Rightpoint

Digital Consultancy, Technology Sector.
Chief of Staff to CEO working with Executive Leadership Team and Senior Leaders to drive the growth and change agenda. This involved reviewing governance structures, driving CEO agenda and priorities, working with COO and CFO to deliver desired outcomes across a growing and dynamic organisation.

Chief Of Staff

HSBC

In the COO Strategy & Planning role, my key responsibilities included the following:
- Defined the COO strategy and priorities, including rightsizing and offshoring, finance transformation, vendor transformation, culture and ways of working, and team development for a team of 1,200.
- Member of the COO Leadership team providing input into the Executive Committee.
- Reviewed Governance papers.
- Led change in operating model, managed the Operations Committee, working with 7 Regional COOs.
- Managed financials for the COO function and provide challenge.
- Managed key people processes including resourcing, performance management, succession planning, engagement, communications and providing real time solutions to issues .
- Supported HR Chief of Staff with HR Operating Model and annual strategic priorities.
- Managed COO strategic plan deliverables chaired committee on headcount and space, produced governance submissions.
- Trusted advisor to COO leadership team and employees, providing career advice, mentoring and guidance across a wide range of issues.
- Dealt with people issues as they arose.
- Liaised and partnered with other functions across the Group (eg Corporate Real Estate, Communications, Finance, Business areas), and within HR (Transformation, Learning, Reward, Employee Relations, Data & Reporting).

In working on COO and simultaneously Chief of Staff Projects, I:
- Led succession planning of the HR COO and Operations team
- Managed costs and Group requests on budgets and headcount
- Provided solutions to aid team dynamics of virtual team
- Promoted and delivered communication and engagement of local team and COO team globally
- Supported Chief of Staff with restructure, priorities and Group wide deliverables

COO Strategy & Planning & Chief of Staff Projects, Group HR

Helped set up the HR Transformation team required to deliver the worlds largest deployment of SAP SuccessFactors as a 'big bang' implementation and the largest achieved in Financial Services. 
This was a complex, dynamic programme and involved a myriad of activities and a large team with very different skills, backgrounds and styles of working.
- The Transformation was a 3 year programme that simplified people processes across the entire HR service catalogue covering 15 processes to support 35,000 line managers in HSBC and the 230,000 employees and 55,000 contract/consultant staff, reducing the time taken to perform people management activities.
- My role was to work with the Head of HR Transformation as her right hand person on all matters, and as a member of the programmes Management team.
- I joined the programme as it was being set up, and led on resourcing the programme team of approx 400 staff covering 66 countries in which the HSBC Group operates, setting up governance and key roles, embedding strong control on costs
- Built strong relationships with the programme team, worked collaboratively with the consultancy partners, and IT provider.
- I was pivotal in building trust and engagement with the programme team, acting as a sounding board to resolve issues, and was able to translate technical jargon into simple language 
- Dealt with all people related issues, team dynamics and team building events, refreshing the format of how the team worked over the 3 years
- Restructured the 'business as usual' transformation function, reviewing the model and skill sets required. 
- Reduced the headcount by 20% as a result of the programme cutting costs to pay for the improvement in services and streamlining approval processes.
- Solved problems as they arose, ensured programme was on track and people were supported as needed, escalated issues where further support was required.

Head Of Business Management & Chief of Staff, HR Transformation

Worked with the GBM business and HR Heads to define a People Strategy to address business issues such as lack of gender diversity, mobility, the role of senior leadership, sponsorship and mentoring. Specifically:
- Defining and driving the People Strategy for the investment bank of 26,000 people managing the People Committee attended by Business Heads globally, the Head HR GBM, and Learning Head.
-Leading the development of mentoring and sponsorship programmes covering teams in Asia, Europe, MENAT, US and LAM.
- Designing career development events and short term mobility programmes to enable talent to move across teams globally and develop wider skills.
- Managing senior leader development programmes and future succession of business leaders.
- Driving delivery of Group requests on investment banks operating model, performance of senior leaders.
- Leading a review of HR Transformation project with a view to considering HR activity and any streamlining and design of future model.
- Driving cost reviews and global people surveys
- Managing resource programmes across businesses, including succession planning.
- Coaching and mentoring individuals in the business and in HR.

People Strategy & Projects, Global Banking & Markets HR

- Managed people initiatives for the GBM business.
- As COO, managed financials, headcount (26,000) and risk priorities.
- Worked with the business on their future organisation structure.
- Developed employee communications, provided guidance to leadership teams on resource mix
- Led review of Organisational Effectiveness programme for GBM, which included review of leadership roles, model, spans of reporting, double hatting of roles, global coverage etc.
- Developed an Ethics programme to support desired conduct outcomes for the business. 
- Review committee and governance papers for the Head HR.

Global Project Manager & COO,  Global Banking & Markets HR

KPMG

Following initially joining KPMG as an audit manager, I moved into a newly created role as Career Development and Resourcing Manager, and then into a Chief of Staff and Business Management role for the last 6 years or so. 

This Chief of Staff and Business Management role involved:
- Business Management: Managing an audit practice of 800 headcount with a budget of £100m.
- People Strategy: Developing people programmes to address retention issues, and to enable good people management
- People Management: Leading and managing the back office team and related functions, including Finance, Learning, Governance, and working with HR on resourcing and people related issues
- Resource Management: Developing a resource strategy and implementing programmes to hire qualified accountants from Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa. Directly involved in hiring in those sites
- Talent Management: Driving Talent Development programmes, graduate recruitment and people plans 
- Governance: Review of Committee papers
- Process Improvement: Review and amendment to internal processes 
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Mentoring a head teacher, reading with school children in East London, created an employee networking society.

As Career Development and Resourcing Manager:
- Managing resource deployment to audit teams
- Providing career coaching to individuals
- Creating mobility of staff across sectors
- Creating a mentoring programme to allow greater connection between audit managers and audit staff 
- Provided solutions to issues with recruitment process
- Improved internal processes which were not fit for purpose, or had not been reviewed for many years

Audit Manager, Financial Services
- In this role I managed a variety of audits in the financial sector, including insurance and pension clients
- This involved managing audit teams and creating good relationships with clients
- Provided coaching and support to new joiners

Chief of Staff to FS Practice Head, People & Business Management

I have experience in the Technology, Banking & Professional Services sector in Chief of Staff, People Strategy, Change & Transformation, Business Management, and COO Strategy & Planning roles including blends of these roles. 
I have a varied and hybrid skill set having worked with CEOs, COOs, Heads of Transformation, Heads of Strategy, Chief People Officers, CFOs, and Business Heads amongst others. The roles i've worked in have usually been new and blended as I bring something different to the table. 

I'm trusted, commercial, professional, solution focussed, pragmatic, fair and balanced, and these attributes allow me to work comfortably with a wide range of diverse stakeholders.

I have high emotional intelligence, low ego and am strong on empathy. This enables me to work well in 'glue' roles as I can see both sides and therefore have an ability to bring people/teams together and facilitate teamwork by acting in the overall interest.

I'm good at translating technical matters into simple language which can also help bring different parties together.

Stakeholder feedback is as follows:
- I have excellent listening skills, am intuitive, read the room, and see beyond what is said. I am able to maintain independence;
- I am great at bridging communication gaps, demonstrate commercial thought leadership, have well rounded and holistic knowledge, challenge effectively and have strong decision making skills;
- I am seen as collaborative, a team player, reliable, a great sounding board, proactive, supportive and solution focussed;
- I am personable, trusted and approachable

I am experienced leader who influences and builds trusted relationships.

I'm passionate about people strategy and developing a culture that brings out the best in people, retaining a commercial lens. 

I have significant experience of coaching, mentoring and leading teams and am passionate about helping people develop and reach their full potential, supporting their growth and confidence in achieving their career plans.

I have 11 years of experience in the Financial Services Banking industry (HSBC Bank PLC), and 15 years in Professional Services (of which 10 years were at KPMG PLC):

The areas i have worked in include:
- People Strategy and Projects
- People Management, including resourcing, talent programmes, retention strategy
- Chief of Staff roles 
- Strategy & Planning
- Business Management
- Transformation
- Function Management

It’s about persuasion and being reasonable, not telling …

Influence is a skill, and it’s really useful in situations where there is no direct reporting line relationship, or no formal authority.

It explains the ability to work with an array of people and shape the outcome. I’ve used this skill a lot over 25 years or so, and I like how you can flex it according to who you are working with, whether its clients, your own team, peers, C suite, leaders, colleagues, anyone.

It works best when you understand that building relationships is a key part of influence.

Influence allows you to: 

Discuss
Engage
Persuade
Brainstorm 
Collaborate
Understand
Build relationships.

I think it can be an underestimated skill, and sometimes misunderstood, but i’ve found it to be hugely useful throughout my career.


What do you think about Influence?

#leaders #influence #people #team #career 

Baljit Kaur 

What do you expect from a leader, in order to experience a good working environment?

As leaders, people look to you for vision, purpose and direction. People are also looking at the way you lead, and the environment you create. The culture of the organisation matters.

Some of the great environments I’ve worked in have been successful because the leader, and leadership team, have demonstrated the following fairly obvious traits: 

Smiling
Being inclusive 
Being open minded
Being approachable
Treating people equally
Showing an interest in people
Demonstrating good body language.

It’s not something all leaders do, we’ve all known leaders who didn’t operate in this way … and you do remember the good vs bad, as the difference feels so stark, even on these small things.

What signs do you look for in a great environment?

#leadership #environment #culture #people 

LinkedIn can sometimes feel like a playground…

Cliques, alliances and friendship groups exist, but it’s up to you to build the relationships.

There is no automatic transfer of followers, or people that will like you, just because you have a relationship with another author/creator. 


Why can it feel like a playground?

You see all sort of personalities and behaviours here, and mostly they are fine and don't get in your way. Sometimes things can irk you, but at least you can scroll on by.

Some of the characters we see include people who are:

Shy
Kind
Cool
Edgy
Funny
Artistic 
Popular
Creative
Genuine
Sensible
Focused 
Strategic
Inauthentic
Self absorbed

In terms of behaviours, we see are people who:

1. Create a persona
2. Stick to their crew
3. Are nice to everyone
4. Are attention seeking
5. Want to share knowledge
6. Pretend they’re something they’re not.


You can make amazing friends in the playground, but people can also move on and leave, and then your playground feels a bit different.

LinkedIn have their own teachers and school monitors, keeping their eye on the playground too. You’ll know this if you’ve had comments removed or faced any kind of ban :o)


What do you think, is this just what my playground feels like?

#linkedin #people #connections #friendships 

The link between Culture, Leadership and Wellbeing…
 
1. Culture
 
Culture is your everyday.
 
Every interaction, every conversation, the environment. All these things have an impact on how you feel.
 
2. Leadership
 
Leaders play a key role in Culture.
 
Leaders set the tone, they lead by example, they role model the behaviours that are deemed acceptable.
 
Their interactions impact others, and how they feel. They help create the environment.
  
*The combination of Culture and Leadership are therefore fundamental and intrinsic to how an individual feels, and to their wellbeing...*
 
3. Wellbeing
 
Wellbeing in its most basic form is about feeling good and functioning well.

It is a combination of a person's physical, mental, emotional and social health.

Wellbeing is how you feel about yourself and your life. It is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction.

Given how much of your time is spent at work, this matters.

4. Potential and Performance

Ultimately, the reason this matters, and should matter to any employer, is because how people feel impacts their potential, their performance and overall organisational performance. To enable all to thrive, the conditions need to be optimal.
 
 
Little things, like how you communicate with your people, whether you care, show an interest, make time for them, actively listen to them…these impact people’s job satisfaction, morale, and ability to perform well.
 

Do you think Culture and Leadership directly impact Wellbeing?
 

#leadership #culture #people #environment #wellbeing 

Scrolling prompted this post …

We often say 'scroll on if you don’t like it', but it’s sometimes important to watch and read what is happening on the platform, even if you don’t want to engage. You can then scroll on by, being slightly better informed.


The word 'authenticity' is used a lot on here, and it’s a very personal thing.

What is sometimes surprising, and disappointing though, is when people say they are the only ones that can make you feel good, or help you. 

The only ones. 

No one else does it.

I just don’t think that can be true on a platform this large.

Everyone can make up their own minds, but I think it’s slightly disingenuous to not just imply it, but to actually say this … out loud.

My own view is that actions speak, and they speak loudly. 

I believe those who really are authentic, kind, and genuine, never need to say it.

You can see it and feel it.

But that’s just me …


What’s your perspective here?

#authenticity #people #linkedin

Do empathy and compassion really matter?

This is a topic we can always learn more about. Let's start with their meaning …

1. Empathy
The ability to understand, and share, the feelings of others, including what they may be thinking and feeling.

2. Compassion
The literal meaning is to ‘suffer together’. The ability to show sympathy and concern for another’s feelings or situation, and a willingness to help.

3. How do they go together?
Compassion can be seen as the emotional response to empathy, i.e. having empathy allows you to show compassion. 


Empathy and compassion are important in a leader because they demonstrate that the leader:

Cares
Understands
Is interested
Is supportive
Acknowledges your feelings.

When a leader lacks these qualities, you can really feel it. I believe they are really important traits in a good leader, a leader you want to work with, and one you enjoy working with.


What do you think, do empathy and compassion matter in a leader?

#empathy #compassion #leader #support 

How do you move on from a setback?

Everyone has them.

Many people here on LinkedIn will be striving for something, to build something, to find a new career path or job, to discover what passion they want to follow, to grow their business…

None of this will be easy.

Everyone will have good days and bad days.

Challenges are a part of growing as an individual.

Maintaining focus and motivation can be really hard.

At times like this, as well as family support, your friends and connections can be a key source of strength.

Sometimes you just need to share how you feel. An independent perspective can make you see things differently, even if it doesn’t solve the problem immediately.


What do you do when you face a setback? 

#setbacks #support #connections #motivation #linkedin 

In today’s collaboration, Nick Smethurst and I explore a leaders role in wellbeing, and in making employees feel valued.


The way that..
a leader acts, 
what they say, 
how they behave, and 
how they engage with their people...

...has a direct impact on the culture of the organisation. And most importantly, it sets the tone for others. 

The culture impacts how employees feel.

1. How we feel

One of the main factors that impacts our wellbeing is how we feel. 

And what impacts how we feel? 
Many things do, but one of the key factors that impacts how we feel, is our human connection, and our interaction with other people.

Whilst our interactions with all people are important, in the workplace, the reason that the interaction with a leader is a little different, is because there can be an imbalance of power. 

This is not necessarily a bad thing. When you work with great leaders, their power can often help you, support you, and protect you. The issues can arise where you may come across leaders who use this power in ways that do not benefit the greater good nor you.

2. What can leaders do to make you feel valued?

There are a number of things people want from their leader, including: 

Support 
Challenge
Empowerment
Open communication 
Opportunities for growth
Compassion and respect 
Honest and transparent feedback.

There are 2 other things that can make a huge difference to how a person feels: 

- Kindness 
- Gratitude

These are exceptionally powerful tools for any leader and they are no brainers because they are quick, easy, and free to implement … at any time. And ideally, all the time.

Sometimes, they can be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of everyday. They aren’t usually intentionally overlooked. But reminders on this are always useful when you consider the significant impact they can have.

3. Kindness

This is about:
-Being generous and considerate 
-Paying attention to your wellbeing

What a leader can do, examples:

Show support
Give time to someone
Offer emotional support
Provide encouragement.

4. Gratitude 

This is :
-A positive emotion 
-A sense of appreciation and thankfulness …often for another’s kindness

What a leader can do, examples:

Saying thank you
Take people out for coffee 
Public praise to an individual or team. 

5. Why this matters

The reason this matters is because ultimately, organisational health and results are impacted by employee health, and by this we mean by employee mental health and wellbeing.  These impact productivity and performance.


When people remember the great leaders they have worked for, it's often these things (which can sound really basic and obvious), that are referenced. 

Care, humility, listening and providing opportunities for career progression. These matter.


We’d love to hear your thoughts.

#leaders #wellbeing #mentalhealth #thankyou #culture 


Does integrity really matter?

We often say integrity is one of the core traits of a good leader, and in any person generally.

But what does it really mean?

1. Definition:
The quality of being honest AND having strong moral principles

2. Moral principles:
= doing the right thing …even when no one is watching 

3. Generally integrity is demonstrated by being:

Reliable
Open and honest
True to your word
Open to taking personal responsibility 
Dependable, doing what you say you will do
Respectful, not talking about people behind their back.


You can therefore assess whether someone has integrity, it’s not just something people can say, it can be evidenced.

Integrity matters in the workplace, and in any relationship in life.

Do you agree, and what am I missing?

#people #integrity #leader 

My 5th interview is with Alex B Sheridan. Alex makes entertaining video content ...


I connected with Alex about 4 months ago, after seeing his videos. They felt different because he included business characters in them, and … they were funny. So I started to comment on a few posts and soon found that Alex appreciated me showing up, even though I wasn’t directly working in his field of expertise. 

This really stands out and makes a difference ... making connections who don't only engage with you because you are in their field, but who see you for who you are. That's something all my connections have in common, and especially the 16 in this interview series.

Alex is now someone who I try to comment on without fail, and who I will say hello to in person one day…when I visit one of my close friends in Chicago :o)


Here is my interview with Alex...


🔶SECTION 1: Your Career🔶
 

1️⃣. What are you passionate about in your work?
 
🔸” Creating video content that pushes the creative boundaries and becoming a better leader to grow our team”.
 

2️⃣. What is the best lesson you have learnt during your career to date?
 
🔸”That if you want to go fast, go by yourself, if you want to go far, go with a team! That and the importance of recurring and predictable revenue is absolutely critical to a business”.

 
3️⃣. Are there any current projects or forthcoming activity that you’d like to share?
 
🔸”We have some exciting new animation projects we are working on now for an insurance company. They are product based videos where we take a script and bring it to life :) “.

 
♦️SECTION 2: You and Life♦️
 

4️⃣. Who have been your greatest role models?
 
🔺”I had some pretty good leaders at my previous job that helped me become a better businessman and leader. One of the best pieces of advice they gave me:

 ‘When you remember your purpose, you’ll forget your fears’ “.


5️⃣. What do you like to do when not working?
 
🔺”Hang with my kiddos, go out to eat, stay active outside at the parks”.


6️⃣. Where in the world would you like to visit?
 
🔺”As I type this I am on a flight to the Philippines to see my team. This was my number 1. Second, I’d love to go to Japan and Switzerland”.
 
 
🔷SECTION 3: You and LinkedIn🔷
 

7️⃣. What is your purpose for being on LinkedIn?
 
🔹”To build trust and attract my dream customers. I also love the fact that in the process of educating, edutaining, and inspiring through content, I get to make a ton of positive impacts on others!”.


8️⃣. What advice would you give to anyone newly starting out on LinkedIn?
 
🔹”Know WHO you want to impact and stay focused on truly serving them. Let your creative be unleashed in the process too. Have some fun with it!”

 
9️⃣. Why did you agree to the Q&A?
 
🔹”Because you’re one of the best commenters on LinkedIn and I love helping others any way I can :) “.

 
I hope you enjoyed this interview with Alex. Always great to hear your comments.

 #linkedin #connections #career

Not only may your culture not be what you say it is…

…you can have sub-cultures that bear no resemblance to what your culture purports to be.


An organisation can communicate its culture, and what it is meant to be. Normally it will be about creating an open environment where everyone can bring their full self to work.

We all know culture is dependent on people, the everyday interactions, and that leaders set the tone here.

But, we often forget that just because your organisation has an overall culture that your CEO may believe in and states as fact, every individual leader impacts how this is actually implemented down on the ground, and every day. And it may actually not be what it's meant to be.

Often, the great and good leaders create the open and positive environment that leads to the culture that people want to work in.

But..

…where you have a poor leader, the culture can feel very different. It will not align to what it is purported to be. If the leader:

-has biases
-judges people
-does not listen
-is focussed on self interest
-does not provide opportunity
-does not care about their people
-does not communicate effectively..

 .. then this will reflect in the culture, which will be really poor and it will make a mockery of the stated organisation culture.


What do you think, do sub-cultures exist and do they matter?

#leaders #culture #environment #people #ceo 

One of the commonalities that was a key driver for my collaboration with Nick Smethurst, was our genuine interest in People, how they feel, and how they are able to thrive at work.

Our third collaboration post goes to the heart of this. It’s about the thread that links Culture, Leadership and Wellbeing. And that thread is Engagement...


Getting Engagement right matters, not only for existing employees, but to ensure that they remain with you. Given the number of current job losses in the market, employee morale and engagement is likely to be significantly impacted, as these continual changes create a lot of uncertainty. 

Engagement is impacted by what the organisation offers in terms of career opportunities, learning and development, in addition to relations with line managers and the organisations culture. People want to work in environments that are positive, diverse and have an inclusive culture, where there is a feeling of belonging and purpose. 

But, what is Engagement itself all about?


1. What Engagement means

The dictionary definition of Engagement is the activity of ‘being engaged’. In essence, in relation to the the workplace, it is about ‘being interested’, and being involved. An engaged workforce will buy into the agenda and priorities of the organisation. So, 

- If you want your business to perform better, you will benefit from an engaged workforce 
- If you want an engaged workforce, make sure they understand and feel included in what the business is doing.

People work better when they know what the goal is, when they feel involved, and are clear on their contribution in getting there.


2. What Engagement means for an individual

For an individual, engagement is about:

- being involved
- being seen and heard
- harnessing their attention 
- belonging and feeling like you matter.


3.The role of Leadership 

Leaders have a critical role to play here. How they communicate and engage matters because:

- People do not naturally listen to others
- There has to be a reason for an individual to engage with another
- People have to want to listen because of what is being said, or the way in which it is being said.


4. How you Engage

Considering how you engage is important. Are you getting people’s attention, do you even notice this? 

To engage and get your people’s attention, consider the following:

- Tell a story 
- Involve people
- Make the topic interesting
- Share something they relate to 
- Demonstrate that you know what motivates them or what they’re about as a person 
- Let them ask questions! Communication is 2-way, showing you are willing to listen matters.


A key measure for any organisation should be their employee engagement; engagement in their actual work, in the organisation, in its direction, and in its purpose. 


Do you think Engagement is important for organisations to consider?

#culture #leaders #wellbeing #employeeengagement #people 

A CEOs role is difficult & vast, with many things to stay on top of: Financials, Strategy, Stakeholders, Clients, Growth, People, Regulations, Risk Management, & Reputation, to name but a few.

Reflection time is important, to consider what you want to be known for, both now & your future legacy.

Todays CEO Reflection is about the things a CEO may want to spend time considering in terms of their own role.


1. What you want to be known for day to day.

The CEO is who people think of when they consider what the organisation stands for. 

What do you want to be known for in relation to personal traits, purpose, vision, values, impact on the organisation?

2. How you want to communicate.

Do you want to be known for being approachable with an ‘open door’ policy, or do you want to focus on your leadership team & external stakeholders?

With your direct reports:
-do you prefer ad hoc calls or formal meetings?
-who do you need to meet with daily?

With your people do you:
-prefer in person, or regular newsletters & town halls?
-want your leadership team to run with comms?

3. How you want to work.

Do you want to:
-work with people in person
-visit various offices
-prefer VCs or 
-want people to reach out when work is in a presentable state?

4. Who you want to engage with regularly.

Relationships:
-which leaders/people do you want to see daily or weekly?
-what about stakeholders, external or group companies.
-regular governance will be scheduled, but what about other relationships that need to be cultivated or nurtured.

5. How you want to hear from your people.

Do you want:
-an open line of communication? 
-people to go through formal channels?
-to regularly meet your people & hear direct?

6. How you want to hold people accountable.

This is key & sets the tone & expectations of how people operate & behave.

-do you want to review metrics quarterly, weekly, fortnightly?
-do you want the COO or Chief of Staff to manage this?
-how you will make responsibilities clear?
-what will you do if expectations aren’t met?
-how will you handle difficult conversations?

7. How you want it to feel working in your organisation. 

How do you want your culture to feel?
How will you measure your leaders on this?
Do you want people to advocate for your organisation?

8. What you want people to say about your leadership team. 

This is critical. The CEO sets the tone & expectation of their leaders.

Your leaders set the tone for what is expected of everyone.

9. Do you want a social media presence?

This links to your brand & reputation.
It can help attract the right candidates.
It's also important to attract clients & to compete effectively. 

10. What you want your legacy to be. 

Do you want it to be about Growth? People? Culture? Turning the organisation around?


People remember the CEOs they worked for, & how their experience felt during their tenure.

One to ponder: 
What kind of CEO do you want to be...


Monte Pedersen

 #ceo #leadership #legacy #strategy 

World Wildlife Day 3rd March... 

This is a United Nations International day to celebrate all the world's wild animals and plants, and the contribution that they make to our lives and the health of the planet.

This year, the theme is “Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation”.

Conservation matters given how many species are becoming extinct.


We all talk about being outdoors, the benefits of slowing down, and of how important nature is to our wellbeing.

There are various ways we can, and do, support our passions and interests, and some are in the realm of wildlife. I support adopting species such as Tigers and Elephants via the World Wildlife Fund, given there are so few left in the wild (4,500 tigers in the wild per WWF).

This post is to raise awareness on what I believe has important implications for future generations.

I'm tagging some other posts i've seen today which show the stark image of what the future could look like...

Question: What’s your favourite aspect of nature or wildlife?

#wellbeing #conservation #future 

How do you make up your mind about someone?

By this I mean, how do you decide:

1. Whether they are genuine?
2. What their motives and intent are?

This is relevant in work, life, and even here on LinkedIn.

It's important to note that motives are not always a bad thing, most people have them. A motive is your ‘reason for doing something’, so with people, it’s your reason for engaging with someone. 

Motives can relate to:
1. Brand
2. Financial
3. Reputation
4. Personal interest 

What do these mean?
1. Brand: someone may want to utilise your brand, your image
2. Financial: they may want to make money from you in some way
3. Reputation: you may have a strong reputation in a certain area and the association can add to anothers credibility
4. Personal interest: maybe its as simple as friendship.

We may subconsciously be making these assessments even if we don't do it via a checklist. For me, it’s about actions and behaviours, not just words. 

Its usually good to assume positive intent, as motives can be completely harmless. I often go with my gut …

What do you think, is motive something you think about?


#people #behaviours #linkedin #work 

Travel, the Arts, and People…

… this is what inspires me.

I was thinking of favourite places i’ve visited, in terms of meaning or inspiration, and this is what I came up with.

Favourite…

1. Theatre: 
Marinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia 

2. Volcano: 
Mount Vesuvius, Italy 

3. Natural site: 
Machu Pichu, Peru 

4. Waterfall: 
Iguazu falls, Argentina 

5. Natural wonder: 
Great Barrier Reef, Australia 

6. Wildlife location: 
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador 

7. Site of historical significance: 
Anne Frank’s house, Amsterdam, Netherlands

8. Sports stadium: 
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain 

9. Religious sites: 
Golden Temple India, Sagrada Familia Barcelona, The Blue Mosque Istanbul

10. Science related place: 
Kennedy Space Centre, Florida


Where do you get your inspiration?

 #travel #people #inspiration

How do you handle this in the workplace?

I’m selecting this topic as its interesting, we’ve all probably come across personalities such as this, and its useful to consider how to engage, especially at work.

It's also made me realise that there are enough traits that we have as people, to do this as a Tuesday series; I’ve covered Influence and Empathy & Compassion so far, this the 3rd…


1. Understanding

I think the first thing to do is always to try to understand the person and what is driving them. This usually gives you a better perspective in considering how you will engage. This applies to any person you meet and need to work with.

2. Definition

There are many definitions, I’ve selected 2 quotes below:

“Underneath the so-called narcissistic personality is definitely shame and the paralyzing fear of being ordinary.”  - Brené Brown

”A narcissist is someone who has a grandiose sense of self-importance, harbors obsessive fantasies of unbounded glory, feels rage or intense shame when criticized, expects special favors, and lacks empathy.” - Daniel Goleman

3. Traits

The following are often associated with a narcissistic personality:

Lack of empathy 
Lack of boundaries 
Repressed insecurities
Self centred personality 
Excessive preoccupation with oneself.

These personalities exist in life, and so you may come across them in the workplace too.

4. In the workplace: Relationships

Navigating personalities and relationships is a key skill in the workplace, and when you come across this type of personality, it's often really obvious. It's probably one of the most challenging types of person to work with.

In my experience, I’ve found the person can actually also have a friendly side, it's not an individual you need to avoid altogether. It's just useful to be aware of how to engage and communicate with any personality you meet, and have an ability to flex your style...

5. Flex your style

We probably all do this without thinking. There will be times when we are more chatty and engaging, and other times when we need to be in more listening mode, or have no choice due to the strength of personality we are dealing with.

It’s the same here: understand motivations, and focus on a good working relationship. I’ve found flattery can work in this instance, and letting the person do more of the talking. I don’t think you win by being too pushy or taking on any kind of confrontation in this instance.

I’ve managed to work well with this type of person, but being very aware of their motives. I also know that many find them a challenge and I have sometimes stepped in to protect others.


What do you think?

#people #personality #narcissism #relationships 

My seventh interview is with Teddy Mitrosilis...

Teddy is one of the first creators whose posts I saw when I started commenting on LinkedIn back in June of last year. 

The post that caught my eye was one that included a black and white photo of Teddy with his mother in Athens. I love to travel the world, so I was interested in the location, and also to see someone proudly sharing their heritage and family.

There are 2 key messages I always think of when it comes to Teddys posts:

1. Be consistent
2. Learn to enjoy the process, it's not always about the outcome.

These are the probably the 2 most important lessons that I have learnt whilst being on LinkedIn - so I appreciate Teddy, as the second message in particular was really helpful to me personally.


Here is Teddy’s interview…


🔶 SECTION 1: Your Career 🔶
 

1️⃣. What are you passionate about in your work?
 
🔸 ”Helping people share the stories, lessons and insights that have shaped their lives and careers. The impact of this at scale is incredible!”.
 
2️⃣. What is the best lesson you have learnt during your career to date?
 
🔸 ”Be humble and consistent. Humility encourages continuous learning, and consistency compounds your growth”.

3️⃣. Are there any current projects or forthcoming activity that you’d like to share?
 
🔸 ”I love the communities of leaders and writers we're building in The Process and The Daily Creator newsletters. Links are in the Featured section of my profile if you'd like to join us!”.


♦️ SECTION 2: You and Life ♦️
 

4️⃣. Who have been your greatest role models?
 
🔺 ”My Papou (grandfather in Greek). He dropped out of the 4th grade, survived poverty and war, came to America and built a business that put 3 kids through college. I think about him every day”.

5️⃣. What do you like to do when not working?
 
🔺 ”Be a Dad! We have two little girls who we adore”.

6️⃣. Where in the world would you like to visit?
 
🔺 ”Japan - I'm fascinated by the culture”.
 
 
🔷 SECTION 3: You and LinkedIn 🔷

 
7️⃣. What is your purpose for being on LinkedIn?
 
🔹 ”To build relationships, amplify my businesses and have fun”.

8️⃣. What advice would you give to anyone newly starting out on LinkedIn?
 
🔹 ”Be consistent and embrace the process of creating. Building a community is a compound game, and it will change your life over time”.

9️⃣. Why did you agree to the Q&A?
 
🔹 ”Because I deeply appreciate you. Since nearly the beginning, you have been part of my community on LinkedIn. I'm grateful for that and want to support you however I can!”.


I hope you enjoyed this interview with Teddy.

Happy to hear any comments as always.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone :o)

#linkedin #people  #interview 

In today's collaboration, Nick Smethurst & I look at the topic of Mental Health in the workplace.

Mental Health affects people's lives, it doesn’t stop at the front door when you leave home. It often follows through to the workplace, which is why it’s an important part of any organisations People Strategy. 

1. The financial cost & benefit of investing in Mental Health 

Last year Deloitte conducted a study* into the costs of Mental Health in the workplace, one of the findings that stands out is:

- for every £1 spent on Mental Health interventions, the return on investment was £5.

The investment spending includes Mental Health training, additional Mental Health first aiders, or a change in policies; the return on investment is more difficult to assess.
 
2. People benefits 

Benefits that were measured, based on feedback from teams within various businesses, included:
- reduced team turnover
- increased retention 

...all of which can be costed out financially.
  
3. Organisation costs 

Deloitte also found that the costs to businesses of poor Mental Health:
- have increased by 25% in the last 3 years
- are set to double by 2030.

These costs were measured by absence in the workplace through Mental Health issues, mainly work related stress.

This should be of interest to any organisation in terms of potential cost savings.

4. How to talk about Mental Health

Talking about Mental Health is important, but not easy.

The first point to address is the awkwardness that many can find a difficult topic to discuss, possibly because they have no experience in talking about it. But this becomes a vicious cycle the less we talk about it.

Mental Health is still taboo in some circles. Investing in training will help a leader identify early warning signs & give them the tools to be able to do the following:

i)  Recommend professional help if needed  

ii) Talk to people & make them know they're in a safe place to be able to share.
 
5. Training 

Another alarming statistic on Mental Health, from the World Health Organisation, states that 69% of line managers say that:

- supporting employee wellbeing is a core skill, but that 
- only 13% have received Mental Health training.

This shows the significant amount of work to be done in this space. 

Investing in Mental Health training is clearly the right thing to do. From an organisational standpoint, teams in HR & Finance can work to put the right solutions in place, balancing cost & employee benefit.

6. Conclusion 

Organisations often talk about doing the right thing for their business, be that about strategic direction, growth, profitability or clients, but this also needs to extend to their people.

Investing in a Mental Health strategy is the right thing to do, for both the individual & the organisation. If not addressed, businesses will suffer the costs, both financially and increasingly importantly, to their people.

(*stats: Deloitte UK Mental Health 2022 report)

#mentalhealth #wellbeing #leaders 

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