The question is: Recent Episodes
Thinking Focus
We believe that people and teams underperform. Not because they want to, not because they mean to but because they can't get out of their own way. This may not be down to them; it could be the culture or the environment. Our experiences shape our mindsets and habits, often causing us to get stuck.
Changing behaviour requires a change in mindset. Join us on this journey as we discuss everything from 'how we think' to techniques and shortcuts to help us shape our thoughts to help us achieve our goals. We will be asking a range of questions about how the way that we think shapes our ability to change, be more productive and lead effectively.
In another of our revisited episodes, Ricky looks back on Podcast 133, where he and Paul explore the idea of having a 'bad boss' and how sometimes this is more about the perception of the manager's style than about the manager's capability.
Ricky asks us to differentiate between toxic behaviours (which are not as common as many people think) and one of the more common perspectives: the boss is just being tough yet reasonable, or the boss is just a little disorganised, leading to ambiguity.
What if the real reason your deal is stuck… isn't the customer?
In this episode, Ricky and Paul challenge a common assumption in sales: that stakeholder mapping is only about the external buying group. In reality, misalignment often starts internally.
We explore why progress slows when:
-
Internal agendas aren't understood
-
Assumptions replace real relationships
-
Stakeholder mapping is done superficially — or not at all
You'll see how effective stakeholder mapping goes beyond boxes on a slide and becomes a strategic alignment tool.
In this shorter-than-usual episode of the podcast, Paul heads back to one of our early podcasts (no 84) that looked at the well-known RACI model. This model helps people understand the different roles in decision-making and task allocation.
Paul thinks the Consulted and Informed roles, and how sometimes the Accountable person has to manage the emotions and expectations of these groups, so that they don't hold teh project hostage to their perspective, yet remain unaccountable to the outcome.
Why do so many sales conversations grind to a halt… even when both sides want the same outcome?
If you've ever found yourself stuck arguing over the detail — pricing, features, process, targets — this episode explains what's really going wrong and how to fix it.
In complex B2B sales, disagreements rarely happen because people want different things. They happen because the conversation has dropped too far into the "what" or the "how", and everyone has lost sight of the why.
In this episode, we unpack the Why–How–What Pyramid and show:
- Why detail-driven conversations create friction and stall deals
- How asking better why questions lifts conversations out of conflict
- Why senior stakeholders care more about intent than execution detail
- How to realign sales conversations around purpose, not opinion
You'll hear a real-world example of a high-growth customer relationship that was stuck in tactical arguments — until the conversation was reset at the strategic level.
If you're selling into complex organisations, influencing senior leaders, or navigating internal alignment challenges, this episode will change how you approach difficult conversations.
In this short podcast, Graham revisits one of our old podcasts on change. When change at work happens it can create an emotional responce, especially when the change is done to us, not by us. Graham looks back on a podcast from May 2023 that explores the different ways that we react to change, asking how much do we, as leaders, really understand the people around us, and take that into account when communicating and leading change. If you want to go back and listen to the whole podcast you can here it here - https://thequestionis.libsyn.com/106-why-do-some-people-react-to-change-harder-than-others
Why do sales conversations so often end up stuck on price?
Because the moment your product becomes the centre of the conversation, comparison is inevitable — and value gets lost.
In this episode, we explore value-led selling and why buyers don't want products — they want confidence in outcomes.
We unpack:
- Why focusing on your solution pushes buyers into risk mode
- How complex buying decisions shift responsibility onto the customer
- Why customers want help making the right decision, not choosing a product
- How to reposition yourself as a trusted advisor, not a vendor
Through real programme examples, we challenge a deeply held belief: Even the best product doesn't matter as much as what it enables.
You'll learn how to:
- Shift the conversation from "what we sell" to "what they need"
- Align your expertise to customer outcomes
- Build value propositions rooted in impact, not features
- Strengthen trust — even when it means walking away from a deal
Another look back into our podcast library, Richard heads back to when we asked the question, How can I improve my confidence.
Richard explores how our confidence changes over time, especially when working on something big or important to us, and that can lead to confidence wobbles, yet with a small amount of planning ahead of time, we can handle these low points and power through to achieve our goals and objectives.
If you want to listen to the original podcast, it is called 'How can I improve my confidence?' and is podcast 112 from March 2026. You can listen to it here - https://thequestionis.libsyn.com/112-how-can-i-improve-my-confidence
Ever had a deal that felt "done"… only for someone to appear out of nowhere and derail it?
In this episode, Richard and Ricky explore one of the most common — and costly — mistakes in complex sales: assuming one strong champion is enough. Having a supporter doesn't mean you've sold the deal. It often means you've only sold part of the story.
We break down the four buyer types in complex sales and explain: Why deals stall even when you have internal advocacy
- How unseen stakeholders quietly influence outcomes
- What happens when you don't know who really has a say
- How this applies not just externally, but internally too
You'll also hear a familiar scenario — the moment the atmosphere changes, the objections shift, and you realise the decision is no longer in your control.
This episode will help you:
- Identify who truly needs to be involved
- Understand what matters to different buyer types
- Tailor your message so it lands with everyone, not just your champion
In this short episode of The Question Is, Ricky delves back into the library to revisit one of his favourite episodes, which also happens to be one of our most-played ever.
There are lots of slightly different versions of the meanings of the five areas in SMART goals, but the one that comes up most often with the people we work with is the 'R': Realistic (can you do it) or Relevant (should you do it). Even after all this time, this is still a hot topic, which is why Rob and Rich talked about it in 2017, and Ricky decided to focus on it for the first of our revisited series. If you want to listen to the whole of the original podcast, it was episode 6, from June 2017 or you can click here to listen right now - https://thequestionis.libsyn.com/006-should-the-r-in-smart-be-realistic-or-relevant
In this last podcast in our series on common thinking errors, Richard and Graham look at how we assign labels to ourselves and to others and then act as if these made-up labels are true.
While labels can help us to understand the world by generalising things into simple to understand categories, often we assign labels about our abilities, experiences, identity and personality that are more of a reflection of a situation than they are of us.
Richard walks Graham through how we can explore these labels we create and reframe them to focus on behaviours that we can change if we wish, and not our identity. Seeing something as an area we are learning is always more constructive than something you are not good enough to do.
We have a habit of only seeing the evidence that supports our view of the world. When stuff happens we can focus on the bits that help us to confirm what we already believe, regardless of how much the evidence is stacked against us. When this perspective collides with unhelpful beliefs or negative self-image, then we start to Discount The Positives, another common thinking error that many of us do from time to time.
In this episode, Graham and Paul explore how this trait that starts off sounding like humility can quickly undermine our own self-confidence and lead to us believing our success is luck while our failures represent our own inadequacies. A sports star who puts their win down to their opponent's bad day, or a salesperson who believes their current run of luck is down to market conditions misses the point, that while we can all be lucky, the hard work learning and practicing, as well as showing up each day and putting in the graft, was most likely behind all of that so called luck!
As we continue to explore the common thinking errors, the little trip-ups in the way that we think, our episode this time explores Personalisation. Personalisation happens when we blame ourselves for things that are really outside our control. We did not plan this episode for our Christmas one, but what a lucky coincidence, as you may experience a little of this over the next few days, so it might be worth understanding what is going on.
Graham and Paul dig into what causes us to take the normal to and fro of life and sometimes find meaning and slight on ourselves that was never there, or a least never intended in that way. How criticism of a project or piece of work can feel like criticism of us, or the people around you laughing are almost certainly not laughing at you.
So this Christmas break, the weather is not down to you, and unless you really are one of the few people who decide what is going to be shown on the telly, the fact that there are 200 channels and nothing on, well, that is not your fault either!
One of the common thinking errors we encounter revolves around 'should' and 'must' statements that we say to ourselves, creating high demands on how the world needs to be, when the world has not agreed to our demands. Often, we don't need to operate anywhere near that level to be successful.
If you carry around the invisible rule book of your own standards, ticking off each day where you fail to live up to impossible expectations, and the world conspires to frustrate you. This podcast in our series on thinking errors will be of interest. Richard and Graham explore how, by changing should to could, and I must to I would prefer it if, we can give ourselves more scope to move forward in an uncertain world.
As we continue our series of podcasts on common thinking errors, in this podcast, Ricky and Richard make up stuff. Well, to be honest, I just made that up because this is a great podcast and I was not part of it! This is emotional reasoning, and if you listen to this podcast, they will introduce you to this common thinking error that we can all make from time to time.
Emotional Reasoning is where our mind mixes up who we feel about something (or someone) and the supporting facts about that situation or person. If you have ever had a bad meeting and started to think that represents the capability of your team, or decided that a new project that is all new and sexy, but has very little detail, is bound to be better than the current project, where you understand all of the complexity and issues, you have fallen prey to emotional reasoning. Listen in while Ricky and Rich help you take back control and see things as they are, not how they feel...
As we continue our series on common Thinking Errors, this episode considers the way that sometimes we jump to conclusions with minimal evidence and no facts.
Ricky and Paul explore the different ways we see this playing out, taking examples from sport where commentators take stats from 20 years ago to tell us who is going to win, without anyone pointing out that there are very few sportspeople who were playing 20 years ago playing today, so it is not the same team!
If you are prone to making leaps in your logic, jumping to conclusions that don't help you or move you forward, ask yourself when you do have a conclusion;
- Where is the Evidence?
- What Alternative explanations might there be?
- What are the Implications of this?
- How Useful is this line of thinking?
These four vowels (E A I U) prevent you from getting to Ohh, I got that wrong.
If you have ever had one bad thing happen, and suddenly cannot remember everything good that happened before, then this podcast is for you. In this episode, Graham asks Paul about he common thinking error, Mental Filtering.
Our brains are designed to sort through all of the information presented to us quickly and then focus on the areas that present danger or risk. It is doing its primary job of keeping us alive long enough to pass on our genes! Yet, in a modern world, we are not really at risk, so occasionally this amazing trick backfires and makes us hyper-focused on the challenge as if it is life and death, without adding the context of everything else that is going on.
Paul and Graham discuss why this happens, and most importantly, how you can bring balance and perspective back into your thoughts, to allow you to see problems and challenges for what they are, and remember all of the experience you are bringing to them.
In our series on thinking errors, this podcast explores catastrophising, with Richard and Graham sharing their own personal experience of this cognitive trick our mind can play, as well as examining why it happens and how to deal with it.
If you have ever turned a paper cut into a medical emergency, or a problem at work starts to feel like the first step toward unemployability, then this podcast will help you understand how this simple mental defensive mechanism can easily shift from our best friend to an unhelpful foe.
Now, I don't know about you, but based just on the first 30 seconds of this podcast, this is going to be the best podcast you have ever heard...
As we continue our series on Thinking Errors, this episode explores overgeneralisation. Richard talks Ricky through the risks associated with over-generalising, making broad-brush connections about events, people and situations based on the specifics of a single or a small number of instances.
What happens to our performance when we overgeneralise, making assumptions and decisions based on flawed information?
Over the next few months, we will be running a new mini-series within 'The Question Is...' that explores the most common Thinking Errors. Thinking Errors are cognitive distortions that alter our thinking, distorting the way we see the world and can impact performance and mood.
In this first episode, Ricky talks to Paul about 'All-or-Nothing' thinking. This way of seeing situations as simple, Black or White, Right or Wrong, Good or Bad. This tricks our thoughts into seeing situations as absolute, ignoring the complexity and nuance that typically exists.
From ignoring our own success when it does not quite live up to our expectations, to feeling like we are worthless when one part goes wrong, all-or-nothing thinking adds pressure to situations, making anything that is amazing feel like a disaster. If you have ever felt like that, then this podcast is for you.
Wouldn't it be nice if change just happened, all at once, and then things went back to being stable for a while? The reality is that change in the workplace is rarely a simple one-off event, more often change is delivered in waves, often iterated to allow the change to best reflect the environment.
It is easy to imagine the worst when change happens, assuming job losses, less rewards and more work, over expansion and growth, and when our teams start to imagine these things, it will quickly start to impact productivity, motivation and sometimes even well-being.
How we communicate change as leaders can either help people navigate the change, keep focused and drive the work forward, or can be the catalyst of rumour, worry and concern. In this podcast, Graham and Richard explore the techniques that leaders can use to ensure they get the best for their people and from their people when change happens.
When we change how we work, however much planning and training we put in place up front, we still need to allow a period when things will get worse before they get better. We may need time to adapt to new processes, systems, or unlearn old ways of doing things.
Who wants to get worse at their job? Instead of embracing the discomfort of change, most of us cling to the old ways we understand, hoping to stay within our comfort zone.
In this podcast, Richard and Graham explore why this happens, and what leaders and managers can do to help people through this transition, live with the discomfort long enough to embed the new skills, processes and approaches that will allow them to benefit from the improved productivity that was always envisaged when the new way of working was first dreamed up.
In this episode of The Question, Ricky and Graham continue from episode 147, exploring the impact of constant change on teams.
The modern world of work is one of constant evolution, which, for some, can be a great opportunity. Still, for many, it feels relentless, risking creating change fatigue in the people you rely on to make the change work.
Change is a mixture of practical and people outcomes, and leaders can easily focus on the practical deliverables, leaving the people to transition to the change on their own. Graham and Ricky explore the practical things that managers and leaders can do that will help people move from surviving change to embracing the opportunities that change presents.
Sometimes, it feels like the workplace has become a place of constant change, with technology, economics and societal changes driving the need for teams to adapt how they work to meet changing needs constantly. Leaders who can help their teams embrace new ideas and working practices can drive the performance of their teams while at the same time protecting those they work with from the stress we feel when change is imposed on us.
In this episode of The Question Is, Ricky and Graham explore the leader's role in preparing their team in advance, creating a culture where change is embraced, not fought. They offer simple, practical steps, from explaining the change's purpose to creating a clear vision of how the new ways of working will actually work. If you have teams that are experiencing change, this podcast will help you help them.
In this podcast, Richard and Ricky explore some practical things you can do to build the culture in your organisation.
Org Culture is a big topic, and often you can get lost in the plethora of models and ideas. Culture feels big and something the most senior people have to take action on. Yet there are some simple, practical steps that any of us can take to improve the culture, even if it is just for our team.
From establishing the group's purpose, discovering the values, and aligning the business practices around measurement, reward and processes, manager have much more control over the culture of their team than they might believe.
What can I do to build rapport quickly? Rapport is a key skill when building relationships, when influencing others, and when collaborating, in fact, any time you want or need to engage with someone.
Ricky asks our resident psychologist, Paul, about practical ways to instantly build rapport. Together, they explore crucial elements to make rapport-building easy and impactful and get your connection off on the right foot.
If you want to avoid friction and get stuff done more easily, you almost always need to form a connection with your team, coworkers, suppliers and customers. Tune in for practical takeaways you can put into action immediately.
We like to think that all the teams in our organisation are aligned, collaborating effectively, and working in harmony. In an ideal world, all of our teams' passion and energy would be combined against the external world, beating competitors and solving problems that get in the way.
In reality, under pressure, we often turn on the groups closest to us. Not because they are the problem but because they are visible and identifiable. It is hard to blame people we can't identify, so we find an 'enemy' we can name, which can be as simple as the team down the corridor. Sales get frustrated with Service, Manufacturing with Supply Chain, and the front line with Leadership.
When the in-fighting bubbles over from noise to frustration, you need to deal with it before all the energy (time and talent) of your team is focused on internal battles and not directed towards delivering the outcomes you require. In this podcast, Ricky and Paul explore how teams get themselves into this position, and when you find yourself dealing with this, what steps bring alignment and harmony back to your world?
Frances Frei - How to build (and rebuild) trust. TED.com
https://www.ted.com/talks/frances_frei_how_to_build_and_rebuild_trust
When different opinions appear in the decision, the easy answer is to push the decision up. Let the boss decide.
There are two issues with this strategy. Firstly, while the boss will probably engage with the process, they will also hate it. They have enough to do without having to make decisions for warring teams. Plus, it never reflects well on those asking.
The bigger issue is when the team is in a matrix, and there is no obvious boss to pass the buck to. Then, the team has to find a way or risk the consequences of no (or late) decision!
In this episode of the podcast, Richard and Paul explore strategies that will help teams that disagree find solutions. From agreeing on where you agree to reciprocal behaviours, this podcast outlines strategies that you can use to create consensus and momentum.
Here is another podcast that examines the questions that regularly arise in our work. This time, Richard and Ricky consider why managers might avoid some of the more big (difficult) conversations that are needed between manager and team members.
Often, senior managers assume that these conversations are happening, only to find out as issues escalate that a culture of over-politeness or hoping things will sort themselves out if we ignore them for long enough has sowed ambiguity and misunderstanding.
Why do these conversations feel so difficult for managers, and what can we do to ensure that they happen early, ensuring small problems never get to become critical issues?
Richard and Ricky mention a great book on structuring these challenging conversations:
Grenny J., Patterson K., McMillan R., Switzler A. and Gregory E. (2021) Crucial Conversations (Third Edition): Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High. McGraw Hill
In this podcast, Paul and Richard tackle one of the questions we have been asked a lot since the pandemic ended - How do you build trust between team members and teams that don’t spend that much time in the office.
Building trust between individuals and groups is far more complex than many of us realise because we do it so easily when we are together. We build trusting relationships through the micro-moments we spend together: before meetings, over lunch, getting coffee and in quick informal interactions. We also build trust through working together. It is the combination of both these types of trust that forms the relationships that we need to work together.
As leaders, we must change how our teams interact to ensure that the trust we need to achieve our goals is actively built so our teams can leverage trust when things get tough.
The coaching question in this podcast might not be as common as others we have covered, but it is one we can personally relate to. Regardless of your role or expertise, there are times when we give it our all, putting everything we have to get something over the line, then we reset to the start and have to go again.
Sales targets reset each year, project manager complete their delivery only to get a new project, software engineers get the release out the door, and then start working on a new feature.
Paul promised you a quote: "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” This quote is by Friedrich Nietzsche and is discussed in Victor Frankl's work. Ricky and Paul explore what it takes to reset, sometimes overnight, and find the energy to go again.
This episode continues our series of common topics from coaching conversations. In this episode, Paul and Graham consider the idea of 'people pleasing' - being helpful to the point of thier own detriment.
From understanding the difference between helpfulness and people pleasing, through to how to say no to the boss, Graham and Paul talk about what might be driving some of these behaviours and shat are the simple strategies that you can adopt to ensure you find the balance between helping and supporting the people around you, and ensuring that you protect your own time and wellbeing.
As we continue our mini-series of common topics from coaching conversations, in this podcast, Ricky and Paul explore why sometimes people feel drained at work, leaving them with an overall feeling of being tired.
Clearly, at times, we can all burn the candle at both ends, but in coaching situations, this is often a sign of something deeper going on. From doing work that is draining to the unintended consequences of the habits we adopt when our workload goes up, Ricky and Paul explore some potential causes and strategies to help maintain us through these peak times.
As part of our series of questions often raised in coaching conversations, in this episode of The Question Is, Paul and Graham explore the often asked, without ever being actually said, question: How do I know if I should change roles?
Being ready to move on from your current role can be challenging. From not feeling like you have finished what you needed to do in the role to not feeling ready for the next role, changing jobs can be difficult and anxiety-inducing. There is rarely a good time to change roles, with opportunities presenting in manual ways at inappropriate times.
Graham and Paul share their experience and pose the questions you need to ask yourself about opportunity, growth, and passion, which will help you understand when it is time to move, even when that might not have been in your plan.
Every leadership role you undertake is slightly different. Different people, different problems, different cultures, maybe just a different time and place. Our ability to lead can be as much about the context or situation we find ourselves in as it is the skills we bring to the party!
As part of our series of questions commonly raised in our coaching practice, Ricky and Paul explore the situation that many people find themselves in: doing the things that have always worked for them and finding that, for some reason, this time,, they do not get the outcomes they envisaged.
Feedback has been described as the breakfast of champions, but giving feedback can be one of the toughest things we have to do, with many people avoiding giving feedback if they possibly can.
In this, another podcast in our series of questions from coaching conversations, Ricky and Graham focus on why some people find it so difficult to give good feedback and how developing your technique around feedback is a vital leadership skill.
From why we find feedback so difficult, through to models and structures to make you better at feedback - if you want to help the people around you be better at what they do, then this podcast is for you.
Paul and Graham tackle saying no in this latest episode of the podcast where we look at the questions that are frequently raised in coaching sessions. Saying no, especially to the boss, is one of the things most of us find hard to do.
From the desire to say yes to the mindset that makes it okay to say no when that is the right thing to do, this episode explores all the aspects of saying no and offers some simple strategies to help you navigate these difficult conversations without ever having to actually say no.
There is an old saying in business psychology: People rarely leave a company; they normally leave a manager! Not all bosses are good bosses, yet at the same time, not all bosses people think are bad are really bad bosses.
Sometimes what appears as a difficult boss, is actually a different style that evokes a reaction from some of the people working for them. Sometimes though, it is the managers behaviour that makes it difficult for those working for them.
In this podcast, Ricky and Paul explore the different categories, from bosses who are just different to toxic bosses who may not provide the support their people deserve.
Continuing with our series of podcasts exploring questions that come up during coaching sessions, this podcast builds on episode 131, this time looking at how you find your purpose in life (not just work).
In this episode, Ricky and Graham, chat about life's purpose, talking through the different areas of life, and the different things that motivate us in life. They have a really open and honest conversation on how they have had to consider the different aspects of their own life, using the five balls or the wheel of life to ensure they consider all of the aspects of their life.
Most of us spend over a third of our time at work - until we retire! Next to sleep is the part of our life that we spend the most time doing, yet often, we have no idea why we are there or what we are trying to achieve. Yeah, we are there for the money, and that means hitting some goals, but is that enough?
What makes work meaningful? What is our 'ripple on the universe'? Without a clear understanding of why we are here, we risk mistaking what we do as our purpose and ignoring why we are doing it.
This is one of the questions that regularly comes up in coaching. In this podcast, Paul and Graham explore how coaches help people find their work purpose and how they can make work meaningful.
Continuing our journey into the questions that often come up in coaching sessions, in this podcast Richard and Paul explore how success in demanding jobs and work-life balance often can seem incompatible. Creating balance is a popular topic, with no end of articles and influencers talking about the tricks to create balance, or the sacrifices required to be successful. However, the topic is more nuanced that commonly presented, as balance is a very personal thing, and what might look like as balance for one person, would feel like purgatory for another. It is possible to create balance and have a demanding role, but as Richard and Paul discuss, this takes self-awareness, an ability to prioritise different aspects of your life and choices.
Uncertainty has become a very present factor of modern working life, yet almost all of us crave certainty and spend a lot of our time and effort working very hard to create as much of it as we can. Only to find that uncertainty often wins out!
In this podcast, part of a mini-series looking at the questions and topics that often come up in coaching sessions, Richard and Paul dive into the world of uncertainty. They explore some of the ways that we can ensure that we don't get stuck waiting for certainty, or derailed when the world gets messy.
Uncertainty can feel disorienting and makes decisions far more complex, yet we can all learn the skills that enable us to lead, work, and succeed in an uncertain world.
Another podcast in our mini series exploring some of the questions that come up in coaching sessions, in this episode of the podcast, Richard and Paul discuss the questions that is asked without ever being asked, what are my values?
Values are at the heart of behaviours, driving both purpose and actions. Yet, we are often oblivious to them and their impact on our decisions and perceptions of the world. Paul and Richard explore their influence on our lives, how you can find out what your values are, and the ways they change at different stages of our lives.
Sometimes (at work) we get a little lost. Maybe our actions are not working, our dreams suddenly appear unattainable, or we become disconnected from the purpose. It may happen slowly over time or can be a sudden upheaval when things around us change.
It can be very disconcerting to feel lost, yet many of us experience it at some point. As coaches, we are frequently asked the question, 'What's the point?'.
In this podcast Paul and Ricky explore how people may find themselves lost, and what they can do to reconnect with their purpose, or discover a new purpose that will give them the energy and desire to carry on.
Continuing our series of podcasts that explore the most common questions asked in coaching sessions, Rob and Paul explore the very common topic of time in this podcast. A range of time questions come up, all of which centre around the genuine issue of having more things to do than the time available.
Time management skills are essential to modern working but are only part of the story. Most of us have jobs where the demands outstrip the time available, and in this episode, Paul and Rob explore the different mindset (and skills) required to ensure that the time you have is used in the best possible way.
Oh, and sorry about the audio quality on this one... Just to be clear, this was not because we did not have enough time!
Let's face it, none of us really love getting feedback. We know it is important, and helps us grow, It is also hard to hear sometimes and often badly delivered. Sometimes, it feels like it is easier to not be told, even though we know that is not really the right answer!
This podcast is part of a series based on the questions that come up the most in coaching sessions. In this episode, Rob and Ricky explore how feedback can be helpful once you get past the emotive reaction it often creates. They also explore the different types of feedback that you might get and how best to reflect on and take action that will help you grow.
We are back with new podcasts for 2024, and we are starting the year with some of the questions that we get asked as coaches.
In this episode, Rob and Paul explore the question most new leaders ask themselves: What makes me worthy of being a leader? There are several reasons why people pose this question, from self-doubt, to seeing the capability of others (while not seeing our own strengths) or simply not seeing leadership for what it is.
If this is a question you have asked yourself, then this podcast will help you think through all the reasons why you should be a leader, and come to terms with the fact that leaders are rarely experts, and experts are normally too busy exporting to lead.
There are moments, often, when we hit milestones that symbolise the end of something (like the end of a year), that we stop and take a moment to look back. These moments are opportunities to reflect, to learn and to prepare to start again.
Yet, in work, these moments are missed as we jump from project to project, urgent task to urgent task. Urgency getting in the way of growth, learning and, most importantly, using this wisdom to focus on the things that will have the biggest impact on our goals.
In this podcast, Ricky talks with Paul about the power of these moments, asking why these are so important, yet often undervalued in the workplace. Of course, they also get into some simple ways that you can make your reflection time more effective and why this does not need to take very much time at all if you do it right.
It is that time of year, when we start to reflect on the year and promise ourselves that next year will be different. Next year, we will be fitter, healthier, more successful and just so much better. Sadly, for most of us, New Year's Resolutions have the nasty habit of fading away as life pushes us back to old habits and practices.
So, what if this is the year? What if there is something that you want to change? That is what Ricky wanted, so in this podcast, he finds out from our resident psychologist, Paul, what is required to make your New Year Resolutions stick.
Probably not a surprise, but these tips turn out to work for all goals. So, even if you don't have the urge to reinvent yourself this podcast offers simple strategies to make sure that you stick at and pursue the goals that matter to you.
In this podcast, Rob and Ricky don their capes and dive into the world of stellar communication. (what they get up to in their own time is up to them!) What does it take to be a true communication superhero in an era riddled with distractions, impatience, and information overload?
Being an effective communicator isn't just about conveying messages; it's about understanding, connecting, and making an impact. Yet, many of us falter, whether it's due to a lack of skills, a disregard for respect and courtesy, or simply a scattered focus and lack of purpose in our interactions.
In this episode, they dissect the critical skills that often go amiss in daily communications. They look at areas such as the role of respect and courtesy in dialogue and deep into the importance of having a clear focus and purpose behind every word and gesture.
They also provide actionable steps, techniques, and insights to help you rise above these challenges. It's time to transition from a communication novice to a true communication superhero. Capes are optional.
Rob and Ricky as they dive headfirst into the intricate web of common communication pitfalls that leave many of us scratching our heads, wondering, "Where did that go wrong?"
Have you ever sat through a meeting and thought it was a complete waste of time? We explore the impact of poorly conducted meetings - how they not only drain our time but also our energy and productivity. We've all been there, and it's time to address the elephant in the room.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Assumptions. They say when you assume, you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me." We delve into the dangers of making assumptions in communication, how they lead us astray, and the strategies to avoid them.
In our digital age, emails have become the backbone of corporate communication. But are they always effective? We discuss the overuse and misuse of email, leading to cluttered inboxes and missed messages. And as if that wasn't enough, we're also battling against the tide of information overload.
With an alarming statistic revealing that a staggering 70% of errors in the workplace can be traced back to miscommunication, it's no wonder that businesses are feeling the pinch. Dive deeper, and you'll find that poor communication ranks as the number one concern for a majority of businesses, overshadowing even financial concerns or market competition.
But what really happens when communication goes awry? Trust erodes. The very foundation upon which business relationships are built begins to wobble. Employees start second-guessing, leading to serious doubts about the motives, integrity, and capabilities of their employers. The domino effect of this breakdown? A jaw-dropping cost of £50 - £70 Bn in lost productivity annually.
But there's more. As a result of these communicative missteps, 33% of employees report having low morale, feeling disengaged, and disheartened.
In this episode, Ricky and Rob not only highlight the challenges but also explore solutions and best practices to cultivate an environment of open, transparent, and effective communication.
Did you know that, according to a Forbes (March 2023), only about a third of companies believe they communicate effectively?
In this episode, Rob and Ricky dive into the complex realm of communication, a skill so integral yet so frequently misinterpreted.
They explore why most companies fail to communicate effectively and share some of the stumbling blocks hindering effective communication. Consider this, when one individual errs, does everyone else receive a blanket message? We know this is not the best approach, so why does this keep happening?
Ricky and Rob also delve into the human side of miscommunication. Our emotions, ever a double-edged sword, often weave themselves seamlessly into our dialogues, clouding judgment and disrupting clear exchanges. Then there are assumptions – we all make them, but at what cost? Plus, we discuss the dangerous 'dance of ambiguity', where leaving things open to interpretation can spell disaster.
We have two primal fears: shame and death! Evolutionary strong feelings that were designed to keep us alive, but not really designed for the modern workplace, yet these fears play out strongly in our day-to-day lives.
In this episode of our mini-series on getting out of your own way, Richard and Ricky discuss how fear of failure might drive our behaviour, and not always in ways that make us more productive or easy to get on with!
We want people to be authentic in the workplace, to show up as they are, and to be their best selves. Not only do we want to be authentic because it helps us build trust and better relationships, but it is easier - it takes less work just to be you.
At the same time, we all want to fit it, show off our best bits and look good, so from time to time, we put effort into ensuring that others see us in the way that we want them to.
In this podcast, Rob and Paul explore another way we might 'get in our own way', when we start to put some much effort into managing how we are seen, we don't have enough left in the tank to get things done.
Rob and Paul continue this mini-series within The Question Is podcast about some of the different ways that people 'get in their own way'. This time we consider perfectionism.
Could perfectionism be an advantage, or are we confusing high standards, with nothing ever being quite good enough?
Like most traits that get in our way, these habits were once useful, which is why they have become a habit. Then, out of the blue, the very thing that was helping becomes the thing getting in the way.
Paul and Rob explore the fine line between driving to excel and perfectionism and discuss strategies for perfectionists to stay on the right side of the line.
The feeling that you are an imposter, doing something you feel unqualified for or that you have no right to do. Going to work every day with the feeling that this is the day when everyone will realise that you are there by mistake, and it is time for you to go.
Surprisingly, it is a very common feeling, one that most of us will experience at some point in our working life. In this episode of the podcast, we continue to explore the different things that we do, getting in our own way. Richard and Paul talk about imposter syndrome / phenomenon / thoughts (it has many names), look at why it exists, share their experience of having it, and explore strategies that might help you see the feeling in a completely different light.
Can you have a goal that is too big? Or too small?
In this episode of the podcast, Ricky and Rob explore how we can get in our own way when we pick goals that are either too easy or too hard.
They discuss how our belief in our ability to achieve the goal dramatically impacts how we approach it, so the best goals always fall within a 'goldilocks' zone of not too hard and not too easy; falling in the zone of just-right like the best porridge! Even when we have the right level of belief, that on its own is not enough. Rob and Ricky explore how the goal needs to be relevant to us, congruent with our overall priorities, before we will truly allocate the time needed to be successful.
Confidence is an integral part of our own personal success. With it we make bolder decisions, try and little harder and frame difficulties as obstacles, without it we become more cautious and only see barriers. Not having confidence, in ourselves, the people around us or the situations we find ourselves in is one of the most common ways we get in our own way.
In this podcast, Rob and Paul explore what confidence is, and how we get it. Do we need confidence to do the things we do, or do we get confidence from doing them? This is the classic psychological chicken and egg...
Ever wondered why you can find so many things to do when you have something important to get done or why social media seems more interesting than the piece of work in front of you?
Most of us procrastinate from time to time, some of us more than others. In this podcast, Paul and Ricky explore why we do and how it is often misunderstood (especially by those that don't do it as much). Importantly, they explore the different strategies for tackling procrastination when it gets in the way.
If you know someone who might find this or any of our other podcasts useful, can you do us a favour and share this with them? You will be helping them and helping us. Thanks
When asked, 'what gets in your way?', most of us have the same answer. Me!
However hard we try, we cannot get out of our own way. We spend our life erecting barriers for us to them climb over, acting like a critic and sometimes even being a bully to ourselves.
This is the first of several podcasts exploring the different ways we get in our own way and looking at some simple things that any of us can do to reduce self-inflicted barriers. Getting in your own way is perfectly normal, but you don't have to accept it as being inevitable.
In this first podcast, Rob and Rich explore self-esteem. How do we understand that we have self-worth in a hyperconnected world where we are asked to compare to highly edited versions of everyone else, yet we have a warts and all version of ourselves?
The idea that we think fast and slow (Daniel Kahneman) or like a chimp and a human (Steve Peters) has moved from the world of psychology and now is part of everyday understandings of human behaviour. So, what is the impact of these two different ways of thinking have on leadership in organisations, and which one should leaders be using?
Ricky and Rich discuss their observation of working with leaders and how their thinking drives the results and behaviours in themselves and their followers. Where does fast thinking work, and where might slow thinking have the advantage?
Why is it that some people thrive when change happens, and others seem to do so badly? Change at work is almost the only constant left, yet many of us are really bad at handling it; missing the opportunities that change often presents.
In this podcast, Richard and Ricky explore what we can learn from the people who have handled change well. What can all learn from their behaviours to ensure that the next time we face change at work, we can make the most of the situation?
Dealing with unexpected change, especially when working with or in large organisations, has become a core skill every employee must master. Yet, many people find themselves unprepared for change when it happens and can find themselves struggling to cope.
In this podcast, Paul and Rich explore why some people are good at dealing with change and others struggle. What makes some people resilient and how can the rest of us use the techniques for ourselves?
Change at work often takes us by surprise, appearing out of nowhere. This makes sense when you think about it. Organising and getting ready to announce change, big or small, takes a lot of work, with many moving factors. When we are on the receiving end of change, we crave clarity - we probably don't want to be involved in the early changes when there are more questions than answers.
Organisational change can, therefore, knock us for six. Blindsiding our carefully thought-through plans. Some people take this in their stride, while others find it really hard to deal with. Richard and Ricky explore why we react differently and consider how different people can see the same change in very different ways.
Talent conversations come in many shapes and sizes. Talent is more than just how good you are today; it also encompasses how well you fit into the plans for tomorrow. Your plans, the organisation's plans, and their plans....
What could possibly go wrong?
Ricky and Paul tackle the conversations that leaders need to have to help the people around them understand where they are right now, what is expected of them and where they need to develop. Talent conversations may not be easy, but with a bit of structure and thought, they can be positive and constructive interactions that help people grow.
Working out who the talented people are sounds easy, but it turns out to be quite complex for many leaders. Loyalty and liking get in the way of tough decisions, and potentially get confused with performance. We also ignore issues when they are small, making them really difficult to deal with once they become a problem.
In this podcast, Paul and Ricky explore a model used by a lot of organisations to help them think about talent, and the different ways that people need to be managed to get the best out of them. The model, affectionately known as the nine-box talent grid, explores two distinct factors: current performance and future potential. Performance is all about what they are doing today, whereas Potential considers what the organisation needs from them tomorrow. How can we use this model to get the right people in the right place, and manage our people effectively?
You can see a version of a nine box grid at https://thinkingfocus.com/how-do-you-work-out-who-your-talented-people-are/
Developing the skills and growing the people around us is, all too often, perceived as something that HR or L&D own. The perception is that this has very little to do with day-to-day activities, maybe even getting in the way of doing the work. Yet, without building the skills to do what is needed now and what will be needed next, it is impossible to achieve our goals.
In this episode, Ricky and Paul propose that talent management is a leadership issue. From setting the expectation of what skills are going to be needed to encouraging people as they grow, only leaders can create the environment and define a culture of growth. If you can attract the right people and remove the wrong ones, you have a much better chance of achieving your vision.
Who is responsible for developing you so that your career progresses?
It used to be something that employers took responsible for; however, that may not be the case anymore.
In this podcast, Paul and Ricky explore the way that career development changes over your career and how modern careers may have to have quite different expectations around learning and development.
So, ask yourself, who owns developing your career? Is it you, or is it your boss?
So what are the important things that leaders need to focus on to ensure that they are leading for success? Does that change in a year like 2023, when, yet again, everything is up in the air?
In this podcast Paul and Ricky consider what would be the five most important areas that a leader should focus on when leading in such uncertain in times. They consider how this might be different from other years (hint, it isn't, it is just that this level of uncertainty is much less forgiving than normal), and offer some practical tips on where you can start.
In this special edition, one-hundredth episode of the podcast we explore the four key topics, Productivity, Change, Culture and Leadership to see if we can get each of them down to one piece of wisdom, well one piece each from Ricky, Rob, Rich and Paul.
Without creating any spoilers, you may have guessed that we did not get it down to one, or one per topic! However, we did come up with some real nuggets for each of the areas, so listen in for a quick grounding in how to get things done in your organisation, department or team.
Every day in every workplace there are important conversations that just don't happen. Conversations around performance, disagreements around strategy, information that may stop a mistake about to happen. Important and beneficial conversations that don't happen.
These are difficult conversations. An exchange that may go wrong, get emotional or have future consequences. In that moment, the cost of having the conversation seems so much bigger than the cost of not having the conversation in our heads. We stay quiet, it is the safest approach. Yet, in the long term, we end up dealing with the consequences of the things left unsaid.
In this episode, Ricky and Paul discuss why we all do this and explore some techniques to make these conversations just a little easier.
In the last of our short series of podcasts on questions, Rob and Ricky tackle the role of questions in critical thinking. From exploring the advantages or disadvantages of different options to making decisions, asking the right questions allows us to cut through and get the best answers.
Great outcomes start with great questions.
Another short podcast in our mini-series on questions, this time Rob and Ricky look at the role of questions in making us think creatively.
Questions have the magical property of making you think, even when you don't want to, so with small shifts in the structure of the question, you can use questions to make anyone think more creatively.
Continuing our short series on the power of questions, in this podcast, Rob and Ricky explore the role of questions in creating clarity.
Questions are one of the easiest ways of engaging our minds. In fact, they are sneaky, as it is almost impossible not to think about a question when asked, even if you don't want to answer it. Questions can help us sort through the noise to discover exactly what we want, when we want it, and how we will know when we get there.
As part of a mini-series on the power of questions, Ricky and Rob look at the role of questions, why they are an important tool for leaders and managers and discuss why they work.
From the way we ask questions, to using questions to helping others think, this podcasts asks questions about questions.
So, you have spent hours working out how best to run your meeting or workshop, you have a plan, you have the timing perfect... then the workshop starts, and you watch as your plan gets up and leaves the building!
In this podcast, Paul gets experienced facilitators Richard and Rob to share some of their secrets so that you look like everything is running to plan; you end up exactly where you said you would end up, even if you don't quite know how you got there.
Often to get to the heart of a problem or strategy, you need to create an honest and open exchange of views, yet you don't want it to tip over into an argument or the participants becoming overly emotional.
In this podcast, Paul explores this with experienced facilitators Richard and Rob to find out how they find the balance, getting everything on the table, even surfacing controversial opinions, while ensuring the group works together and continues to support each other.
Our series on facilitation continues with one of the most difficult things that anyone running a meeting or facilitating a session has to deal with, people!
There are a number of reasons why someone might not be playing along with the process or playing nice with the group, and as the facilitator, you are the person who is best placed to intervene. However, this is more than just laying down the law, and a little understanding of what might be causing the issue will help to identify strategies that may make life better for you and for them.
Rob and Richard explain to Paul some of the reasons why people come across as difficult in sessions and share some of their strategies to get the back on board.
In the business world, getting people to stop, think and contribute can be a challenge. Yet, somehow, great facilitators manage to get everyone chatting, contributing and feeling heard.
In this podcast, Richard and Rob explain to Paul all of the tricks that they have picked up in the years that they have been facilitating. By using some of these tricks, you can get even the quietest person to contribute to your next workshop.
In the business world, getting people to stop, think and contribute can be a challenge. Yet, somehow, great facilitators manage to get everyone chatting, contributing and feeling heard.
In this podcast, Richard and Rob explain to Paul all of the tricks that they have picked up in the years that they have been facilitating. By using some of these tricks, you can get even the quietest person to contribute to your next workshop.
Continuing our series on facilitation, Paul asks Rob and Richard how they create the trust and 'safety' required to get honesty and openness from workshop participants.
Creating a safe space is one of the primary responsibilities of a facilitator.
If you get the environment and dynamic wrong, it may cause people to close down, limiting the ideas, challenge and acceptance of the group. Getting it wrong makes the facilitator's role harder.
A series of simple interventions, from the room layout to the first few minutes, can make all the difference, even though the group may not even notice you are doing it.
The Thinking Focus team have facilitated workshops all over the world. We facilitate thinking for companies large and small, as well as charities, and government bodies; if you have something that you need the team to think about, then the team can help.
In this short series, Paul talks to Richard and Rob to understand how master facilitators work, giving you some inside tips on how to be a better facilitator, so you can get better outcomes in the meeting you are running.
This first podcast explores the thinking of the facilitator when they are planning the workshop, from the goal to the group; what do you need to know?
We spend most of the time with our brains on 'autopilot'. We are thinking at a subconscious level, causing us to act without being truly aware of what we are doing. This handy little trick helps us get through the day, making the most of the energy available and freeing up our conscious mind to work on the more important stuff, like 'what's for dinner?'.
Rob and Ricky explore in this podcast how you can turn off this automatic process, so you can take conscious control of the things that you really need to think about, not just respond to.
Every time we learn something new we have to connect that to our world, to understand how that new piece of information or skill will work for us. Knowing is not enough, we have to integrate the new into our existing understanding of the world. That takes reflection.
In this podcast, Ricky and Rob explore why reflection is so important and offer up different strategies that will help you reflect, and therefore embed, your learning.
How many goals should you have? Should you have goals for everything, or just focus on one thing?
Ricky and Rob have one goal in this podcast, to talk about how many goals should have if you want to make sure you achieve all of the goals that you set yourself.
Ricky and Rob get ARCI in this podcast, looking at how (and why) people often confuse accountability and responsibility.
The RACI model is a great tool to help understand different roles and responsibilities, but is Responsible (the R in RACI) really the place to start, or should Accountable go first?
Someone, probably a past manager, will have talked to you about time management at some point in your working life. You won't be alone if these conversations have left you feeling that if you could just organise your time a little bit better, you would suddenly become so much more successful.
In this podcast, Rob and Paul explore this idea and pull apart the myths behind time management, suggesting that the alternative might be just to be better at managing your attention and choices.
In this episode of the podcast, we explore motivation. Ricky and Paul consider why the typical motivational strategy of rewards and consequences (Carrot and Stick) might not be getting the best out of your team. They consider why this approach is so common when it has such a limited impact, and discuss alternative strategies that will create more engaged and motivated team members.
Have you ever wondered why sometimes you try and do things and it works, and sometimes you try and things just don't come together for you? In this podcast Ricky and Rob talk about three steps in our thinking that leads to getting stuff done. If you can create Clarity about your outcome, be more Creative in your ideas while using Critcial thinking to ensure you focus your energy on the right areas, then you increase your chances of getting stuff done.
At the heart of this is our thinking model Fooodo; you can find out more about the FoooDo at https://bit.ly/TF-FoooDo
You can also download the O! ideas worksheet at https://bit.ly/0_ideas
People underperform in sales (and other roles) for several reasons, in this podcast we will explore how mindset can be one of the biggest reasons why people underperform.
Sales can be easier than other roles to spot when people underperform given the metrics available but identifying the factors behind underperformance is not so easy.
What do we mean by mindset? Our experience of psychology points to limiting beliefs and assumptions that cause people to get in their own way. Mark Davies and Ricky Muddimer explore the topic in more detail asking how you can unlock the mindset of your people to free them up to perform.
People underperform in sales (and other roles) for several reasons, in this podcast we explore the environment we create. Sales can be easier than other roles to spot when people underperform given the metrics available but identifying the factors behind underperformance is not so easy.
What do we mean by environment? It may sound obvious; in our experience, it’s not, which is why Mark Davies and Ricky Muddimer explore the topic in more detail and what we mean by creating an environment for your people to perform.
People underperform in sales (and other roles) for several reasons, in this podcast we will explore the skills aspect of the role. Sales can be easier than other roles to spot when people underperform given the metrics available but identifying the factors behind underperformance is not so easy.
What do we mean by skills? It may sound obvious; in our experience, it’s not, which is why Mark Davies and Ricky Muddimer explore the topic in more detail and what we mean by skills and why looking at skills more broadly is so important.
People underperform in sales (and other roles) for several reasons, in this podcast, we will explore the knowledge aspect of a role.
Sales can be easier than other roles to spot when people underperform given the metrics available but identifying the factors behind underperformance is not so easy.
What do we mean by knowledge?
Mark and Ricky explore what we mean by knowledge, discussing why knowledge is more than just job knowledge and exploring why it’s important. What is the knowledge requirement by your team, if you expect them to perform?
This is the last of our podcasts around our leadership model. This time we explore the leader's role in process.
Leadership creates stability and change, and this dichotomy shines through when it comes to process. How do leaders deal with the dual roles of creating efficient and consistent approaches, while at the same time continually improving to make them better, or occasionally transforming them to create competitive advantage?
Doing both of these is something many leaders find difficult; Rob and Paul consider why this is and what you can do about it.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
Continuing our series on the day to day leadership, and what is it that leaders do. This time we consider the balance between being the leader and being a subject matter expert.
Often people are asked to become leaders because of their strong technical skills; then they are expected to step back from the day-to-day and let others do the work. If they can balance the demands of expert and leader then they empower their team, providing expert direction, growing team skills and providing governance. If they get the balance wrong, they risk becoming the limit of the team's ability.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
Leaders want their followers to take accountability for their deliverables. Most leaders think about what they can do to get more accountability, yet rarely consider what they might be doing that is destroying the very accountability that they are looking for.
Paul, Ricky and Rob explore what accountability means, and how leaders can create a culture where people own things, or how they might be accidentally driving a culture where people avoid being accountable because it is seen as too risky.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
Another podcast exploring the role of a leader.
This time we dive into engagement. How do leaders create engage followers?
To us, engagement is more than just making sure people like working here. It is the way that leaders connect people to purpose, the team and the plan. This is an ongoing role, constantly needing updating and resetting as the team gets buffeted by day-to-day challenges.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
This is another podcast in our series about the actual things that leaders do.
This time Richard, Rob and Ricky talk feelings! In particular, they discuss the leader's role in managing feelings; dealing with conflict, smoothing over loss when difficult decisions need to be made and most importantly creating a psychologically safe environment where people can flourish.
Leaders who ignore the people elements of the role risk damaging their own productivity and put their underlying purpose at risk.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
The last 18 months has radically changed the way that we work. The old culture no longer applies, but the temporary culture we have been working with cannot move us forward.
Now is a time for cultural re-set for many organisations, but how can leaders shape this cultural change, to encompass the best bits from lockdown working; driving automony, collaboration and accountability.
Ricky, Rich and Paul consider how leaders can become role models and create cultural standards by lifting the culture and empowering, and not dumbing it down for everyone when it gets challenging.
This time on the podcast, we ask a very relevant question for the last quarter of 2021, as we work through this strange lull in the pandemic, trying to act like it is over yet without being really sure that it is.
This leads to a feeling that we should be getting back to normal, yet for many going back to what they were doing still feels a way off. As leaders, how do we engage people who have lost their sense of purpose, or are having to do something slightly different as their organisation adjusts and repositions?
Once upon a time running a business was all about having the right resources or equipment, yet for most 21st-century organisations it is the people that make all the difference.
In this podcast Ricky, Rob and Rich explore the leader's responsibility to ensuring that they have the right people to deliver their vision. From attracting the right people in the first place to developing the skills and experience required to deliver tomorrow, leaders have to invest in their talent, because talent is the only thing we have to make our businesses unique.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
Often leaders have more influence over what does not get done than what does. From creating the boundaries that keep the team focused on the core objectives, to deciding where best to focus resources, the leader needs to help the team focus on the areas that will have the biggest impact on the goal and higher purpose.
In this podcast, Paul, Rob and Ricky explore how leaders manage the Scope, ensuring that the resources are directed towards the purpose, even if this means making difficult choices to leave some things undone.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
Part of a leader's role is to share the purpose or vision with others - to turn them into followers who can help achieve the vision. This is much easier to do when your leadership goal is to try and change the world, but what if you just want to be the best at whatever it is you do - why, and how, do these leaders build their tribe?
Rob, Ricky and Paul explore the idea of building a tribe; a group of followers who range from active participants to supporters engaged in their own projects, supporting you from the sidelines.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
We are purpose-driven creatures. We need to understand why we do what we do, meaning creates the motivation to do whatever it is we need to do. Yet, often, leaders leave the purpose to chance, allowing team members to work it out for themselves.
In this podcast Rob, Rich and Paul explore why leaders need a higher purpose, something that explains why we are doing what we are doing, to drive the team forward, to allow them to priorities resources and to know when they can say no.
This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.
You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership
With many organisations considering hybrid working, what does that change about the ways that we manage people?
Ricky and Paul walk through some of the key areas that managers need to consider if they are leading a team that combines working styles - office, home and various hybrid options.
In some ways, managing a team is managing a team, and where the team works should not make much difference. Yet, in other ways, mixing home workers and office workers can create some unique challenges that will require teams, and managers, to change their approach to maintain peak performance.
As the pandemic lockdown hopefully draws to a close, many of us are starting to consider how will we work going forward. Will we return to the office as if nothing happened, or will many people carry on working from home?
Many organisations are considering hybrid working, splitting the working week between home and office, but is this a simple as it sounds?
In this podcast, Paul and Ricky explore some of the challenges and advantages, from power to personality, collaboration to management style; we think about what needs to happen to make this approach work for everyone.
Leadership roles require different cognitive skills than many of the roles we do earlier on in our careers, but often we are expected to work this out for ourselves.
In this podcast, Richard and Ricky explore what this means. What is different about the way in which senior people need to think, and what does that mean for them and the way that they work?
This podcast is the last of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.
You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/pillars-of-leadership
Leadership roles, big all-encompassing roles can be great fun, but doing them can have a big impact on your physical and mental health.
While it might look like the people who end up in these top jobs just have natural resilience. However, for many, resilience is actually part of their leadership discipline.
In this podcast, Richard and Paul reflect on the habits and behaviours that they have seen in leaders who continually build their resilience to ensure they have the physical and mental health to deal with the demands of the role.
This podcast is the third of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.
You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/pillars-of-leadership
While sometimes it is hard to admit, if you have a big job, such as a senior leadership role, it does impact almost every part of your life. To operate successfully in these demanding roles, you need to be able to find a balance between work and private lives that works for you and for the others in your life. Managing this balance, and some of the conflict that naturally arises out of it is something that is often only tackled when problems arise.
Richard and Ricky explore how leaders can develop a clear understanding of their priorities (work and home) and engage their families in the decisions about how to manage the demands of their role.
This podcast is the second of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.
You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/pillars-of-leadership
Senior people need high levels of awareness to be able to do their jobs effectively, but what exactly does it mean to be more aware. In this podcast, Richard and Paul discuss how awareness of self, others, their organisation and the market place is different as people rise in organisations, and for those wishing to do so how they might start developing that awareness.
This podcast is the first of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.
You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them at HTTP://www.thinkingfocus.com/pillars-of-leadership
Do you need to understand others to be able to lead them, or is a compelling idea or vision enough?
In this podcast, Richard and Paul explore the role of empathy in our lives, talking through what empathy is, and the advantages and disadvantages of empathy to leaders. Can people who master empathy can utilise this trait to become more effective leaders?
Do you need to understand others to be able to lead them, or is a compelling idea or vision enough?
In this podcast, Richard and Paul explore the role of empathy in our lives, talking through what empathy is, and the advantages and disadvantages of empathy to leaders. Can people who master empathy can utilise this trait to become more effective leaders?
How important is trust for leaders?
Is it possible to lead teams without building trust between leader and followers, or is trust an essential leadership skill?
Rob and Paul explore trust in leadership relationships by exploring what trust is and how that impacts leadership when it is done well, and what happens when trust is missing.
All of us can be hard on ourselves sometimes, but when we are under pressure, or stressed, or like right now worn out after a difficult year, sometimes our inner critic can be very harsh.
In this podcast, Richard and Rob explore why this happens and some of the things that we might be doing that with a little awareness we can take control of and change our thinking to make it more helpful and hopeful.
Lockdown just seems to go on and on, and even though the end is finally in sight, for lots of people it feels like this last bit might be the hardest.
If you have people in your organisation that look like they are running on empty, then in this podcast Ricky and Paul will help you understand what might be causing this and provide practical tips to help you to help them.
This year has been tough, leaving many people drained, some days struggling to find the energy to get through the day. Why have the last few months been so draining, and what can we do about it?
This time on the podcast, Rich and Paul explore resilience and discuss small changes that any of us can do to build our resilience back up. These simple strategies can be used to help ensure ourselves, our team members and even family and friends are better equipped to cope.
As lockdowns continue in many countries around the world, we wondered why this time feels so much harder than the first lockdown back in March.
With their change management heads on, Ricky, Richard and Paul talk about the factors that are causing us to struggle.
We cannot promise any answers but hopefully can shed a little light on why we might all be feeling it a little more right now.
As we start 2021, still in lockdown, managing teams that we no longer get to meet each other, while teaching the kids and learning to live without leaving the house; it is easy to imagine that you may not be winning.
As people take on more and more, finding their own way through the new ways of working and living, this may be the time to re-think what success looks like. Ricky and Rich explore how, at times, we set unrealistic expectations and miss the real successes we have.
As Leaders and Managers, we very influential in the creation of the culture in the teams that we lead. Taking an idea from sports psychology, are we creating a Challenge or a Threat culture? A Challenge culture that encourages our people to step up and take risks, whereas a Threat culture creates limits as our people, focusing their efforts on remaining safe.
In our last podcast of 2020, Richard, Rob, Ricky and Paul explore what a Challenge culture might mean for us as leaders, and how we might unknowingly be creating the threat culture that limits our potential.
At some point in our career, probably when we feel like we are giving everything we have, someone above us in the organisation tells us that now is the time to step. This has never been more true than this year where all of our plans have gone awry, yet we still need to close out the year and get things back on track.
Maybe you are that manager, being asked to have the difficult 'stepping up' conversation with your team, yet sensing that they don't see the situation quite the same way you do.
In this podcast, Ricky and Paul explore why we all react differently when being asked to give more at work, and how as managers we can communicate better with the people around us so that they do not interpret stepping up as secret code for longer hours.
Has the lockdown experience impacted the way that you manage or interact with the people around you?
The current high levels of uncertainty might be causing you, or your boss, to become much more hands-on in the day to day workload than you used to be.
Ricky and Rob talk about what might be driving this change in behaviour and how you can let go to empower the people around you again.
Ever feel like you are out of your depth? It is estimated that 7 out of 10 people will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their life.
In this episode, Richard, Rob, Ricky and Paul explore this common phenomenon; looking at the causes, sharing personal experiences of having to deal with it and considering strategies to help people to use the feeling to help them become more successful.
When things change we become a little uncertain for a while. With large scale organisational change, this uncertainty can become almost paralysing for some people, and right now we are all experiencing more change than any of us are used to. There is change both at work and at home, and it is impacted on almost every aspect of our lives.
We look to leaders to help us create certainty and stability, but how do you lead out of so much confusion?
Paul and Rob explore how leaders can bring people together and create the certainty that we need to move forward together.
The way we work has changed more in the last few months than any other time in our working lives. Who will be the winners?
Political styles that might have worked well in the office may not be as effective when working remotely. However, ignoring the politics is equally as bad.
Rob and Paul explore political styles during change, asking how do we find a balance between doing the right thing and getting what we want?
2020 is probably not working out quite as you had planned, that is certainly the case for us at Thinking Focus. If we carry on with our plans as if nothing has happened, then risk running out of steam chasing impossible targets.
When things go off track, you need to reset the targets and expectations, moving the focus to achievable yet ambitious goals that start moving back in the right direction.
Richard and Ricky explore how you can quickly reset the goals, help the people around you let go of the past and embrace the new challenges in front of you.
This year the summer break could not come quick enough, work has been hard this year and most of us needed a break. We hope that the people in our teams can take some time to recharge and come back 'raring to go'.
But what if they don't? What if, this year, teams find themselves heading into the last quarter drained and apathetic?
In this podcast, Paul and Richard explore what might be causing this and what can we, as leaders, do to help.
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
2020 has been a year of change unlike any other for most of us, with many still coming to terms with the different ways of working (and living) that have been forced upon us. There is little sign that the 'normality' that existed at the start of the year is going to return any time soon.
What is the impact of this longing for a return to simpler times? Richard and Paul discuss how leaders can help people let go and start to embrace a new normal.
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
2020 has been a year of change unlike any other for most of us, with many still coming to terms with the different ways of working (and living) that have been forced upon us. There is little sign that the 'normality' that existed at the start of the year is going to return any time soon.
What is the impact of this longing for a return to simpler times? Richard and Paul discuss how leaders can help people let go and start to embrace a new normal.
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
2020 has been a strange year for most of us, and now, adding insult to injury, the summer break feels like it has just been cancelled; lockdown restrictions have limited our ability to get away from it all for a couple of weeks.
This podcast revisits one of our blog articles from two years ago, exploring why anyone in a demanding job really should take a holiday. Two years ago we could ignore the obvious, needing a rest, so considered the other benefits that doing something different, somewhere else have to offer.
Here is the blog if you want to read the original article: https://medium.com/@thinkingfocus/why-you-need-to-take-a-summer-holiday-1a28184141d7
While it might not be two weeks on a beach this year, doing something different will engage the brain and open up solutions to problems, connect the dots of the big issues, offering much needed new insight at this challenging time.
Following on from considering the pace at which change can be progressed (042) we are looking at how you can keep people united through uncertain times.
Change creates plenty of opportunities to divide teams, as people become winners or losers in the change process. How can leaders actively bring teams together as one?
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). Apologies for the quality of one of the mics on this podcast. The perils of working without a producer.
We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
Many organisations discovered that they can introduce significant change rapidly when they had to reorganise their workforce to being home-based. Does this mean that all change should be quick?
Paul, Rob and Rich explore why this change has worked so well, and ask what are the lessons we can learn from this for future change.
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
The pandemic makes working life really difficult for many people, making even the simplest of decisions far more complex. However, it is also an easy excuse to put off the things that we don't want to tackle. It enables us to create an argument that these things need to be parked until we return to normal, but that could be a long way off; can these issues really wait.
Ricky gets Paul to explain why we do this, and what strategies can support us to take action now, even if it does make us feel uncomfortable.
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
When the world changes around us, many of us feel completely out of control and struggle to find meaning. This struggle then leads to even the most competent people hitting a productivity brick wall as they work to resolve these feelings.
Rob explains to Ricky how to spot this happening in the workplace and how leaders and managers can help people regain control through some simple steps, helping them to process the change which in turn allows productivity to return. This is more important than ever, with COVID-19 creating change in every part of lives.
This podcast was recorded while we are still in lockdown. Like most people we are working from home (kids and pets may appear at any time). We are still focused on the questions that are getting in the way.
Teams have been broken, split between furloughed and working, home-based or office-based. Teams that were once aligned against a common purpose are now divided. What does this mean for managing teams going forward? How can leaders bring teams back together?
Rich, Rob, Ricky and Paul (and Paul's dog) discuss the implications and unintentional side effects of some of the difficult yet necessary decisions that have had to be made. How do we get back to one team and one vision?
This podcast was recorded while we are in the middle of lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home (with kids and dogs), making do and still looking to answer the questions that are getting in the way.
The vast amount of change that has been thrust upon us with COVID-19 has caused most leaders to have to grab control of the day to day to make sure that the business can ride the storm.
In this podcast, Ricky talks to Paul about the dangers of getting stuck in this detail for too long, and how you can recognise and do something about that when it happens to you.
This podcast was recorded while we are in the middle of lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home, making do and still looking to answer the questions that are getting in the way.
We are dealing with high levels of uncertainty right now, possibly the most uncertainty that most of us have or will ever experience. What impact is that having on our lives, and particularly our working lives?
In this podcast, Richard talks to Paul about how we react to uncertainty, and some of the things we can do to help us work through these times of rapid change, both for ourselves and the people that we manage or lead.
This podcast was recorded while we are in the middle of lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home, making do and still looking to answer the questions that are getting in the way.
Remote working might be part of the new normal going forward, but if you are not co-located with the people you work with, it is easy to get out of step with the team and the priorities.
Rob gets Ricky to explain why the work you do as a manager to create clarity takes is more significant when the team is remote.
This podcast was recorded while we are in the middle of lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home, making do and still looking to answer the questions that are getting in the way.
This podcast explores the challenges that leaders face of where to focus their attention. In a crisis situation, leadership time is required to make fundamental day to day decisions, that generally would be taken elsewhere. Finding a balance between getting stuck in and keeping the wider view is one all leaders and managers face.
Rob and Rich suggest that time needs be split between Growing, Running and Protecting the business, and how the need to protect (in the current COVID Crisis) and run (with key staff on furlough) may cause leaders to lose focus on moving their business forward.
This podcast was recorded while we are in the middle of lockdown. Like most people, we are working from home, making do and still looking to answer the questions that are getting in the way.
Some teams just get it, they immerse themselves in the work or activities of the team to deliver amazing results. What is it that they have, that other teams don't?
In this podcast, Paul proposes that this is down to a connection to the higher purpose, and along with Graham they explore what that means.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Psychological Saftey has become popular in business thinking, but what is it and is it just another fad, or something that adds real value to teams and businesses?
Ricky asks Paul to explain it and they dig into why psychological safety has such a big impact on performance.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Business coaches and trainers recommend goals, but why? What special power does a goal have that makes it worth taking time and effort to define.
Ricky asks Rob to explain why goals are powerful and how they impact our attention when done correctly.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Do the people with the biggest to-do lists get the most done? Are multitaskers really more effective.
Graham and Paul explore the dangers of aiming to do much, and the compromises that cause us to make to our own productivity.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
We are all predisposed to work with and spend time with people who are like us, but this lack of diversity can be limiting in business decisions, reinforcing assumptions and creating cultures that miss opportunities. One area where this can have a massive impact is sales teams, who often ignore other perspectives as they appear to create obstacles.
Richard and Graham explore how diversity of thought can be achieved just by including colleagues in different roles, to help you see the world from different perspectives, and create better solutions.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team. Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Managers are often frustrated by the lack of initiative taken by the people in their teams, while the team members are frustrated by the perception that they are not allowed to get on with what needs to be done.
Rob and Ricky explore how this common misunderstanding happens and look at how managers can create the sense of permission that their team members need to move forward.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
We some many options available to us, it feels like it should be easy to work out what it is we need to, or which goals we should focus on. However, this wealth of choice can be overwhelming and sometimes leads to people hesitant to focus down on any specific area.
In this episode, Rob and Paul look at some of the causes and discuss strategies for getting momentum on the few things that will have the biggest impact.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Coaching has become a very popular tool for managers, creating new ways to motivate, support and help people do their best work.
Does coaching have a role in leading sales teams? Richard and Graham explore how sales managers can use coaching to get the best from salespeople and accelerate sales.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Sometimes targets get so complicated that they cease to mean anything.
In this podcast Paul and Rob discuss how you can bring targets alive so that they impact the thinking behind decisions in real time, ensuring that the target drives the behaviour you require for success.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Sometimes salespeople can be so focused on getting the sale that they lose sight of the customer.
In this podcast, Graham and Richard explore how this destructive tunnel vision comes about and what can be done about it.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
If you have ever worked in sales you will be familiar with the concept of talking yourself out of a sale, but can you talk yourself into one?
In this podcast, Ricky and Rob discuss how your mindset can make the difference in the way you approach your customers and the results you get.
This podcast is part of a short series on productivity, where we are exploring how you can Sell More, Save More and Do More, both personally and for your team.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
It is not uncommon to find elaborate, well thought through, change plans missing just one 'small' component; the people.
Why does this happen? Why do some change leaders get so lost in the detail of their planning their planning that they forget to bring the people involved along with them on the journey?
Paul and Richard discuss what happens when 'people' gets left out of the plan, and why it feels easier just to focus on the plan, even when you know it is not the right thing to do.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
If you have experienced change in the workplace, you probably have met some people who will only get on board when all the T's have been crossed and the I's dotted.
It is like they only get involved when someone else has gift-wrapped the change plan, so they don't have to take any ownership moving forward.
Richard and Paul explore why this happens, and if you find yourself or those around you in this situation, how you can deal with it.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Sometimes being the victim is easier than moving forward.
Rob and Paul explore why some people become victims in the workplace and how managers can help these people to engage with change in the workplace.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Change at work can be difficult to deal with, but some people act as if the change is a personal attack on them.
Rob and Paul consider why people occasionally react in such an extreme way and what we as managers can do about it.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
If you have ever experienced change at work you will be familiar with the conspiracy theorist that believes that managers know all the answers and are keeping it secret!
Change means rapid learning and dealing with uncertainty, so as managers we are often aware of what we don't know. Often, it is our best intentions as managers accidentally feed these concerns in the people around us.
Ricky and Rob explore how this happens, and what we can do to prevent it in the future.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Everyone has an opinion when it comes to change; however, sometimes we can only see the evidence that supports our point of view, even when the evidence that contradicts us is overwhelming.
Rob and Ricky explore this, discussing how as managers we can gently help people to see all of the picture as we navigate through change.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
When change happens in an organisation, it should mean change for everyone. However, sometimes, managers allow some people to opt out of the change process, making life difficult for everyone else.
Rich and Ricky discuss why this happens, looking at the important role middle and line managers play in the change process.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Have you ever experienced a colleague who looks at every change the company makes as a personal attack on their career, even though the change is presenting them great opportunities.
Change has a way of unsettling people, creating uncertainty that can mean that we cannot see the wood from the trees. Ricky and Rich explore what happens and how we can take control of these situations.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Emotions are a normal part of any change, but in the workplace some people think and act as if their emotional response will allow them to get their own way.
Richard and Rob explore why this is and offer some insight as to how managers can respond to people using emotions to dominate the agenda.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Some people just don't like change. It can be uncomfortable and disconcerting, however, ignoring it will not make your life easier. Yet, in many organisations, there are people who do just this, pretending that the change is not happening in the hope that they can carry on regardless.
In this podcast, Rob and Rich talk about this and give some insights as to why this might happen, and how we as managers can help people to better deal with change.
This podcast is part of a series around the myths (the things that often get mentioned but are rarely true) surrounding organisational change. You can find out more about the series and access some of the Thinking Focus change resources at http://www.thinkingfocus.com/myths
Most companies do the same things, with access to the same resources, making the people, and the way that they think one of the few differentiators left.
In this podcast Ricky questions Rob, exploring how we can turn thinking into a competitive advantage?
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Thinking underpins everything we do, driving the actions we take which deliver the results we get, yet most people just take thinking for granted.
Ricky and Richard explore how Thinking can have an impact on driving better results, showing how taking control of your thinking can deliver different results.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Having the right mindset is often talked about in companies, but how can a mindset make a difference to results.
Paul and Ricky discuss how a growth mindset can help deliver better results, allowing individuals and teams to grow and learn from their failures as well as their successes.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Ever wondered if there was anything you could do to motivate your team to achieve the goals and tasks that they have been set?
Ricky and Paul ponder this by exploring how relevance and purpose can be used to engage and motivate.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Is visualisation an effective goal defining technique, or is it just day dreaming.
If you have big goals or aspirations, visualisation can be a very effective technique. Rob discusses with Ricky how you can use your imagination to define your future.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Some goals are easy to write down, they have clear defined outcomes. However, goals for feelings, such as confidence, or for perceptions such as relationships or expectations are much harder to articulate.
In this episode, Rob explains to Richard how you can use a benchmark withing SMART to create clear simple goals around these harder to define areas.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Ever asked one of your team, what do you think we should do?
Did you even get an answer?
Getting people to contribute ideas sometimes can feel like pulling teeth, but it does not need to.
Rob explains to Paul how, with a few simple steps, you can help everyone channel their creativity and expand the range of ideas available to you.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Have you noticed how some people use realistic, while others use relevant?
So which is the right one, does it even matter?
Rob and Rich discuss the merits of both. Maybe they might change your mind about which one to use.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Is there just one way to write a goal, or are their different techniques?
In this episode, Rob and Richard discuss how to select the most appropriate approach making defining your goal easy.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Goal writing sometimes seems like a mystic art form, limited to a very few highly trained experts. Are goals really that difficult?
Richard and Paul discuss how to make goal writing really simple.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
What is the difference between a goal in your head and goals that are written down?
Ricky gets Rob to explain the benefits of writing your goals out.
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Everyone has to get involved in things that they would rather not be doing. To get these things done we need to master the art of motivating ourselves.
Ricky and Rob explore, how can you motivate yourself?
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com
Why do we need to have goals, do they have any effect on what we do, or are they just management mumbo jumbo?
Paul asks Richard, what is the point of goals?
Find out more about Thinking Focus and the work we do to help people get out of their own way at www.thinkingfocus.com