Interview: Tom Berquist, CEO, Saba
Tom Berquist is the new CEO of HR technology company Saba Software and member of the Saba Board of Directors. He has been involved in enterprise software for many years, including nine in executive leadership roles at Corel (CEO) and Ingres (CFO). Before that, he spent a decade at investment banks Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Piper […]
Passionate employees deliver superior CX
Why do passionate employees lead to a great customer experience? Because employees who take pleasure from what they do will naturally provide a better experience to the customer. Engaged employees are loyal and loyalty, if correctly channelled, leads to increased productivity which, in turn, leads to a better customer experience and ultimately improved company performance. […]
Three things talent professionals must know
Pretty much every report I read on talent management and succession points to high levels of dissatisfaction in organisations. CEOs aren’t happy and the people on the receiving end generally feel the same. We can fix this, but there’s no magic wand. As I reflect on the experience I have from organisations such as Tesco, […]
How to integrate outsiders into your team
I’ve just written a book about outsiders. Called The Outside Edge, its focus is on helping outsiders understand themselves, as well as how they can succeed in a world made by insiders. But what about those insiders (i.e. everybody else), having to work with outsiders: perhaps having to integrate them into a team and encourage them […]
Book review: The Team Formula by Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn
Title: The Team Formula: A Leadership Tale of a Team Who Found Their WayAuthors: Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn ISBN: 978-1780923475 This book was reviewed by David Evans of Burn Bridge Associates. This is a ‘leadership tale of a team who found their way’, to quote the sub-title of this very readable book. Following in the footsteps of a […]
There’s no place for egos in a highly effective team
I have always had a keen interest in sport, of any kind really….watching it, playing it…rugby, athletics, tennis and, more recently, golf (under duress) and cycling (only gentle encouragement needed). So when the Tour de France descended on the beautiful Yorkshire countryside recently, I felt compelled to go and observe the technicolor shirts of the […]
Is loneliness the next workplace ticking time bomb?
Four in 10 report having no close friends at work at all, according to a new survey of 5000 people by relationship charity Relate. Most workers also have much more contact with their boss and colleagues than with their own friends or close family. The study found a link between low self-esteem and poor work-life […]
Leadership – too much, too soon?
As we get into the swing of 2014, it’s a different business landscape than that of the start of 2013. The news agenda is a lot more upbeat, with positive statistics around economic growth, decreasing rates of unemployment, and UK businesses successfully leading the way with entering into new markets. Recruiting leaders – tough nut […]
How can I support my partner when they’re stressed with work?
Work stress can affect our personal lives and our relationships, particularly if both partners are under significant stress. But learning to support each other in productive ways can strengthen the relationship, reduce stress and improve mood. Research suggests that couples who actively manage stress together improve their relationship durability over time. Listen and support: Questioning, […]
Five steps to building a robust sales team
The approach of a new year and the continuing recovery of a still-turbulent economy are prompting a rush of objectives amongst businesses. Whether aiming to increase sales, drive profitability, break into new territories or increase market share, managers throughout the world continue to face a key challenge: how to build and maintain an effective sales […]
Move over teamwork – what about the other forms of co-operative working?
Taken very broadly, there are two kinds of management or business research thinking when it comes to teams: perspectives that think teams are a decent functional way to organise workers to work effectively, and perspectives that are much more critical of the very concept of teamwork. Instinctively, anecdotally, and from much research over the last […]
Book review: Leading Teams: Tools and Techniques for Successful Team Leadership
Title: Leading Teams: Tools and Techniques for Successful Team Leadership from the Sports WorldAuthors: Paolo Guenzi, Dino RutaISBN: 978-1-118-39209-6 Our reviewer this time was David Evans of Burn Bridge Associates. This 330-page book has an easy-read style and will be of interest to anyone with sporting inclinations. Its sub-title, “Tools and techniques for successful team leadership from the […]
Office politics: what HR practitioners need to know
"In a 2012 book, 50% of respondents described office politics as being constructive rather than destructive." — Large or small, multinational or family-owned, public, private or third sector – every workplace has ‘office politics’ in one form or another. Some HR practitioners might consider office politics a subject best avoided through fear of becoming too […]
Why no team can survive without conflict
Many people avoid conflict at work like the plague, feeling uncomfortable when things get difficult, fearful that addressing issues will create more, maybe even unresolvable, escalating conflict. And yet workplace conflict can be a good thing, a very good thing even, and should definitely not be feared but addressed. Let’s be honest – having a […]
Elephants and crocodiles: the real challenge of corporate teamwork
This article was written by Clive Hyland, CEO of Think Feel Know. Few people who have worked in business would doubt the importance of effective teamwork, especially the leadership team, but all too often top teams serve mainly as a compromise of personal agendas and the notion of real team commitment disappears into the ether […]
I want to be alone – but it’s not good for business!
UK businesses risk scuppering productivity and profits by failing to support effective team working. Almost half of the 2,030 UK employees surveyed by talent development firm Cedar felt their organisation did not help develop team working practices. Meanwhile, 37% of respondents said they preferred working alone, suggesting that businesses needed to do more to […]
Living Leader Learnings: How can I get my team to trust me?
The challenge A general manager at the distribution division of a national manufacturer says: “We have just completed our annual staff survey and it seems that the basic message coming from HR is that we need to find ways to increase the levels of engagement in our teams. As a manager, of course I […]
Blog: Five ways to fire up your team for 2013
Christmas and the festivities may be over, but helping managers to keep the season of good will going with their teams will have a huge influence on how engaged and motivated staff will feel as they return to work in 2013. January is all about new beginnings but it often takes a few weeks for […]
Talking Point: Why put all your eggs in one talent management basket?
Talent management has traditionally focussed on the individual. Employers identify potential shining stars who they can train, mentor and coach in order to excel and take over key positions in the business. This is how it has always been, but is it necessarily how it should always remain? The question is, does this approach […]
News: Men who wear pink shirts earn more and are better qualified
Men who wear pink cotton shirts earn more and are better qualified than those who prefer traditional colours such as white or blue, according to a study. On average, pink-loving males earn £1,000 more a year than those who prefer blue shirts and are twice as likely to have a Masters degree than those […]