Do you ever reflect over...

...who you are and why...?

Well, that question is probably easier to find the answer to when you're in that mood...

You know the kind of mood you get into when you're on the beach or elsewhere with good friends, a bottle of wine and someone is doing everything possible to make "The answer my friend is blowing in the wind..." unrecognizable on a guitar.

If you're in northern Europe you're probably not on a beach right now but on a bus, commuter train or in your car going home. Think about this... (if you're driving you shouldn't be reading this at all right now...!)

...Do you ever reflect on how you are perceived and how you as a leader, or as any person, affect people in your surroundings...?
 

You're in a bad mood - People avoid you
You're smiling -People smile
You're happy - People are attracted to you
You listen - People open up
You ask questions - People are encouraged to share
You give responsibility - People take responsibility
You ask for new ideas - People will bring you new ideas
You accept mistakes - People try new ways
You publicly praise peoples creativity - People grow

You join your employees for an informal cup of coffee in the morning to listen and to share what's going on - Your organization will rock!!

Make a mental picture or in B&W of yourself and think about if and what you need to change. Maybe it's enough to have a coffee together... That's the easy way. Far from complicated management models and strategies...

 

Welcome to the "Fikapaus" - or Coffee Break with Benefits…

"The Coffee Break" is an invention from the country who introduced the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize is presented to people who have made the greatest contributions in one of five fields: chemistry, literature, medicine, physics, and peace.

Here at the Pitch Factory, we have a range of Programs, Events and Workshops to enable your team and their managers to deal with change, growth and empowerment…

If there was a Nobel Prize for corporations in the field of Employee Empowerment, enabling them to take more responsibility, initiative and improve creativity; we are the people who could help you win it…

I have a few ideas, that I think you’ll find really interesting..

So – låt oss ta en fika; let's meet for a coffee or a "Skypee" if you're to far away...

 http://thepitchfactory.lu/

3 questions to ask your potential employer...

 ...and what they might not tell you...

Most of us have been there. At the job interview. Head full of hot tips on trends and questions you should ask. How you should be dressed, speak, stand, breath bla, bla, bla. It time to start the employer /employee game….

I see a picture in front of me. It dates back to 1873. It’s myself with my cap in my hand asking for a job. My muscles are checked and my teeth as well. Unfortunately, I was missing a front tooth so no job ...

"Do not think that you are in focus" and "do not talk too much about yourself". Interview tips from a professional. She continues: "The employer is only interested in what you can do for them." “Not vice versa”. Hmmm… does anyeone really buy into that…?

HR is to busy...

HR has "no time" to read resumes and would like to interview a minimum of applicants. There are hundreds of personality tests such as DISC, MBTI, Myers Briggs to make sure they don't.... How do you know which system is the best? Well I don’t know ...

Sometimes you recognize yourself from the test. If you don’t fit in, hopefully you receive a written response such as: "Thank you for your interest. Sorry, but your resource profile is not consistent with our needs ".. OK…!!? But if you use a different tool then…?.

Q & A:s...

But how do I test my potential boss and employer? (I'm grateful for any ideas !!) Here are a few ideas for Q:s and possible A:s...

• Q: Is the company run by ideas or hierarchy?
A: We are driven by ideas, of course (as long as the ideas are coming from the right person ...)

• Q: How do you make sure to take advantage of commitment, creativity and suggestions for changes?
A: We have ongoing discussions with those coming forward (you see that big garbage can over there ...?)

• Q: Is it OK if I express what I think could be done more efficient or in another way or when I think things are just not working well? Can I go to you guys as CEO and HR and we can have a discussion?
A: Of course you can come to anyone and express your opinions. (We will never hire you. You look like trouble…)

As a manager, you want to hire the best for your business. But, why should a job seekers choose you as a manager? After all, that is what they are doing. And you are aware of it...
It takes a lot of effort from you as well. 

Your employees want to be able to influence and be involved. But how do you as a manager make a difference? Can you deliver what the company's brand implies?

Read books and change...

There are a plethora of different theories, management courses and inspirational books written by successful business leaders on how to create a successful business and corporate culture.

Read the books! Read other books too! Take the courses! Books are great sources of inspiration. Use bits and pieces fitting into your leadership style. All of what Steve Jobs, Bill Gates or Jack Welch and other successful leaders say you cannot make use of. 

Simply because you're not like them. You are unique! Select the parts of your role models you feel you can manage when being you.



You will experience personal change when you decide to change your leadership. It's probably a tough process. Just as tough as changes are for most people. Just as great as changes can be.

• You need to find your identity. You choose the way you lead. Find a role model, an inspiration, which is consistent with your values. Values will take you far in the long run.
• When you are interviewing, use your gut feeling for what you want to know about the person and when you judge their answers and elaborations. After all you are experienced. Aren’t you?
• Realize that all people are unique. Do not use one template for all your staff. Use your skills to determine how to get the best out of your employees.
• Think about how a potential employee will perceive your company and yourself during and after the interview. No matter if the person will get a job offer or not. He or she will talk about you and your company with others no matter what…
• One day, it could be you looking for a job. The door opens up and into the room comes… the person you interviewed a long time ago when he or she applied for a job, when you were the boss, and who did not get the job. You’re facing your boss to be…. Let’s hope you made a good impression back then…

After all it’s quite simple. Be nice and be yourself…

A very good reason to have a "Fikapaus" (Coffee break)

  

 

The Swedes...

 As a Swede I'm well aware of the possitive effects a coffee break have on cooperation and hierarchies. Try to reach anyone in an office in Sweden around 0900 or 1500, almost impossible.... But you will benefit from the positive effects of the "Fikapaus" once you get in touch...

The idea is of course that both employees and managers participate and the presumption is an open atmosphere. Otherwise it will be very, very quiet...

Some might say: "No time for that" but the "Fikapaus" will save you time and generate business in the long run. Sitting at your desk all alone with your coffeee mug will not generate great ideas...

The following article was created by betterbusiness.tele2.se

 It's been tested and confirmed...

According to a new study from Linköping University in Sweden coffee breaks have more positive benefits than just relaxation. Viveka Adelswärd, communications professor at Linköping University, believes that coffee breaks makes us creative and increase the "us and we" in our daily work.

-During coffee breaks we'll meet during informal circumstances and hierarchies are broken, while we exchange information. Common coffee breaks are also important for the workplace, according to Viveka Adelswärd. It gives us a break from work while employees and employers get a lot in return.

 

- Joint coffee breaks are important to a workplace, it has been proved by business economists. They provide a break in the job and both employees and employers benefits. During the coffee break, we often talk about the work and get to know what is going on in the organization.

Open up...

-We are probing each other and allows us a bit of privacy, which can create an understanding of colleagues who are facing difficulties and we can support accordingly, says Adelswärd to Liu's website.

Frequent discussions about the work and what is going on within the organization are common during coffee breaks.

- We meet in informal circumstances, exchange information and comments on what is happening. During the coffee break hierarchies are broken and we are having coffee together regardless of power or position. said Adelswärd.

Try it, you might become dependent...

600 words about making money...

...and how to lose momentum...

It's quite simple actually…

A company is founded to provide a service or a product with the aim to, hopefully pretty soon, generate a profit.

The business is on track!. Appreciated by its client for motivated and talented co-workers. Solid experience from various industries. Creativity and solutions out of the ordinary. Decisions are swift and ideas are tested. Quite simple…

Some ideas are not for now...
 Some ideas do not leave the drawing table. Simply because they do not fit right now. But let’s keep them. Who knows what the future might bring ...

New customers and profits soars. Reinforcements join ranks attracted by the success story and the opportunity to express creativity.

Business is growing. It's time to find a CEO. A CEO with extensive experience in the same industry steps in. The new CEO hires a Sales Manager, HR manager, Creativity Director and a Product Manager.

Managers who used to work with the CEO in the same industry. It is, after all, a matter of having people around being loyal...

Be loyal!
It’s a great spirit in the management team. You can really touch the optimism. New line managers are hired. Trusted by management.

Now things start to happen. Working groups are set up to run different projects. The Creativity Director decides to formalize the creativity process. Regular creativity meetings are scheduled. For management...

Employee engagement is there, still… After all, engagement and creativity is the trade mark of the company. But from now on ideas are submitted to line managers deciding which ideas to be presented to the Creativity Director.

Fear & Excuses
The Creativity Director is impressed with the creativity. Impressed enough to feel threatened.

Creative ideas vanish to, poorly disguised, pop up after a couple of months as an idea of a manager. Been there, seen that...

 “The creative ones” are told to devote to the job. Only to be creative, if invited, to the creativity meetings every week. Of course following a strict agenda.

It's hard to be creative on demand. Quite simple…

Employees are losing their mojo. Not being able to do their best for the clients they leave the company. Bringing some of the clients with them.

"Sure, we notice people are leaving, but the ones leaving are not thinking like management". "In addition, they argue and question too much". "We do not have time to listen"

We’ve all seen them. The good and the bad managers. The worst managers are the scared ones. Scared of losing face. The best ones are the ones who couldn’t care less who gets the credit for bringing and developing business.

Management meetings in a new style...
Employees are passionate about their jobs when they are appreciated and feel like a part of something bigger. The recipe for creating this work place is pretty obvious. Skip murky hierarchies, unsound structures and egos and start talking to each other.

You are probably familiar with the phrase “Know your client” But what about “Know your employees.."? What is the passion of your employees? 

You do want your employees to be brilliant and awesome! Don't you?

• Let employees participate in management meetings. If that’s too scary…

• …let them set the agenda for the management meeting. I can assure you it will be a different meeting with entirely different issues to discuss ...

The most important question a CEO should ask the HR manager is: How do we create an organization where the passion of our employees is promoted and egos is discarded?

Quite simple…

Patrik Österblad
The Pitch Factory.lu