A colleague of mine recently reminded me of this great book that I read quite some time ago and following is a summary of it which explains to us the system of how to write in modern language, to stand out, and get through to people…. It goes against the grain of more traditional and grammatically “correct” thinking that we were taught at school, so here’s a quick summary… It’s not surprisingly an...

Here is a simple and powerful technique for changing the way you think about any particular problem In the early eighties Edward de Bono (who coined the term ‘lateral thinking’) created the “Six Thinking Hats” process.  He recognised that we do not use anywhere near the full capacity of our minds, so developed a framework to help improve the quality of our thinking and therefore our decisions. The six hats represent...

Play above the line at all times! People who play above the line do what? They take “Ownership” of their life, they say I am “Accountable” for the results in my life and the “Responsibility” lies with me.  Difference between the two is people who play below the line are the victims. Don’t believe they are in control of their life. People who play above the line are the Victors, they believe that they...

Here's a summary of 12 of the Best Things Managers Need to Know from "Leadership Gold" by John Maxwell.

1. Do not isolate yourself from the people you are leading. Creating relationships with others brings more opportunities than leading alone.
2. One of the hardest people to lead will always be yourself. Trying to hold others accountable, without being accountable for yourself, will only diminish your leadership capabilities.
Read More

Here are some handy hints from our Man in Red who has a great team leveraging his time, so he only has to work one day a year (maybe two)… yes Santa. Deliver On Time – Would we still love Santa if he missed a year or came late occasionally? He has great systems to ensure everything runs like clockwork. Everyone Loves a Giver – Don’t be a taker, win prospects over with your generosity. Plan Ahead – He makes a...

An easy read that highlights the steps to increasing productivity by fostering excellent workplace  morale.  Based on a storyline with the key figures being a new General Manager, Peggy Sinclair and a Native American Dept Manager, Andy Longclaw. They embark on a plan to save against the odds, a loss making plant full of poor management. Andy explains that “Gung Ho” is apparently chinese for “working together” and...

  The One Minute Manager Meets The Monkey – Kenneth Blanchard Kenneth Blanchard is well known in business circles as co-author of the best selling ‘One Minute Manager’ series of books. These quick and easy to read books (all around 150 pages) can be found on the bookshelf of any serious self-development book advocate, right alongside Blanchard’s other well known publications, ‘Raving Fans’, ‘Whale Done’ and ‘Gung...