The Performance Culture

15/01/2024

Let’s the business travel begin again! First LNER train trip of the year, with many more to come no doubt! London, Milton Keynes and Bristol this week.
Then back to London again next week

21/07/2022

Work in manufacturing?

- Consistently frustrated by an ineffective or inaccurate production plan?
- Want to teach yourself more about how production planning can drive performance?
- Feel your planning isn't quite right but not sure how to change it?

Then join the MML team for 3 days at the Brandon Hall Hotel, Coventry and learn the fundamentals of production planning.

This internationally renowned course is run only 2-3 times per year on a publicly available basis - and we have a plan to run one 12th-14th September.

The course uses a unique factory simulation, which allows delegates the opportunity to build knowledge and understanding about why so many planning principles can seem counter-intuitive but deliver massive benefits.

If you or a colleague would like to join this course please reach out to me or visit http://ow.ly/Nocf50K16F2

12-14th September, Brandon Hall Hotel, Nr. Coventry.

27/05/2022

200 nights a year in hotels....
..that was roughly how many nights I spent in hotels the year before COVID hit. From delivering courses, through to consultancy work - I spent my working week with clients in training rooms and in offices.

London > Bedford > Warwick > Leeds before heading home was a weekly schedule with an occasional trip to Zurich or Geneva.

Business travel is not glamorous. Waking up each morning in a different hotel, packing up and moving to another hotel certainly has little appeal after a while.

Whilst I loved the variety of my work - I did always feel a little like I was chasing my tail. I spent my evenings in the hotel not socialising or soaking up the local culture - but often writing emails and vetting documents and presentations. Little down time in reality.

Fast forward to 2022 and this last week I have delivered:

-A culture and organisational development programme in Hartlepool
- Supported a leadership development programme in Durham
- Develop a business case for a client from my home office
- Completed an initial visit to a new client focused on operational improvement in Thirsk, North Yorks.

All 4 days of work within an hour of home in Richmond, North Yorkshire. That means I get to go home each night and see the family. Sleep in my own bed. Eat healthier. Exercise more. All positives.

Don't get me wrong I still do trips to London, Warwick, Zurich etc... but less often. This year I might do 50 nights in hotels.

So many positives for me personally from a change in my professional life. Its not all positive, there are some negatives too - especially about managing such a varied work portfolio from home.....but I'll talk about that another day!

How has COVID helped you change elements of your work for the better? What has it enabled you to change in your personal life for the better?

25/05/2022

This is the chair where I will endure the next 3 weeks. They are going to be 3 TOUGH weeks.....

Its often true that with every part of the job you love, comes something you don't. After 12 weeks of teaching at Leeds Business School and 5 weeks at the University of York Business School (both of which I enjoyed) I now have over 150 scripts to mark (which I don't).

Each script will be between 3,000 to 4,000 words (12-15pages of text)
Some will be great and reassure you that you can teach
Others will make you question 'if you really are that bad at teaching!'

150 papers at a rate of 3-4 an hour - that's circa 40-50 hours of focused concentration in the next 3 weeks. That's tough.

But I have a plan. I have a super comfy chair, with a great view over the fields and I'll work in 2 x 90 min sections in the day. In my head I'm aiming for roughly 10-15 papers a day for 10-12 days over the next 3 weeks.

For each 90 min section completed I'll give myself a little treat - even on a workday:

- somedays a walk or a run
- sometimes just permission to myself to sit and watch the world go by in a coffee shop
- sometimes a little game of football or rounders with the kids.

Its like a little game I play with my mind to keep myself motivated and engaged.

There is increasing evidence that the ability to focus and concentrate is diminishing generation by generation as more technological and digital disruptions are available to us.

So what strategies do you have to navigate those tough tasks in your day? What rewards do you give yourself?

10/05/2022

How have your last 5 working days been?

Well I was back on the road again last week. First time since COVID hit that I got on a plane for work. In the last 5 working days I have:

- provided strategic support for a client at board meetings in London
- kicked off a culture programme for a client in Zurich
- kicked off a culture and performance improvement programme for a client in Hartlepool
- supported my 'innovation' and 'operations management' students at Leeds Business School with their end of year assignment submissions.

I'm ready for a break on Thursday when this hive of activity ceases for a day or two!

01/04/2022

Well its the end of March and another financial year finished.

March has been a busy month, reflecting a busy year. This month alone I have:

- Supported a culture change initiative in Switzerland
- Continue to support the work of a Chartered Institute here in the UK
- Delivered courses to commercial and local authority organisations around mindset, leadership and effective production planning
- Delivered 7 days of teaching in 2 different business schools
- Enjoyed working with Oliver Mack and his team at Change & Transformation in supporting his clients.
- Reconnected with the world of AIESEC and attended their recent National Conference as an 'alumni' speaker.

I love the variety of my work
I love to add value
I love to help people to think better
to believe in better....and to support them in having the courage, confidence and capabilities to perform better.

Its energising to have a sense of purpose, satisfaction and reward in what I do.

I hope others find the same in their work too!

24/03/2022

My stint as the 'super sub' has now been completed.

It was great to meet and get to know the students at the University of York Business School - where I have just completed a 5 week stint delivering on their Project & Operations Management module.

Always interesting to deliver the same subject at two different institutions at the same time - one a pre 92 and one a post 92 university - two very different approaches but both test and challenge students, just in different ways.

Hopefully I will have the opportunity to return occasionally to York.

09/02/2022

Work in manufacturing or production?

Looking to improve performance and profitability?

Need to get control of your production plan to improve on time delivery?

Join me for the MML production planning & control training course.

This 3 day immersive course has become a trusted favourite of a number of the worlds leading manufacturers. By using a computer simulation delegates get to learn, apply and perfect the key principles of effective production planning.

Delegates will learn fundamentals of:

- What to Buy and What to Make
- Lead Times & Queues
- Batch Sizing & Capacity
- Working with MRP
- Sales & Operational Planning

For more information visit mml-net.com or to find out if the course may be right for you please feel free to message me direct!

08/10/2021

I'm going to put it out there.....
..I might be in my 40's but I still love time playing 'Football Manager'. Since I have been a kid this has been my go-to 'escape' when I want to unwind, relax and disconnect.

Research tells us that disconnection from work and finding an outlet to relax and unwind is critically important for our wellbeing and performance. Indeed in my mindset and wellbeing work - knowing what you like to do to disconnect, and giving yourself permission and time to disconnect is a big part of the programme.

As someone who pre-pandemic spent most of my time in hotels and on trains and planes - football manager has become my go-to unwind activity. If I have an hour or so it might be people watching in a cafe or coffee shop - if I just need to switch off or unwind for longer its football manager for me!

What do you do to unwind and disconnect?

04/10/2021

Looking to craft a career in Law?
Got a law degree but not a training contract?
Currently work in the Legal Sector?

2 years ago I got a call to see if I could support CILEX in their aspiration to create a new qualification as a pathway into the Legal Sector. No easy task given a raft of barriers: regulatory requirements, industry attitudes and organisational constraints.

In July launched the CPQ - a new non-degree route into law. This is a cost-effective, flexible, earn-whilst-you learn route into, or qualification in, law. This was a monumental effort by the team at CILEX.

So no matter if you:

- are new to law and want to become a hot-shot lawyer yourself

- work in the legal world and want to gain accreditation for your existing experience and skills

- lead a law practice or firm and want a cost effective way to professionally develop your staff in a way which flexes to match the firms and their individual needs, whilst remaining aligned to regulatory requirements

Take a look at the new CPQ (CILEX Professional Qualification) here: http://ow.ly/nNy750GjjvU

Happy to connect people with the team at CILEX - be you a student, current employee or leader within the legal services sector.

About CPQ

01/10/2021

So I'm finally back in the classroom and I'm excited to be here...
..18 months ago we went online and we have learnt plenty about remote teaching and learning (both good and bad). But the reason I rock up every Friday is because I love to engage with the students face to face.

The 90 odd students who get to spend their Fridays with me for the next 12 weeks are a group who deserve some praise. Not only do they have to endure my musings for the next 12 weeks but they are also a group who despite having completed their 1st year will have never sat in a seminar room before with their tutor or their year cohort. They have endured, survived and for some - thrived, in the online environment.

So today is a good day for me, and hopefully the 90 poor souls who get to share their Fridays with me for the next 12 weeks.

27/09/2021

Could improved production planning drive your productivity and profitability?

If you work in manufacturing or production and think your production planning could improve join me in November 2021 for this 3 day Production Planning & Control Course.

Underpinned by a computer simulation this 3 day course offers a powerful 'learn by doing' methodology. It is the last public course that we will run in 2021, as the course is normally run as an in-house course for some of the world's most respected and complex manufacturers.

Contact me for more information or to register.