The Secret to Finding Good People

Michael Gerber, founder of The E-Myth Worldwide has a simple belief

"Systems run the business and people run the systems."

It's a straightforward approach but very obviously correct. As ever, the crucial part of the equation is the people. Michael's recent article on his blog The Secret to Finding Good People is well worth a read.


And for those of you who'd like more on the idea of how to set up efficient systems for business success, try reading Michael's book The E-Myth Revisited.

I know many people, working in businesses of all sizes, who have used ideas from this book to make their working conditions simpler and more efficient for themselves and their colleagues and I'm certain that you'll find something useful too.

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Too Busy in the Office?

Do you hear yourself saying 'Where does the time go..?' or 'I feel like I haven't got anything done?'

Every day around the world a common complaint in the office is that there just isn’t time to get everything done. The result of packed schedules is that workers don’t achieve everything they’d like to during their time at work or they don’t perform to the standard they feel is right for them.

Here are 3 ways to get more done each day, leave work on time and go home satisfied you've achieved a huge amount without being frazzled at the end



1. Set time limits
Rather than starting a task and allowing it to take as long as it takes, decide in advance how long you are willing to spend on each activity. If you’re clear with yourself with what time you want a job completed by, you’ll focus and avoid distraction to make sure it’s done in time. Emails could take no more than 5 minutes; calls no longer than 10 minutes and meetings no longer than half an hour. If you don’t set time limits you can find yourself at the end of a day still trying to complete something you started first thing.

2. Take breaks
If you arrive at work in the morning and the day stretches out ahead of you as one big block of busy-ness, you can feel overwhelmed. Planning regular breaks means you’ll work effectively in short sharp bursts of productivity punctuated with slots of doing something that takes your mind off work and clears your head ready for the next round of activity.

3. Move on quickly
One person we worked with had a 40 minute time limit for everything he did during a day. Whether it be proposals, costings, meetings or lunches; whatever he was doing, he’d move on to the next task after 40 minutes. He claimed that after this time he stopped having useful thoughts on each task so he’d move on to re-energise his brain. He also built in a slot during each day to return to any tasks with thoughts that came into his head while he was thinking about other things.

The key to success with getting more done is to maintain energy and focus throughout each day. This is best achieved by making progress so always keep in mind how each task you take is moving you forwards. If at any stage you feel your not making progress, your energy and motivation will wane and results will slow. You're at work to get things done and achieve a something, but you don't want to spend all your time there and hours thinking about the office when you get home.
Do it, Get it Done, Get home.

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How to cope with a negative appraisal

It's that time of year for many organizations - appraisal time. The very thought of it is enough to make most people feel like they're 10 years old again. But worse still, what if the appraisal throws up some negative feedback you weren't expecting.

There isn't one of us who likes to hear negative things about ourselves because I think fundamentally, we're all people pleasers. And why not?

So how do you cope with hearing things that sting? How do you not take it like a personal attack and how do you learn to accept it as constructive, address it and move on without being paranoid your boss doesn't like you? Here are some tips that may just help.

1. It's a 2 way street
Appraisals are not just for you to hear what your boss thinks but for your boss to hear how you're feeling. If the issue raised by your boss is one that you think can be explained, this is the time to be open and explain what you think might have happened. Bosses can't read minds and it's a wonderful opportunity for them to hear what's going on with you so don't waste it by thinking it won't matter anyway.

2. Be Positive
Rarely will you get a 100% bad appraisal and still be at your company. They'd have fired you a long time ago. If you have a couple of issues come up, then don't ignore all the other great things that have been recorded and look at the wider picture. Feel good about the things you have excelled at and the progress you have made at work and don't lose sight of this just because 2 things were less good. You're only cheating yourself.

3. Be Honest
Unless you have a genuinely unethical situation going on, your boss' feedback is probably relevant. before you fly off the handle and bitch to you co-workers about what's been said, think about it. have you been late maybe a few too many times? Have you been slow to hit deadlines? Have you made no sales when everyone else has succeeded despite the current climate? Have an honest moment with yourself and then vow to make it right.

4. Get Competitive
The way negative feedback has made you feel should encourage you to make sure you this doesn't happen to you again. Apply yourself fully and move forwards giving everything you can to make sure your boss is left impressed with your attitude. Don't ignore any issues that have been raised - make them history. If you see a deadline approaching that you can't make, let your boss know in advance with clear explanations. Raise your game and get competitive with yourself.

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3 Ways to Make Your Office Better

Office life, when it's fun and productive, you don't mind being there at all. And you're earning money as a bonus. When it's tense, boring or worse, bitchy, it can be hell on earth. And no amount of salary can make it feel OK. 

So what can you do to turn your office into a more appealing place to be without firing the boss and all the people you don't like?

Here are the 3 most successful methods we've used to turn the atmosphere and productivity of an office round in the past. With advice on how you can do it for your work space.

1. Start a Softball Team / Soccer Team
We introduce team sports to office and organize tournaments. Softball is usually the most successful because unlike other sports, not many people are 'experts' and it is as inclusive for men as for women. It's a fun game which means that although it gets competitive, there is still lots of laughing and camaraderie. We manage the whole even for organizations but if you were to try this in your office, the key to making these tournaments work is appointing someone in the office to be the Chief Tournament Officer. They put up the print outs detailing game dates and league tables etc. There is always someone in the office who loves a bit of a spreadsheet! Bosses love this because it creates a unity amongst staff, it's a real leveller - CEO plays alongside junior exec etc. and it promotes a feeling of loyalty to the company.



2. Relaxation Sessions
We usually train staff to get fitter and help them to unwind and manage their sleep and stress. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how well stressed out (men in particular) take to the relaxation and yoga sessions we offer. We learned pretty early that by labelling the sessions as yoga, the employees would always arrive skeptical about it all. When we called them Relaxation sessions, everyone was motivated to give it a go. Despite it being the same thing. The most successful has been sessions the day before employees have to do presentations or run important meetings. It seems to take the nerves away and leave a sense of calm. So perhaps try organizing these in your company the day before a pitch or AGM.

3.One to One Sessions
OK - these tend to be a more costly benefit offered to lucky employees but they are hugely effective in helping employees increase confidence, self esteem and balance home life and work life so much better. most people get pushed and pulled in all areas of their life and always feel that something suffers. It doesn't have to be this way and simple coaching techniques and analysis of their current situation often leads to a light bulb moment for people. They rarely slip back into their old habits.
If you were to try and do something similar for your office, perhaps start mentoring programs that deal with life as a whole and not just career progress.

I hope you get to try one of these options - or all of them - with your office and I'd love to hear your questions and feedback. Every office can be made better - I haven't come across one yet that couldn't.

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Nice Co-Workers Means More than Salary

According to a new report out this week, a good salary isn't what makes us happiest about going into the office everyday. It's getting on with our co-workers that makes the job the most rewarding. The Happiness index also concluded that workers increasingly need work to be stimulating and interesting. Getting paid isn't enough of a reward. This is great news

For a long time now, I've believed that people who talk about work life balance and struggling to make it work are looking at it the wrong way. Work and Life shouldn't be completely separate because each is of huge value. Work is important to making us feel that we are contributing something to the world, adding value to something and getting rewarded for it.

The perfect situation would be a job that gives us a greater sense of self and makes us feel good at something and a home life that is stimulating and relaxing in equal measure. The people that manage to achieve this are those who work hard in both areas of their life rather than see home as a refuge from the office.

This report claims that good relationships with your co-workers is more important than salary in terms of making you feel happy at work. It can even influence people staying on at a company. (read: reduce recruitment costs) Some of the workplaces I've visited with work, the happiest firms are always the places where there is a camaraderie amongst staff and a belief in why they are all there working so hard. The least happy work environments have been those where hierarchy reigns and employees have never even met their big boss. We're all human beings and thrive on relationships. Why should work be any different?

One final interesting point to come out of the study was that the happiest worker profile in the UK was Female, over 60 years old, beauty therapist living in the North East England; The unhappiest was Male, 40-49 year old, builder living in Northern Ireland. take from that what you will but I think the fact the one job is very nurturing, all about human contact and pleasure giving speaks volumes.

Read the full report here.

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Watch your back in the office

More than two thirds of workers now suffer from repetitive strain injury, according to a new study by Microsoft. They attribute this to so many more employees using laptops and mobiles for longer than ever. It seems that the more 'electronic' our work becomes, the less well we cope physically. And working on trains, planes and wherever we want has meant we're more reliant on technology. So what can we do to make sure we stay injury free and ache free? And how can you get rid of 'Blackberry Thumb' when it strikes?


RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) occurs when you type too much, sit awkwardly at your desk and allow your posture to slide after lengthy hours in front of the screen. It's all self inflicted but can be fixed if you abandon your old habits and adopt some new ones.

The report recommends the following tips to help minimise and relieve Repetitive Strain Injury:

1. Go Hands Free - if you use the phone for much of the day, stop cradling it between your neck and shoulders and order a headset.
2. Learn to touch type - This will take the strain off your fingers and will help to improve your posture as you won't need to be hunched over your keyboard.
3. Learn Shortcuts - This will shorten the amount of typing you do. Some common ones are CTRL + a = select all : CTRL + c = copy : CTRL + x = cut : CTRL + v = paste: CTRL + s = save : CTRL + z = undo : CTRL + p = print
4. Attach a keyboard to a laptop -This way you can maintain better posture when typing.

Read the full article here.

When we go into businesses that are predominantly desk-based, one stretch which always helps to relieve the strain on the back is this one. Give it a go right now and get into the habit of doing it once a day.

And here are some more general desk based stretches I devised for a fitness magazine. Try these to target those aches and pains. 

P.S. - the way to get rid of Blackberry thumb is to be super disciplined about when you switch it on and check your emails. Try limiting yourself to checking once every 3 hours. If you have it on all day and check it constantly, you'll not only add strain to your neck and fingers but you're working too hard! What did you do before you had it? Exactly. Don't become too dependent.



Photograph by Dave77459 (Flickr)

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How to stay fit when you travel with work

Many of the business people we work with travel a lot. Some can be away from home for up to 10-months in the year! Even for those who are on the move for a few weeks each year, keeping a healthy routine can be a challenge. Or at least that’s what they tell us. Others report that they actually find it easier to stay healthy when they’re on the road with hotel swimming pool and gym open 24 hours etc.

So how can it be easy for some and hard for others?

It's all about the way you look at it. Here’s a selection of top tips to keep busy executives sharp and energised while traveling for work.

1.Plan ahead
Always book hotels with fitness facilities or a swimming pool, or preferably both. Hotels in areas close to parks are also great. Keep a resistance band and a couple of ideas for hotel room workouts in your suitcase at all times and never leave home without your trainers. Simple truth is if you don’t plan for fitness it won’t happen. Business travel can be demanding and any obstacle to exercise can put you off. The best case scenario is that your trip provides you with some different options for exercise. That way you’re looking forward to trying something new – running or cycling in a new city for example. Safety first - always check with the concierge about the best running routes in cities you don't know.

2. Be experimental
While away you’ll be eating in hotels and restaurants but this needn’t be a problem. The great thing here is that someone else is doing your food shopping and cooking and you just have to make the right choices. So, while someone else is preparing your food for you, take the opportunity to try something new. It may be a completely new food or a familiar food cooked in a new way but any new dish will provide the chance for your body to experience some new tastes and nutrients.

3. Pace yourself
Busy executives have a habit of packing their schedule on every trip so they can fit in as much as possible. A difficulty with this is that trips will be tiring and you can return home feeling shattered. Every trip should have some rest and recovery time built into the schedule. This can include a massage or a yoga session, both of which can be booked in advance of your departure. Make these appointments that will recharge your batteries, and protect the slots as you would for your client meetings and you’ll find that your trip will feel more balanced.

4. Get creative with routines
People often think they can't plan routines and patterns when they are traveling. But chances are that business trips eventually fall into their own routine of location, hotel type, meeting schedule and eating patterns. As you get to know the patterns of your business travel, learn to plan around them and know when you’ll take exercise, what you’ll eat and when, how you’ll relax and how you can sleep best. The more you can follow tried and tested successful strategies for staying healthy on the road,, the easier every trip will be. You might even return home feeling better than when you left!

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Surfing the net is good for the office

They used to call them tea breaks. And some folk call them fag breaks. But for the majority, it's all about E-breaks. That 10 minute surf online to get your banking done or read emails on Facebook. These mini breaks have become a life line to people in offices and helps to break up the day but as more and more companies block Facebook and other social networking sites, have they made a mistake?

According to a new report, surfing the internet actually makes workers more productive because it boosts morale and helps reduce stress.

Seemingly, the right length of break to surf the internet can be even more beneficial than the good old fashioned English tea break which has always been at the heart of successful British working culture.

This research illustrates something that we've known for a long time which is that there are two key factors to creating the ideal workplace.

1. Make sure every single person within the organisation is catered for when implementing staff benefits and incentives.
The tea break appealed to everyone in the past because:
a) everyone drank tea and
b) it was a legitimate time away from the work station. E-breaks are popular because most people either enjoy surfing social networking sites or appreciate time to take care of some personal admin online. Other popular incentives such as flexible working hours and trading hours worked for extra holiday work well because they will appeal to the majority of the workforce at some time, whether it be now or in the future.

2. Make sure benefits and incentives do actually benefit the staff and the organisation.
Every single individual likes to be recognised and appreciates being valued. Providing workers with a benefit that is all about them is the best way in the world to encourage them to think positively about you as an individual in your role in the business and to feel valued by the business as a whole. If they experience these feelings regularly, they will perform to the best of their abilities for the majority of the time. In short, the right incentives, delivered the right way mean everyone's a winner.

When we work with our clients we make sure that participants in our programmes have the opportunity to receive help and advice on all aspects of their health, fitness, diet and lifestyle. We never forget that people have equally important roles to play in their lives as well as being employees. We always try to ensure that employees have the opportunity to work on personal issues both from the workplace and in their wider world, meaning they can develop skills that benefit them personally as well as the business.

And this is the kind of feedback that tells us we got it right...

Since we began the programme, the impact to the participants at both a personal and business level has been fantastic and we're seeing a real improvement in motivation, happiness and quality of work - thus impacting on the service to customers.

If you're interested to read more about how we can achieve such results, visit our website

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