The World According to Shane

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If culture is everything, why is it that most organisations don’t have a culture document, statement or map?
The world according to Shane - Whether its at home, or at work, never under estimate the impact the smallest things are having on creating the warmest memories.
Connect with me - I love to chat!
Check out my other blogs at www.shaneridley.com.au
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Call me on 07 4659 9300
As usual, the job seeker says something like "I'm applying for everything and I'll do anything, I just need a job".
First some background. 2 days ago, the Treasurer announced a policy change to the option of just nominating an amount of personal KM's travelled in a company car to reduce the FBT paid.
Ross hits on many good points regarding the recent announcement from Ford Australia, regarding the closure of it Geelong car plant and the government response. Past and present, and I couldn't agree more.
A pretty harsh statement one might think. After all, our staff are our biggest assets aren't they?
The World According to Shane - You can’t grow a business if you are constantly playing catch up with the team. Even the great Henry Ford found this to be true. What can you do to create a $5 day moment in your workforce and maybe, just maybe, become the next Henry Ford
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LinkedIn: Shane Ridley (Toowoomba, Au)
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Source and Credit:
This story, including the facts come from Verne Harnish’s new book The Greatest Business Decisions of all time, which outlines 18 great business decisions, including Apple returning Steve Jobs as CEO and Boeing's bet on the 707. The book is available for purchase online at Amazon.com. and I highly recommend it.
Look at Apple Inc for example the worlds biggest company. Most of their manufacturing is now done offshore. No big factories filled with plant on their balance sheets. The value is in the intangible. In their ability to launch the next iPad, or whatever.
Companies have of recent times been buying other companies to access these patents and technology and to increase their stock of “Intangible assets”. Recent examples include the likes of Google buying loss making, and market share loosing Motorola for $12.5b - mostly to access their technology, patents and designs.
There is something special about the Entrepreneur, and whilst I knew what it was in my heart, I couldn’t find a way to say it out loud.
IT Industry - YOU HAVE IT WRONG - Software plus Service does not mean what you think it means.
Media Release - For Immediate Release
The number one thing I am hearing from clients lately regarding their training and in particular their safety training is “Its currently in review”. That in itself is a good thing right, we should continually be reviewing our training and ensuring we’re delivering the most appropriate and up to date information to our staff and visitors.
Dear Mr Newman,
There's an interesting thought I've been having centred around the following statement:
People don't leave jobs, they leave managers.
With all the noise at the moment about a skills shortage, labour shortage and people shortage, and everyone experiencing the mining, resource and energy sector getting all the good workers, my though was are we focusing on the right areas to make a difference here?
We've been involved with a lot of employers and industry groups over the past few months, as well as a few NGO's and other enterprises that have been set up to address these issues. What surprises me is that everyone is looking at more recruitment, more advertising, more training and more money.
Obviously this is probably whats required at a sector level, but I don't think its the full answer, particularly when you get down your business level. I struggle to believe there are "that many more people" out there to fill the jobs, regardless of how much we invest in recruitment and training (not without reviewing our immigration policy anyway).
The fact of the matter is people generally don't leave jobs, they leave people. Its about the experience of the job, not the money or training that will drive their likely ongoing employment and certainly their engagement. More engaged people are less likely to leave, regardless of how much money is on offer by another competitor.
This is not just my view, but a direct finding by the Gallup organisation after 100's of focus groups and 1000's of interviews with employee across a range of sectors.
So if this is the case, my hypothesis is this:
We could fix the skills shortage (in our business at least), by becoming better leaders of people.
I believe 10 of the 12 questions in Gallops Employee Engagement survey are directly influenced by an employees direct manager, regardless of sector, role, skill level and budget constraints.
So if this is true, its leadership and engagement that will overcome (our businesses) skills shortage, not recruitment and training.
We are spending a fortune (or several fortunes perhaps) on training people with hard skills like trades qualifications, and yet I see almost nothing being spent upstream on the supervisory and management team to make them better leaders. Sure some companies are, but by and large the most are not.
Add to this the fact that in a lot of cases the people left to manage the team are the people who have been there the longest, not necessarily the most experienced or qualified and you have all the makings of a disengaged workforce.
Add to this the significant resources being spent by your competition (either for business or talent) telling your employees how much better off they would be working from them and you have all the makings of a labour shortage in your own environment.
Personally I believe in an abundance mentality. Whilst the energy sector boom is going to require however many people it requires, your business in only going to require a minuscule percentage of that. Even if you are growing at a rapid rate. So forget the press and focus on your team.
There are more than enough suitably skilled people available to fill all your roles. They're just already working for your competition. You just need to create an environment that promotes engagement. And thats done through genuine leadership.
Becoming an employer of choice is an over used cliche these days. Nearly every employer I meet with tells me they are and yet hardly any have a grasp of what it really means. (One manager recently spent 15 mins telling me how great his company was and how they were an EoC, then 20 mins later asked me to find him a new job???)
If your too busy fighting off crocodiles to drain the swamp, it might just be time to review your situation and see what you are doing to create an engaged workforce, (Tip: Its not about how much you pay). Gallups questions are a great place to start.
The World According to Shane: Becoming a "leader of choice" is the new frontier. Master leadership and you'll fix any skills shortage, maybe not in the entire sector, but certainly in your enterprise - and thats all that really counts right.
Shane Ridley
This morning I was lucky enough to be invited on a private ride morning with my local bike shop. As a hack mountain bike rider I’m in the market for a new ride and Sandy from iRide in Toowoomba offered to let me and some mates trial a range of new bikes prior to my purchase.
...I attended a workshop today that was promoted on the basis of “Managing Staff during Difficult Times”. In Toowoomba (where I live) we've had a few challenges recently, most notably was the flooding in January and on top of the GFC, its having some serious impact on the local business community.
...I came across this note today, that I received from a friend of mine, Jack Daly, a Sales and Culture Coach from the US exactly 3 years ago this week. Its an extract from an interview with Jeff Immelt, the CEO of GE in 2007 about people. There were 3 quick points about people that resonated then I included them in our monthly newsletter), and still resonate today, so I thought I would share.
...Have you ever stopped to notice how infrequently people use your name to address you; or how your ears prick, when someone does?
...