Here's an idea worth playing with

In this episode I share the idea of a book being written about the business you work in. That book started on the first day of the business - and continues to be written every single day. It's therefore an idea to consider what your current chapter of the book is about. What's your contribution to this big book of the business? Is this chapter a horror, or drama, or action packed adventure? Find o...

In this episode I share 10 Elements of a powerful workshop. These are ideas I think are worth playing with. No absolutes, just 10 elements that I apply to my award winning workshops. They may work for you also! Find out more on cultivatedmanagement.com Subscribe to the Meeting Notes newsletter here Sit the online Communication Super Power Workshop Thanks Rob..

In this episode I introduce the idea of Biophilic Design; designing workspaces to include more nature and natural elements. I dig into some of the science and see whether a "more natural" workspace helps with mood, emotions and productivity. Join me as I wander around the local countryside and share ideas, tips and advice on how to include more nature in your home, or office, workspace - and why i...

In this episode of "Here's An Idea Worth Playing With" I talk about the method of Friction v Reward, how it's creator, Richard Hammond, uses it and how I use a similar model for business improvement.

In today's cast and post I'm introducing a model of leisure time from the 1920's!  I'll introduce the Netflix challenge (a dysfunctional game being played at a workplace) and explain how I draw connections to work from what is a sociology lifestyle model.  How we choose to use our leisure time has been a hotly debated inquiry into society itself. I won't go that deep - but I will share how I see t...

I am in Zurich, capturing the sounds of the city - and also sharing 3 helpful ways to frame any conversation about value. We often need executive buy-in, support or air cover for our work, but many people fail to communicate these ideas effectively. Well, here's an idea worth playing with - frame your requests in language that resonates and a frame that makes sense. I share the 3 elements of the f...

Hi, I hope you are doing well. Welcome to another Here’s An Idea Worth Playing With (HAIWPW). The weekly audio show about ideas that I think are worth playing with. I recorded this at lunch today, after recording a video about park benches (yes, you read that right). I was at Avington Park , a wonderful estate just outside of Winchester. It was cold. There were some menacing looking bulls. The swa...

In this episode I talk about using your calendar wisely by time blocking but offer some caution - simply filling your calendar with "stuff" often doesn't take account of your energy and attention. Some activities give energy, some deplete and all are vying for your attention.  SUPPORTING INFORMATION: Read the supporting blog post - https://cultivatedmanagement.com/time-blocking/ The communication...

In this episode I share ideas on dealing with email, why it won't go away and how we can still get our job done without being distracted by email.  SUPPORTING INFORMATION: The communication super power workshop The weekly newsletter - If you enjoyed this you can find a lot more in the weekly newsletter

In this episode I share why the right deadlines can really drive momentum and help us get things done. Without deadlines work could meander on and we also can't hold ourselves accountable.  Deadlines are helpful but the wrong type of deadlines (i.e. those made up for no reason) will drive the wrong behaviours.  SUPPORTING INFORMATION: The communication super power workshop The weekly newsletter -...

In this episode I explain why visualising your work is the first step to prioritising it, controlling it, talking about it and making trade offs about it. After you see it all, and you stop crying at how much you're taking on (or expecting from your team), you can start to make decisions about it. It's much harder to make decisions about work that is not visible, or scattered all over.  I talk a l...

In this episode I share a powerful question to ask in work and life that helps us decide whether we're doing the right work.  Be more effective in your everyday work by asking these brilliantly powerful questions, starting with the most powerful one: "What problem are we trying to solve?" (Discovery) A logical next couple of questions would be: "How do we know it's a problem? (Measures) "Is it a p...

In this episode I share the 6 pillars of life, plus why there is an ongoing tension between them that needs managing and how we must be aware of this before it's too late. There are 6 pillars of life, as I define them: Health Family Productivity and Effectiveness Money and Finance Societal Impact Education SUPPORTING INFORMATION: Read the supporting blog post - https://cultivatedmanagement.com/pil...

In this episode I share 10 valuable lessons I've learned whilst trying to thrive in my career. And this doesn't just mean thrive at work - it means managing the tension between work and life. This is a keynote talk that I usually run at conferences. I recorded this especially for this podcast. Here are the 10 ideas covered: Decide to thrive Relationships are critical Have fun Trade your values car...

Welcome to the Cultivated Podcast recorded on a personal retreat - In this episode I share a primer and introduction into the basics of effective communication.  I talk about Purpose, Audience and Context and share why having too many of each is a recipe for communication disaster.  SUPPORTING INFORMATION: Read the supporting blog post - https://cultivatedmanagement.com/effective-communication/ Th...

Welcome to the Cultivated Podcast recorded on a personal retreat - In this episode I share the 10 behaviours that I've seen effective employees demonstrate at work. I break each one down and share why this behaviour is so important. Here are the 10 behaviours I have identified talented people exhibit. They are visibly passionate They are open minded They are not constrained by their job title They...

Welcome to another episode from my personal retreat - and in this episode I share how I use my Personal Knowledge Management System. The key to becoming smarter at work and life is learning how to learn. One way to aid this is in the development of a solid and robust learning management process. In this episode I explain the 4 steps to my own model and how this forms the basics of my Personal Know...