I have a whistle that has four notes, obtained in Chattanooga in the United States of America. There is nothing particularly special about these four different notes and they are almost weak sounding, even when you blow on them individually with some force. When you blow them together, however, they produce the sound of the…
International sport is fascinating, especially to note the trends, changes in approach, and changes to the rules of whichever game is being played, and the dominance of certain countries in the respective sport expressions that are national favourites. In soccer, Brazil, France, England, Italy, Germany, and Spain have all had their moments. With cricket, Australia…
Gillian Barbara Lynne (CBE) was born on 20th February 1926 in Bromley, Kent, England and was recognised as a dance talent at a young age. Teaming up with her childhood friend, Beryl Grey, while still at school, she danced to blot out the tragedy of the violent death of her mother in a car crash…
One of my worst recollections of corporate life was the number of meetings I had to attend – not because they were not necessary or unimportant, but because they were either not focused and boring, or because a few people dominated what was supposed to be a discussion and deliberation. Non-participation in processes (including meetings)…
“Successful change initiatives deal with the emotional reality of a group” Great leaders are sensitive to the emotions that facilitate change, and they find ways to enhance those feelings. They deal with emotions that undermine change, some of which are panic, exhaustion, frustration, pessimism, cynicism, insecurity, anger, and anxiety. They attempt to facilitate emotions which…
“Every gathering is a chance to renew commitment” (Kouzes & Posner) The HR Council defines recognition as follows: “Employee recognition is the acknowledgement of an individual’s or team’s behaviour, effort and accomplishments that support the organisation’s goals and values”. The key in this definition, of course, is for managers to draw the dotted line between…
“Engagement is an individual’s sense of purpose and focused energy, evident to others in the display of personal initiative, adaptability, effort, and persistence directed towards organisational goals” (Wiley-Blackwell – Employee Engagement: Tools for Analysis, Practice, and Competitive Advantage) Organisations that create a culture of high engagement become more attractive for employees. These organisations manage to…
Whether you are a big corporation, a small or medium enterprise or an entrepreneurial start-up, having the right tools to keep you connected to your business and your clients can make all the difference. This does not only involve data security, accounting, and productivity tools, but also requires focus on messages and information pieces that…
Human resources and talent management professionals have long known that no-one really likes change. In fact, helping senior management lead change has become a core human resources competency. Change is feared because the brain, which is hard-wired to survive, perceives change as a threat. This, in turn, causes an eruption of negative emotions which cause…
From time to time, on account of market or other global business requirements and in order to achieve internal production and financial efficiencies, businesses implement strategic large-scale change initiatives for growth and sustainability. I had the privilege of consulting for a large multi-national company who was undergoing such a change. The company, in a couple…
One of my most loved music genre’s is ‘classical’ – not only compositions from the so-called ‘greats’ (Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, etc.), but also the lesser-known composers that have influenced music style in the 20th Century. This morning, it was Ravel’s turn to serenade me. Joseph Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), perhaps one of the greatest of the…
“When alligators are nipping at your heels, you need to deal with the alligators” (Nick Pearce) Before creating a grandiose vision for the company, the leadership team needs to deal with the crises or at least get them under control. They should focus on putting out the big fires and on anything that can quickly…
