Watch Out For The Bugs
Thanks so much for your ongoing support, likes, and comments on my writing. These certainly take time to do and I always value feedback. You can watch the 74 sec. video or read the full content below. And happy Friday!!
I love a green lush lawn.
Recently, I noticed that part of my lawn was drying out. I added some extra fertiliser, and the dry patch continued to grow. I was confused when my extra care didn’t work. Then in a flash of insight, it came — aah — lawn grubs. I acted fast, sprayed the lawn twice, and the dry area started turning green again.
Most, if not all, of the businesses I consult are the green lush type, which are profitable and highly systemised with good people and a customer-centric focus. Over time, however, things can quickly dry out such as a wrong person added to the team, a key manager losing their love for the job, internal system breakdowns, or someone scraping off money from company accounts.
Business owners and managers are like gardeners of the organisation, but they often get so busy there is little or no time for more than surface-level observation, which can lead to accidental joining of the wrong dots. This can lead to problem solving that misses the mark, just as my fertilising the lawn failed. Taking time to pause, talk to your people and monitor the lag indicators will help you to see if the solution fixed the problem.
Just as I frequently walk around my garden to review its progress: observing the growth while looking for weeds and disease, I think it's a good practice for managers to regularly go "walking" within their organisations. This may involve being out on-site or on the office floor, speaking with key customers, or taking time behind closed doors to review numbers, plan the next quarter, and think.
Lastly, trust your intuition. Sometimes we have a sense that there are problems in the lawn, even before we observe it or can fully explain what we think might be the root cause. In these cases, it's good to go hunting. You will likely find that your intuition was right, and you have all the answers you need to restore your business “lawn” to a healthy green, once more.
Ray
Work Snippet (New)
People often ask me what I do and how I can help their businesses, so I thought for the next little while, I would include some snippets here for those who are interested.
Role restructures, sales coaching, and ultimate career advancement.
Part of the satisfaction of my work is receiving emails like this one.
Ray, I cannot thank you enough, the amazing impact you have made on my career is unbelievable. When we started working with you I was not in a position where I was able to utilise my skills. Your sixth sense of where I would be better suited was spot on. You took me from HR and OH&S role to a sales role selling a product I knew nothing about. Your ability to coach me through my fears and boundaries was smooth, professional and engaging. Your high level of inspiration, motivation and support gave me the kick start I needed. In 3 months I hit the company's average yearly quota, in 12 months I more than doubled it.
The confidence and opportunities this has bought about I could never have imagined.
Being named in the 'Top 100 Women in Construction in the world,' Guest Speaking Engagements, mentoring and consulting. My proudest moment, being chosen to represent Australian Indigenous Women at the 2022 UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York with an amazing line-up of Trailblazers.
Ray you saw in me the traits of a leader; your experience and knowledge in your field gave you the insight to take me from back of house to the front. Your encouragement and engagement has elevated my career to a level I hadn't imagined. I now have confidence and a platform to inspire, empower and mentor others.
*Edited by Michelle Sexton