Staff Working From Home? Here’s How To Make It Work | The Melting Pot Newsletter | Issue #78
HOW TO GET THE BEST FROM REMOTE-WORKING STAFF
Doom and gloom are everywhere. The disproportionate reporting of the media seems to be reaching a fever pitch. Attention-grabbing headlines scream that a fifth of the UK workforce won’t be at work at the height of the Coronavirus epidemic. So what? In August, 14% of the workforce is off in any one week and the world doesn’t stop. I do think everyone needs to get a grip. Far more concerning is the impact on the economy of all this unnecessary panic. Never has the message, ‘Keep calm and carry on’ been more needed.
The disruption is likely to lead to more people working from home. I can tell you now, any flaws in your business that might have been hidden before this are likely to be revealed in full, glorious technicolour. There’s a saying that culture is how people behave when you’re not in the room. If your culture’s strong, remote working should present you with no issues. If it’s weak, there could be a whole lot of trouble waiting down the line.
Why Joining The Mask-Free Movement Will Make You A Better Leader
“I believe that it’s not just that we are masked, it’s that we are addicted to them. And so what that requires is a solution that is similar to what helps addicts get free.”
Michael Brody-Waite has gone from being a drug addict to a successful CEO. Not only that, he’s an author, a public speaker, and a sponsor. His TED X talk has had over 1.3M views, and although he was talking about great leaders doing what drug addicts do, the most polarising comments were about his choice of footwear. This is a guy who has learned what it truly means to be authentic.
And he’s written a book about it. As he learned to take his mask off in recovery by following the 12 step programme, he realised that the process to help addicts recover is the same process that creates great leadership. If we all just take our mask off, turn up, be authentic, have difficult conversations, our businesses would run better, we’d have better places to work, we’d be better humans and our lives would be more successful and more fulfilling.
“I’m not the first person to write a book on how to be a great leader, that’s been done before, and I’m not the first addict to talk about their story, that’s been done before. But what has never been done was taking the process that addicts use to recover, that’s been working for millions of addicts over 80 years, and translating that into a leadership framework that allows anyone to truly become a great leader.”
We hope you enjoy this conversation with Michael as much as we did – he truly is a great human being.
Recommended Podcasts
In this episode, David Epstein, best-selling author of Range and The Sports Gene, discusses the evidence around the most effective ways to improve long-term performance and learning in our specialties, our sports, our careers, and our lives. David makes a compelling case that a range of experiences and skills are more likely to lead to expert performance compared to early specialization, and offers an in-depth critique of the much-publicized 10,000-Hour Rule.
Recommended Articles
Peer-to-peer feedback creates a culture of shared responsibility, self-organization, teamwork, employee engagement, and accountability. However, without mutual trust, specificity, and positive intention, this form of feedback can be challenging. In order to build and maintain the best working relationships possible, in peer-to-peer feedback, it is important to be aware of the team’s goals, know the personality of the person you’re offering feedback to, and have an overall sense of direction for next steps. The following are 4 ways that OKRs can lay the foundation for a culture of effective and positive peer-to-peer feedback.
THREE MYTHS ABOUT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
At many of the conferences where I am a keynote speaker, I have encountered several large myths and inaccuracies purported and communicated about Employee Engagement. It is sad to me that managers and executives may be taking errant action plan steps based upon these inaccuracies and mistruths. Hence, the purpose of this blog is to correct these myths and share the truth.
REMEMBERING JACK WELCH: 4 OF HIS METHODS CAN WORK FOR YOU, TOO
Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric from 1981-2001, passed away this week. He was a great leader and he left a huge impact on the business world. One of the things that made Jack such a strong leader was the hiring methods he used to pack his team, and the entire company, with A Players.
Recommended Reads
SCALING YOUR TECH BUSINESS BY DOMINIC MONKHOUSE
Calling all CEOs, Founders and Managing Partners! Learn valuable scale-up strategies in a brand new book by the UK’s top tech industry business coach, Dominic Monkhouse. Dom has a track record of scaling-up award-winning technology businesses, including two UK based companies from zero revenue to £30 million within five years. Now he is sharing the secrets behind his success in a new book, FREE to all Melting Pot subscribers. The download will be available very soon. Watch out for your copy!
YOUR BUSINESS IS A LEAKY BUCKET BY HOWARD M. SHORE
Using the metaphor of a “Leaky Bucket,” Howard Shore addresses the 15 most common issues in the areas of people, strategy, and execution that drain energy, direction, and profitability from every business. Shore provides a practical guide on how to effect change and ignite growth in the leadership team in order to achieve an organization’s full potential. The principles outlined in this book lead to clear and purposeful direction, a stronger, invigorated leadership team, and maximum growth and revenue, all while reducing workplace drama.
MEANINGFUL ACTION FOR MONDAY
Get every one of your employees to look at how they spend their time. Challenge them to find four hours where they’re wasting time – stuff where they can’t see any output. Then devote this extra half-day to improving sales and employee engagement.