DoNotComplicate

Badges cost

2012-01-28T11:00:00.000Z

Many industrial and commercial sectors have quality 'badges' ... hey, we are certified by ...

Sometimes these are helpful (in attracting new customers/clients); sometimes they are almost essential.

Sometimes there are multiple, competing badges.

Just remember that these cost you money - you almost certainly pay a fee and, of course, it will cost you quite a lot to understand and then comply with any regulations imposed.

So, treat such badges like you would any other investment - and do a cost-benefit assessment before going ahead.

Also remember that the real judges of your quality are your customers!

Work Flow

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000Z

I saw a post on a (different) blog recently which talked about various tools to improve workflow.

As I read it, I realized that the tools were irrelevant. The author was using the (excuse of) the tools to design a workflow ... but this would have worked just as well with a different set of tools, and almost certainly without any tools at all.

So think about the workflow - not about the tools. Think about the sequence of activities, the layout of workstations, the time taken at each one, how things are checked for errors, how they are handed from one workstation to another. And then think whether tools (whether that be fork lift trucks or software) would help.

Tools can make things more efficient - but without a proper design of the workflow itself, they might just speed up your inefficiencies.

What did you learn last year?

2012-01-14T11:00:00.000Z

If you are a professional (accountant, lawyer or ...) you almost certainly have to go through some process of continuing professional development - attending courses or other events which keep you up-to-date and extend your skills and knowledge.

Though this might at times seem to be a 'drag', it is useful.

So, if you are not one of these 'chosen professions', make it your business to do it anyway.

Reflect on what you learnt last year, what did you do to make you better at what you do.

Nothing! Shame on you!You now should have a(nother) New year Resolution.

Good will

2012-01-07T11:00:00.000Z

Your employees are back from the holidays. So are you.

Everyone should be feeling good ... if a little tired!

So, take advantage of the good will. Talk to your employees. Find out what they expect from the new year, what they hope for.

Then work out whether you can make the reality match these expectations and desires ... at least in part.

You might just end up with a more contented and more productive workforce.

Good intentions

2011-12-31T11:00:00.000Z

Some folk make new year resolutions.

For many, its the same ones every year ... the things they know they ought to do, but don't want to.

Business can be like that. There are things we know we should do ... but something (we always have an excuse) stops us. We're too busy, too tired, the time is not right, and so on.

Well, for a change, this year ... think what you ought to do .. and put some time in your diary to actually do it.You know it makes sense!

Can you use Siri?

2011-12-24T10:30:00.000Z

Many of you will know about Siri - the 'personal assistant' on the iPhone 4S. I have not used the service myself, but it sounds interesting and useful.

However, when I had a PA myself, it took some time to find a way of working together that maximised both of our talents and made us really productive?

This, of course, is true of all team working - you have to understand the talents and attitudes of those within the team and then construct working processes that work for THIS group.

If the personnel in the group change, things may have to be tweaked.Think through your organisation and identify groups that might need a bit of such tweaking ... where gains could be achieved simply by changing the ways on which the group is structured, communicates internally, communicates with others, makes decisions and so on.

Is True Work Like True Love?

2011-12-17T11:00:00.000Z

True love is hard to define .. but most of think we can recognise it!

True work is actually easier to recognise. True work is those activities that change the product or service we are supplying in ways that (a) benefit the customer and (b) the customer is happy to pay for. Everything else is activity that does not add value ... and should be eliminated!

The Holiday Season approaches

2011-12-10T11:30:00.000Z

What happens to productivity in the holiday season?

It plummets. People are distracted and unfocused.

Can we stop this happening?

Well, we can certainly minimise it .. but 'doing a deal' on certain things we allow to happen ... and certain things we don't.

So, think through what those things are ... and then talk to your staff about them ... and reach agreement.

Uncover the rocks

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000Z

I was recently looking at some small manufacturing plants.

What struck me was the excessive amount of work-in-progress 'on the floor'.

WIP is like a sea that covers the rocks that represent poor manufacturing practice.

As you lower WIP levels, these rocks become evident and you find out what you are doing wrong.

But leave WIP levels high and you never uncover the rocks ... and you lose a lot of money tied up in that 'sea'.

Don't feed the robots

2011-11-26T10:30:00.000Z

Would you use robots to run the business?Well, perhaps in 30 or 40 years time ... but current generations are too limited and inflexible for more than routine physical tasks.Humans are much better at most things ... but of course they have their problems. They need food and drink, occasional breaks, a pat on the back and so on. But they will return much more than a robot. So don't treat them like robots - they are much too valuable. Take the time to learn what's under their outer casing ... and oil it occasionally!

What stress?

2011-11-19T10:30:00.000Z

Do your employees complain about stress?If not, think yourself lucky. Stress seems to have become endemic and epidemic.Whether or not work situations are generally and consistently stressful, employees are being taught that stress is something they should expect to suffer. So, it might be wise to practise some stress reduction techniques - even if you are not fully convinced that it is a real problem.So make sure your employees take their breaks. Make sure you are aware of what they perceive as problems - and do something about them. Make sure they all know what is expected of them, and where it fits into the wider scheme of things. Make sure they know they are valued. Either you will ease stress, avoid it ... or simply end up with more contented workers. what have you got to lose?

What Wastes Your time?

2011-11-12T10:30:00.000Z

Do you know what wastes your time? Nothing? I doubt it.

So, you should know. If you don't, find out ... or simply think about it.

When you find out, eliminate those activities ... or minimise them ... or get someone else (who costs less) to do them.

What costs?

2011-11-05T11:00:00.000Z

Do you know where your major costs are? Labour? Materials? Energy? Premises? Services?

Which one(s) should you be focusing on? I hope you know! (... but it is amazing how many don't).

But it is urgent

2011-10-29T11:00:00.000+01:00

We all do what is urgent. That's fine ... as long as don't forget to do what's important.

Everytime you attend to a crisis or 'fight a fire', think about what you haven't thought about that might come home to bite you in a few days, weeks or months.

Do nothing

2011-10-22T11:30:00.000+01:00

Sometimes the world seems to be moving at breakneck speed. The external environment is changing so fast it is difficult to know what to do for the best.

Sometimes, at times like these ... indeed at a time like now ... its better to do nothing.

Knuckle down and survive. Let the strategy wait until the world is a little more certain.

Think now

2011-10-15T11:00:00.000+01:00

Are you thinking about addressing your energy costs? For most businesses, these are becoming a real problem. Fuel prices have been rising and there is a clear need to control energy usage ... and cost.Yet, this is something you should be doing anyway. The priority might be higher now, but shouldn't you be controlling all your costs?If you have not been paying attention to the cost of energy, what else are you failing to control?Look at the figures - find out what ALL your significant costs are ... and work out ways of reducing them. Its your money, after all!

Remember everything

2011-10-08T11:42:00.000+01:00

I just read an account from a small business owner of how he had managed to significantly improve productivity. He was basing this on the fact that the ratio of output to wage costs was a higher ratio than a couple of years ago.

How had he done this? By judicious investment in new machinery.

So, was his productivity really better ... if you factor in the costs of purchasing and running the machinery? I don't know ... but neither does he. (His labour productivity was clearly improved .. but that doesn't mean multi-factor productivity is better).

So, be careful what you include ... and exclude .. when you measure how well you are doing!

You are your own reality checker

2011-10-01T11:30:00.000+01:00

I read recently that allowing workers to surf the web whilst at work improves their productivity. Counter-intuitive? Possibly. Is it right? I wouldn't know ... but I wouldn't necessarily believe it.

Its like all the diet stories - red meat is good/bad for you, dairy products are good/bad for you, red wine is good/bad for you.

I know personally red wine is something I enjoy (and I might claim that it helps relieve stress) but it does add to my girth. I therefore take a 'balanced view' as to whether, and how much, to drink.

You should do the same with issues like staff surfing the internet. Is it a problem? No! Well don't try to solve it.

Big - only smaller?

2011-09-24T11:00:00.000+01:00

I have read two publications recently which purported to be aimed at small businesses. Both of them seemed to assume that small businesses are the same as big ones - they just have fewer employees.

If only that were true. If it was, small businesses would not have the 'growing pains' they have when transforming into bigger ones.

Not only must they grow ... they must change. Those that attempt ,to grow without changing almost always fail.

So, as you (hopefully) become ever more successful think about how you will need to change - your management practices, your communication processes, your promotional activity, your sales techniques and channels, etc ... as you become one of the bigger boys.

What is your City?

2011-09-17T11:00:00.000+01:00

Productivity rises as people move into cities. This is what has been happening in China, in India and in South America over the last 20 years. However, eventually the benefits reduce as the problems increase - congestion, pollution and so on.

Is there a parallel for office space? the tendency over the last few decades has been to move to open, shared office space ... this improves communication and lowers space costs.

But is there here also a limiting factor - when 'overcrowding', noise and distraction start to reduce productivity?

Think about your office space and whether it helps or hinders productivity. Do you save more money than you lose? If you are not sure, think some more!

Don't believe everything you read

2011-09-10T11:00:00.000+01:00

I've just read another of those spurious buts of 'research'... this time suggesting that over 10 percent of UK SMEs that integrate personal devices such as iPads into their business enjoy productivity gains of more than 30 percent.

When you see that the survey was sponsored by Citrix (not exactly disinterested bystanders), alarm bells start to ring.

The survey was conducted by a reputable company on behalf of Citrix (YouGov) but the press release I saw gave no details of sample size ... and I bet it was quite small.

I can see devices like the iPad changing some jobs for the better ... but rarely by margins like those claimed.

So, don't spend your money just yet ... there are far more reliable ways of improving productivity.

Too darned hot

2011-09-03T11:00:00.000+01:00

Office workers’ productivity peaks at 71 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, says William Fisk, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US.

So, make sure you are giving your staff a chance of working at their peak levels by maintaining an appropriate working temperature.

It might cost you to maintain the right temperature, but it might cost you more if you don't.

Do You Benchmark?

2011-08-27T11:00:00.001+01:00

Do you benchmark your performance against your competitors?

Though you might respond with a 'No', the answer is almost certainly 'Yes' ... but, like many others, you might benchmark informally ... 'keeping an eye on' their prices, opening hours, stock availability, product choice, or whatever it is that might differentiate them from you.

So, have you ever thought about more formal benchmarking ... joining a benchmark club where you get 'real' data on KPIs that apply to you and the rest of your sector. Almost certainly there will be such a 'club' - ask your trade association as a starting point.

Knowing what you are up against is the first step in winning!

How much does it cost?

2011-08-20T11:00:00.000+01:00

Of course when we are looking at investment in a new piece of kit, a new service, a new building or whatever ... we have to ask the price ... and the rest of the costs incurred.

But we determine value by looking at the impact ... what it will do for our business.

We have to be able to afford it ... but we also need to know whether we can afford not to do it.

So, always look at the value, not just the cost.

Can you single task?

2011-08-13T11:20:00.001+01:00

Most of us have become so good at multi-tasking that we sometimes forget that there are advantages of single-tasking ... concentrating fully on a single focus until it is complete.

So, next time you look at your ToDo list, just take one of those tasks ... work on it ... and complete it.

You'll feel better for it!

Power costs

2011-08-06T10:45:00.001+01:00

I was speaking to an Indian businessman recently, He told me he could compete with his Chinese counterparts on everything - labour costs, material costs, capital costs - except the cost of electricity. That was why Chinese manufacturers were more competitive.

Do you know the single biggest impediment to greater competitiveness for your organisation?

If not, you ahould? ... and then you should deal with it!

Publishers learn

2011-07-30T10:00:00.000+01:00

Take a look at some of the new books aimed for children ... but delivered via tablet computers. They are starting to how real innovation in terms of interactivity and exploration.

(Note the use of the word 'tablet computers' above ... eReaders tend simply to mimic printed materials.)

Think how this might affect your catalogue and other print materials .. and think about taking some small steps to explore the art of the possible.

SMEs don't ...

2011-07-23T10:00:00.000+01:00

Reading the business literature, there is plenty of material that suggests that small to medium sized enterprises either DO or don't DO certain things.

For example, the 'wisdom' has it that they don't measure performance and/or benchmark themselves against competitors ... they are simply too busy or they are unaware of such practices.

However, my experience is that they do many of the things they allegedly don't do ... its just that they do it more informally. They might not know the 'theory' but they know (often instinctively) what they need to do to survive and grow.

Or, of course, the goods ones do ... the others perhaps don't survive and grow.

So, if you're still here, give yourself a pat on the back ... before, perhaps, reading one of the books that tell you what you don't do ... and working out whether you do .. or perhaps should!

Are you fit?

2011-07-16T11:30:00.000+01:00

A healthy mind in a healthy body. That's what we all want. Research shows that fit people also concentrate more and are better performers at tasks, even when they don't involve significant physical work.

So get your workforce fit.

But, of course, you have to think first about the kind of role model you offer.

Time to get on the treadmill?

Lean, listen, learn

2011-07-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

In Lean Thinking, they talk about the 'voice of the customer' ... saying that if you do not know what your customer thinks and feels, you have little chance of anticipating and meeting their needs.

This need to listen extends, of course, to other groups of stakeholders ... investors, suppliers and employees.

Only by listening do we learn about concerns, about problems, about needs, about motivations, about resentment, about dissatisfaction, about ...

Start listening!

Think!

2011-07-02T10:00:00.000+01:00

Stop what you are doing. take a deep breath. Look around you ... and think.

Think about the your customers ... what are they doing right now ... what are there concerns ... how have those concerns changed recently ... how have you responded?

Now, that was the easy part. Now you have to think about what you can do in the future that is different .. better ... more focused on your customers concerns and needs.

If you think that is difficult, think again .. about what your competitors might be doing.

Send them home

2011-06-25T10:00:00.000+01:00

The City of Ottawa is spending $20 million on information-technology upgrades, over the next four years, to allow almost 2,000 of its employees to work remotely. At first glance, this might look like a costly perk for some public servants at taxpayers' expense. It isn't. The benefits, to the municipal public service, and to the city at large, could be substantial.

What about your organisation?
How much could you save in office space, supplies and services if some of your employees worked from home?

Try not to mortgage the future

2011-06-18T09:46:00.001+01:00

"Individual expenditure not only rises to meet income, but tends to surpass it" C. Northcote Parkinson.

If you give employees opportunities to borrow off tomorrow's wages, they usually will. After all, why shouldn't they get the highest standard of living they can?

The trouble is that those debts catch up with them - financially and often emotionally.

So, be wary of allowing your employees to mortgage their future ability and effort to today's rewards.

Good decision, Bad timing

2011-06-11T11:00:00.000+01:00

Europe generally, and the UK in particular, seem to have decided that wind energy is the future .. just at the time that climate change seems to have resulted in the lowest winds on record for many years.

This just serves as a reminder that there are good decisions and bad decisions .. but sometimes the only difference is the timing.

So next time you have an important decision to make, think about whether NOW is the time to make it ... and the consequences of waiting too long before you take it.

Running to Success

2011-06-04T10:00:00.000+01:00

Singapore Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong recently suggested that there is only one real solution to maintaining economic growth.

Likening it to a race, he said it was not possible to eliminate other competitors or set rules to disallow others from running faster. Instead, the way to get ahead in the income race is through hard training and with good running shoes.

This applies to your organisation. Your competitors are running .. .so you'd better make sure you (and your employees) are as fit as your competitors are ... and that you have the right shoes on.

Of course in a long race, tactics can also play a part. You want to win the race, not put in a fast lap time in the middle.

So get your strategy right, then your tactical plans. Make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do ... and that they are trained and equipped to do it. Then set them running.

Green, green grass

2011-05-28T10:30:00.000+01:00

The grass is always greener ....

Yes, we know that people look outwards and think things are better, they would be happier ... or whatever. This is (partly) why surveys of employees alwas suggest that many of them want to leave their current job for a new one.

They probably deep down know that their current job is (at least) OK ... and they probably are too frightened of the unknown to move.

But it doesn't hurt to make them aware from time to time of how good their current job is .... so tell them - in your newsletter, in meetings and so on. Not directly, of course.... but subtly, remind them of what the firm does for them, the training they have had, the perks they get, the environment they work in.

If you can't do this honestly, because you are not proud of those factors you provide ... perhaps they should leave!

Start the day well

2011-05-21T10:12:00.001+01:00

A recent research study showed (confirmed?) that most workers work better if they start the day well... if they start off in a negative mood, it influences their behaviour for the rest of the day.

So, your job is to give them the best start to the day you can ... to ameliorate any negative vibes they bring with them.

It might just need a friendly, encouraging word at the start of their day ... a pat on the back for good performance yesterday.

Wouldn't you hate to think that someone is under-performing because you didn't take the the 30 seconds it needed to give them a lift.

Go for Goal

2011-05-14T10:00:00.002+01:00

If you don't have any goals, your business is not going to move forward.

The process of creating business goals does not have to be complicated .. but it must happen. The goals are the milestones on the way to business success... reaching them (or not) shows you how well (or badly) you are doing ... and enables you to take corrective or improvement action.

So take your overall strategy and break it down into areas .. then set a goal for each of these areas ... and finally work out what it will take to reach these goals.

Do you have the energy?

2011-05-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

We take decisions rationally ... often based on the financial payback. How much does it cost? How much might it save? How will it help us grow?

Sometimes, however, we take a decision and then forget about it .. .forgetting that those financial factors change over time.

Energy is a prime example. Energy costs have been rising rapidly over the last few years and decisions we might have taken back then on issues such as types of energy, sources of energy, replacement energy, energy conservation, etc need revisiting.

What else has changed over the last few years ... in your cost base ... in your revenue stream? Are there decisions you need to look back on?

What's changed?

2011-05-01T10:00:00.000+01:00

Is your business operating much as it did a year ago?

What about your competitors?

If you are doing well, give yourself a pat on the back ... but do not rest on your laurels (how many more cliches can I get in?)... or your good performance might be supassed by the better perofmrance of someone who has worked a bit harder to improve.

So, as soon as you have given youself that pat on the back, start to work out how you will change - for the better - over the coming months.

The Pomodoro Technique

2011-04-23T11:43:00.000+01:00

I came across this variation of an established time managment technique recently.

Select a task. Set a timer (the pomodoro) for 25 minutes When it rings, stop and rest for 5 minutes.

Select another task and repeat. Everty 4 pomodoros, take a longer break.

You will find you get more done!

If you want to know more, go to http://www.pomodorotechnique.com

Drive Time

2011-04-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

How many of your workers have long commutes?

How many of those same workers have company laptops or netbooks?

How many of them could do useful work if they did have one?

If those answers work out for you, you then have to think through a strategy that will get them to do (some of) that useful work ... perhaps in return for having the laptop the rest of the time for personal use.

Conserve Energy

2011-04-09T09:17:00.000+01:00

We are all being urged to conserve energy - to insulate our homes, use less power, use more fuel-efficient devices, etc.

Now, think about your workplace. Lots of energy being used up ... I don't mean the power and heating ... I mean the workforce themselves.

How much of that energy could be saved if we just planned things better? ... or executed better?

That energy costs you money .. you'd better see how you can save some of it!

Its not rocket science

2011-04-02T09:11:00.000+01:00

For many small businesses, labour is the primary cost.

If we want to make our labour more productive, we have to do one of two things.

1. Cut the number of people we employ.
2. Get more output from the people we do employ.

Assuming you don't want to ... or can't because of contractual reasons - choose the first option, you have to do the second.

So what are you doing to get more from your people. Training them? Giving them better equipment? Changing what they do? Changing how they do what they do? Motivating them?

None of these ... then you're in trouble!

Achieve!

2011-03-26T10:05:00.000Z

Do you want to achieve? Of course you do.

To achieve is to succeed in reaching a goal. This means if you don't have goals, you can't achieve.

So make your goals explicit rather than implicit - to yourself, your managers, your teams ... And do so in forms and language that is relevant to them.

After all they have to achieve for you to do so.

2011-03-19T10:02:00.000Z

Sometimes we achieve more by setting out to do less.

I'm sure you are a busy person. Lots to do, lots to think about, lots to manage. Well, perhaps things might be better if you thought more and did less. Take the time to think things through. Then, act ... but only then.

Its also worth thinking about those things you don't need to do at all ... there are usually some of those on most people's agendas.

So, sit back ... and think. You'll get more done!

Do you want happy staff?

2011-03-12T11:00:00.000Z

Are happy and contented staff less productive?

If you take the time and effort to make your staff happy at work, content with their lot ... are you automatically setting up lower productivity?

After all unhappy staff might be motivated to transform their lot ... work their way out of their current situation. Contented staff might not do anything to harm their current situation ... like working hard enough to alert you to their prowess and possible promotion possibilities.

We talk about 'comfort zones' ... stifling innovation, for example.

So, is there a balance to be struck? Do we need to maintain a (healthy) tension in the workplace. If so, are we sure we can focus that tension to our benefit?

Who is doing billable work?

2011-03-05T13:00:00.000Z

The self-employed and freelancers know about the concept of 'billable work'. Its what you do that you directly charge clients for.

You have to do other things - update yourself, keep up with the email torrent, market your services and so on. But this isn't billable.

So, look around your organisation. Who is doing billable work? How much of it?

How much of people's time is sucked up by other things - the things a customer wouldn't want to pay for? The proportions might surprise you ... and might make you do something about it!

Dealing with lazy employees

2011-02-25T17:00:00.000Z

Do you have lazy employees?

If so, think about your kids or your grandchidren. They can appear lazy or highly focused, motivated and energetic depending on what you ask them to do ... and their ability to do it.

So, ask them to do something for which they (think they) don't have the skills .. and they will shy away ... and act lazily.

Ask them to something which they know they can do - and do well - and their enthusiasm returns.

Ask yourself if this is true of your staff. Are you undermining them by not providing proper training or by not encouraging them.

Have you been getting lazy?

Make an Obama promise

2011-02-18T20:22:00.000Z

Obama expressed his determination recently to "unlock the productivity" of American workers to make the country more competitive in a technology-driven economy.

"I know we can out-compete any other nation on Earth," Obama said in his weekly radio address."We just have to make sure we're doing everything we can to unlock the productivity of American workers, unleash the ingenuity of American businesses, and harness the dynamism of America's economy."

But of course, in reality, Obama's promise is unlikely to have much effect on your business. You need your own Obama moment ... and your own Obama promise.

How will you unlock the potential of your staff and your organisation? Take 2 minutes NOW to think about 5 things you could do to improve things .... and then set about doing at least one of them.

77 ways the iPad can improve your business

2011-02-11T19:45:00.000Z

Sorry, that title was a 'scam'. Its like many blog post titles these days ... trying to 'sell' you the next panacea.

However, the iPad is not that panacea. I can exclusively reveal that ... there isn't one.

Stop looking. Just stick to the business of understanding your business and thinking through where you might be able to make improvements.

Looking for the 'silver bullet' takes your mind off this important task. Improving your business takes hard thought and hard work.

Sure, technology might be able to help ... as might a change in your marketing or one of many other things. You have to understand what it is that you do that works ... and what perhaps doesn't. An iPad won't tell you that!

A simple word of warning

2011-02-05T10:46:00.000Z

Blog posts don't have to be long ... or complicated. So, here's a nice simple message for you to think about.

Getting things done is not the same as making things happen.

No copies, please

2011-01-29T10:07:00.001Z

We all get copied into emails that we don't need to see. This is often because we haven't given our staff the confidence (or authority) they need to handle issues without 'backup' from us ... so they copy us in to 'cover their backs'.

So try putting in a rule that says .."All internal emails must be to one addressee only unless prior approval is granted. Approval must be sought from your immediate supervisor in person (not by email)."

Then review this after a week and see if the world has imploded.

(Note that this does allow distribution of messages to formal groups and teams where a single group email - a single addressee - has been set up.)

Learn from the big boys

2011-01-22T09:36:00.000Z

In the world of the 'big boys' there is a concept known as multi-factor productivity. This means the productivity of the total of an organisation's labour, its capital, its energy, etc.

I introduce this just to remind you that your business also has its complexities ... and if you adopt too simple a measure of how well you are doing, you might miss some important factors.

So think about the range of factors important to you (and your customers) and think about how well you are performing on each one. Temper output with quality and moderate short term profit with longer-term relationship building, and you might have a 'multi-factor' assessment of where you are going.

Think about output

2011-01-14T17:25:00.000Z

I'm a productivity guy. I want more output for each unit of resource.

But I know that you have to decide what is 'good' output.

A simple example. Ideally I want my mechanics standing around rather than fixing machines ... I don't want those machines out of action. So lots of output for the mechanics = bad news for me.

A more complex example. If we give teachers more students in their class, we get higher productivity ... or do we. What's the output, here?

Before you judge efficiency - and value, think about what you are trying to achieve. That's what you want more of.

Rewards

2011-01-07T20:36:00.000Z

Do you look forward to a cup of coffee as a reward for completing a task? ... or a break ... or a (dare I say it) cigarette?

Well then. Think about those who work for you. What are the rewards they get for completing their tasks?

If you can provide simple rewards for them, they might complete faster ... just make sure you don't encourage fast work and higher error rates!

Measures of Success

2011-01-02T10:38:00.000Z

How do you measure your organisation's performance. By its profits? If so, you have a good indicator of how well you have performed historically. But that tells you little about the future.

You need something that will indicate (because you can't measure it yet) future performance ... levels of investment in new technology & equipment, training given to staff, etc.

Always measure the past and present ... but keep one eye on the future.

Presents?

2010-12-25T10:09:00.000Z

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, today (Christmas) day is a great time to think about presents.

What would your organisation really like? A new product? A new brand? Lower costs?

Only you can deliver! So, get your elves working.

What's this blog called?

2010-12-18T12:22:00.000Z

This is the run-up to the holiday season. I hope you are really busy ... working hard.

However, I really hope that you are working effectively. Don't confuse hard work with effective work. Too often we end up at the end of a long day ... we look back and think ... what have I really achieved. I've been so busy clearing the backlog, I haven't had time to think about the really important things.

If this is you, then the holidays provide an ideal time for a bit of reflection .. about priorities & plans, about what really matters to your customers - and therefore your business.

Come back refreshed and refocused ... and continue to keep things simple!

Wot! No Balanced Scorecard.

2010-12-13T12:45:00.000Z

How many of you have implemented a performance management system such as a Balanced Scorecard? Few, I expect. They are a bit 'sophisticated' (and a bit expensive) for most small businesses.

However, it is worth reading up about how the BS works. Essentially (and I apologise if my 'executive summary' omits some key features) it suggests you take your business strategy (and its aims and objectives), translate them into key success factors (what do you really have to do to be successful), establish goals for each of these factors, and then measure how well you actually do as you progress towards those goals - taking corrective action when you need to in order to remain on track.

Now you are probably doing all of those things in your own way ... but adding a bit of formal structure wouldn't go amiss.

Whatever the weather

2010-12-04T15:15:00.000Z

In the UK we are suffering from heavy snow falls and travel and trade have both been badly disrupted.

What is your policy on this? You don't have one! Well, perhaps you should .... before you need it.

Return on Effort

2010-11-26T18:37:00.001Z

If you are in business, you know all about Return on Investment (ROI) - perhaps not in 'accounting' terms, but you know that every investment you make, every penny you spend has to pay you back within a defined timescale.

Yet, I bet there are things going on inside your company that are dragging you down, slowing that financial return. I can't tell you what they are (without coming around and observing what goes on) ... but I'm sure they are there all the same.

Sometimes we forget that business is essentially simple ... find out what your customers value and do more of it ... find out what they don't value and do less of it. But all sorts of things tend to get in the way ... especsailly as a business starts to grow ... and we spend more time organising rather than doing - a necessary but sometimes ineffective evil ... if we have not been trianed - or not trained ourselves - to organise.

One simple pproach to addressing this is to think through what you - and your staff - actually DO in a day .. and think about the Return on Effort relating to each activity. Why do we do that? In what way does it -directy or indirectly - provide value to our customers. If you can't answer the question, stop doing it!

Do you know where the time goes?

2010-11-19T12:55:00.000Z

Do you know how your staff spend their time - which tasks and activities consume most of it? If not, try collecting this data for a week. Get the staff to record for themselves each half hour what they are doing and use this as a guide to how they spend their time. Then ask the questions: "Is this how I want them to spend their time?" "How much of what they do adds value?"

You then have the ammunition you need to start making informed changes.

What did i do today?

2010-11-13T19:31:00.001Z

What did I do today to add EXTRA value to my business?

I am sure that you work hard every day. if you are an entreptreneur and/or small business owner, that is undoubtedly true. But sometimes, hard work is not enough. Sometimes we work so hard we forget to think about what it is we are doing ... and more importantly, what we shjould be doing tomorrow.

Think about what you have done today ... and how it will change the business going forward. If there is nothing can think of that is significant, ask yourself if this is simply because you have been too busy on operational activity. If it is, you need to find some way of passing these operational chores on to someone else, while you do the really important job of planning ansd shaping the future. No-one else will do that!

Look like you mean it

2010-11-08T12:26:00.001Z

Do you have an office visible to your workforce? If so, it sends out signals about you and your attitude to 'organisation'. If your office is (continually) cluttered and untidy, you are saying (subconsciously) that you don't care about organisation, effectiveness, discipline and order.

Is this what you want to say?

Let them Play

2010-10-29T16:52:00.000+01:00

Do you let your employees play? On the Internet, for example .... or do you lock things down so they have to work, work, work.

We want our employees to work - but we want them to work productively. One way of doing this is to create parameters within which play (of some kind) is allowable - perhaps at lunchtime, perhaps on Friday afternoons, perhaps for 5 minutes every hour.

What 'play' can do is allow staff to recover and re-energise ... or deal with small domestic issues (like booking a plumber) that might be distracting them from their work. If you don't give them 'playtime' they'll probably take it anyway - by working more slowly and less effectively.

So, take control of that playtime - build it in safely into daily or weekly routines ... and then you both reap the benefits.

Be like a Boy Scout - Be Prepared

2010-10-23T14:56:00.001+01:00

I often talk to students about their future careers - pointing out that almost everyone I know (or indeed have met) simply 'stumbles' through their career - very few can claim to have planned it. What students are doing by getting educated is to increase the range of opportunites that thay can seize as they 'float by'.

This is exactly the same strategy adopted by good businesses. They develop their infrastructure, their systems, their technologies and their people - so that they too are prepared for a wider range of opprtunities. Some of these opportunities canot currently be foreseen or even imagined. But the agile firm is ready when they emerge.

So think what you should be doing inside your copnany to make yourself better prepared to seize future opportunities.

Management by Walking About (but take a camera)!

2010-10-16T09:51:00.000+01:00

MBWA - Management by Walking About - works. If a manager walks his or her domain regularly - with eyes and ears truly open - he or she is likely to see and hear things that would otherwise go unnoticed. One way to enhance this process is to walk with a camera and take pictures of 'waste' and 'clutter'. It is much harder for people to defend themselves when faced with a photo ... and much easier to show improvement if you take 'before' and 'after' photos. Besides which, when you look through a camera lens - or at a resulting photo -you often see the world differently. You are more likely to see 'the truth'. When you simply walk past, even though you think you are looking, you often see what you expect to see ... or what you always see.

Depending on the relationship you have with staff, you can even open drawers and cupboards and take pictures. You can then either insist people tidy up ... or ask them what they need in order to be more tidy - better filing systems, desk tidys, etc.

The aim is to make things accessible when needed - quickly and efficiently.

When you can't see it ....

2010-10-08T15:40:00.000+01:00

Can you see knowledge? Well, in the form of books, papers, etc ... I suppose you can. But what about the output of your non-manual workers - the salesforce, R&D, designers, etc. If we can't directly see their outputs how do we raise their productivity.

Well, sometimes we have to improve the processes they work with - and assume (as an act of faith) their productivity rises.

So make sure all your staff have the information they need to do their job, make sure they have the communications technologies they need ... and make sure they have the time to think, to interact, to learn and to grow.

Then sit back ... and think about the results in 2 or 3 years time!

Procrastinate .... properly

2010-10-01T19:39:00.000+01:00

Is procrastination ever productive? Of course it is – when we put off something we shouldn’t have been doing at all.

So, next time you’re feeling really busy, think about what you might leave for another day … then think why you selected that item.Because its not urgent …. or not important? If its not important, could someone else do it instead of you – someone with more time … and who costs less.

It might cost you 2 or 3 minutes to work out whether something can be delegated or even ignored … but that’s a one-off time hit … and ever after you’ll be glad you took those 2 or 3 minutes.

Re-structuring?

2010-09-25T16:57:00.000+01:00

Uninor is a joint venture between Telenor, of Norway, and Unitech in India.

All 60 Uninor offices in India are “open offices”. There are no private cabins and there is complete flexibility. A trainee can sit next to senior professionals and even besides the MD. The few small rooms are for meetings and conference calls.

The 2,500-employee strong Uninor says team play and levels of collaboration are much higher amongst employees than in other organisations. It also claims the highest employee productivity and the lowest attrition rate in the industry.

“It is as simple as removing layers and barriers. We have demolished the walls and the rooms within rooms. Problems get solved faster. New ideas come up freely. Basically, when you need to talk, you don’t need to knock,” says Thulin.

So think about how you structure your team and you office in more ways than one.

The Elevator Pitch

2010-09-20T10:45:00.001+01:00

The 'elevator pitch' is so-called because it is designed to be brief, upfront and high impact so that if you make the pitch in an elevator, the listener(s) will stop the elevator to hear more rather than getting out at their selected floor.

What it really is of course is a discipline that you should apply to presentations to make them more productive. You have to think hard about what you really want to say and about your audience (and what they want to hear).

So very quickly you need to say something about you, your offering and why this is of benefit to the audience. If you can do this in under a minute, you might hook your audience for a longer timeslot. If you can't, why should the audience listen?

Non work costs

2010-09-04T09:40:00.000+01:00

I used to be a work study engineer ... studying work to see where improvements can be made. A useful discipline with many successes.

However I became aware that more often than not, what was wrong with an organisation - or a process - was not the work ... but the 'non-work' .. the waiting, the delays, the waste.

So when you look at your own organisation, look for this 'non work' ... and fill the time with work by re-arranging the processes. The work will then take care of itself.

Information loading

2010-08-28T09:21:00.001+01:00

We know two things about information. One - we need it ... as the basis of decision-making. Two - we get too much of it. The latter has got worse over recent years as it has become easier to disseminate information.

So - when you get the time between reading all the information that lands on your desk - do a simple information audit. Ask one or two employees about the information on their desks - and how much of it they need - and use. Then work out how to get rid of some or all of the rest ... and you'll have a grateful - and more productive - employee.

Coach to success

2010-08-21T10:42:00.001+01:00

Coaching and mentoring is now big business ... presumably because it is effective in changing (and improving) the performance of those being coached and mentored. After all, if it works in athletics, why shouldn't it work in business.

In small businesses, owner/managers often need mentoring but do not have ready access to suitable individuals ... and often (claim that they) don't have the time. Improving your own performance is something you MUST have time for ... so make the time available. If you can find the time, you can also find a coach ... go to a business club ... or just use yellow pages.

Jus talking through issues with a confidante often helps in itself ... but a coach also has knowledge of perofrmance improvement techniques.

Try it - it might make a big difference ... and the risk is very small.

Take a look at the conditions under which your staff work

2010-08-14T12:11:00.000+01:00

You can perform good work in poor space and under poor conditions, but it is always easier to do so when the 'environment' is conducive to prolonged effort, provides what is necessary and makes the workers feel good about themselves.

So take a look at the conditions under which your staff work. Are they 'up to scratch'? If not, is it because you really can't afford better, or simply that you haven't bothered to look before ... and have accidentally shackled your workers by not bothering to think of their real needs.

Small may be good ... but its not an easy fight.

2010-08-06T20:04:00.000+01:00

Small is beautiful. Right? Well, small businesses are the backbone of most economies. They end up growing ... or failing ... or, just occasionally, staying as stable, small bushinesses.

Thomas Friedman, in The World is Flat, suggested that technology is a real boon to a small business ... no-one knows you are small from your website .. and you can do things now that only the big boys could do 20 years ago.

However, tech costs. So, small businesses have to borrow (and then they are owned by the big guys ... and especially the banks) ... or they have to tread very slowly (and they get overtaken buy the big guys coming late but with lots of money) or they have to be innovative ... doing things the big guys haven't yet thought of.

What's your 'edge' ... why will you succeed in the face of competition from the big guys. If you don't know the answer, your chances of success are slim.

Keep it simple

2010-07-31T10:45:00.000+01:00

Innovation is often very simple.

You will have seen LED lights - strong light but a bit harsh. Philips has gor round this probem (of harshness) by painting the inside of lightbulbs with yellow paint to soften the light. Cheap, effective ,,, and (pardon the pun) brilliant!

Poor returns

2010-07-23T12:59:00.000+01:00

I recently read some research which suggests (not surprisingly) that 58% of shoppers will abandon an online retailer if they suffer a bad experience with deliveries or returns. After all they get little direct pleasure from the purchasing process (though they do get the sense of anticipation) ... so delivery is a major part of the overall transaction.

Get it wrong and this research says you're half way to losing a customer ... and you might have had to work very hard on marketing and promotion to get that customer in the first place!

Don't be surprised by surprises

2010-07-16T22:34:00.000+01:00

I was reading through some press releases recently (yes, I know I have a sad life) and came across one that referred to Dolly Parton ... pointing out that a particular air cargo handler had secured the contract to move books for her charity which distributes books to libraries and to kids. The juxtaposition of 'Dolly Parton', 'books' and 'charity' almost surprised me .. but I've learnt to expect the unexpected. Its how you spot opportunities!

When did you last go to a conference?

2010-07-10T09:26:00.000+01:00

Entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses do not attend conferences ... for one thing, they are usually too busy to take a few consecutive days out of their schedule. However they do have to keep up with new developments, new technologies, new products, new competitors, new ways of thinking and so on. How do they do that?

A lot of them simply rely on 'having my ear to the ground' believing that in their day-to-day activity they will come across most relevant news. A risky approach?

Luckily there are new avenues available. LinkedIn offers a range of services ... though many people think its some kind of advanced recruitment agency - a job shop.

The groups, on LinkedIn, however offer a great way of peer-based learning ... and since you can ask questions and start discussions, you can direct your focus to topics of particular interest. Look through the list of groups and find one that (almost) matches your area of interest. 'Almost' is better than 'perfectly' since you need new ideas coming from off the agenda, from left-field. Its your job to absorb and then to identify opportunities - and to do it faster than others!

Simple problem, no easy solution

2010-07-03T12:13:00.000+01:00

I am a director of Juice e-Learning - a new, very small company. As such we have the same problems as other small companies ... we are so busy 'getting the job done' that we don't have the time or resource to do the marketing necessary to secure the next job (and the one after that).

Of course, the web helps. Our web presence serves as showcase and promotional 'stand'. But we have to ensure that people visit our website ... and we have some ideas for that!

We have been looking for e-Learning materials that might help us move to the next level ... after all we should practice what we preach ... but most of them are 'get rich quick' promotions or 'academic' courses.

So, there is a gap in the market ... which we could fill ... on behalf of ourselves and other small companies. But we need to identify those companies ... and we're back in our quandary .. in our vicious circle.

As with all such problems, there is no point waiting to find an escape route. As a small company, you have to take the time and energy to build one yourself. Don't push your problems away - tackle them ... now!

Small companies sometimes don't get bigger

2010-06-26T04:03:00.000+01:00

I've just been in Pakistan where there are thousands of small companies. As new Pakistani companies stabilise, they seem to reach a point where the owner can satisfy the demands of his (even extended) family ... and so he (and it is almost always a 'he') eases off into his comfortable lifestlye. the company never gets big enough to take advantages of scale or to make real investment ... and sooner or later a technology or a new product comes along ... and the company fails.

So, the question you have to ask yourself is ... How do I keep myself and my staff hungry for more? What gets them up in the morning? What keeps them awake at night? Am I sure we are not just coasting into oblivion?

(And a question for my Muslim friends. is the pakistani situation a result of people treating this earth and their place on it as a waiting room for the greater world and greater riches to come?)

Make me happy, Infolinks

2010-06-17T13:32:00.000+01:00

Infolinks is the organisation that puts adds on this blog (and lots of others) ... unobtrusively, of course. They are a model of customer service ... when they communicate with me they do so in a way that is always useful (they only talk to me when they need to) and always entertaining ... and they give me money. What more could I ask?

Well, since you asked (oh, it was me, wan't it) ... they could add to my future level of happiness by allowing me to ride a llama in any country where they are native. I'm sure that's not beyond them.

In the meantime, I suggest you check them out if you have a blog or website (www.infolinks.com) ... and see, in particular, how they operate.

Always ask ... Why?

2010-06-11T18:55:00.001+01:00

Most of us are very busy ... sometimes too busy to think about all our activity and how much it is contributing to our longer-term goals. (Of course we all have crises to deal with but I'm talking here about our regular day-to-day activity.)

Why are we doing what we are doing. (We can ask later about how we are doing it!)

Always ask yourself the following question ...

Is this task really something that I want to, and need to, accomplish, or am I confusing activity with productivity?

To do ... or not to do

2010-06-05T09:25:00.001+01:00

There are lots of 'to-do' applications around for your computer but many of them are little more than static lists of pending responsibilities. Teux Deux, though, is a slick, simple, and free online task manager that visually groups your upcoming chores by date, giving you a clear view of what you need to accomplish in the coming week. It was designed to be simple but visually appealing.

The site's interface works particularly well with the popular Getting Things Done method for enhancing productivity. Each date acts a bit like a folder, keeping all of the tasks for the day contained and compartmentalized, so you can focus on what matters most at any one time. If you have tasks with no specific due date, you put them in a ‘Someday' box on the main screen, so you can put them off without forgetting about them.

email is not dead

2010-05-29T18:34:00.000+01:00

Technology is not one-size-fits-all. It is important to find what works for your organisation. This is especially true of communication technology where the choice has mushroomed over the last decade.

Is sending an e-mail more efficient than making a phone call?

If you just need to pass along information or ask a quick question and don’t need to discuss the topic, e-mail may be the most efficient way of doing so. E-mail also has the added benefit of leaving an 'audit trail', a record of correspondence.

If you find that you often need to call someone back to confirm information you previously discussed, or are often in situations where you cannot take notes, using e-mail would enable you to have all that information available in one place for quick reference. And now that we have email available on our smartphones, it is a much more flexible form of communication.

Hyperactive!

2010-05-21T20:24:00.001+01:00

So the hype over the iPad is dying (or at least slowing). What does the iPad mean for productivity? Almost nothing. Eveything that can be done on an iPad can be done on a Netbook. Sure, the iPad looks great .. and 'instant on' is a real convenience ... but it won't improve your business!

So, as ever, sort out reality from hype .. and test out the words of others. People get paid lots of money to make new products sound really good. Of course, sometimes they are ... but more often than not the hype fails to stand up to your testing.

The second lesson is, of course, that your hype - when you talk about your own new product or service - should not overdo the hyperbole. Reasoned information is more effective in the longer-term.

Don't read the paper

2010-05-14T19:24:00.000+01:00

Documents on your desk that have not been used for a month can be considered clutter. Clear them off the desk and recycle them – they are clearly not needed.

If concerned they might come in useful eventually, use document conversion technology to convert paper piles to digital files.

Stored electronically, the miscellaneous reports, presentations and memos that often clutter a desk, are easier to file, quicker to locate, take up less space and less time is needed when searching for them.

Plan It - and Do It!

2010-05-08T14:31:00.000+01:00

Occasionally leaving something undone works ... circumstances overtake you and the original task is overtaken.

Much more often, however, leaving a task undone simply piles on more pressure ... so make sure you have a system of task planning and reminders.

This may not be a formal system - it might be a set of post-its pinned to your PC though I would recommend one of the many systems that link to your smartphone so you get reminders wherever you are ... I use ToodleDo but there are plenty around ... for free.

"If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it." Olin Miller

Keep your eye on the big boys

2010-04-30T19:39:00.001+01:00

You've all heard of the Apple iPad. How many of you have heard of Fusion Garage's JooJoo. Much the same kind of device, much the same price ... but which one would you buy? The JooJoo could have been a big seller if it had been first to market ... but it wasn't. Now it looks like a 'copycat' (though it isn't) and I wouldn't bet on it being around in a year's time.

The moral: be aware of what the big boys are doing. If you're making a big investment in a new product, make sure you're first to market. The big guys can be second and survive; you can't.

Just say NO!

2010-04-23T19:44:00.001+01:00

All of us are busy. Some of us are focused on doing what we REALLY need to do. Some of us can't seem to help doing things we shouldn't really be doing.

You need to decide on your goals, map out the actions you need to accomplish them and say NO to everything else (except having a bit of fun when you're not working of course).

So be clear about what you are going to do ... and what you are not going to do.

If at first ...

2010-04-17T12:26:00.000+01:00

Attended an innovation event yesterday. One of the speakers was the guy who designed, manufactured and marketed the 'Trunki' - ride on luggage for kids ... now a major success. Rob explained the journey from first concept (when a student) to success .... on and off development, minor success, minor failure, setbacks, and so on ... over about 15 years.

So, as we all probably knew, a good idea is not good enough. You also need the drive and determination to overcome the obstacles .. and you probably need to want it (success) enough in the first place to provide that drive.

You do not know best

2010-04-10T14:33:00.000+01:00

Obviously every entrepreneur thinks he or she knows best what to do with their fledgling business. But of course those who have passed this stage know that the only person who really knows best is the customer. If you do what you think is right and forget to ask the customers what they feel is right, you are doomed to failure.

So ask your customers - in whatever way you can - what you should be doing with your business!

Dont' ban before talking

2010-04-03T16:29:00.000+01:00

Do employees using social media (especially Facebook) cost you money? Almost certainly you don't know. Allowing them some freedom to incorporate such things into their working day might actually make them more productive.

So if you are thinking about banning Facebook or Twitter or any of the other potential distractions, talk to your employees first. Find out why they want to access such things in your time ... and get them to agree a 'code of conduct' that you all can live with. They become better employees, you become a better boss ... and almost certainly you both win.

Head in The Cloud

2010-03-27T15:46:00.000Z

Its often hard for a busy entrepreneur or a small business to focus on technology - they are too busy focusing on core parts of the job. However, sometimes it pays (literally - in terms of cost saving) to consider what new technologies are available to help a business plan and execute.

'The Cloud' is becoming important. it is now possible to run quite a lot of technical services at low cost, with almost no in-house expertise, by 'plugging into' services 'out there' (or 'up there').

Google Docs is just one example. Free (or very low cost) word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software along with free storage.

Must be worth a look?

Its OK to take your eye off the ball

2010-03-19T19:54:00.000Z

We all work hard. that means we concentrate, we put in effort ... and mostly we get the results we expect.

But sometimes its good to step back, take a breather and let our minds think of something else. this gives our subconscious time to work - to churn, to reflect, to process. Then we start to see things (perhaps ever so slightly) differently. We see the context, see the bigger picture and give ourselves time for innovation.

So take some time off - indulge in your hobby. come back refreshed with fresh thinking.

Don't read this

2010-03-13T17:04:00.000Z

If, like many other organisations, you are trying to climb out of the pit that is the (recent) recession ... then concentrate on what you used to do well ... and do it better. now is probably not the time for big changes.

So, forget this blog and other advice you might look at ... stick with what made you successful in the first place.

email should help not hinder

2010-03-05T20:19:00.000Z

We all know people who complain about the numbers of emails they receive ... and often its us! But it is up to us to make sure we manage it so that it helps our businesses, not hinders them. We need to build in the disciplines that we expect in other areas of our lives.

Don't respond to emails as they arrive - set aside 30 minutes a day to handle and deal with them .. and do deal with them. Handle an email only once! Don't put it aside for later and have to handle it again. Deal with it or delegate it.

You might be surprised about how much less of a burden it seems when you handle it properly.

Plan the day ... and start early

2010-02-27T14:01:00.000Z

I talked to a guy recently who was meticulous in the way he planned his day. It actually started each evening when he laid out all the things he needed to take to work the next morning - so that he wouldn't forget anything AND he would take less time. This went on through the next day until he started again in the evening.

You might think this a bit 'nerdy' but it reminds us that planning ahead does save time and does result in fewer errors.

Think through your work routines and see what simple things you can do (checklists, reminders, etc) to make sure you don't forget anything .. and to make sure you are efficient.