Tag: communication

KPIs made easy?

Improvement, Measurement No Comments

We like the idea of ‘stealing with pride’.

And know of the importance of measurement.

So, we like these lists of KPIs

that others have used.

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Feedback please?

Feedback No Comments

This piece from the Harvard Business Review adds a nice bit to our blog on feedback…

What do you think…?

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If a picture is worth a thousand words…

Improvement, photos No Comments

In a recent blog we talked of how we use photos routinely now. Have you spotted the scrolling photos on our new website? What do you reckon of them? Most are by our colleague David. Have a look at a few more of his photos here– we hope you agree they are truly stunning shots.

We do believe that the 100 year old phrase ‘ a picture is worth a thousand words’ is right – and tend to use a visual illustration on most pages of documents or slides we write.

A more recent twist from Daniel Pink is ‘a metaphor is worth a thousand pictures’. We agree with the power of an illustration, narrative, analogy…the range of presentation device is endless….like a long winding road through a rugged mountain forest, like the crashing waves of the ocean, like…you are the artist, the sage, the architect…with your colleagues as the band, the travellers, the troupe.

Pictures and metaphors;

Frameworks and Stories;

Theory and narrative;

Discuss…

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Perfect presentations?

Personal productivity No Comments

What a great post  to help you think about grabbing attention, sharing a story, making an impact during a presentation…

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A checklist in action

Think No Comments

Thanks to The Health Foundation for encouraging and publishing this blog – in response to media coverage about The Liverpool Care Pathway (in reality a checklist designed to improve the reliability of care at the end of life).

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Is your team on the Front Foot?

Front foot No Comments

Of all the things we have thought and published, the piece that clients most repeat back to us is our reflection on The Front Foot Organisation. This framework and tools informs much of our work today, from talks and training to team development and top team time outs.

Is the group you work with most often on the ‘Front Foot’? Are you on the Front Foot (at home or work)?

Have a go at this simple ‘Cosmo-style’ test. Please answer the questions, and give 2 points for ‘totally’, 1 for ‘sort of’ and 0 for ‘no’:

Inspired in DIRECTION:

a) Your team (and organisation) are fully aligned behind a compelling strategy

b) You consider future uncertainties: you are confident of your ability to respond to whatever might happen in flexible and thorough ways

MOMENTUM for implementation:

c) You manage to overcome any inertia by promoting rapid trialling of new ideas, encouraging each other and moving forward fast with things that work

d) You take time to review the lessons you are learning and ensure they are used to guide your next steps

Successful CO-ORDINATION in team working:

e) You explore differences of opinion well, working through conflict to build a focus on shared results

f) You look forward to team meetings as a highly productive part of the working week

BALANCE in individual working lives:

g) You achieve a balance between home and work – and between time to work on your own, and in groups

h) The mood of the team or organisation is positive, tackling any ‘toxic’ behaviours

How did you do? Out of 16? [You can multiply by 6.25 to get at % score (if that is your sort of thing).]

Starting in 2013 we will run a survey to help leaders assess how far their teams and organisations are on the front foot? It will be based on this tried and tested model – and the 6 years of baseline data we have from its use with hundreds of clients.

Interested?

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Information is power (well, presentation)

Measurement No Comments

We love the visual representation of information, from the time we first met the work for Tufte.

Infographics are now everywhere.

However, if you didn’t see this for the recent US Presidential election , enjoy!

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The power of quiet

Facillitation, Teams No Comments

Even as an ‘E’ in Myers Briggs  I know the value of designing in individual tasks in events we run – providing time to think and for everyone to contribute.

This video does a really nice job of presenting what can seem like a tension between E and I as a polarity.

It raises important questions on how to design our working spaces and ways of working.

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Education

LearningStyles No Comments

We have been doing a fair bit in education recently.

I like this set of ideas – the handful of characteristics is a useful checklist.

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Can the person who contributes please stand up?

Think No Comments

I have a mystery

I don’t know any of those writers I am afraid

And I am a bit surprised –and embarrassed.

(Will the authors please stand up?)

Unlike other social media

I have yet to find anyone

No one at all.

Anyone who writes

Who edits.

To and for Wikipedia.

Will the persons who contribute to Wikipedia please stand up

I want to thank you – and wonder why with you.

Why you do

And we don’t.

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Email: phil.hadridge@idenk.com