Engaging Your People for Success with Lisa Askwith

Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort to improve all elements of an organization such as processes, tools, products, and services, etc. The improvements can be small and incremental, or they can be more breakthrough in nature. Continuous improvement itself is a key ‘hidden area’ that many businesses miss out on, losing the massive gains it can give. Not because they don't want it, but because they don't understand how easily it can be included in the business structure. How it can be part of the people make up of the business, allowing it to take on a life of its own that benefits everything, people, culture, bottom line and success. In fact Continuous improvement can be one of the best tools for engaging your people for success, and it costs you nothing but can give back more than you can imagine.

One of the key issues to grasp is that this should be an “ongoing” process if you really want to get maximum benefits for your people and your company. It should be part of the DNA of your company, embedded into the culture, not just an activity that your organization undertakes to tick some boxes and move on. The most successful organizations can instill a culture of continuous improvement, which adds benefits and cost savings to all areas of the business. While actively engaging your people and creating sustainable success.

I will not only talk all about continuous improvement, I will also review the more interesting and engaging ways in which you can make this part of your culture and staff mindset, throughout all 4 parts of this series. After all Continuous Improvement is an ongoing, consistent effort to improve products, processes, or services, and the reason we are focusing on it is because it reduces waste and increases quality in a business, while also having the opportunity to fully engage your staff and take your business to the maximum level of success.

Sometimes Continuous Improvement gets a “bad-rap” as being just another process where people are going to critique a department or someone’s work. It should never be presented this way. In fact if done well it can be fun, and engage your people to greater utilisation of their skills and ideas. This ultimately benefits everyone! The key is to tie the Continuous Improvement process to business needs, and the engagement of your people. Doing this will give your organisation an edge, as it will lead to a competitive advantage for your business and an improved culture for your people.

Core Steps to Establishing Continuous Improvement in Your Business

1- Define- you need to know just what your business needs, and how that works with your brand and vision 2- Get feedback from the floor- Your people will make all the difference here! 3- Understand the intended outcomes- Make them measurable 4- Implement- Use working teams 5- Review outcomes- Remember to be agile 6- Repeat

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Most businesses and leaders need help to really see this key area with ‘fresh eyes’. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training, continuous improvement

Key Issues Owner/Manager

What is continuous improvement? Why continuous improvement? Does this process only look at things that are not working? Why do we need to improve if what we are doing is already working? What level of impact can continuous improvement achieve? What areas can continuous improvement be applied? Areas of possible Improvement Business Strategy Business Results Customer Service Customer Relationships Internal Relationships (Employee) Relationships with Suppliers All standardised processes that have been running unchanged for more than 5 years. Key steps to help embed the process 1. Commit throughout the organization. ... 2. Make kaizen 9 (drilling down to the route cause) part of the new routine. ... 3. Tie it back to everyone's job. ... 4. Measure the results. ... 5. Communicate. ... 6. Be deliberate and patient. ... 7. Repeat. Your Leaders need to focus on Continuous Improvement and ensuring it is part of the People Engagement Strategy.

This is actually easy, and comes back to great communication and Authentic Leaders. ​ Subscribe for free to the entire season of Engaging Your People for Success Subscribe

Most businesses and leaders need help to really see this key area with ‘fresh eyes’. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training, continuous improvement

Steps to Support you Identify the problem that you are trying to solve Determine if Continuous Improvement can help you solve the problem. Create a culture of Continuous Improvement. All hands on Deck – Continuous Improvement is everyone’s responsibility Engage all employees in the continuous improvement process. Continuous improvement should be the responsibility of everyone in the company (not just for the process improvement team). Continuous Improvement has to become part of the identity of your organization, not just something that you do. This should be a part of training programs, hiring, and the performance evaluation process.​ Key steps to help embed the process

1. Commit throughout the organization. ... 2. Make kaizen 9 (drilling down to the route cause) part of the new routine. ... 3. Tie it back to everyone's job. ... 4. Measure the results. ... 5. Communicate. ... 6. Be deliberate and patient. ... 7. Repeat. Sounds easy right, there are just 7 steps…….but remember we want this a living part of your culture in order to generate you success year on year, not just as a once off.

Sending a memo asking for it will not work, it will just get lost in the noise. We need to think a little bigger and really plan for it and then embed it.

So make it fun, and it will also become done!!!

Your people will gravitate to the task or tasks that they feel rewarded for and enjoy completing….even if those rewards are not financial……remember a key part of engaging your people for success is allowing them to feel valued. So give them some fun and value at work and create a self-fulfilling embedded CI program.

Think Big – start small Small consistent changes lead to transformational results. In order to really capitalise from Continuous Improvement being a core of your business model, you need to embed it properly. A big part of doing this is to use diverse cross functional teams to investigate issues and solutions. This gives you back so much more value, and literally costs you nothing. An organization that has diverse team members encouraged to work together across organizational areas and role scopes, is the best way to really start to embed Continuous Improvement, as it functions across all key areas of potential success- breaks down barriers, increases communication and knowledge throughout the business, supports and generates new ways of thinking, and ultimately leads to new solutions, ideas, and possibilities that would not have represented themselves previously. This also greatly engages your people and helps establish the culture of success and continuous improvement for you. Every individual brings in their way of thinking, operating, solving problems, and decision making. This increases the overall value and potential outcomes. Nurturing a culture of continuous improvement is a groundwork of employee engagement and favorably triggers growth and success as an organization. Don't miss out on utilising this key people practice in your business. Subscribe for free to the entire season of Engaging Your People for Success Subscribe

Most businesses and leaders need help to really see this key area with ‘fresh eyes’. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training, continuous improvement

Key Issues – Employee Perspective

What is my role in the Continuous Improvement? Do I have an opportunity to make a difference and be recognized? This is key! How does my role in the organization impact the organization as a whole? From my perspective, what could improve my job, department, division? Are the tools available that could increase my/our productivity? What You Need to Do

How difficult is it to start a Continuous Improvement process? Is the process complicated? Are there existing Continuous Improvement models in place that I can use? Deming or Shewhart Cycle: (PDCA) Six Sigma Lean Theory of Constraints Total Quality Management (TQM) Who is responsible for continuous improvement? Owner Executive/Management team Leaders Frontline workers​ How do I create a culture of continuous improvement, so that this approach is part of my company culture and not just another task that we do? 10 Core areas you need to achieve in your Business to allow Continuous Improvement to Flourish, and to make you money while you sleep. 1.Communicate Expectations. 2. Manage and reward Small Improvements. 3. Give Feedback. 4. Unleash the Potential of your Employees by constantly encouraging ideas CI. 5. Celebrate Innovation- remove the fear of failure. 6. Promote a Creative Work Environment. 7. Organize Continuous Improvement Teams- there could be a new one each 6 months or on a time scale that works with your business 8. Reward Improvements. 9. Every Employee Matters. 10. Diversity Among Employees.

Nurturing a culture of continuous improvement is a groundwork of employee engagement and favorably triggers growth and success as an organization. Don't miss out on utilising this key people practice in your business.

Subscribe for free to the entire season of Engaging Your People for Success Subscribe

Most businesses and leaders need help to really see this key area with ‘fresh eyes’. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training, continuous improvement

Good bosses matter more than you might think. Research shows that positive relationships with management are the top factor in employees’ job satisfaction—and, by extension, correlate with stronger corporate performance. But good bosses are also hard to find: 75 percent of Americans see their boss as the most stressful aspect of their job. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, both bosses and employees have been under more pressure than ever. Is your leadership team focused on continual development- This is key, they need to walk the talk, to allow others to feel confident and access further training, but they also need to have their skills refreshed for your business to stay ahead. 1- Develop you leaders as SME trainers and cross functional team leads 2- Develop a Culture of Learning Then focus on developing a learning culture- none of these are expensive, but they are all high impact, as your new generation of workers values feeling respected and appreciated and demands on going learning and opportunities.

Full process steps to developing your internal training programs

Review your existing training programs and processes that you already have in-place. You must know your starting point. Assess your organizational training needs. Are there key areas within your organization where you see a clear need for training? Are there market or technology changes that are driving the training needs? Is training needed as part of succession or growth planning? Or Developing a “deeper bench.” Assess your employee training needs. Engage your employees for suggestions on any gaps in technical knowledge or skills that they may be aware of. Be sure to communicate that you are in the process of developing a formal training program and you want their input. Do your employees need to further develop their “soft” skills? Get feedback from your leadership team on areas of need. Develop your training program based on the needs of the organization and the employees. Determine the best way for the training to be delivered (Group, Individual, remote or in-person.) Clearly define the purpose and goals of the training program and individual training sessions. How will success be measured organizationally as a whole, within each department, and on the individual contributor level. Include training in part of the performance evaluation and promotion process. Coach your employees and managers on developing training plans for their teams and themselves. Make sure your management team is on board with the training program as they will reinforce the everyday importance of training with their team members. Develop a learning culture within your organization, and focus on organization development training opportunities.

Tip- Exceptional leadership is the glue that will hold all of this together- without it you will not achieve the levels you desire.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training

This is the piece of the puzzle that most businesses and leaders need help with. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help. Shows ●Previous: Episodes 25- 29 Season 7- Build you Leadership Capabilities through Authenticity- Engaging your People for Success ● Next: Episodes 33- 36 Season 7- Continuous Improvement- Make money while you sleep- Engaging your People for Success

You need career development, and proactive training as the workplace rapidly changes, but let’s drill down to give you the maximum benefit, and ensure you have this entire key area covered, you also need to ensure career development is not just a wish list, but is aligned to the company, the person and reality. In order to this you need to make sure your training has 3 key aspects, these are; Technical, - the black and white required training, often the basics of every role. Remember not just new starters, but also as they enter new roles- you need to do this first!!!! Organizational- planning for the future, allowing your people to really engage with the business of tomorrow and develop themselves as well. Individual- Targeted at both job demands from a technical and organisational view point, but also employee needs and future growth that may not necessarily be a clear career path in the company. Adds to overall skill set, engages people and retains staff and improves culture.

Once you have these identified, you can then plan your low cost high impact training programs.

They are just sitting there waiting for you to identify them, as they are your people, your greatest asset. Your business has a mass of subject matter experts just waiting for the opportunity to engage further, and potentially be rewarded or recognised for their skills and abilities. Use this wisely.

You can give your key people some external facilitation and training skills and then allow them to start to work on developing their programs. This can be started at management level and be seen as recognition for staff to be able to help train others. Simple ways are;

Buddy or line training SME group talks adn e learning Cross functional working teams Regular team lead roles given out to run projets Subject matter experts given develop days to run as groups SUbject matter experts used as internal trainers and buddy’s Training through games and competitions Leaders as trainers Develop internal trainers in high turnover or specialised areas, and reward them Mentor systems Support internship and allow your employees at all levels to practice their mentoring skills Create a talent mobility platform to match skills of mentors and mentees Partner with government bodies that provide free training- such as health, welfare or finance etc Encourage and provide the tools for self directed learning Have leaders hold round table discussions on best practice Work with final year university students to develop e-learning packages

Your people really have all of the answers, but have you asked them the right questions? Are you able to utilise your greatest asset by allowing them to become more involved in the business? If not, you will fail.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training

If you would like more information on any of these key topics I can be reached at [email protected], where you can book a free discovery call.

When it comes to getting the people right in your business and really capitalizing on your greatest asset, there are several areas you need to address to ensure your training programs are where they need to be to actually add the value needed. Not just to the business outcomes, but to the individual staff members, and culture of your company; you want to ensure maximum benefit, not just the possibility of good outcomes. This is a big mindset shift, as too many times in the past people felt forced to go through training programs or saw them as a waste of time. However your new workforce feels the opposite, and you need to capitalize on this to develop a sustainable business, using training as an engagement tool, not a punishment!

Michael Leboeuf in his book "The great principle of management" warns of the dangers of ignoring training:

"If you believe that training is expensive, it is because you do not know what ignorance costs. Companies that have the loyalty of their employees invest heavily in permanent training programs and promotion systems. " This is simply because it actually works, and costs due to lack of innovation, high turnover and poor culture are removed. Not to mention better trained employees are more productive! A recent survey by PWC, of millennials which asked what characteristics make a company compelling to work for, found that 52% values career development and 35% values excellent training programs, these were item 1 and 3 at the top of the list with good pay and conditions sitting at 2.

You need to have a strong focus on discovering just what your business and your people need, and then design programs or provide ones that support that. For your business to be the best it can be, these programs need to move beyond only covering today's technical skills, and provide more than soft skills. You need to look to the future and find training programs that meet your organisational development needs as well. When you do this, you not only future proof your business, but you also fully engage your people as you are giving them the opportunity to grow and succeed. This then all works together to give you the best possible outcomes.

10 Steps to setting up your training as an engagement tool 1. How do I determine my company’s training needs? 2. What are the intended outcomes of the training program? 3. Make sure that your employee development needs are considered. 4. What feedback have employees given on any knowledge or skills gaps? 5. How are you going to track your training? 6. Training needs should be incorporated into the employee evaluation and performance review process as well. 7. Develop a learning culture within your company. 8. Look at a career development from several viewpoints – technical, organizational, and individual. 9. Develop people technically first - job of management is developing skill mastery, but do not forget to include the development of soft skills into your training program. 10. Continue to develop their business skills to make competence complete.

This is the piece of the puzzle that most businesses and leaders need help with. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people, training

Training is the Answer to Your People Problems- 4 Part series INTRODUCTION- Part 1, Ep29- Training and the Future of Work- What you need to know now If you enjoy this the following 3 parts of the series are;

Part 2- Training as an Employee Engagement tool- Step by step to a Learning Culture Part 3- Low cost/ High Impact Training Solutions Part 4- Leadership Team as Company Trainers- Drive engagement and Authenticity without spending anything Becoming a company that has a clear focus on developing a learning culture will put you well ahead of the competition, as your new generation of workers see this as one of the most valuable tool they want in the modern workplace. Training programs and how to structure them to give you a true learning culture are critical for your future business success. Plus they are a core part of your people engagement tool kit. Something you can actually utilize in many cases at very lost cost with a high level of positive rewards. ​Every business has some type of training need from onboarding, specific technical competencies, management, leadership, marketing, sales, communication etc.. Investments in talent development help to improve job satisfaction and retention by providing a path for personal and career development. At the same time having open, inclusive and supported training programs will help to improve the culture in your business, as they lead to staff feeling valued and recognised, which in turn spreads to their work ethic and motivation. To really capitalize on this in your business, you then need to take things to the next level, and also provide training programs around organisational development. When this occurs you have the opportunity to fully engage your people and really increase the potential of the success of your business. However, this is a big mindset shift for many businesses, as it means training programs need to be valued as an investment and not seen as a forced cost. If you can shift your mindset here you will reap massive benefits.

To remain competitive, as the future of work constantly changes you must continue to invest in your people, especially via training and upskilling, not just your business. Don’t let your business suffer, let me help you make your business the best that it can be by utilizing your greatest assets, Your People!!!!

"What if I train them and they leave?" well as W. Edwards Deming said "What if you don't and they stay?"

​Key Issues - Employee Perspective:

Continue to gain skills for my current position and prepare for the next position. Proactively look for opportunities to attend training that enhance technical and if needed soft skills. Show your employer that you value your training by putting your newly learned or enhanced skills into practice.

3 Key training needs to be met to engage your people and be the future of work

1- Functional training 2- Training for career growth/ personal development 3- Training for Organisational change

Subscribe for free to the entire season of Engaging Your People for Success Subscribe

Most businesses and leaders need help to really see this key area with ‘fresh eyes’. If you have reached this point do contact me directly at [email protected] for a free no obligation discussion of just where you are and how we may be able to help.

Consistently as we restructure companies and help them achieve success by engaging their people, we see a common theme established as to what an authentic leader looks like. My top 10 traits- both for, and your leadership team are; 1. Self-awareness and constant self improvement An authentic leader reflects upon all of their actions and decisions and examines their own strengths and weaknesses without any bias. They look for continuous learning 2. Lead with heart An authentic leader is all heart. They are not afraid to dig deep, and they lead their team with courage and empathy that only comes from listening to the heart. 3. Focus on long-term results Authentic leaders don’t waste precious time unnecessarily worrying over temporary setbacks, or less than stellar results in the previous quarter. Their focus is always long-term. They know that patience and hard work do take time, but yield rich results. 4. Integrity Strength of character is essential for an authentic leader. They don’t say things which they don’t mean, and they earn respect because of this quality. People trust them because they keep their word, no matter what it takes. 5. Lead with vision Authentic leaders lead with purpose and vision. They always add value to people they interact with and help them realize higher professional goals which lead to better personal lives as well. 6. Listening skills An authentic leader is always a good listener, even when someone else contradicts their views. They are even willing to consider those ideas with an open mind and change their opinion if the arguments make sense. 7. Transparency Authentic leaders believe in open communication and combine their directness with empathy, which more often than not brings success. 8. Consistency Their behaviour is consistent, and they are not easily swayed by superficialities, prompting trust and belief. 9. Share success with the team They not only build a good team but also give credit where it is due and share success and achievements with the entire team. 10. Drawing on experience They share their experiences good and bad, humbly through storytelling. Servant Leadership- by Greenleaf

In 1970 Greenleaf said, and it is still relevant today:

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature. “The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?“

The ten principles of servant leadership according to Greenleaf

1. Listening. 2. Empathy. 3. Healing. 4. Awareness. 5. Persuasion. 6. Conceptualization. 7. Foresight. 8. Stewardship. 9. Commitment to the Growth of People. 10. Building Community.

Tip- Exceptional leadership is the glue that will hold all of this together- without it you will not achieve the levels you desire.

This is the piece of the puzzle that most businesses and leaders

Authentic Leadership can ultimately make or break a business, if it is done well, you can uncover the keys to truly engaging your staff, and reaping the benefits such as innovation, positive culture and staff retention, all of which lead to improved business growth. Ensuring your business has authentic leaders who generate trust is a critical part of your overall business success. To achieve this you need to make authentic leadership a positive, living part of your business culture. To establish this you need to focus on 3 key areas;

1- Coaching 2- Mentoring 3- Empathy

These 3 points need to be part of your leadership and people engagement tool kit. In fact great leaders should have strong coaching and mentoring skills and be able to display empathy. Make this a focus for your teams and yourself, and you will develop authentic leaders, as this focus develops trust and respect.

An effective leader-as-coach demonstrated some key traits, they;

asks questions instead of providing answers, supports employees instead of judging them, facilitates their development instead of dictating what has to be done. This is the real difference,

This potential will not only save you money when it is engaged, it will also create new ideas and recognise problems that are not seen from the c suite. Your people see everything is your business and often they are the ones, if you listen to them, who can actually identify business shifts, customer issues, or new ways of working well before the leadership team does. So don’t miss this key money making part of your business. Spend the time to help your leaders take the difficult step to being coaches, that way you have a much higher chance of accessing your full potential through engaging your people.

Your people really have all of the answers, but have you asked them the right questions? Are you able to use your coaching skills to develop your authenticity and engage your people in the outcomes? If not, you will fail.

Tags; strategy and culture, aligning culture and strategy, strategy implementation, strategy vs culture, culture and strategy, business strategy, strategic planning, strategy software, humantelligence alignment, organizational culture, cultural change, strategy cascade, strategy, culture, align team goals, objectives, technology, people

If you would like more information on any of these key topics I can be reached at [email protected], where you can book a free discovery call.