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Better Business, Better Life – Issue 50
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As we head into another week, I take great pleasure in sharing my curated articles, tips & tools in a short read that will hopefully give you a few ‘aha’ moments as well as some laughter or joy. Most of all I hope it gives you pragmatic inspiration & helps you on your journey to doing what you love, with people you love, making a huge difference, being compensated appropriately with time to pursue other passions – #TheEOSLife.
Here’s this week’s business tip, life hack & find of the week… Some of them are original, most are things I have come across in my weekly pursuit of self-improvement & living a better life, through creating a better business. And don’t forget the inspirational quote, which you can download as a wallpaper or lock screen for your phone.
As always, if you find great things that you’d like to share then feel free to email me for inclusion in one of my weekly newsletters. I’m always looking for new & exciting things to share each week. And if you think someone else would like to receive the newsletter in their inbox, directly from my inbox (no newsletter apps used here!) then please let me know – debra@debrachantry-taylor.com
BETTER BUSINESS
Are you holding too many meetings?
I remember when I was working for Auckland Council, we tallied up how much time I spent in meetings and it was 85% of a supposed 37.5 hour working week… Needless to say I worked on average 50-60 hour weeks just so that I could get my work done. But not everyone did & I think that’s maybe why councils & government departments never seem to get much done!
Anyway that job is a long distant memory – it was the worst 18 months of my life & I think ineffective meetings contributed to that.
“New research shows that about 70% of all meetings keep employees from working and completing all their tasks. While there was a 20% decrease in the average length of meetings during the pandemic, the number of meetings attended by a worker on average rose by 13.5%. Ineffective meetings that waste our time can negatively impact psychological, physical, and mental well-being.”
This article goes into why & what it can do to employee morale.
“When meetings declined by 80%, we found that the perception that employees had that they were being micromanaged lessened by 74%. People felt valued, trusted, and more engaged (44%), subsequently working harder for their company.”
Here at EOS worldwide we know how to create world class meetings. Implementing a weekly Meeting PulseTM for your leadership team will create traction by helping your team stay focused, solve issues, and improve communication. Bringing your leadership team together each week for 90 minutes gives you an opportunity to make sure everything is on track.
And if you’re not quite ready to give up all of your meetings for one meeting per week, then at least take a look at some of the tips in the article from Harvard Business Review to make employees more productive:
BETTER LIFE
Would you be any good as a hostage negotiator?
No, I probably wouldn’t be either which is why this book piqued my interest.
The badge says, “A former FBI hostage negotiator’s tools for talking anyone into (or out of) just about anything.
The book is written by Chris Voss, with Tahl Raz, and it’s called ‘Never split the difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it.”
It came recommended by one of my EOS colleagues & I have only just started reading it, so I can’t report too much on it.
However, if you are a person like me, who likes to help people, sometimes to the detriment of myself, then I am going to suggest you read it!
It gets 4.7 stars on google reviews with the first review saying, “This is the most important book I have ever read about negotiating or communicating in general. It’s not about manipulating people, it’s about helping both parties come to the best conclusion and the best outcome. However, for the situation where you need to win it all, the things you learn in this book will help with that, too.”
So, it should work for both business & home life… And I am looking forward to seeing what I can learn.
FIND OF THE WEEK
If you’re going to waste time then at least enjoy it!
Wow – I bought one of these for Steve & he just loves it.
It is a serious time waster but such a beautiful way to chill out. Particularly if you’re not good at meditation etc. Each unique landscape takes a while to create & it is truly mesmerising.
“KB collection sand art pictures are interactive, ever-changing, mesmerizing, and versatile handcrafted art pieces. Turn the sand picture over to watch the battle of the elements: The sand just wants to settle at the bottom, the air just wants to escape to the top, and the water hosts the party. The result is the sand trickles between the air bubbles to create fascinating stratification in the sand mountains that are never the same.
Mesmerizing to people of all ages and endlessly relaxing, moving sand art pictures are a fascinating and unique addition to your home or office.”
There are many cheap versions out there (& to be fair they work just as well) but when you read about KB sand art, you just know you want to support them.
They say each sand art piece takes a week to make, no matter what the size, & you can see how much work goes into them.
You can pick them up on Amazon:
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
“People often complain about lack of time when the lack of direction is the problem.” – Zig Ziglar
You can download this wallpaper or lock screen for your phone.
NEED HELP?
If you’d like to learn more about any of these tools or would like to find out how I can help you achieve a better life through creating a better business, then book a free Discovery Call with me.
We’ll talk about what you want to get from your business & your life & come up with a plan to do that!
Debra Chantry-Taylor
Certified EOS Implementer | Accredited Family Business Advisor | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Speaker & Workshop Facilitator