Lee explores the concept of operational excellence through the lens of two renowned entrepreneurs, Steve Jobs and Richard Branson. He talks about the importance of connecting the dots in operational excellence, drawing on the wisdom of Jobs and Branson.

Through examples and practical insights, listeners are encouraged to connect the dots between tools, behaviours, and environments to drive success in business operations. The episode underscores the need to start with the end in mind, as advocated by Stephen Covey, and to always be connecting dots to create a conducive environment for achieving business goals.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Continuous Improvement: The key habit within operational excellence is the habit of continuous improvement, engaging people, and striving for excellence in all aspects of the business.

• Connecting Dots: The importance of connecting the dots between different elements in a system to achieve a particular destination, as emphasised by successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson.

• Reflecting Backwards: Understanding that one can only join the dots looking backwards, as plans may change and evolve, highlighting the importance of reflection and learning from past experiences.

• Creating the Right Environment: Focusing on creating the ideal environment through connecting the right dots, including leadership behaviours, visual performance boards, and metrics, to drive engagement and achieve business targets.

• Start with the End in Mind: Emphasising the concept of starting with the end goal in mind and connecting the dots looking back to create a path towards success and making a difference in the business.

BEST MOMENTS

"Fundamentally, it's about the habit of continuous improvement and the habit of engaging people."

"You can only join the dots looking backwards... the plan's out of date."

"Always be connecting dots... you have to stop at a particular point."

"If you create the right environment, then people will behave in a particular way."

"Start with the end in mind, connect the dots looking back."

HOST BIO

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

Lee delves into the common issue of setting vague deadlines and lack of follow-through in business meetings. Lee challenges the practice of assigning generic due dates like "next Friday" or "end of the month," urging listeners to prioritise specific times for completing tasks. By emphasising the importance of committing to realistic deadlines and actively prioritising key activities, Lee highlights how this approach can lead to increased productivity and successful task completion.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Prioritise specific deadlines: Instead of setting vague deadlines like "next Friday" or "end of the month," prioritise specific dates and times for completing actions to increase accountability and likelihood of completion.

• Gain commitments: By asking individuals when realistically they will make time to complete an action, you can gain commitments and increase the chances of the task being done.

• Avoid procrastination: Proactively scheduling specific times to complete tasks helps avoid procrastination and ensures that important actions are given the attention they deserve.

• Major time on major things: Focus on spending major time on major tasks rather than major time on minor tasks to prioritise activities that will make the biggest impact on achieving goals.

• Challenge and improve: Continuously observe and challenge the way deadlines are set and actions are prioritised to improve efficiency and effectiveness in completing tasks.

BEST MOMENTS

"When realistically are you going to make time to complete this action? That question provides a different answer."

"If somebody says to me that they didn't have time My response is you're telling me the action wasn't important enough."

"How can you spend major time on major things? and minor time on minor things and that is through prioritisation."

"Don't be lazy with setting your due dates. Be disciplined. You can do better."

"Saying you know how to do it is not doing it."

HOST BIO

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

This episode delves into the importance of intent, intensity, and impact in achieving desired outcomes. Lee introduces the concept of the three I's - intent, intensity, and impact - as key factors in determining the success of actions and conversations. Listeners are encouraged to look inward, assess their approach, and strive for greater effectiveness in their interactions to achieve the desired impact.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Intent, Intensity, and Impact: The three I's discussed in the podcast are crucial for achieving desired outcomes in business interactions.

• Clarity of Intent: Having a clear purpose and motivation before taking action or engaging in conversations is essential for success.

• Intensity and Frequency: Applying the right level of conviction and doing so consistently are key factors in making a significant impact.

• Reflect and Learn: Analysing the gap between intentions and outcomes provides an opportunity for reflection, learning, and improvement.

• Personal Responsibility: Emphasising the importance of taking ownership of one's intent, intensity, and frequency to drive impactful results.

BEST MOMENTS

"Are you really putting enough in? Do you have clarity of intent of all of your interactions, of all of your conversations, of all of your actions?"

"Intent is personal to us. Impact is what happens as a result of our intentions."

"If your intent is the motivation and purpose for your action and conversation, if you have that conversation or do that action and you do it with enough intensity, feeling, strength behind it..."

"So, intent is around motivation or purpose of your actions or conversations. Intensity is the level that you apply, I guess, of your conviction of your action, of your conversation."

"Often we look through the window at other people and think that actually they have not done what we expected them to do, so they are in the wrong. I believe it's down to the inputs that we put in..."

HOST BIO

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.