Jenny Handley Performance
Nov 09
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

LEADERS MUST CREATE A TEAM RAPPORT

In the ideal world we would appoint our own team. However, in reality, a team is often inherited or you may start working in an existing team. You now need to take ownership of what someone else crafted. You may instantly feel rapport with each and every team member, or you may be able to spot a back stroker, someone who swims against the tide. Here are some tips for starting work with a new team: • Before you start making changes acknowledge the success of your predecessor. • Do not be premature in making changes or make changes merely for the sake of change. Affirm systems that are working. • Know that it takes time to build trust and expect people to be wary of you at first. • Take time to get to know each member of your team. Another common challenge in a team is when one of the team members is promoted to a leadership position. That may be you. How do you handle the transition from being “one of the boys” to being the “main man”. It may be difficult, but not impossible. Acknowledge that things may change, but indicate that you will appreciate the […]
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Nov 02
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

MAN-WOMAN DYNAMIC BENEFICIAL AT WORK

Last week I planted the seeds of celebrating diversity in a team. The most widely spotlighted difference in the workplace is probably the man-woman debate. Whilst more than 90% of male and female brains are the same, the impact of the differences that do exist is huge. Men react to a threat with trying to find a solution quickly, they want action. A woman will just want to verbalise the issue. But that’s not all… The male brain is more logical, and has elevated spatial awareness and abstract thinking. Of the six language centres in the brain, the male uses one (in the left, logical side of the brain), and the female uses all six. Males moves to find a solution (quickly), and to incentivise action. When you try to get men to use the right hemisphere for emotion, they will have a short attention span – know that you will lose them in a conversation about feelings after about 10 minutes. They will look to do something physical, and you will think that they are bored. They are in fact, trying to re-focus their brains. Ideally they would like to move an emotion to the logical side of their […]
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Oct 26
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

TRUE LEADERS EXPLORE THE FRUITS OF DIVERSITY

There is a direct relationship between success and strong leadership. Leaders of successful teams make an effort to understand the members of their teams. They know that followers want their leader to provide an emotional connection which comes with connectivity, empathy, accessibility and trust. If you ask your team what they want or need, be sure to give it to them – or if not, provide them with an explanation of why not. It hinges on the six Cs: credibility, compassion, courage, challenges, consistency and community. In addition they want trust, stability and hope and appreciation. This appreciation could take the form of: recognition training and personal development flexibility feedback affirmation monetary rewards status treats We cannot apply the same rules to each individual when managing the entire team. Yes, you read right. People are so diverse in terms of personality, values, competencies and strengths, that you cannot expect each individual to respond in the same way. Flexibility is essential, and getting to know each team member is of paramount importance. Not only are all team members so different, but know too that your team’s individual needs change continually. That’s why you need to know when someone has a sick […]
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Oct 19
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

A GREAT TEAM THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR LEADERS

The best way to start leading your team is to ask what your team members want. Let’s look at where we are now and where we need to be. What worked a decade ago will not necessarily work now. Leadership is no longer leading a team the way you want to, but instead leading a team in the manner they need, responding to their needs to prepare them for the future. A team’s strength is the collective strength of people and their assets. The best team is able to focus on results, debate successfully, prioritise what is good for the organisation, show commitment, achieve balance and celebrate diversity. Everyone wants to join a winning team. For you as a leader to have broad impact you need to create a network of strong leaders that can grow on their own. If leadership is the process of organising a group of people to achieve a common goal, then how does one get them to achieve the desired outcomes? Leaders can be considered to have succeeded when they have made a contribution to the effectiveness and cohesion of a team. The proof of a good leader is a team displaying peak performance. A […]
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Oct 12
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

PAY IT FORWARD: VOLUNTEER, REAP THE REWARDS

In my career I have seen so often the value of volunteering, or working for free. The rewards are enormous, often greater than your investment of time and effort. We had the privilege of working with many volunteers to open the Butterfly Box, a pop-up retail charity shop that sells high quality and designer fashion, mostly new but some previously loved. It will change the way the public perceive charity shops, situated at Threads in Albert Road, Woodstock. It was the really busy people who found time to help sourcing stock, collecting fashion from retailers and designers, price and merchandise the items. Helpers came from far and wide, and many of them united into the team because they shared a common purpose, they believe in the ethos and work of Hospice and palliative care. It made sense for use to approach people who had experience of retail and fashion, and they have been most supportive. If you are starting your career, returning to work after a gap year or sabbatical or even maternity leave, how do you make a start? Consider giving your time for free. You will be rewarded with increased self-esteem, a sense of purpose, you will meet […]
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Oct 05
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

REAPING THE BENEFITS OF INFORMAL LEARNING

Last week I wrote about the value of formal learning, but equally important is ongoing, informal learning.  Since guest presenting at the UCT Graduate School of Business a few years ago, I decided that every year I try to learn a new skill and by doing so, expose myself to other hungry minds. If it slots into my motto of “write, speak, travel”, even better! I decided it was time to master a new language, having read that it is excellent for overall brain fitness. Conversational Italian would ensure that I could understand the instruction during a future hands-on cooking and gourmet holiday in Tuscany. This time, instead of choosing formal classes I found a friend who was also keen, and through another, discovered an Italian instructor. The classes were stimulating, fun and even hilarious. Practising over cappuccinos and meals in Italian restaurants and planning the holiday provides added inspiration and is good for networking. La dolce vita! TED.com is a global community, a free platform on which knowledge and inspiration are shared in video format. It started as a non-profit organisation in 1984, initially a conference that amalgamated great minds in technology, entertainment and design. It is updated regularly […]
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Sep 21
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

INVESTING IN STAFF WELLNESS CAN WORK WONDERS

There is proof that people who are engaged in their work, loving what they do and manage to keep a work-life balance, maintain better health. So how does one start to stay healthy in the workplace, and to ensure that your team does too?   A work environment that encourages well-being sees team members enjoying better physical health. Offering access to a gym, lunch-time team walks, fresh air, good nutrition and team-building that includes sport, is advisable. Better physical health translates into more energy and a positive mindset. What also provides a sense of well-being is when people are working with their strengths and feeling confident and “in the zone”. In addition if their competence equates to their challenges, there is a sense of homeostasis. Employees, who feel that they matter, make more of a contribution. That too provides an overall sense of well-being. If the organisation is large enough to warrant it, a facility like an on-site crèche could contribute to overall well-being, contentment and freedom.   It is in the interests of the leader to have staff who do not take sick leave unnecessarily. Absenteeism is counter-productive and costs the organisation. So does “presenteeism” (being at work whilst […]
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Sep 14
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments tags: Liz Biden; The Royal Portfolio; Royal Malewane;

SETTING THE STAGE FOR GUESTS TO ENJOY THE FUN

September celebrates Heritage Day and it is Tourism month, so let’s gather inspiration from a tourism icon in our town, Liz Biden. She is the owner and founder of The Royal Portfolio, a collection of luxury hotels in iconic destinations across South Africa which began in 1999 with the opening of Royal Malewane. Liz started her career as a teacher, ran a medical debt-collecting business when her children were young, and ran a fashion retail business before turning their holiday home into a guest lodge. She then converted two more holiday homes into exclusive hotels, and is currently planning to open their fourth property at the end of 2016. This family business sees Liz setting the stage for guests to have a perfect experience (as she says, all the fun stuff!) and her husband and son running the financial side of the business. Liz had no formal training in hospitality, but always loved travelling, and over the years developed an instinct and eye for attention to detail whilst working in the field of fashion retail.  I was keen to find out which is her favourite property – bush, beach or winelands. Liz loves them like she loves her children – […]
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Sep 07
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

DECLUTTER LIFE WITH A GOOD OLD SPRING CLEAN

As the mornings get lighter and the days longer I know it is time for a good spring clean. A great place to start is in your head, deciding what negative thoughts can be eradicated, and how you can replace them with positive thoughts. Inspiration comes to a quiet mind, so preferably take some time out of the office and gather your thoughts. Next step is to update your brand plan for Spring, acknowledge what is going well and what you can improve. What do you need to do more of and what is wasting your time? Create a timetable for the rest of this year to ensure that you get the most out of it. Put work and play into it in healthy proportions. A quarterly personal performance appraisal pays dividends. We are often quite hard on ourselves and feed off criticism instead of praise, so make a concerted effort to record compliments and positive feedback. Create some physical changes too: De-clutter your office, starting with your desk. Often we walk past cluttered areas and do not notice them. Work with a colleague – make recommendations for their work station and allow them to do the same for you. […]
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Aug 24
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

FOOD FOR THOUGHT WHEN CHOOSING A CAREER

I get really excited by young talent, and by good food, so was heartened to see that the future of food is in good hands when attending the third annual Cape Legends Inter Hotel Challenge awards celebration. This national platform for aspirant chefs and sommeliers in 25 hotels gives them the opportunity to be mentored, and to then compete for some fabulous prizes. More importantly, they get the opportunity to learn from others and forge their own foundation in an industry that applauds talent and hard work. Culinary tourism is part of our future, and it is wonderful to see that much of the growth is in areas like Gugulethu and Soweto. Visitors to our beautiful country like to see the origin of our local food, and to meet those who are creating and developing African cuisine. . It seemed fitting that the winner in Woman’s Month was a woman. Traditionally there has been a perception that most top chefs are male, so it was to huge applause that winning candidate chef, Charmainne Deacon, of Cape Grace, will enjoy a brilliant opportunity of a three-week working visit to the stunning Shangri-La Hotel, a lush oasis in the heart of Dubai. Also […]
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