A Blueprint for Boosting Team Productivity

Mindset of High-Performing Teams

Productive teams know how to work together; what helps the high-performing teams is a shared operating system, much like your PC.

A shared operating system allows people to get the work done, but using a unifying set of core principles (like apps on a PC) creates shared understanding. Imagine if you used a slide deck tool incompatible with the Microsft PowerPoint used by a colleague or customer; how frustrating would that be? How much time would be wasted decoding and figuring it out?

There is no decoding with a shared operating system; we all know how we do stuff, so we’re straight into what matters. With a common set of ‘how we get stuff done’ principles, it enables teams to shortcut and accelerate their productivity and increase output.

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Posted On January 12, 2024 By Ricky Muddimer In Article, Flip Book, High Performing Teams, Leadership, Management, Productivity /

What Top Gun Teaches You About Productivity

Welcome to a unique exploration of What Top Gun can teach us about productivity. Inspired by the iconic line from Top Gun Maverick – “It all comes down to the pilot in the box!”

Ricky takes you on an exciting journey to redefine productivity. Hit play to dive into a world where your mindset, habits, and actions take centre stage, far beyond any tool or app.

Why Watch This Video? Break free from the endless cycle of new productivity tools. Transform your approach to tasks and challenges. Build habits that boost productivity effortlessly.

Cultivate behaviours that enhance efficiency and focus. Gain valuable insights from relatable, real-life examples.

Ricky’s Message: “Be the pilot in your productivity journey. It’s not about the tools you use; it’s all about you!

If you’re ready to take control of your productivity and learn from the wisdom of Top Gun Maverick, this video is for you!

More Tools on Productivity

Posted On January 3, 2024 By Ricky Muddimer In Goals, Mindset, Productivity, Video /

Why is reflection important in the workplace?

There are moments, often, when we hit milestones that symbolise the end of something (like the end of a year), that we stop and take a moment to look back. This moments are opportunities to reflect, to learn and to prepare to start again.

Yet, in work, these moments are missed as we jump from project to project, urgent task to urgent task. Urgency getting in the way of growth, learning and, most importantly, using this wisdom to focus on the things that will have the biggest impact on our goals.

In this podcast, Ricky talks with Paul about the power of these moments, asking why these are so important, yet often undervalued in the workplace. Of course, they also get into some simple ways that you can make your reflection time more effective and why this does not need to take very much time at all if you do it right.

Posted On December 27, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

Why New Years Resolutions dont work – what a psychologist told me!

Why New Year’s Resolutions don’t work is a topic that interested me so much – I asked our resident psychologist, Paul Hutchinson.

Are you struggling to keep your New Year’s resolutions?

You’re not alone! In this video, I dive into the psychology behind why it’s so hard to stick to those yearly promises we make to ourselves.

Paul (a renowned psychologist with an MSc in Organisational Psychology from Thinking Focus) and I talked, and I took these three key takeaways:

We uncover valuable insights and offer practical tips to make your resolutions a roaring success.

Posted On December 17, 2023 By Ricky Muddimer In Goals, Mindset, Productivity, Video /

Why don’t New Years Resolutions work?

It is that time of year, when we start to reflect on the year and promise ourselves that next year will be different. Next year, we will be fitter, healthier, more successful and just so much better. Sadly, for most of us, New Year’s Resolutions have the nasty habit of fading away as life pushes us back to old habits and practices.

So, what if this is the year? What if there is something that you want to change? That is what Ricky wanted, so in this podcast, he finds out from our resident psychologist, Paul, what is required to make your New Year Resolutions stick.

Probably not a surprise, but these tips turn out to work for all goals. So, even if you don’t have the urge to reinvent yourself this podcast offers simple strategies to make sure that you stick at and pursue the goals that matter to you.

Posted On December 13, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Change, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

How can you become a communication superhero?

In this podcast, Rob and Ricky don their capes and dive into the world of stellar communication. (what they get up to in their own time is up to them!) What does it take to be a true communication superhero in an era riddled with distractions, impatience, and information overload?

Being an effective communicator isn’t just about conveying messages; it’s about understanding, connecting, and making an impact. Yet, many of us falter, whether it’s due to a lack of skills, a disregard for respect and courtesy, or simply a scattered focus and lack of purpose in our interactions.

In this episode, they dissect the critical skills that often go amiss in daily communications. They look at areas such as the role of respect and courtesy in dialogue and deep into the importance of having a clear focus and purpose behind every word and gesture.

They also provide actionable steps, techniques, and insights to help you rise above these challenges. It’s time to transition from a communication novice to a true communication superhero. Capes are optional.

Posted On November 29, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

What are the common communication mistakes that trip us up?

Rob and Ricky as they dive headfirst into the intricate web of common communication pitfalls that leave many of us scratching our heads, wondering, “Where did that go wrong?”

Have you ever sat through a meeting and thought it was a complete waste of time? We explore the impact of poorly conducted meetings – how they not only drain our time but also our energy and productivity. We’ve all been there, and it’s time to address the elephant in the room.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Assumptions. They say when you assume, you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me.” We delve into the dangers of making assumptions in communication, how they lead us astray, and the strategies to avoid them.

In our digital age, emails have become the backbone of corporate communication. But are they always effective? We discuss the overuse and misuse of email, leading to cluttered inboxes and missed messages. And as if that wasn’t enough, we’re also battling against the tide of information overload.

Posted On November 15, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

How does poor communication impact the workplace?

With an alarming statistic revealing that a staggering 70% of errors in the workplace can be traced back to miscommunication, it’s no wonder that businesses are feeling the pinch. Dive deeper, and you’ll find that poor communication ranks as the number one concern for a majority of businesses, overshadowing even financial concerns or market competition.

But what really happens when communication goes awry? Trust erodes. The very foundation upon which business relationships are built begins to wobble. Employees start second-guessing, leading to serious doubts about the motives, integrity, and capabilities of their employers. The domino effect of this breakdown? A jaw-dropping cost of £50 – £70 Bn in lost productivity annually.

But there’s more. As a result of these communicative missteps, 33% of employees report having low morale, feeling disengaged, and disheartened.

In this episode, Ricky and Rob not only highlight the challenges but also explore solutions and best practices to cultivate an environment of open, transparent, and effective communication.

Posted On November 1, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

Why do we keep getting communication so wrong?

Did you know that only about a third of companies believe they communicate effectively?
Forbes (March 2023)

In this episode, Rob and Ricky dive into the complex realm of communication, a skill so integral yet so frequently misinterpreted.

They explore why most companies fail to communicate effectively and share some of the stumbling blocks hindering effective communication. Consider this, when one individual errs, does everyone else receive a blanket message? We know this is not the best approach, so why does this keep happening?

Ricky and Rob also delve into the human side of miscommunication. Our emotions, ever a double-edged sword, often weave themselves seamlessly into our dialogues, clouding judgment and disrupting clear exchanges. Then there are assumptions – we all make them, but at what cost? Plus, we discuss the dangerous ‘dance of ambiguity’, where leaving things open to interpretation can spell disaster.

Posted On October 18, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

What causes us to fear failure?

We have two primal fears: shame and death! Evolutionary strong feelings that were designed to keep us alive, but not really designed for the modern workplace, yet these fears play out strongly in our day-to-day lives.

In this episode of our mini-series on getting out of your own way, Richard and Ricky discuss how fear of failure might drive our behaviour, and not always in ways that make us more productive or easy to get on with!

Posted On October 4, 2023 By Paul Hutchinson In Coaching, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /