It's a constant challenge for any employer - to attract and retain great employees. While the low unemployment level in New Zealand (currently 4.4% - the lowest in a decade) is great for the economy, it is making finding and retaining great staff a challenge across all industries. Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough and West Coast has one of the lowest unemployment levels in the country at 3.6%. The … [Read more...]
The one thing you need more of
If I was to ask you what you would like more of, what would be your response? Time? Money? Peace and quiet? How about more energy? Having enough energy for life is more than just fueling for physical activity. It is about having the energy for a strong and healthy mentality, emotional capacity and spiritual practices. As a commodity for employees, organisations are realising that having enough … [Read more...]
Be a Better Communicator
Want to be a better communicator? It all starts with listening. Do you listen with the intent to understand or the intent to answer? It takes emotional fortitude to phone a government department. It’s a bit like a mission I choose to accept, a challenge to overcome, a game that I want to win. It all started with an application to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). I … [Read more...]
Don’t leave them guessing – tips for giving feedback
There’s a saying that ‘the culture of an organisation is shaped by the worst behaviour the leader is willing to tolerate' And let’s face it, most leaders would rather clean the bathroom than give constructive feedback. However, feedback, when delivered well, builds culture and performance within your team. People need to know how they’re doing and feedback gives people direction on the … [Read more...]
Games, Bots and Videos – The Changing Face of E-learning
E-learning is now so integrated into our daily use of the internet that we barely recognise it as learning. Whether it is reading a blog, a linked-in post, watching a TED talk or subscribing to a webinar, e-learning has challenged the traditional frameworks of classroom training and learning. The Journey So Far E-learning by definition, is learning conducted via electronic media – typically on … [Read more...]
Language Matters
There's a part of me that dies inside when I hear cliches. Business ideas described as a 'gap in the market' (seriously?), managers who talk about 'going forward' (it's quite difficult to go backwards), or 'blue skies thinking' (translated = I have no idea how to solve this problem). Cliches are overused expressions which lack originality of thought and clarity of intent. I'd rather spend time … [Read more...]
‘Cause you had a bad day
OK, you've had a bad day. It all started when you ran out of petrol on the way to work, but things really turned to custard when someone bumped into you on the way out of the cafe, knocking your flat white to the pavement. A grumpy co-worker aggravates you all day by interrupting you with trivial questions. Then on the way home from work you stop at the supermarket for the regular, weekly shop. … [Read more...]
E-learning – A Personal Encounter
Bob Lavigna. Jim Kouzes. Hardly household names and when pitched against names like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter they are hardly a blip on the radar. Nevertheless, unlike the English rugby team, they are my heros. Bob Lavigna led the research on employee engagement - a progression from 'job satisfaction' of the 1970's to 'commitment' (1980's) to 'engagement' (1990's) ; that guides leadership … [Read more...]
The Daily Grind
Are you feeling bored with your job? Has your working day become routine or tedious, a bit like a marriage without the early days of passion? What if I told you that it might be possible to revive your interest in your work (as it is for your marriage!) - and that it is just a matter of knowing how? In his book The Three Signs of a Miserable Job, Patrick Lencioni identifies three key factors … [Read more...]
How to Actually Engage Employees
Last month we shared our whitepaper on The Benefits of Engaged Employees : a compilation of research to show that having highly engaged employees leads to greater company profits, higher customer satisfaction, better health and safety outcomes and more creative and driven employees. This week we ask a follow up question - How do we actually engage employees? Still Feeling Happy and … [Read more...]