Coaching for leaders in the tech industry
Simplifying things is a challenge for any business. If you have a simple process, people can follow it without making mistakes. If you have a complex process, mistakes can and will be made. I find that quality management systems often appear to be over-complicated. There’s a theory that goes something like this – ‘The system…
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There are many occasions when you need to accept short-term pain if you want long-term gain. One of the most clear-cut of these surely relates to training. From a business leader’s perspective, focused on the short term, time spent on training is not productive. I run a business that operates in design, manufacturing and assembly….
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Politics is in turmoil. Some really divisive issues and equally divisive politicians are making headlines around the world. Much of the recent press coverage refers to a lack of trust, while some politicians are telling us they don’t trust journalists. Fake news, anyone? This lack of trust leads to politicians avoiding disclosure, fearing censure from…
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For some people, success means having a fancy car or a big house. For others, it might be finding a perfect balance between work and home life. For yet others, it might mean being able to afford exotic holidays. People are different and are motivated by different rewards. When you’re leading a team, one huge…
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One characteristic that seems to be common to leaders who get the best from their teams is their apparent lack of ego. There are leaders who undoubtedly have giant-size egos, but don’t confuse showmanship and pizazz with egoism. There are many who play the showman but, underneath all the showbiz, they are focused on leading…
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There are many instructive parallels between playing a game of chess and the challenges of running a business. To win in chess, you have to plan your attack carefully and anticipate your opponent’s moves. While you are attacking, you must not neglect your defence. Moving a piece into an attacking position but allowing it to…
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Almost every day I’m reminded that what I think is not important. It matters more what other people think. This applies in so many ways. For example, it could be that you’re talking to your children about their school work and how important it is to achieve good grades. But if your kids don’t think…
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‘There’s no smoke without fire’ is a phrase I remember from my childhood, but these days it seems to have fallen into disuse – or at least into much less frequent use. If you have a wood-burning stove at home, as I do, you can observe the truth of this statement quite literally. If…
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In life and in business you may find yourself having to make a choice between doing the easy thing and doing the right thing. Doing the easy thing is having that second biscuit, or not saying anything when a colleague steps over the line. Or it might be agreeing with the customer – when you…
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I’ve observed some worrying trends in meetings I’ve been attending lately. It seems people are afraid to speak their minds during a meeting for fear of being seen as disrespectful. Another trend is that voicing disagreement is seen as a sign of treasonable disrespect and leads to a shouting match! Neither of these trends is…
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