially, I’ve been involved in both high performing teams and teams who have struggled to function cohesively. I know that business and sporting teams cannot be treated the same way because there are particular aspects where they’re uniquely different ie. passion, a sense of belonging to a tribe etc. However, there are also principles that can apply to both.
Good time management is a habit worth building
When I was a child my mother introduced me to the phrase “we’re a creature of our habits.” I’m not sure whether she would say it to explain a situation or use as an excuse when something happened. Most of us tend to have a mixture of good and bad habits. The first step in kicking a habit is to recognise what it is and then make a firm commitment to do something about it. It sounds easy in theory but proves to be difficult in practice for many.
What the top CEO expects from employees
Ever experienced working with the full spectrum of bosses – a great boss at some point and a terrible boss at another time? I know I have and the difference is night and day. What if you had the opportunity to work for the best CEO? On face value you’d be crazy not to consider it. However, let’s flip it and ask whether you have what it takes to measure up as an employee?
The 7 traits of an ineffective team
Tug of war is a contest where 2 teams pull at opposite ends of a rope until 1 drags the other over a central line. It’s not always the biggest or strongest team that wins but the team who works better together while pulling in the same direction. Being part of a team at work provides a similar experience. You’re either a member of a high performing team or you’re not.
The top 5 productivity excuses
The simple fact is everyone has 168 hours available each week. Why are some people able to accomplish so much more at work and in their personal life week after week? Are they naturally good at getting stuff done or did they have to learn how to? For many it presents a dilemma - you either have it or you need to get it. However, not everyone takes action to improve their situation.
Downsizing companies must invest in developing the remaining employees
Recently I wrote how we’re in the early stages of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will see automation, artificial intelligence, and robots make 5 million jobs obsolete globally by 2020. Last week Telstra CEO Any Penn announced that 1,400 jobs (approximately 4.5 % of the workforce) will be cut where “technology innovation and digital disruption are combined with the increased competitive pressures and the accelerated rollout of the NBN." These types of challenges aren’t isolated to a specific company or industry so we need to brace ourselves that job losses will happen across most sectors with some regularity.
Too busy to become more productive?
Being successful and being productive aren’t the same thing. While they regularly exist together, the fact is many people are successful but not productive. It doesn’t seem possible, does it? However, inefficiency is often hidden by working long hours, the level of expertise in a chosen field, limited competition or high margins.
Get ready now for the future of work
The World Economic Forum reports that automation, artificial intelligence, and robots are going to make 5 million jobs obsolete by 2020. We’re already in the early stages of the Fourth Industrial Revolution which will continue to dramatically change how we work. It’s a world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity (VUCA). What we need to be doing now is future proof ourselves by adapting the necessary skills to survive and thrive in this new world.
Do you really need that notification?
Fix your personal workflow
When a customer order is received, businesses tend to have a systematic way they go about fulfilling the order, invoicing the customer and so on. Those who do it well leverage economies of scale, customer satisfaction etc. Applying the same logic, individuals need an efficient workflow when new work they need to action is received ie. what happens next? However, many white-collar workers don’t and this severely impacts their ability to be effective.
Reduce “the noise” to increase clarity
Recently I’ve been coaching some terrific people ranging in roles from owners of small business through to managers and supervisors in large organisations. While industries, experience and size of business have differed, a common thread has emerged. Seventy percent have lacked clarity, despite the intent to achieve being exemplary. This manifests into to feelings of frustration while limiting the ability to lead and reach potential.
Don’t overlook this with agile
Last week the Shayne Elliot (ANZ Bank CEO) announced the largest agile deployment in Australian corporate history with the bank planning a significant restructure of existing hierarchies by transforming the work practices of much of ANZ Bank’s staff into agile teams.
Stop using busy as an excuse!!!
80% of your task list shouldn’t be there
Whether I’m talking to the most senior or junior person in an organisation, almost everyone seems to be busy. Delving into what’s causing the busyness, responses vary from vague to detailed or even confessions of tasks that aren’t critical to their role. However, an immediate justification reasons why they’ve got so many tasks to action. You see we lack clarity when we’re overwhelmed by too many tasks.
The habit behind Warren Buffet’s success. Could 1 habit make a huge difference to you?
In a recent meeting, the person I was talking to had this annoying habit of underestimating the facts. You see they were in a very dire situation but kept downplaying the magnitude. At first, I thought it was a lack of comprehension, but then I realised the behaviour was a defence mechanism. Even though the person had requested me to help them, a habit was getting in the way from making progress.
NEVER work like Eddie McGuire
Eddie McGuire is one of the most recognisable and successful people in Australia. His is the story of a kid from a working class suburb who made the most of his opportunities through talent, tenacity and sheer hard work. Try to replicate the workload of “Eddie Everywhere” and most of us will fail. You see it’s the gruelling work schedule that sets Eddie apart from all but a small minority.
Burning out was the best thing to happen to me – but it won't be for everyone
I’ve never really been the best or smartest at anything but usually found a way to be effective through a strong work ethic. As I was promoted to more senior roles, my way of coping to the increased targets and responsibilities would be to essentially work harder. Then in 2006 everything changed while I had a job in a significant leadership position - I burnt out.
Start with intent
Sunday 2nd April marks the end of daylight saving for the south-eastern states of Australia. By turning our clocks backwards 1 hour we gain an extra hour. What will you do with the extra hour? Do you plan to intentionally do something or will the hour just come and go without doing anything in particular?