Networking: a framework for success in Business and Life on Prezi

http://www.fosterruns.com/2011/11/and-now-for-something-for-those-with-a-competitive-streak/

Please do follow my suggestion in the . . . → Read More: Creativity in teams presentation]]> Thank you to the MBA students at Brighton Business School yesterday who allowed me to share my thoughts on how to be creative in teams.  I have enclosed the slides below in case they help augment the notes and if you have any questions contact me at david@rallystrategic.com.

Please do follow my suggestion in the second conclusion… it will only take you a couple of hours and really will make a big difference to your perspective!  Good luck!

There are numerous easy and super cost-effective ways of achieving this and I . . . → Read More: Massage in the workplace]]> Readers of my comments on the Management Today blog will know by now that I am a passionate advocate of employee engagement and of the tangible results that can be achieved by making incrementally small changes to the relationship between employers and their staff.

There are numerous easy and super cost-effective ways of achieving this and I have just experienced one of them first-hand.  My partner is an HR Advisor to an insurance company with about 200 employees and she uses Massage in the Workplace as part of their staff well-being programme… to very good effect by all accounts.

On Sunday I returned from completing the 108 mile Tour du Mont Blanc walk (a strenuous eleven day hike, completed with a friend in under five days TRIP account and photos here) and so today she sent Jeremy to my office to give me a sports massage.  One hour later and the tension in the muscles in my legs and around my neck has been gently kneaded away.

Normal chair massage sessions are just 20 minutes and it is these small indulgences which allow staff to feel that they are part of the company rather than merely cannon fodder… with a constant stream of research in MT, CIPD and other sources demonstrating that the latter is sadly the prevalent case.

So if you employ staff, think what you can do this month that might surprise and delight them.  The cost might be minimal but you’ll be surprised at how effective it is!

Finding lateral inspiration as an occasional runner myself, it . . . → Read More: Steve Cram at Clydesdale Bank]]> Thank you to the team at Clydesdale Bank Brighton this morning for inviting me to another excellent teleconference, this time with Steve Cram as speaker.  As ever they had assembled some really interesting people around the table, not least Bradley who is studying Sports Psychology at Bournmouth University.

Finding lateral inspiration as an occasional runner myself, it was good to hear Steve draw parallels between aspects of sport and business.  My take on some of the insights that he mentioned:

• Kelly Holmes won Gold at 800m in 2004 on the very last stride, coming up from 5th with about 200m to go, whilst John Treacy pipped Steve Ovett to the post in the last 2m of a 5000m race in 1980 because the latter was celebrating winning in advance of the line!  As the pressure builds towards the finish line, or a business deadline, we have a tendency to lose energy and focus… at the very moment when it might assure us of success.  Practice resilience in every aspect of your life and don’t stop pushing until you hear the fat lady singing.

• Some people, be they sports coaches or business partners, have the ability to sap our confidence or energy at the moment we most need it, despite being a vital member of the team in other ways.  Whether you are getting ready to race or warming up ahead of a business presentation, make certain that the people around you are those who inspire you to a great performance.

• Simple mistakes can throw us off our stride and cause us to change a perfectly good strategy.  Accept that mistakes do happen so that, though you might be surprised, you don’t need to feel surprised that you’re surprised.  See the mistake in isolation and get back with the plan… it will only affect the rest of your performance if you worry that it will.

The meetings are generally very interesting and usually have a useful speaker, but the one yesterday was exceptional: . . . → Read More: Burgess Hill Business Parks Association]]> The Burgess Hill Business Parks Association (BHBPA) meets regularly to enable dialogue between otherwise busy members, whilst an excellent weekly newsletter keeps local businesses in touch with general news, opportunities and the occasional threat affecting the area.

The meetings are generally very interesting and usually have a useful speaker, but the one yesterday was exceptional: held at QLeisure in Albourne, it was a showcase of their corporate entertainment facility.

Members got to try their hand at archery and also raced karts around the tarmac track, which put HUGE smiles on all the faces present… especially me, as I snuck in the fastest lap time against overall winner, Anthony Brook of Autowise Tyre & Auto, albeit by a mere 0.15 seconds.

Delicious cakes were supplied by Lizzie’s Food Factory which provides a van sales service across London & the South-East.

If you are looking to build cohesion in your team, then Lloyd Peacock at QLeisure is definitely worth speaking to (01273 834403), whilst if your business is situated in the Burgess Hill area and does not yet belong to the BHBPA, then the coordinator, Peter Liddell, can be reached on 07903 984 366.

The article below, by Freek Vermeulen of London Business School, echoes Jim Collins study Good to Great and reinforces one of the key messages from yesterday: namely that people are better able to judge our abilities (and . . . → Read More: Workshop echoes]]> Thank you to those who attended our pilot workshop yesterday… your collective candour made for a really fun and interactive session.

The article below, by Freek Vermeulen of London Business School, echoes Jim Collins study Good to Great and reinforces one of the key messages from yesterday: namely that people are better able to judge our abilities (and apparently our motives) than we think.

http://freekvermeulen.blogspot.com/2011/05/is-leadership-overrated-maybe-not-but.html

Places are deliberately limited to eight and we have two or three remaining.

If you are interested, please drop me . . . → Read More: Workshop: Self-Awareness & Personal Branding]]> David Mellor and I are piloting a new half-day workshop on the afternoon of 10th May in Sussex (near Gatwick) and the nominal £60+VAT course fee includes an interesting personal report as well as lunch.

Places are deliberately limited to eight and we have two or three remaining.

If you are interested, please drop me an email at david@rallystrategic.com for further details.

Reeves Budget Presentation

Or alternatively you can visit their site for more detailed alternatives.

Reeves budget 2011

Overall, it seems like a fairly sensible budget