Category: Corporate

Demands, tasks and deadlines have increased the daily frenzied distractions we are faced with in a 21st century workplace. Our brain circuits have become overloaded and we use all our energy to simply survive, doing as much as we can, as fast as we can and as best as we can, yet we don’t always perform to our best potential. Despite our best efforts, our to-do lists, tasks, meetings and inboxes still grow exponentially and we are stretched, stressed, disengaged and worn-out.

In the modern workspace of open plan office environments it is very difficult to escape the continuous bombardment of the senses.  As managers/leaders/supervisors you are expected to trouble shoot, problem solve, deal with people and technology issues, manage processes – all which require a high level of brain energy, thinking and reasoning.  For this you need time and space, which so often escape us. Research shows a vast increase in workplace stress and depression rated as the main occupational disease of the 21st century, placing our brains, health and self-esteems at risk.

Although the brain works best with a certain amount of pressure and demand, there is a fine line between kick starting you versus throwing you over the edge.

• Are you able to recognise your limits?
• How do you handle all the demands and distractions?
• Being most efficient and resilient in the workplace takes knowledge, insight and guts!
• Workplace stress and distractions are real and constant; it cannot be avoided – it must be understood and tackled through practical, easy and effective strategies.
• Understanding and reducing stress and distractions will result in better brain power, better performance and efficiency.

Business leaders owe it to their bottom line to tackle these issues and not expect employees to simply “shape up or ship out”.

Performance is driven by behaviour of people. I worked with a call centre team in April and we improved first call resolution from 33% to 74% in 3 months by changing behaviours and attitude only!! Only 20% of our behaviour is conscious and we are directing it through thinking and reasoning. This is the ultimate where the brain is fully functional, alert and active in thinking, planning and performance actions.   The more we work in this conscious reasoning space the better work and output we produce.  The other 80% of behaviour is subconscious and we are not really aware of how the environment, people and spaces are contributing to gut,  emotion, habits and preferences.  Why do we feel comfortable, engaged and ready in certain situations and environments while in others the opposite?  This is acknowledging the impact of the environment and people on our behaviour….

Take a team at work – are they focused, engaged and productive?  They work well together, plan and problem solve and get the job done, good and proper, for most of the time.  Sometimes even elevating their output and innovative thinking to strive towards outperforming other teams…that is the ideal isn’t it?  The reality is that it is not as simple as that.

When people work together there are just so many influences and a lot of times these influences are tapping into that 80% subconscious behaviour.  How is your team coping?  Are they moaning, complaining and/or underperforming? Do they tolerate one another and collaborate to reach a collective goal or are they constantly butting heads? Organisations are made up of teams and they drive your products, profits and customer service.  Yes, your infrastructure and operational methods support them but ultimately it comes down to people delivering best, as much and as often as possible.

I believe and have seen over the years that as a species we are just too judgemental and intolerant?  And for sure, to drive profits in any organisation individuals and teams should be accountable, take ownership and perform at excellent levels as much as possible.  However by taking “difficult” teams through a process of self-awareness and team awareness we create a much better sense of appreciation for diversity, how each team member contributes to the bigger picture and we really empower people to think outside of their own little worlds where they play centre stage.  It is not all about me!  Individuals need to realise that they are part of a team and only with collective collaboration will things fall into place.  People must learn to be more tolerant, more disciplined and less full of nonsense!  Get off your high horse, realise who you are and what you contribute, but at the same time see the same in your team members. This applies to all levels of staff hierarchy in organisations.  And this healthy attitude can only be sustainable if enforced from executive management.  Every individual should lead their own behaviour and contribution and regulate themselves to be a positive contributor not moaning and under-performing.  Every person and every team have a sweet spot where they WILL excel!

How is your team doing??