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Did you know?
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In the 1980's the Californian hard rock band Van Halen were famous for having a clause written into their gig contracts specifying that there must be bowls of M&M's in their dressing room that had all the brown ones removed, with the presence of a single brown one giving them the legal right to cancel with no notice and still be fully paid.
This was generally regarded as typical rock super-star megalomania. However, as Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth explained in his autobiography Crazy From the Heat, there was an underlying practical purpose to this demand.
The contracts were long and complex and contained a lot of technical detail, mainly covering the safety aspects of the stage and equipment set-up, with the "no brown M&M's" clause buried in the middle.
By simply walking into their dressing room the band could tell if the contract had been read in detail and therefore whether it was likely that technical requirements had been complied with.
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ley hill solutions Discussion Forums
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From our work with high performing assessment teams on UK and European awards programmes, we know the power of addressing an issue with more than one mind.
You can experience this power yourself by joining the ley hill solutions discussion forums, where you can ask questions, join discussions or simply just view the comments as they appear, on a number of quality and performance related issues, tools & techniques and standards.
to enter the forums and choose a topic.
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Online Excellence Calculator
Would you like to see how your organisation might perform if assessed by the EFQM Excellence Model? There are many types of self-assessment available to organisations wishing to benefit from this widely used excellence framework.
Experience just one of them by follo wing this link and completing a ten minute, matrix-based assessment of the level of excellence of your organisation. | | |
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Newsletter - January 2013
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Greetings!
Happy New Year!
Made any new year resolutions?
Sticking to them?
If not, how about resolving to try the suggestions below in our article "Simplify Your Life"? Or you could give them a go anyway, even if you've already made and are sticking to your New Year Resolutions. You may well find they make your life less hectic and reduce stress and panic situations.
Or you may wish to make it a resolution to apply for the UK Excellence Award this year. It's not too late, as the deadline is 31st January. See below for details.
See also below some interesting facts on how SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) are far more significant than big businesses in getting the unemployed back into work.
And our "Did you know" this month (below left) answers that question about why Van Halen insisted on no brown M&M's - and it's not just, as you might think, because of typical rock star arrogance - turns out they had a pretty good reason!
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Simplify your life
The following ideas come from Andrew Lock, a British born business visionary and marketeer, now based in Salt Lake City, who has set up a weekly WebTV show aimed at helping small business owners to "get more done and have more fun". Small business owners in particular, who tend to be very hands-on and involved in a wide range of their company's activities, can end up stretching themselves too thin and finding life is continually hectic and stressful. However, this state of affairs is not exclusive to small business owners and can happen to any of us. Andrew's six strategies on how to simplify your life are a good way to get some balance back and be able to enjoy what you do again. 1. Do one thing at a time We're always hearing about how clever/skillful/desirable it is to be able to multi-task, but rather than genuine multi-tasking, what we are actually doing when we're doing several things at once is switch-tasking, moving from one thing to another and then back again, which is counter-productive. Unless it is absolutely essential to do more than one thing at the same time (which it very seldom is), then focus on one task at a time.
2. Evaluate your commitments
It is easy to take on too much when we do it gradually over time, each extra task being small in itself, until the "straw that broke the camel's back" situation develops. Continually re-evaluate your commitments and learn to say no to non-essential activities. People will respect you for showing that you know your limitations.
3. Outsource/devolve what you don't do well
Most successful people can turn their hand to a wide range of tasks. But just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Spend your time on those things you are naturally good at and outsource or devolve the rest.
4. Don't worry about tomorrow
Of course you need to plan for the future, but that doesn't mean you should worry about it. Rarely are our projections about the future very accurate, so worrying about what might happen tomorrow is often totally redundant. Worry saps our energy when we need it most - today. So focus on today and deal with tomorrow tomorrow.
5. Don't let your work pile up
Procrastination is a sure path to stress, as deadlines loom and last minute panic sets in. Decide in advance what you will accomplish each day and make sure the goals are achieved by seeking help if necessary or holding yourself accountable to others.
6. Avoid people who talk too much
Time is precious and we can't get it back when it's gone, so be careful not to let conversations run away with you. Be particularly wary of people you know are chatterboxes and let them know exactly how long you can spare them at the start of the conversation and then stick to that.
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Why not enter the UK Excellence Awards 2013?
The UK Excellence Award is one of the highest accolades any organisation in the UK can achieve and is still open for entries for this year until Thursday 31 January 2013.
Entering awards is a great way to promote your products or services, offering independent endorsement of achievements and recognition of your efforts. There are of course many industry specific awards, but awards such as the UK Excellence Award are designed to encourage and recognise a wide range of organisations that are performing at the very top of their capability - including public sector and not-for-profit organisations.
All applicants undergo a thorough assessment against the EFQM Excellence Model which will be undertaken by a team of highly skilled Award Assessors and includes a site visit.
Follow these links for more information on applying for the Award and full details of how to enter.
If you are thinking of entering, but feel you need some advice or support with your application, then do contact us. We have a wealth of experience at all levels of usage of the EFQM Excellence Model and many of our associates are lead assessors for the Award, so know exactly what a team of assessors expects to see from an Award application.
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SME's - the best bet for getting the unemployed back into work
SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) have long been recognised for their crucial role in the British economy, but one aspect of that role - getting the unemployed back to work - deserves particular recognition. Unemployment creates poverty, which in turn reduces national consumer spending and increases the public funds needed for support services, causing a downward spiral in the economy. So, getting the unemployed back into work is a critical factor in our economic recovery and according to a report published last September, SMEs have been far more significant in this than big businesses. The report, entitled Back to work: the role of small businesses in employment and enterprise, was commissioned by the Federation of Small Businesses from Westminster Business School and analyses employment data taken from the 4th quarter of 2008 to the 1st quarter of 2011. But first of all - what exactly is a SME? The SME sector includes all businesses in the private sector with fewer than 250 employees and is sub-divided into - - Self-employed (one-man band organisations)
- Micro-businesses (those with 9 or fewer employees)
- Small businesses (those with 10-49 employees)
- Medium businesses (those with 50-249 employees)
The report finds that - 88% of the unemployed people who find work in the private sector do so by joining an SME or starting their own business Of these - 17% start their own business 24% find work in micro-businesses 27% in small businesses and 20% in medium businesses Only 12% find work in large businesses When it comes to getting non-participants into or back into work, SMEs are even more significant compared to large businesses. Non-participants are individuals of working age that are not actively looking for or available to work. This covers a large number of groups, including students, the long term sick or disabled, previously retired people or those who have looked after a family at home. A massive 95% of non-participants who find work in the private sector do so by joining an SME or starting their own business, as opposed to 5% joining large businesses. If you would like to read the report itself, follow this link. |
ley hill solutions aims to be one of Europe's most innovative consultancy organisations specialising in the tools and methods to improve the way your business works and performs. We use internationally recognised standards and frameworks such as
Please contact us at ley hill solutions if we can be of any assistance.
Sincerely,
Graham Hull
ley hill solutions limited
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The information provided in this newsletter and on our website is as correct and up to date as we can make it. no warranty, express or implied, is given regarding its accuracy. We do not accept any liability for errors or omissions. We shall not be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damage for loss of business or loss of profits) arising from the use of, or inability to use, this site or any information contained it it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this site, or any such information.
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