Friday 29 January 2016

The "Dream Company" Diagnostic

There's a simple yet profound diagnostic in this Harvard Business Review article.

How many statements would your employees tick?

The diagnostic covers 6 key areas for creating the best workplace on earth as pictured below.


The picture above is a screenshot from a great webinar by my friend and colleague Gihan Perera on The Future of Work.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Thursday 28 January 2016

How to be fit for the future today as a leader

I'm engaging in a Blab with colleagues from my speaking master-mind group, Alicia Curtis, Dr. Jenny Brockis, and Gihan Perera at 5 pm AEDT next Monday the 1st February.

It's going to be fun and insightful. You can join us (and join in if you wish) as above via this link.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Wednesday 27 January 2016

In a word, or three

For several years now I've been adopting three words as my guiding light for the year ahead. Read more about this concept from Chris Brogan here.

Or you might choose just one word as Dr. Jason Fox does. He explores why here.

Whatever method you decide, choose. You'll find you will be better able to turn the possible into reality as a consequence.

Be remarkable.
Ian

PS My 3 words for 2016 are below. Why I chose them is here.

Tuesday 26 January 2016

David Morrison and others inspiring us to be the best version of ourselves

David Morrison was declared Australian of Year for 2016 last night. He is an inspiration.

Watch his acceptance speech here. He has a way of speaking that is a gift to your heart.

Following in the footsteps of another great Australian Rosie Batty, I'm certain David will continue to leave his dent in the universe.

I have been inspired by David since I watched this.

I am equally inspired by all recipients of Australia Day Awards and everyone nominated.

You can read their stories here.

Whether you're Australian or you celebrate another place of birth, I'm certain you can be inspired by these people to become more of the best version of yourself.

Be remarkable.
Ian

PS Aussies. Happy Australia Day!

Monday 25 January 2016

The foremost framework for sustaining a learning culture

Below is the 4th of my Monday Morning Momentum videos. It's the final in the series of looking at the fundamentals of ensuring employee engagement naturally rather than trying to force it.


You can gain access to past and future videos, and the resources packages to help you take action in your own best way that accompany them, by registering here. This is a complimentary service exclusive for people who register.

In February's videos and associated resources I'll be diving deeper into what makes these fundamentals stick and as consequence increased and sustainable positive momentum in your business.

Should you see yourself as being on a quest to be the best version of you, and to be the kind of leader who inspires others to be the best version of themselves, then February's videos and resources will be of great value to you.

Be remarkable.
Ian

To be who we are,
and to become all that we're capable of becoming,
is the only purpose in life.
Robert Louis Stevenson

Friday 22 January 2016

The essential gift all remarkable leaders have

Over the past 25 years I've had the honour and privilege to work up close and personal with more than 1000 leaders, women and men, in over 40 countries.

The most remarkable of these leaders have a gift (talent) that they're enhancing every day.

They are willing and able to
see and treat people as the one-of-a-kind human being 
that each of us is.

We can all do this.

Leadership is about people. At heart I believe,
Leadership is the art of ensuring people feel valued.

Management is about process. At heart I believe,
Management is the practice of ensuring processes (including policies, procedures, practices and systems) mean it's simple for people to live values and deliver value.

Employees feeling valued, living values and delivering value is the fundamental formula for success in every business, everywhere.


Be remarkable.
Ian

Celebrating 25 years in 2016 of working with 'salt of the earth' leaders, who work bloody hard, and are looking for ways to do less, yet achieve better business results, while living a vital and fulfilling personal life.

Sharing discoveries via video and providing resources to help you take action every Monday. Complimentary and exclusive for people who register here.

Monday 18 January 2016

The great culture creator: candid and convivial communication and conversations

Here's the third of my Monday Morning Momentum videos. It's about the great culture creator - candid and convivial communication and conversations.



The first two videos which you can view here are about how role clarity precedes accountability and the power of performance possibility plans. These are the critical tools that focus communication and conversation.

In the next video I'll be exploring the other sibling in this fabulous family of four which creates the context for candid and convivial communication and conversations. Act on these four in your own way and you will ensure employee engagement.

Then in the first People, Process, and Profit Monthly Intensive, being held via web TV at 5 p.m. AEDT on January 28th, I'll be deep diving into these four in an engaging Q & A that will help you to overcome your greatest personal and business challenges in your own best way and in the process ensure employee engagement.

At a special link for those registered to receive my Monday Morning Momentum videos there's also resources to help you take action.

Register here and you'll receive future videos direct to your inbox, have access to video and additional resources archives, and be able to participate in the monthly intensives.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Friday 15 January 2016

Revealing another person's riches

I believe that the number one role of leadership is to enhance people's gifts (talents). More on this here.

This is not a new idea.


What might be new this year for you is to make enhancing people's gifts your priority.


Prof Gary Hamel's question is worthy of a long ponder.

Answering his question with your action will open up the door to profound innovation in your business. You'll be investing in what might be. As Gary says that will be far better than investing in what is.


Be remarkable.
Ian

Celebrating 25 years in 2016 of working with 'salt of the earth' leaders, who work bloody hard, and are looking for ways to do less, yet achieve better business results, while living a vital and fulfilling personal life.

Sharing discoveries via video and providing resources to help you take action every Monday. Complimentary and exclusive for people who register here.

Wednesday 13 January 2016

Have you retired the term manager?

Long ago I declared management (in the sense of command and control etc) dead.


Since 1991 I have been helping my clients to embrace management as the practice of making it simple for people to deliver value through bringing their very best to their work every day.

In some cases this means helping to retire the term manager, which according to this article by Verne Harnish is now a trend.

I carry out the work above within the context of what I see as the essence of real leadership - it's the art of ensuring people feel valued.

In my experience when people feel valued they live values and deliver value.

Valued, Values and Value are the theatre of modern business. In this new world there's no place for old management.

Have you retired the term manager?

Recently I decided not to renew my membership of the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) where I have been a Fellow for more than a decade. I certainly have nothing against AIM and agonised over my decision, yet felt I could no longer continue given my firm stance against anything that even smells like old management.

The Wall Street Journal recently ranked Gary Hamel as the world’s most influential business thinker, and Fortune magazine has called him “the world’s leading expert on business strategy.” Below are some of his insights:

The ideology of management - controlism; and a hundred years later, it remains the philosophical cornerstone of virtually every large-scale human organisation.

You can't build an organisation that's fit for the future around an ideology that preemptively and structurally empowers the few while disempowering the many.

People don't want to be controlled, appraised, performance managed or any of the other soul destroying practices associated with old management. Retiring the term manager is one way to take a stand and show people you are embracing the new world of work for real.

If you'd like help retiring the term manager and embracing the countless benefits of doing so for you and your employees, please call me on +61 418 807 898.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Monday 11 January 2016

The Power of Performance Possibility Plans

Here's the second of my Monday Morning Momentum videos. It's about the power of performance possibility plans.



The first video was about how role clarity precedes accountability which you can watch here.

In the next videos (Monday the 18th and Monday the 25th) I'll be exploring the other two siblings of this fabulous family of four - candid and convivial conversations, and a key foundation of a learning and development culture.

When these four are in place employee engagement is ensured.

Then in the first People, Process, and Profit Monthly Intensive, being held via web TV at 5 p.m. AEDT on January 28th, I'll be deep diving into these four in an engaging Q & A that will help you to overcome your greatest personal and business challenges in your own best way.

At a special link for those registered to receive my Monday Morning Momentum videos there's resources to help you take action.

Register here and you'll receive future videos direct to your inbox, have access to the additional resources, and be able to participate in the monthly intensives.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Friday 8 January 2016

11 lessons I've learned the hard way from saying what I'm thinking

As an Aussie I really enjoyed this ABC TV documentary where Howard Jacobson traces the footsteps of four of our iconic people Germaine Greer, Barry Humphries, Clive James and Robert Hughes.

I've since thought a lot about a Clive James comment early in the show where he suggested that his early success had a lot to do with just doing what Australian's do naturally i.e. saying what we're thinking.

I think 2016 can be a watershed year for your business and the world in general if more people say what they're thinking. 

There are some traps to avoid to ensure saying what you're thinking has a positive impact. Here are 11 lessons I've learned the hard way from saying what I'm thinking:

1) If your intention is just to get your own way it's likely you won't.

2) There are two fundamental reasons for human conflict; we disagree on the goal or more commonly we disagree on how to achieve it. Invest time and energy in reaching a shared-view about the reason for the goal and once you have that reaching a shared-view about the how will be much easier.

3) Speaking when angry or frustrated is never a good idea.

4) There's a time and a place to say what you're thinking. Choose when very carefully.

5) The best people to name elephants in the room are insiders. Encourage people in private and help them with how they will share their feelings and thoughts on the problem/challenge.

6) There are cultural and personal boundaries. Understand where the lines are and don't cross them.

7) Short term wins are of little value if they lead to long term loss.

8) Communicating well is more about how you say something that what you're saying.

9) Humour is a key ingredient for good communication particularly humour that is self-depreciating.

10) Being candid without being convivial risks what you're saying being taken the wrong way.

11) It's essential to always check-in with people to ensure message you sent was received as intended. This is best preceded by checking in with others to make sure you received their message as they intended.

Be remarkable.
Ian


Wednesday 6 January 2016

My best tonic for beginning each day in a productive way

In a age where it's easy to let technology dominate our lives I find there's no better tonic for productivity than beginning each day with a blank sheet of paper.


I've been beginning every day of my life for many years by opening my journal before my computer and writing down my answers to the following two questions:

1) What's worth celebrating?
2) What can be better?

Answering the first question ensures I begin each day with an "attitude of gratitude"

When suffering from a life-threatening illness 37 years ago my doctor advised me to have "an attitude of gratitude."

Every day since, at least 3 times a day, I stand in front of a mirror and say out loud "I have an attitude of gratitude."

My stance helped me to not die from my illness. Every day it has helped me, even in my darkness moments, deep disappointments, and digression from my path, to live a life that matters to me and the people I encounter.

I have learned one of life's most valuable lessons - "when we're grateful for what we've got, we can have more of what we want."

Here's 12 ways to maintain your attitude of gratitude.


It's a sign of mediocrity when you demonstrate gratitude with moderation said Roberto Benigni

Answering the second question (What can be better?) provides perspective and leads me to deciding what I will do today to be better than I was yesterday.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Monday 4 January 2016

Role clarity precedes accountability

Here's the first of my Monday Morning Momentum videos. It's about how role clarity precedes accountability.



In the next 3 videos I'll be exploring the sisters and brothers of role clarity - performance possibility plans, candid and convivial conversations, and a key foundation of a learning and development culture.

Then in the first People, Process, and Profit Monthly Intensive, being held via web TV at 5 p.m. AEDT on January 28th, I'll be unpacking this fabulous family of four in an engaging Q & A that will help you to overcome your greatest personal and business challenges in your own best way.

At a special link for those registered to receive my Monday Morning Momentum videos there's resources to help you take action.

Register here and you'll receive future videos direct to your inbox, have access to the additional resources, and be able to participate in the monthly intensives.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Friday 1 January 2016

What are you going big on this year?


One of my favourite insights from this wonderful book that you can purchase here are:

The non-essentialist: Asks, "How can I do it all?"

The essentialist: "Asks, What can I go big on?"

What are you going big on this year?

Your answer to this question will set up your whole year and give you the focus you need to ensure 2016 is your best year yet.

One of the ways that I decided what I'm going big on this year was to reflect on the following from Derek Sivers.


As I result of reflecting on the above I've eliminated a few time consuming actions that I thought my clients would value that they didn't. My clients were appreciative yet didn't regard what I was offering as essential.

Another way that I decided what I'm going big on this year was to work with mentors. I have worked with mentors all my life yet not intensely for several years. Beginning in August I have been meeting weekly online with two mentors. Nick and Matthew have been instrumental in the re-imagining of my business, the value I provide as a mentor myself, and how best to offer and provide this value.

How will you decide what you're going to go big on in 2016?

Be remarkable.
Ian

Maybe I can help you. Check out The Passionate Pursuit of Possibility Program here.