Jenny Handley Performance
Feb 26
by jennyhand in Uncategorized 0 comments

LEAD THE WAY IN SOCIAL MEDIA

 “What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as a work of art in progress? Imagine that you are a masterpiece unfolding, every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath.”  Thomas Crum, author and presenter  Social media has made the world one big global village dominated by the strength of relationships in a currency of caring, powered by word of mouth. Remember when one person would complain to one other? Those days are over, now you can tell the world. What is social media? It is a blend of technology and social interaction, an online community. One in four users is actually over 65 years of age (to keep in contact with the grandchildren, the world at large or for online dating we wonder?). Social media is free, instant, re-active, allows conversation, is accessible and has powerful reach. There is no credibility factor, no barrier to entry, so anyone can say anything, anywhere. You as a leader need to anticipate that. Social media cannot be called new media, it can be called now media. It is not going to go away, so leaders need to embrace and understand it – and then […]
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Feb 26
by jennyhand in Uncategorized 0 comments

LIVING YOUR BRAND

“Leadership development leads to raising our human spirit and potential – and with it we will achieve and sustain our organisational competitiveness. Enhanced performance requires enhanced behaviour.  Enhanced behaviour requires enhanced leadership.  Enhanced leadership creates the right environment.  The right environment gives real meaning to work.” Philip Hayes, CEO of The Laser Group We learn so much from observing other leaders, those who work closely with us and those who are iconic, from afar. Some lead by good example, from others we learn what and how not-to-do. Those who stir and excite me are the leaders who consciously develop their teams, who actively look for tomorrow’s leaders, then guide and skill them. Leaders need to constantly question, they cannot afford to be complacent, they need to listen to their followers, be flexible and adventurous in their thinking, yet remain humble. Leaders are the icon of the brand; they are the ones who bring it to life. A brand is not just a look nor logo, but an experience that sits in the hearts and minds of people, and yes, the most important people are staff. I used a quote from Richard Branson in my second book, Raise your Profile: “Our first […]
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Feb 26
by jennyhand in Uncategorized 0 comments

CREATING A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT

A healthy working environment is not only one that is well ventilated (preferably not air-conditioned), naturally lit and free of pollution and noise. For people to be productive, they also need to be happy. Happy people are healthier people. Seldom is staff asked what makes them happy, and what could make them happier. I did. Whilst conducting formal and informal research during the writing of Raise Your Leaders™, I had the pleasure of interviewing a number of established leaders, and their followers. Let me share them with you. Empowerment and expression Working in an environment that allows empowerment and self-expression, which accepts mistakes as a development mechanism and encourages creativity and innovation, will contribute to overall happiness. Affirmation (verbal and written) and appreciation (exhibited in money and other currencies such as flexibility and time off), make a difference on the happiness barometer too. The younger generation want their work to link to their sense of purpose and want to know what the ultimate outcome of their contribution to the company is. Personal development plus a sense of belonging is important for them, as is being respected – and being able to respect the people they work with and for. Technology […]
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Aug 29
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

HELP PEOPLE HAVE BEST BRAND EXPERIENCE

September is Tourism Month Many people consider game ranging as a career. They are often attracted by their love of wildlife and the outdoors, the opportunity of making a contribution to protecting flora and fauna, or often to avoid a boring nine-to-five job and being in an office. Having just returned from a wonderful trip to Sabi Sabi, I look at this career option quite differently. It is a calling, a vocation that requires immense passion. It is surely a privilege to be learning something new about nature every moment of the day, and to then be able to share it with people who have an interest in what Mother Nature has presented to us? There is a downside to every profession. In addition to obtaining a formal qualification, hours of exposure are needed in the form of an internship, before securing yourself a job. Only then do you know what is expected of you. Game rangers, and the rest of the team working in a lodge, get up really early to get ready for a game drive, hours before the guests are wiping the sleep out of their eyes to get onto the clean, prepared vehicle. Blankets are folded, […]
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Aug 22
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

HOW LEADERSHIP STYLES HAVE EVOLVED

Change is inevitable. It can cause chaos. This chaos can be seen in a positive light as a form of energy. Part of the pleasure of writing is interviewing people to gather information and for inspiration. When writing Raise Your Leaders™ I interrogated many leaders about how leadership is changing to meet the needs of the changing world. Here are some stimulating comments: There is less authoritarian leadership now and more questioning. It is more of a challenge. Respect is not given by authority, but earned through action. It is more inclusive and less hierarchical. There is more emphasis on developing greater relationships and not on what an organisation is doing, but how. It is less of a label and now a more consultative role that uses your attributes. Leadership is finding the right place for each person. A leader should seek and encourage those with potential whilst not ignoring those with lesser skills, instead rewarding them for their commitment, energy and passion. We need to breed leaders who are critical thinkers and holistic in their approach. Leadership of yesterday will not be entirely appropriate for leaders of tomorrow. Whilst the principles of leadership (values, integrity, empathy, flexibility) remain constant, […]
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Jun 27
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

REAL CHANGE IS MANAGED BY LEADERS

Technology has resulted in constant connectivity, mobility and changes in the way we communicate. The use of social media is just one example.  There are many other changes to the business landscape that have changed the way we work. The political landscape has evolved so that politics and the economy are more intertwined. Global financial crises and a resulting lack of trust in ethics, plus operating in recessionary times, have changed the way we do business. Globalisation and seeing emerging markets becoming dynamic markets. There are changes that affect each and every one of us more specifically. Expectations have been elevated in all spheres. People work 24/7 and customers and bosses want more bang for their buck. We almost seem never to be able to switch off. We are expected to exhibit more speed. Business has had to become more customer-centric to survive, and customers are more demanding. They also have platforms through social media for communicating their pleasure and displeasure, in real time. Employees want flexibility in work space and hours.  This has resulted in more cocooning and home offices evolving. This requires a higher level of responsibility and more emphasis on productivity than presence in an office. Good […]
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Jun 20
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

USING FACEBOOK TO BOOST BUSINESS

I often hear people in business saying proudly that they are not on Facebook. I understand many of the reasons why. However, if used in a professional and discretionary manner, it can boost business.  If you do not want to share your private life, then don’t, and if you still don’t want to use it, just make sure that you understand it, as it is a widely used communication platform. Facebook is a popular social network service and website that sees users creating their own personal profile or page, adding others as friends to exchange information messages and automatic notifications when they make changes. Users join groups that appeal to them. Many businesses use Facebook pages / groups to create their online community and to encourage a following. In order to create a Facebook page for your business you yourself need to have a Facebook profile, as this is how you will login in and maintain your page. Like any social media platform you will need to register and create your own account (if you don’t already have one) then either on the login page or at the bottom of your home page or profile page you will see various […]
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Jun 13
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

TWITTER CAN BE EFFECTIVE PART OF MARKETING PLAN

Warning – it can be addictive! TWITTER is simple, and if used effectively and in a discretionary fashion, can be a really effective part of an integrated personal marketing and brand positioning plan for the uninitiated. It is a social networking site through which users send and receive messages (tweets) that are text-based, up to 140 characters’ maximum. You can tweet on the website or on your phone. Most smart phones have got a Twitter application which gives you free instant access. With other phones and updating via SMS, even though Twitter is free, in some cases your service provider will still charge for the SMS. Originally Twitter received bad press as it was considered to be a mechanism for celebrities to allow their fans to follow the minutiae of their daily lives. Whilst you can do this (please don’t!), Twitter is a great tool for getting quick instant messages about your brand to a broad spectrum of people. Personally I use Twitter as a mechanism to direct people to my website, blog and other social media, because, as a woman of many words, I find it difficult to restrict myself to 140 characters. I do however; know the value […]
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Jun 06
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

SELL YOURSELF, SHARE YOUR VIEWS WITH A BLOG

Scared of being declared a dinosaur by those who work with me, I decided to first understand the value of social media, and to then embrace it. Whilst anyone can blog and there is no barrier to entry, if you conduct all blog activities in a professional manner, it can boost your business. It needs to have a plan, and needs to be integrated with any other communication, plus be authentic. A blog provides a platform for you to share your views and knowledge and to communicate with the public at large. For the uninitiated, it is a type of website or part of a website that can be maintained by an individual. Through this dialogue you may make good contacts and develop a more recognised profile. I regularly recommend this platform to leaders in establishing their own brand and in boosting the company brand.  If you write about your area of expertise, you could instantly or eventually become more influential in your industry. A blog can be thought of as a quick and easy online journal or diary and can be used to elevate your ranking in search engines. Consider how you could blog – should it be merely […]
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May 30
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

RIDING EFFECTIVELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA WAVE

One of the most vital roles of a leader is ensuring that the vision of the organisation is well communicated to their team, before the team can then transport the messaging into public space. It is important that a communication plan rests on three pillars: Identify objectives – what do you want to achieve with it? Define your target market. Key messages and content need to be designed. Make sure you have a say in it. With social media it is essential that you first understand social media, accept it and then draft a usage policy. You will also need to educate and train all staff. Drivers in the organisation have a driver’s licence with experience ie are trained. Those operating in social media should have a licence and be trained. Decide on which avenues are best e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook, blog, Twitter. Get one medium perfected, and then move onto another. Co-ordinate all messaging for consistency and integrate where possible. Integrate social media with all other communication e.g. traditional media. Ideally you would have a digital manager to champion the process and to oversee the online reputation management. They too would monitor and measure your social media activity. I have […]
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