Canny Conversations Podcast by Safaraz Ali

Building solid foundations The basis of a strong business, like any strong structure, is making sure the foundations are solid. This does not only mean sound finances, a business plan and marketing strategy to support a great product or service. It means strong relationships and partnerships with employees, suppliers, and all stakeholders.

The Canny Conversations Podcast by Safaraz Ali where he shares his insights and experiences on subjects such as social entrepreneurship, having a growth mindset and getting the best out of people.   Safaraz Ali is also the author of Canny Bites books, the latest being: Attract, Retain and Grow your people to grow your business. Here he breaks down what you need to do to get the right people, keep...

We must have the ability to make clear and timely decisions. The basis of good decision making comes from good information and making the best decision usually takes time. Some decisions can be clear, and others need observation and thought in order to make the right decision. By following the golden rules and understanding data, we can use time to our advantage.

Recruitment is an elimination process & subjective. It is all about people and we need to give recruitment a new angle. We can eliminate unconscious bias. Once we understand what to look for in the right people, businesses will find it easier for people to fit into their high-performance culture.

When we think of achievements, we often think of the biggest goals gained, a gold medal, running a marathon, or securing a deal, but how do we get there?  Progress is usually thought of when we achieve big things, but it often comes from the small improvements through the habits which are applied consistently. Sir David Brailsford is a prime example of making 1% improvements in the UK Cycling Team...

There are many gains to had when it comes to networking, but as with anything- these can only be attained through time and the right kind of execution and by popular demand this is what we discuss in this podcast. 

Networking has been with us forever but now there is so much of it and much little more than dating with a group of people simply trying to sell to each other. But a strong network is about much more, strong relationships built upon trust 

Chasing perfection is the same as chasing rainbows, whereas often ‘good enough is good enough.’ A wise person seeks for perfection but only a fool expects to find it. Chasing the unobtainable can mean missed opportunities and allow the competition to get ahead of you.  

Why some people always seem to be craving the credit and being top of the tree. It may be about insecurity rather than simply showing off. Getting the best from people is about praise, encouragement and some internal competition can also drive performance

When businesses scale, they need to become less dependent upon individuals and learn to use technology, processes, and system. Having ‘A’ players is great but it’s not enough if the business is to move to the next level because people unlike systems cannot be cloned.

What does best look like and how do we know if we are really doing our best? How to get the best out of people and make them and the business even better so that both can grow and prosper personally and professionally.

A chance to revisit some of the key themes such as the importance of people, effective leadership, recruiting the right people and getting the best from them and for them. And finally, why mindset is so important and why it really does ‘all start with you.’

It’s not only businesses and organisations that have a brand but people as well. But it is crucial to understand what brand is and what it is not. It is not a logo but a set of values and behaviours that are lived out every day.

A Chinese bamboo tree spends six years underground but sprouting to the height of a multi-story building in months. Why patience and perseverance are behind almost every successful business. We explore how keeping going and never stopping believing has brought its rewards to many special entrepreneurs.

Mindset is at the core of what we are and what we can achieve. But how many of us have the right mindset and is it something that can be changed.? Everyone will have set backs but with the right mind set it is not the setback but the bounce back that makes all the difference.

Some experts do not even regard a virus as a living organism. Yet Covid-19 has changed the way we work forever. It has made remote working from home commonplace so is the traditional office ready for the museum? What have we learned and how will the world of work look in the ‘new normal?’

Having got your man or woman the next step is to get the best out of them. Understand the difference between motivation and dedication and why brilliant individuals are often not great team players. Getting the best from people should be a win-win process for employer and employee.

The devil is in the detail and this applies very much to the recruitment process. How to make sure that the talent pool you are recruiting from is as wide and diverse as possible. Steps that will not exclude and put some of the best potential candidates off.

Why it is important to be able to spot talent and what ‘potential’ based recruitment is all about and why it is a new way of improving the team. Is experience an over rated commodity and is it more important to focus upon what people can do rather than what they have done?

Are leaders born or can they be made and what are the qualities of great leaders? A good leader makes an okay team good and a good team great by getting the best out of people. How it is possible to ‘lead from the back?’

Why people really are the biggest asset that any business or organization has and why putting people at the heart of any business is a key to success. Having and supporting special people can be a game changer and take a business to the next level.

Canny Conversations by Safaraz Ali, where he shares his insights and experiences on entrepreneurialism, having a growth mindset and getting the best out of people.   Safaraz Ali is the author of Canny Bites books, the latest being: Attract, Retain and Grow your people to grow your business. He breaks down what you need to do to get the right people, keep and engage them,  develop and build your te...