Author: PPM Academy

What Does Workplace Engagement Mean?

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date March 21, 2023

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Why is Workplace Engagement Important?

A growing body of research suggests a strong link between workplace engagement and business outcomes. Here are a few examples:

A meta-analysis of 263 studies conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that companies with high levels of employee engagement had lower rates of absenteeism and turnover, higher customer satisfaction, and higher profitability.

A study by Towers Watson found that companies with high levels of employee engagement had a total shareholder return that was 19% higher than those with low engagement.

These studies suggest a clear business case for investing in employee engagement. Engaged employees are more productive, less likely to leave their jobs, and contribute to higher profitability and shareholder value. Organizations can build a workplace where employees are valued, supported, and motivated to perform at their best by creating a culture of engagement and investing in employee well-being.

What is workplace engagement?

Workplace engagement refers to employees’ emotional commitment and involvement toward their work and their organization. Engaged employees are passionate about their jobs, take pride in their work, and are committed to achieving the organization’s goals. They go above and beyond their job responsibilities, take initiative, and are more likely to stay with the company long-term.

Engagement is not the same as job satisfaction, a more fleeting emotion. An employee can be happy with their job but still not fully committed or invested in the organization’s success. On the other hand, engaged employees have a deep emotional connection with their work, co-workers, and the organization as a whole.

A study by Gallup found that organizations with high levels of employee engagement had 21% higher profitability than those with low levels of engagement. And a study by the Queen’s School of Business found that engaged employees were 16% more productive than disengaged employees.

A workplace with high levels of engagement typically has a positive work culture and a supportive work environment. Managers and leaders are transparent and communicate effectively with their employees, and there are opportunities for growth and development. Engaged employees are recognized and rewarded for their contributions, which fosters a sense of appreciation and value.

On the other hand, a workplace with low levels of engagement is often characterized by high turnover rates, absenteeism, and low productivity. Employees may feel disconnected from their work, disengaged from their colleagues, and unsupported by management. In such environments, there may be a lack of trust between employees and management and little opportunity for growth or development.

The Kenexa High-Performance Institute conducted a study that found that engaged employees were 87% less likely to leave their jobs than disengaged employees. Improving workplace engagement requires a concerted effort from management and leadership. Organizations can implement policies and programs that promote employee well-being and work-life balance, offer career development opportunities and encourage open communication and feedback. Additionally, recognition and rewards programs can help to incentivize and motivate employees to perform at their best.

An example of Workplace engagement in action

One example of workplace engagement in action is the case of Zappos, the online shoe and clothing retailer. Zappos has a strong company culture that prioritizes employee engagement and well-being, and it has been recognized as one of the best places to work in the US.

One of the ways Zappos promotes engagement is through its onboarding process. New employees go through an intensive four-week training program that includes job-specific training and cultural immersion. They learn about the company’s history, values, and mission and can interact with senior leaders and other employees.

Zappos also encourages employee autonomy and creativity. Employees are free to make decisions and solve problems on their own without going through layers of bureaucracy. They are encouraged to innovate and experiment and recognized and rewarded for their contributions.

Another way Zappos promotes engagement is through its recognition and rewards programs. The company has a “Zollar” program, a type of currency that employees can earn by going above and beyond their job responsibilities or providing excellent customer service. Zollars can be redeemed for various rewards, including gift cards, travel vouchers, and the opportunity to attend a music festival.

Finally, Zappos fosters a sense of community and camaraderie among its employees. The company hosts regular events and activities, both in-person and virtual, that allow employees to bond and have fun together. For example, Zappos has a company-wide fitness challenge where employees compete against each other to achieve fitness goals and win prizes.

As a result of these efforts, Zappos has a highly engaged workforce. Its employees are passionate about their jobs, committed to the company’s mission, and supportive of one another. This engagement has translated into solid business results, including high customer satisfaction, low turnover rates, and strong financial performance.

Available in print, digital and audiobook format

An exercise to teach and create workplace engagement

One exercise for teaching workplace engagement is a “Values Exploration” activity. Here are the steps to conduct this exercise:

Begin by asking participants to identify their values. Please provide a list of values, or have them brainstorm their own. Deals could include things like honesty, creativity, innovation, teamwork, etc.

Once participants have identified their values, ask them to think about how these values align with the organization’s values. Please provide a list of the organization’s values, or have participants research and identify them independently.

Have participants discuss with a partner or small group how their values align with the organization’s values. They can share examples of how they have demonstrated these values in their work.

As a group, discuss the importance of value alignment in the workplace. Talk about how employees aligned with the organization’s values are likelier to be engaged and committed to their work.

Finally, have participants brainstorm ways in which they can incorporate their values into their work and contribute to a culture of engagement. Please encourage them to set personal goals for how they can demonstrate their values in their work.

This exercise helps employees understand the importance of aligning personal and organizational values and how doing so can contribute to workplace engagement. It also allows employees to reflect on their values and how they can bring them to their work.

Here are some suggested action steps to improve workplace engagement:

Foster a Positive Workplace Culture: A positive workplace culture is critical to employee engagement. This includes things like open communication, opportunities for growth and development, a supportive work environment, and a sense of community and collaboration.

Communicate Effectively: Communication is crucial to employee engagement. Leaders and managers should communicate regularly and clearly with employees, providing feedback, recognition, and opportunities for input.

Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development: Providing opportunities for employees to learn and grow is essential for engagement. This includes offering training and development programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement paths.

Recognize and Reward Contributions: Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions is essential for engagement. This can be done through formal recognition programs, such as employee of the month or year, or through informal recognition, such as thanking employees for their hard work.

Promote Work-Life Balance: Work-life balance is essential for employee well-being and engagement. Providing flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible hours, can help employees balance their work and personal responsibilities.

Encourage Employee Autonomy and Creativity: Giving employees autonomy and encouraging creativity can help foster engagement. Employees should be given the freedom to make decisions and solve problems independently without going through layers of bureaucracy.

Measure and Monitor Engagement: Measuring and monitoring employee engagement is essential for identifying areas for improvement. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, or other methods of collecting feedback from employees.

Workplace engagement is essential for creating a positive and productive work environment. Engaged employees are more committed, effective, and loyal, benefiting the organization’s bottom line.

Thought Leadership

Which Influential Thought Leaders Are Known For Productivity And Efficiency

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date March 20, 2023

Think Different - Have A Difference, Stand Out From The Crowd.

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Pivotal Thought Leaders in the History of Productivity

Increasing productivity is essential for growing your business. The effectiveness of your workplace is not based on the number of hours people are working but on what they have accomplished at the end of the day. For over a century, inspired thought leadership around productivity has created innovative ways to increase efficiency.

Frederick Winslow Taylor

In 1911, Frederick Winslow Taylor published his “Principles of Scientific Management.” In this book, he outlined what he had learned during a career that began as a machinist on a factory floor. Taylor noticed that no one in management was questioning the pace or procedures of workers. Instead, they assumed the current operating style was the best possible model.

Taylor developed a science of productivity, carefully examining daily tasks like coal shoveling and bricklaying for potential improvements. Some businesses credited his efforts with radically increasing productivity while lowering costs. Taylor’s thought leadership gave birth to the assembly line model of manufacturing.

Taiichi Ohno

Post-war Japan was struggling to become a serious power in the manufacturing industry. Toyota executive Taiichi Ohno looked at his company’s operating procedures and saw the wastefulness inherent in the process. To remedy this situation, he developed the concept of the Gemba walk.

In the Gemba process, managers walk through the entire assembly line regularly looking for friction points. They may interview workers at each station to learn their frustrations and gather their thoughts about improvements. Then, management uses this information to refine the process and eliminate waste.

While similar to Taylor’s work, Ohno lived in a time of faster technological advancement. He recognized that changes in technology at one station would require adjustments at every station. Increasing productivity would be a constant process, and he encouraged the Gemba walk as a frequent practice. His efforts became the start of the lean manufacturing movement.

David Allen

Frederick Winslow Taylor lamented that his efforts to increase productivity had not transferred to the knowledge workers of his day. David Allen’s productivity thought leadership is a step toward this goal. His 2001 book, “Getting Things Done,” focuses on personal rather than corporate productivity. Instead of physical processes, Allen develops strategies to tackle one of the most complicated systems of all, the human mind.

The impetus for his writing came from his frustration in trying to turn his ideas into actions. He notes that the brain is excellent at thinking and creating ideas, but retention is challenging. Unless you develop a system to capture your best thoughts as they happen, they will disappear as new concerns and distractions emerge during the day.

In his system, you create an unedited list of thoughts that require follow-up action as they arise. At least once a week, you will examine the list and sort it by importance. The concrete nature of this process helps you understand your priorities and values, encouraging you to pay attention to the tasks that matter most.

Putting Productivity Insights to Work in the Real World

At the Productivity Intelligence Institute, we are fascinated by the insights of productivity thought leaders. It is amazing how a few intentional steps can transform a workplace. If you hope to improve the efficiency of your organization or need assistance increasing your productivity as an entrepreneur, we would be happy to help.

Decision-Making

Top 10 Books for Better Decision-Making as a Leader

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date March 19, 2023

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An essential read to help you make smarter choices and drive effective results.

Making informed decisions as a leader is critical in today’s fast-paced business world. A great way to sharpen your decision-making abilities is to learn from the experiences and insights of others. We have assembled a list of the top 10 books to help you make better decisions and enhance your leadership skills.

Why read business books on decision-making

While there isn’t a specific statistic that directly measures the advantage of reading business books on decision-making, there is evidence to suggest that reading books in general, specifically business books, can positively impact professional success and decision-making abilities. Some points to consider are:

Improved cognitive abilities: Reading business books can enhance cognitive abilities such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. A study published in “Reading Research Quarterly” found that reading comprehension positively correlates with critical thinking skills (1).

Increased knowledge: Reading business books helps expand your knowledge, leading to better decision-making. A study by the Pew Research Center discovered that 26% of adults in the U.S. who read books say they learn, grow, or make better decisions due to their reading (2).

Exposure to diverse perspectives: Business books provide access to different perspectives and experiences, which can help understand complex situations and make more balanced decisions. A study published in the journal “Science” found that reading literary fiction improves the Theory of Mind (ToM), which is the ability to understand and interpret other people’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives (3).

Better communication skills: Reading business books can enhance communication skills, which are crucial for effective decision-making and leadership. A study published in the journal “Economics of Education Review” found that reading skills are positively associated with improved communication skills (4).

Continuous learning and adaptability: Reading business books can promote a continuous learning mindset, essential for adapting to the rapidly changing business environment and making informed decisions. A study published in the “Journal of Applied Psychology” found that a learning orientation positively relates to adaptability (5).

While these statistics don’t directly measure the advantage of reading business books on decision-making, they suggest that reading can improve decision-making abilities and overall professional success.

The top 10 books on decision-making

These books cover topics from cognitive biases to strategic thinking, providing valuable tools for navigating complex business environments.

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman examine the two systems that drive our thought processes and decision-making: the intuitive, fast-thinking System 1 and the rational, slow-thinking System 2. Understanding how these systems work will help you make more effective leadership choices.

“The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist’s Guide to Success in Business and Life” by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff. This book comprehensively introduces game theory, a mathematical approach to strategic decision-making. By understanding the fundamental principles of game theory, leaders can improve their negotiation skills and make better-informed choices.

“Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath The Heath brothers provide a four-step process for making better decisions, focusing on how to avoid common biases and pitfalls. This book is packed with real-world examples, offering valuable insights into overcoming decision-making challenges.

“Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…, and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins. Collins identifies the key factors distinguishing great companies from average ones. By understanding these principles, leaders can drive organizational success and make more effective strategic decisions.

“Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction” by Philip E. Tetlock and Dan M. Gardner This book delves into the science of forecasting, teaching readers how to make better predictions by identifying biases and refining their judgment. Leaders who can accurately forecast the future will be better equipped to make strategic decisions.

“The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking” by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird. Burger and Starbird present a unique approach to decision-making by breaking it down into five key elements. By mastering these elements, leaders can improve their critical thinking skills and make more informed choices.

“The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail — but Some Don’t” by Nate Silver Statistician. Nate Silver explores the challenges of making accurate predictions in a world full of uncertainty. This book will help leaders separate meaningful signals from the noise, enabling them to make better-informed decisions.

“Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness” by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. Thaler and Sunstein introduce the concept of “nudging” – influencing people’s choices through subtle interventions. This book offers valuable insights into how leaders can make better decisions by understanding human behavior.

“How We Decide” by Jonah Lehrer. Lehrer combines neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics to examine decision-making. Leaders can make more informed choices and avoid common pitfalls by understanding how our brains work.

“Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade” by Robert Cialdini. Cialdini explores the psychology of persuasion, focusing on creating the proper context for making a persuasive argument. This book offers valuable insights for leaders who must influence others and make effective decisions.

A wealth of knowledge

The books on this list offer a wealth of knowledge and insights to help leaders make better decisions in their professional and personal lives. By understanding the cognitive processes, biases, and strategies that underlie effective decision-making, you will be better equipped to navigate complex business environments and drive results. These top 10 books cover various topics and approaches, providing a comprehensive toolkit for honing your leadership skills and enhancing your decision-making abilities. Invest in your growth by exploring these essential readings and incorporating their lessons into your daily leadership practice.

References:

(1) Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for educational assessment and instruction. Millbrae, CA: California Academic Press.

(2) Perrin, A. (2018). One in five Americans now listens to audiobooks. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/08/nearly-one-in-five-americans-now-listen-to-audiobooks/

(3) Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves the theory of mind. Science, 342(6156), 377-380.

(4) Sabates, R., & Feinstein, L. (2006). The role of education in the uptake of preventative health care: The case of cervical screening in Britain. Economics of Education Review, 25(6), 673-681.

(5) Dragoni, L. (2005). Understanding the emergence of state goal orientation in organizational work groups: The role of leadership and multilevel climate perceptions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6), 1084-1095.

Available in print, digital and audiobook format

Decision-Making

Mastering Decision-Making: Which Model is Best for Your Situation?

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date March 17, 2023

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When it comes to decision-making, no single “best” model works for everyone in every situation. Different models are more suitable for different types of decisions and situations. However, some commonly used decision-making models include the following:

Rational decision-making model

Bounded rationality decision-making model

Intuitive decision-making model

Behavioral decision-making model:

Rational decision-making model

This model systematically analyzes all available information, weighs each option’s pros and cons, and selects the best alternative based on the criteria established.

Let’s say a company is considering whether to launch a new product. The decision-makers would use the rational decision-making model by following these steps:

Define the problem: The decision-makers would identify the problem they are trying to solve: whether to launch the new product.

Gather information: The decision-makers would gather information about the product, the target market, the competition, the potential profits, and the risks involved. They would consult market research reports, conduct surveys, and analyze financial projections.

Identify criteria: The decision-makers would establish criteria for evaluating the options, such as profitability, market demand, and feasibility.

Evaluate alternatives: The decision-makers would analyze each alternative against the established criteria. They would weigh each option’s pros and cons, considering the risks, costs, and benefits.

Choose the best alternative: Based on the analysis, the decision-makers would select the best alternative that meets the established criteria. They would consider financial viability, market demand, and competitive advantage factors.

Implement the decision: The decision-makers would implement the decision by developing and launching the new product. They would also monitor the results to ensure the decision works as intended.

By following the rational decision-making model, the company can make a well-informed and evidence-based decision that maximizes the chances of success.

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Bounded rationality decision-making model

This model acknowledges that decision-makers may have limited time, resources, and cognitive capacity to analyze all available information. Therefore, they rely on heuristics or mental shortcuts to simplify decision-making.

Let’s say a person is looking to buy a new car. Using the bounded rationality decision-making model, the person would take the following steps:

Identify the problem: The person needs to buy a new car.

Gather information: The person would gather information about different car models, features, and prices but would limit the amount of research to avoid being overwhelmed by too much information.

Identify criteria: The person would establish criteria for evaluating the options, such as fuel efficiency, safety features, and affordability.

Evaluate alternatives: The person would evaluate the other options based on the established criteria but may use heuristics or mental shortcuts to simplify decision-making. For example, they may only consider a particular brand of cars or only look at vehicles within a specific price range.

Choose the best alternative: Based on the analysis, the person would select the best alternative that meets the established criteria but may not consider all possible options.

Implement the decision: The person would buy the chosen car and may not revisit the decision unless a significant problem arises.

Using the bounded rationality decision-making model, the person can make a decision that is good enough for their needs while avoiding analysis paralysis or decision fatigue. While this model may not result in the most optimal decision, it can save time and mental energy and may be sufficient for everyday decisions.

Intuitive decision-making model

This model involves relying on intuition, gut feelings, or past experiences to make decisions quickly without extensive analysis or evaluation of alternatives.

Let’s say a professional basketball player is in the middle of a game, and they have the ball with only a few seconds left on the clock. They must decide whether to shoot or pass the ball to a teammate. Using the intuitive decision-making model, the player would take the following steps:

Recognize the situation: The player recognizes and understands they must make a quick decision.

Scan the environment: The player quickly scans the environment to assess the position of their teammates and the defenders.

Draw on past experiences: The player draws on their past experiences and skills to make a split-second decision. They may have practiced taking similar shots or sensed their teammates’ performance under pressure.

Make a decision: Based on the situation and past experiences, the player decides whether to take the shot or pass the ball.

Act on the decision: The player takes action by taking the shot or passing the ball to a teammate.

Using the intuitive decision-making model, the basketball player can make quick and effective decisions in a high-pressure situation. While this model may not involve a deliberate analysis of all available options, it can be helpful in cases with limited time or where past experiences and instincts can provide valuable guidance.

Behavioral decision-making model

This model considers the psychological and social factors influencing decision-making, such as emotions, biases, social norms, and group dynamics.

Let’s say a person is deciding whether to start exercising regularly. Using the behavioral decision-making model, the person would take the following steps:

Identify the problem: The person wants to start exercising regularly.

Gather information: The person would gather information about different exercise options, such as running, swimming, or weightlifting. They may also research local gyms or workout classes.

Identify criteria: The person would establish criteria for evaluating the options, such as convenience, affordability, and enjoyment.

Evaluate alternatives: The person would evaluate the other options based on the established criteria. However, behavioral biases may influence their decision-making, such as a preference for immediate rewards over long-term benefits or a tendency to stick with familiar routines.

Choose the best alternative: Based on the evaluation, the person would select the best alternative that meets the established criteria. However, their decision may also be influenced by social norms or peer pressure, such as joining a gym because their friends are doing so.

Implement the decision: The person would start exercising regularly but may face challenges in following through with their decision due to behavioral barriers such as procrastination or lack of motivation.

Using the behavioral decision-making model, the person can make a decision considering their personal preferences, biases, and social context. However, this model may also lead to suboptimal choices if behavioral biases or external factors influence decision-making. To overcome these challenges, the person may need to monitor and adjust their behavior over time consciously.

Ultimately, the best decision-making model depends on the situation and the decision. Consider aspects such as the complexity of the decision, the available resources, the time constraints, and the level of risk involved before selecting a decision-making model.

Increase Productivity

Productivity Secrets of Jack Ma

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date March 13, 2023

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Growing up fairly poor during China’s Cultural Revolution in the 60s and 70s, Jack Ma likely did not think that he would eventually start one of the largest companies in the world. Considering the fact that he failed his first and second college entrance exams by a wide margin, few people in his life would have predicted such a grand future for him either. After finally passing the entrance exam and graduating with a degree in English, Jack Ma applied to dozens of companies but could only find work as an English teacher, and his business prospects appeared dim.

Nonetheless, in 1999, Jack Ma launched Alibaba, an e-commerce giant that has grown to stand beside companies such as Amazon, eBay, Meituan, and Shopify. So, how did an English teacher with a humble upbringing and little early success come to dominate the business landscape? In short, Jack Ma firmly stuck to a handful of important values that helped him increase productivity. High productivity is integral to any entrepreneur’s success. Therefore, if you want your business to do as well as Alibaba, then you need to take a look at this quick overview of three of Jack Ma’s most useful productivity secrets.

Emphasis on Goals

Jack Ma asserts that an organization’s culture must center on goals over individuals. Building a cult of personality around a particular executive or manager likely will not increase productivity. Employees shouldn’t toil to please their manager or the CEO. Instead, everyone in the organization needs the autonomy and resources necessary to pursue clear organizational goals with little managerial interference.

Inclusion

Women make up roughly 50% of the global population. However, in China and most other countries, men have always held the overwhelming majority of important leadership roles. Jack Ma recognized that a male-dominated culture only limited his organizations’ growth prospects, so he helped women ascend to key roles in Alibaba so that they could propel the brand forward with their useful skills, unique experience, and valuable insights.

Considering Alibaba’s lightning-fast growth over the past two decades, Jack Ma must have been onto something. When a company’s demographics skew heavily towards one group, the organization misses out on talented individuals and useful points of view that drive productivity and innovation. Inclusive hiring practices aren’t only fair, but they’re also vital for any organization’s long-term success.

Willingness To Learn From Competitors

Many entrepreneurs enter the business world with the notion that they are somehow special. In turn, they perceive their competitors’ strategies as inherently inferior to their own, but this is a flawed way of thinking. Jack Ma always knew to emulate the strategies that worked for his competitors, and he never thought that he was too good to occasionally follow in someone else’s footsteps. A thought or idea isn’t any more meritorious just because it’s original, so if you want greater productivity, then you need to dissect your competitors’ successes and incorporate their best insights into your organization’s operational framework.

Boost Productivity With Jack Ma’s Values

Jack Ma lived through times of tumultuous change and worked tirelessly to eventually rise to monumental heights in the global e-commerce landscape. Despite his humble origins and early career struggles, Jack Ma persevered, and he has his humility, goal-centered mindset, and inclusive values to thank for his success. This man is one of the greatest examples of the ideal entrepreneur, and seeing the incredible prosperity of Alibaba, any entrepreneur who wants to increase productivity and reach greater heights would be wise to take inspiration from Jack Ma’s leadership style.

Entrepreneurship

The Value of Entrepreneurship Skills

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date March 6, 2023

810 Views

Use Entrepreneurship Skills to Become a Better Manager

We know that successful entrepreneurs share certain traits. They’re driven by passion, creativity, and a growth mindset. They’re also highly adaptable. Developing these skills can make you a stronger team leader and a more productive project manager.

Can You Learn Entrepreneurship Skills?

You might think you aren’t an entrepreneur—and don’t want to be one. You’re happy with the success you’ve gained in your company, and you like the rewards you’ve earned as a successful leader and manager.

Learning entrepreneurship skills doesn’t mean you have to go out on your own, however. Developing these skills will help you become more driven, more productive, and ultimately more successful when you apply them to your work with high-performing teams.

Use the Knowledge You Already Have

Do you have to learn a bunch of new concepts? The good news is that you don’t.

A recent study titled, “Neuroentrepreneurs: What Can Entrepreneurship Learn from Neuroscience?“ looked at whether someone can become an expert simply by learning and practicing new concepts. The author, Norris F. Kreuger, concluded that this is a misconception:

“No amount of learning knowledge content can guarantee reaching the mindset of an expert. What differentiates experts is not how much they know but how they structure that knowledge.” Other things that set entrepreneurial experts apart are their passion for a subject and their belief that they can change their mindset to an entrepreneurial one.

Approach Every Project with an Entrepreneurial Spirit

According to Kreuger, these traits are what give entrepreneurs the “Aha!” moment of inspiration that fuels their productivity.

You have the knowledge and the experience. Developing a passion for your work and believing you can change your mindset will help you develop a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Use your passion and your new mindset to spark that “Aha!” moment when you face your next project.

Use Visualization

One practical tip straight from neuroscience is to use visualization. Visualization has long been used by top athletes who use it to picture successfully completing a physical challenge. It also works for high achievers in the arts and in business, according to neuroscientist Mike Tranter and author of the book, A Million Things to Ask A Neuroscientist: The Brain Made Easy.

In an interview with Forbes, Tranter explained that using a process called “outcome visualization” will prepare your brain’s neurons for success. To do it, simply close your eyes and try to imagine yourself confidently achieving your next goal. It could be a small one like finally organizing that closet, or it could be a big one like winning a huge contract for your company.

It’s an active process that works best when you imagine every detail. What are you wearing, where are you, what do you see and smell? When you visualize with this much detail, your brain and body react as if the outcome has already happened, and you’ll have the confidence to make that vision a reality.

Position Yourself for Success

At the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute, we use proven, science-based techniques to help high-performing managers develop the skills they need for phenomenal success. If you’d like to learn how, contact us today.

Cultural Intelligence

Cultural Intelligence And Diversity

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date February 26, 2023

593 Views

To maintain diversity in the workplace, it’s important to consider cultural intelligence or EQ. What is cultural intelligence? It is when coworkers of different backgrounds are able to work together effectively.

Workplace Diversity

These days, companies are interested in hiring workers with different cultural backgrounds. While this is a great goal, putting it into action is challenging. You’ll want to embrace CQ to bring diverse talent into your organization and make sure that your company’s hiring steps are unbiased.

What are the Benefits of a Diverse Workforce?

A diverse workforce includes different races, gender identities, generations, nationalities and abilities. It’s important to be able to leverage their differences. When you have a workforce that is different and fail to focus on CQ, you’re likely to have a work environment with misaligned expectations and conflict issues.

Your company is more likely to experience deadlock situations and decreased productivity if you don’t implement CQ. However, when a diverse team has high CQ, research shows that they outproduce a homogeneous workforce in all areas. This includes innovation, leadership, making decisions and establishing trust.

Ensuring Equity

To establish equity, plan to vigorously challenge and react to individual and universal biases. Continue this mindset when it comes to behavioral policies and practices. These steps will help you ensure that everyone in your company has equal access to work opportunities.

Guaranteeing Inclusion

Promoting a work atmosphere where employees with a variety of identities feel important to the team, valued and useful is an important part of managing diverse teams.

Keep in mind that diversity focuses on representation while inclusion is about welcoming diversity. Inclusion will help you create a work atmosphere in which every worker thrives.

The pandemic and economic issues have pinpointed how fast some companies are ignoring their commitments to diversity and inclusion. When a crisis occurs, it’s natural to turn to a safe management style. This often means preserving and promoting workers who you already trust and rejecting employees who you don’t think understand the country’s culture. Try to avoid returning to these old techniques and continue to embrace the diverseness of your team.

What are the Struggles with Cultural Diversity?

Managing workers of different cultures is challenging. Western management techniques like intense brainstorming sessions, contributive management and immediate negative feedback is often uncomfortable for workers of other cultures.

The United States work culture is task-based. This means that decision makers will quickly fly wherever needed to complete a work transaction while relationship-based cultures make decisions slowly. They take the time to get to know the person who they are doing business with.

When managing diverse teams, consider how to lead cultures that are task-based and those that are based on relationships. You’ll need to embrace a flexible management style.

Turning a Risk into an Asset

According to a study of workers from 90 different countries, an estimated 89% of them worked on global virtual teams. Cultural intelligence will help you turn a risk to your business into an asset. Companies that have well-maintained diversity programs thrive and outperform the competition. If you need guidance, contact me at the Productivity Intelligence Institute.

Creating High-Performing Teams

Why Build High Performing Teams

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date February 13, 2023

702 Views

Four Benefits of Creating High Performing Teams

A small business may begin with just an idea and an individual entrepreneur. As it grows, more employees will come on board to move the organization forward. While managing styles differ, more businesses recognize the benefits of intentionally developing high-performing teams.

What Is a High-Performing Team?

High-performance teams across industries share several characteristics. Team leaders take steps to develop trust within the group and create clear communication structures. Group members have time to learn each other’s strengths and acknowledge them as they assign tasks. Most importantly, a high-performing team has a sense of purpose and establishes clear goals to attain it.

1. Organizational Clarity

Anyone interested in creating high performing teams must encourage clarity within their organization. These groups have clear organizational structures that offer members defined roles and responsibilities. Having clear instructions lets team members accomplish their tasks without unnecessary oversight.

A high-performing team will also have a clear sense of how their project fits into the overall mission of the organization. When employees have clarity about why they are working on a task, they will carry it out with greater positivity and focus.

2. Improved Communication

High-performing teams thrive on communication and cooperation. Each member understands how their individual tasks fit into the overall project, but they also recognize the need to coordinate their efforts for a streamlined process. When you create a framework to improve communication within the team, you will develop standard practices that will benefit how your whole organization handles information.

3. Higher Productivity

Businesses that encourage high performance ensure that team members have the skills they need to flourish. They invest in their employees by supporting continuing education and development.

This investment in personnel yields a return of increased productivity. Team members will have the resources they need to tackle difficult tasks with creativity and confidence. Not only will a high-performing team get things done, but they will do so with positive morale.

4. Greater Loyalty

The combination of clarity, communication, productivity, and purpose creates a positive work environment for everyone involved. Because the team model fosters trust, leaders can give team members more freedom as they assign tasks. People with a sense of control have lower stress levels and feel more fulfilled in their work. Businesses that support high-performing teams will see less employee turnover, fewer absences, and increased dedication.

A High-Performing Partner for Your Business

If you are interested in creating high performing teams at your business, Productivity Intelligence Institute can help. We love to help entrepreneurs improve their organizations by providing actionable ideas using the latest insights from business leaders and neuroscientists. Contact us to learn more.

Artificial Intelligence

Which ChatGPT App Is Best?

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date February 8, 2023

Chatgpt Chat With Ai Or Artificial Intelligence

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You’re likely familiar with ChatGPT and know that it’s a popular chatbox trial product that has caught the attention of the internet. It’s quickly turned into a great example of how AI-generated content is going to impact the future. Which ChatGPT app is best? It depends on how you intend to use it.

CopyAI

These days, AI platforms can be used to generate content automatically. This content may include social media posts, blogs and articles.

CopyAI is an assistant for copywriters. It helps create incredible advertising copy fast using automatic development tools that work with communication channels like website copy, social media and product descriptions.

It is a platform that your copywriters can use to develop ideas. They can select and curate material created by the artificial intelligence system. CopyAI comes with a variety of writing tools that are great for various occasions. It will help your copywriters develop professional emails and work out ideas.

Magic Sales Bot

The Magic Sales Bot app is a tool fueled by GPT-3. Product managers can use it to develop emails that are customized for every lead. Writing balanced and interesting paragraphs without having it turn into a cheesy advertisement like the ones on television in the ‘90s is a challenge. The Magic Sales Bot app can help you and your team write advertising emails that will convert leads into sales.

Keep in mind that ChatGPT operates much the same as other AI systems, but it’s better at what it’s designed to do. Since ChatGPT was released, people have used it to help them create their own content.

HelpHub

HelpHub is an app that will assist you in creating a website that includes a help center, customer support and a FAQ section. Developing support documentation is a dreary and time draining job. HelpHub will save you time and energy. The app will help you create a help site that contains articles that answer customer questions.

To use HelpHub, explain the key points that you need to include and let an artificial intelligence writer create the article. Your company’s users will appreciate the information.

Writesonic

Writesonic is an app that will help you produce high-performing advertisements, landing pages, descriptions for products and blogs. Writesonic includes tools like sentence expander, analogy generator and a checking system for readability. It also operates in 24 different languages.

**The Success Principles**

How to get from where you are to where you want to be. Goal Setting Workshop that will teach you how to program your thinking so that **You Become What You Think About!**

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Grok

If you use Slack, consider getting the Grok app. The app will simplify Slack communication before you become overwhelmed by it. Slack can inundate users with daily messages. The Grok app can also prevent you from missing out on important information. It will help you manage Slack.

PowerBrain 4

PowerBrain 4 is an app that you can use to write text on your smartphone quickly and with greater efficiency. The app will give you generated text that will save you time without sacrificing quality.

Artificial Intelligence is the Future

With the right ChatGPT app, you can lighten your workload and that of your staff. If you need help with your management technique, contact me at the Productivity Intelligence Institute.

Actionable Insights

Actionable Insights The Missing Link

Post author By PPM Academy
Post date January 23, 2023

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Companies need data to make good decisions. However, some kinds of data are simply not helpful. You expect your managers to operate at a fast pace, so they shouldn’t waste time sorting through useless information. You want your employees to make informed decisions as efficiently as possible, so keep reading to uncover the secrets of gaining actionable insights from data.

Collect Data With Intent

First and foremost, you must know what you want to accomplish with your organization’s data. After all, a bunch of random information is useless if you cannot analyze it with specific purposes in mind. However, you might not know which types of data will actually benefit your company. In that case, you should consult key stakeholders to craft your organization’s data strategies.

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Organize Data With the Right Tools

Your organization likely has a lot of data to collect and analyze. Sorting through data manually and making it presentable can be extremely time-consuming, so you should adopt the right tools to streamline these processes. For example, if you want to identify shortcomings in your company’s services, then you should use a text analyzer tool to scan reviews on common search engines and social media platforms. The text analyzer can quickly find and count the most common terms and phrases in these reviews. With the help of such a tool, the data will be more accurate and concise, and team members won’t have to spend dozens of hours scanning the web to find out what people are saying about the company.

Make Data an Important Part of Your Company

Unfortunately, managers in many companies make completely arbitrary decisions. Without a data-driven culture, people may simply base their decisions on gut feelings or anecdotal evidence. Such subjective thought processes will harm your company in the long run, so it’s important to ensure that all team members understand the importance of data, evidence, and empiricism for the organization’s success.

Hire the Right Personnel To Analyze Data

Some kinds of data can be very difficult to interpret, so you shouldn’t expect every team member to make optimal decisions with all of your company’s data. While your accountant may be able to tell you how your organization’s current financial situation compares to previous periods, they don’t have the training and experience necessary to forecast a new product’s sales numbers. Instead, you will have to consult a relevant market expert to derive any meaningful conclusions from relevant internal and external data.

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Leverage Your Company’s Valuable Data Today for Actionable Insights

Data is easier to extract and analyze than ever before. However, the abundance of data in the digital age can get in your way if you don’t know how to use it. Therefore, you must make sure to keep your organization’s goals in mind as you develop your data strategies to make optimal decisions. You want your team to use data efficiently to streamline your organization’s processes, so make sure to read our other useful guides for gaining actionable insights from data.