The practice of branding cattle (making a mark, usually on the rump of a beast) is thought to have begun with the ancient Egyptians about four thousand years ago to differentiate one person’s cattle from another’s. These distinctive symbols were burnt on the skin with a branding iron. If any of the cattle were stolen,…
For companies, effective communication is essential to effect change and create and sustain a culture of collaboration and engagement. Companies are not always successful in terms of designing communication in such a way that it accomplishes the desired outcome. In fact, many businesses fail dismally with their communication efforts – the same communication being fragmented,…
“Find your faith and your fears will starve to death” (Ona Brown) A new-born antelope, once released from the womb of its mother, struggles at first to get to its feet. The mother nudges her offspring with her nose, forcing the youngster to start moving. There are a few wobbly moments, a few falls, a…
There are a number of skills, in the eyes of many employees, which make a manager “good” – ability to articulate concepts well, knowledge of the industry, story-telling skills, humour, presence, listening ability, etc. All these skills are important indeed and work together to create a great employee experience. They probably also engender a sense…
In our ever-changing and constantly disrupted world, leadership excellence is a necessity – although seemingly stating the obvious, countless different management philosophies and methods abound, many of which are ineffective and some even introducing toxicity and dysfunctionality into the work environment. Many organisations “labour” under poor and even devious managers. In these organisations, most employees…
Calcification is the accumulation of calcium salts in body tissue. It normally occurs in the formation of bone and teeth (about 99% of all calcium in the body), but calcium can be deposited abnormally in soft tissue – in arteries, cartilage or heart valves. For example, calcification can occur within the facet joints of the…
Taking team time-outs is a common practice in a variety of sports – a time-out being a halt in play which allows a moment for the coach to communicate with the team. Teams/coaches usually call time-outs at strategically important points in the match in order to halt the momentum of the game if it is…
“We don’t seem to be making any meaningful headway. There’s conflict and back-biting amongst team members, each team is very protective of their respective pieces of turf and the business lacks focus”. I hear this quite frequently as I consult with companies – strategic goals not being executed effectively as a result of a lack…
How do companies keep up with or, better still, stay ahead of the curve with the ever-accelerating technological and cultural change that influences our world today? After all, the first text message was sent less than thirty years ago. Google has only been around for two decades, Facebook fifteen years and Twitter twelve years. Companies…
“Feeling isolated at work could be the difference between loving your job and dreading the thought of Monday morning” (Amy Simpson – Workplace) No matter how large or busy a company, many people carry the burden of feeling lonely and isolated at work. Often induced by an environment that is non-inclusive with respect to diversity…
Some of the worst decisions made by directors and managers in organisations are those that are made out of selfish interests. The seeming need for power, for being in control and for establishing a dynasty for oneself drives irresponsible behaviour – grabbing at sections of the budget allocated for other meaningful exploits, manipulating relationships to…
“Modern psychology has been co-opted by the disease model. We’ve become too preoccupied with repairing damage when our focus should be on building strength and resilience” (Martin Seligman, founder of the field of positive psychology) Employees, and many managers alike, often become stuck with limiting assumptions or debilitating paradigms – bonded to a story that…
