Industry revolves around people
I had a fascinating day at an event organised by Women in Logistics at Backhouse Jones Solicitors yesterday. I had a suspicion that the transport industry might be a similar environment to the chemical industry where I used to work as an engineer, and many of the themes of yesterday’s discussions were indeed familiar. One … Read more
When you’ve created a good team, others will want to join you
Picking up where the previous blog left off, I’ve been talking to Jeremy Coates of Magma Digital as part of the Thought into Action Audio Library. The Library is available to anyone signing up for People Skills for Technical Managers, our Distance Learning package, but I’m also sharing some of the insights here. Magma Digital … Read more
Teamwork for techies
I recently had the pleasure of recording an in-depth conversation with Jeremy Coates of Magma Digital for the Thought into Action Audio Library, part of our People Skills for Technical Managers distance learning programme. Jeremy runs a business developing software applications specific to business needs, for example payroll systems where off-the-shelf packages won’t do the … Read more
Creative thinking needs structure
Ever sat there with a blank piece of paper, hoping the ideas flow? How rarely they co-operate under these circumstances! Yet we have infinite capacity for ideas, even those of us who don’t think we’re naturally creative. The subconscious mind can see patterns and make connections between the most random-seeming information. To tap into our … Read more
Learning from success
Ever had that horrible sinking feeling when you realise that other people don’t see you as you see yourself? My epiphany came when I completed a small project back in my engineering days. It wasn’t a technically difficult project but it needed a large amount of co-operation from two plants with a history of blaming … Read more
Who spends too much time in meetings?
We all say we spend too much time in meetings, yet meetings are supposed to provide an efficient forum where everyone gets together to make a decision when otherwise nothing will happen. So where are we all going wrong? Let’s begin with purpose. It’s the first step in the Thought into Action System(TM) alongside identifying … Read more
Be clear about what you want me to do
But please don’t interfere with how I go about it! Whether we’re responsible for managing a large team of people or whether we’re part of that team, this would be the plea from many of us. None of us likes to be told what to do, yet of course if we’re responsive to our customers, … Read more
There can be Method in the Madness of Change
Teams thrive when given a degree of autonomy One of my most popular public speaking topics is to remind directors and senior executives of the energy individuals and teams can create when they’re allowed to make their own decisions about the tasks they’re asked to complete. None of us likes to be told what to … Read more
An introduction to our services
First printed in Chemicals Northwest Newsletter No. 24, March 2011. Most companies these days are working on minimum staffing levels so when a new initiative is launched, it’s hard to know where best to focus your attention. And if you came into management because of your technical expertise, it can be especially tough to handle … Read more
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Karen Hands
The Thought into Action Blog
