Welcome to the Achiever Blog with Malcolm Gallagher and my thoughts on Productivity.
I noticed the Tory election slogan this week as Unleash Britain’s Potential. I grinned a bit as it is very like the slogans and marketing material by Tony Robbins one of the world’s top self-help gurus. One of his great books is Awaken the Giant Within and he often talks about unleashing potential.
He also has the slogan of:
If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.
I think that’s appropriate to all of us in business especially as we move into what I believe will be both an exciting and challenging new decade.
I’ve launched my new programme Make 2020 Great here at bizvision.co.uk and Make 2020 Great is my slogan for the 2020’s. It’s important after all the chaos to re-awaken and re-energize. Much like the resurfacing initiative of Andy Murray.
But back to the Tory slogan of unleash Britain’s potential. It seems that we are being promised that everything will be wonderful once we leave the EU. But you are not daft – you can see that there’s no Disney fairy dust to instantly change things even if it is pantomime season!
One of my clients, Chris Kennedy, is a digital genius and also a very forthright Labour-leaning political thinker.
He said to me that he believes the underlying problem in the UK isn’t a lack of leadership but instead its low wages and flexible labour markets. Chris says, regardless of the election or Brexit, the long term problems are wages are going to go up, there will be lower immigration, plus even longer working hours. He says wages can’t be lowered, taxes or interest rates can’t be increased.
Chris reckons we will face a mirror of the 1970’s. He adds that the opportunity will be for businesses who can increase their wages AND their margins.
I told you he was a deep thinker! But he is right, isn’t he?
In my mind, the solution to unleashing potential lies in first tackling increased productivity. I reckon the big issue for the 2020s will be increased productivity
And that’s where your post Brexit business opportunity lies. How can you increase productivity – perhaps through implementing technology? If you are a coach or consultant how can you help clients increase productivity?
So how do you improve productivity?
Well, you start by stop running away from a deep inward dive on productivity. Too many business leaders are frightened of possibly rocking the boat.
They will persevere with old systems, traditional processes because everyone feels comfortable with that – we’ve always done it that way syndrome
Meanwhile, competitors, from anywhere in the world, will be sailing by them.
Sorry but change has to happen. Disruption is happening all around – just look at the high street.
My approach is to start with what I call a Productivity Audit. I use a scorecard approach in my Productivity Deep Dive Sessions to identify problems and opportunities.
Now, you may not like facing the productivity question,– and certainly, many of your people may be the same or even obstructive – but if you don’t address it then the lure of the lights of 2020 may not be shining so bright for you.
Over to you! As always let me have your thoughts or comments or ideas. Please email me mg@bizvision.co.uk or comment below.