JUST GOOD BUSINESS BUZZ - SUSTAINABILITY : Is Factory Farm Din Obscuring Consumer Voices?
(March 2010)
A little-published research report on how sustainability-aware United States consumers and retailers view New Zealand food starkly underlines the major issues at stake as the country considers proposals to set up dairy “factory farms” in the McKenzie Basin. It has not enjoyed wide circulation – but the voices of US consumers are surely worth a wider hearing. The research was conducted by the Hartman Group in the US for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE). It involved hours of interviews with focus groups and buyers from the likes of Whole Foods, Safeway, and Central Market retail firms.
TOP TIPS : Twelve Inspiring Leadership Behaviours
(March 2010)
The book, The Inspiring Leader was published in the United States last year. It is the culmination of four years study by Jack Zenger, Joe Folkman and Scott Edinger, of more than 200,000 responses describing 20,000 leaders in an effort to determine what makes an outstanding leader. The book discusses many things the leadership-focused individual can do to become a more inspiring leader. Here are 12 Leading Blog.com suggests you apply.
1. Use emotions more frequently and be attuned to the emotions of those around you.
CONSULTATION : Brainstorming Is Brilliant
(March 2010)
We, like many companies, are feeling the pinch. I believe we need a real spark to get things going. Is brainstorming an approach I should consider to improve our creativity?
Yes. Brainstorming is a great idea and your team will become more creative in outlook by using the process. It is, however, imperative that you be open to the input of your team and that you don’t dismiss out of hand any ideas that are generated. Structured brainstorming is essential for bringing ideas to the table.
TEN TOP TIPS : Don’t Just Network – Connect!
(February 2010)
Networking. We talk about it; we read about it; we all know what it is. We like the articles, but do they really tell us the ‘how to’ of networking? Let’s start by changing the term, it is not ‘networking’ it is ‘connecting’. Not everyone is born to be a great connector, but everyone can learn and everyone should. Networking is less about direct selling and more about adding value and creating sustainable relationships. How do we do this? Well, here in brief are my 10 top tips.
1. Add value Have a clear reason for why you are networking, know your objectives.
CONSULTATION : Ethics Are Everyday Life
(February 2010)
I am a small business owner with a central office in one of New Zealand’s major cities. I want to consider decentralisation as a way to improve performance and profitability. What advice do you have for me?
Decentralisation was fashionable in the late 1970s and has remained on enterprise agendas ever since. I believe the intent of decentralisation should be to separate a business into smaller units capable of becoming self-sustaining profit centres. A move to decentralise will require some careful analysis on your part.
HEALTHY WORKSTYLES : A Hectic Year, A Holiday Break, A Healthier Outlook…
(December 2009)
Christmas should be a time for merriment, but unfortunately the words Christmas cheer don’t always ring true for everyone. Family demands, work demands, social engagements and financial pressures can all take their toll. Couple this with the difficult economic environment of the past 15 months and it is easy to see why so many will be feeling completely burned out by Boxing Day. However, it has never been more important to encourage employees to use the holiday break to relax, unwind and focus on personal wellbeing so they return to work in 2010 feeling rested, reinvigorated and motivated.
MANAGEMENT : Oh Dear, Where’s The OD?
(December 2009)
What is OD, I hear you ask? This is the problem defined. You, the readers of this magazine haven’t, it seems, cottoned on to OD. It can provide you with the power to be transformational and help with your most difficult work, improving organisational performance. OD stands for Organisation Development. It is about people in organisations, but let’s be clear, OD is not human resource management (HR). OD is about the business, the organisation of business, and the business of organisations. There are several definitions of OD, many of which would make the best of us nod off.
CONSULTATION : Reaping What We Sow
(December 2009)
This year we have been under immense pressure at work and I am feeling a real lack of self-confidence. I am experiencing these feelings in both group works and in one-to-one meetings. What can you suggest?
By acknowledging your feelings you have made a mighty first step in dealing with this. Please know that you are not alone. Many people are feeling the same way at the moment and this is due to many factors, not least of which are the current economic situation and the difficulties we all face trying to achieve targets.
