We had to come in any costume beginning with any of the letters H O U S E T R I P...
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| As Slash |
Friday, 28 October 2011
Halloween at HouseTrip HQ
Today we all came to the office in Fancy Dress and we're having Halloween fun and games.
We had to come in any costume beginning with any of the letters H O U S E T R I P...
You can view all of the costumes and tell us your favourite on Facebook.
We had to come in any costume beginning with any of the letters H O U S E T R I P...
Monday, 17 October 2011
Deadlines
I was reflecting that I've heard you ask me once or twice "what is the deadline for task X"?
I can see that you are driven and respond well to challenges and deadlines. That's great. Really great!
Now I have new challenge for you. The challenge is to move from a deadline mindset to a "flow" mindset. I'm not saying you are stuck in a mindset at all. I want to highlight a way if thinking that I find useful and I hope you do too.
There will always be deadlines. If a task has a deadline, of course I will let you know. I tend however only to work with deadlines that are real. I rarely give deadlines that are self-imposed. Certain things needed to happen by a certain time. Real deadlines for real reasons. For most things though if I set a deadline it would be made up.
Let's talk instead about flow. Flow for me is about having an optimal and predictable regular delivery of value. I've come to like designing processes where we limit the number of things that we focus on things at one time. Why? Because I've observed that the fewer things someone has to do at once the faster they do them. Do less to do more.
The key then is to always ask, what am I already working on that I can finish next? Finish it and once it's finished only then take on a new task. I find I have more predictable delivery.
Then, the second element to a flow method is to make sure that you have a really good understanding of the relative importance of the things on your "to do" list. This can be something you do yourself if you really understand what you are doing in relation to your contribution to the whole organisation. If not, that's where you might need a regular discussion on what's important and why.
There's really only two dimensions of importance; urgency and value. It's obvious that you should do low urgency and low value items last and high urgency high value items first. The more difficult questions are around high urgency low value and low urgency high value. That discussion is never black and white but I'd recommend always focussing on value first unless it's a small effort item and avoid urgency demands by planning ahead.
Anyway, my point is that if you limit the number of things you work on at any one time, consistently finish work in progress before adding new tasks and then always start new tasks based on importance we don't need to use deadlines to deliver great results.
Deadlines are often self imposed. They are useful to many if us because it releases us from the decisions around what to do and what to do next. If you rely on a deadline from your manager instead of figuring it out yourself, you have created a burden for your manager to carry that you could carry yourself.
Real deadlines are real. If there's a deadline I will use the term as it really should be used. For everything else, I believe focussing on flow leads to better results, less supervision and more ownership. Maybe you already knew all of this so forgive me if that's the case.
It's a formula which really works.
I can see that you are driven and respond well to challenges and deadlines. That's great. Really great!
Now I have new challenge for you. The challenge is to move from a deadline mindset to a "flow" mindset. I'm not saying you are stuck in a mindset at all. I want to highlight a way if thinking that I find useful and I hope you do too.
There will always be deadlines. If a task has a deadline, of course I will let you know. I tend however only to work with deadlines that are real. I rarely give deadlines that are self-imposed. Certain things needed to happen by a certain time. Real deadlines for real reasons. For most things though if I set a deadline it would be made up.
Let's talk instead about flow. Flow for me is about having an optimal and predictable regular delivery of value. I've come to like designing processes where we limit the number of things that we focus on things at one time. Why? Because I've observed that the fewer things someone has to do at once the faster they do them. Do less to do more.
The key then is to always ask, what am I already working on that I can finish next? Finish it and once it's finished only then take on a new task. I find I have more predictable delivery.
Then, the second element to a flow method is to make sure that you have a really good understanding of the relative importance of the things on your "to do" list. This can be something you do yourself if you really understand what you are doing in relation to your contribution to the whole organisation. If not, that's where you might need a regular discussion on what's important and why.
There's really only two dimensions of importance; urgency and value. It's obvious that you should do low urgency and low value items last and high urgency high value items first. The more difficult questions are around high urgency low value and low urgency high value. That discussion is never black and white but I'd recommend always focussing on value first unless it's a small effort item and avoid urgency demands by planning ahead.
Anyway, my point is that if you limit the number of things you work on at any one time, consistently finish work in progress before adding new tasks and then always start new tasks based on importance we don't need to use deadlines to deliver great results.
Deadlines are often self imposed. They are useful to many if us because it releases us from the decisions around what to do and what to do next. If you rely on a deadline from your manager instead of figuring it out yourself, you have created a burden for your manager to carry that you could carry yourself.
Real deadlines are real. If there's a deadline I will use the term as it really should be used. For everything else, I believe focussing on flow leads to better results, less supervision and more ownership. Maybe you already knew all of this so forgive me if that's the case.
- Limit work in progress
- Finish before starting
- Deliver regularly and repeatedly
- Start based on importance
- Only use deadlines if they really exist
It's a formula which really works.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
London Paris
I made good friends on my recent trip to Paris. We were a group of
eight, thrown together by our willing to ride 250 miles (400km) from
London to Paris in order to raise funds for The Big Issue Foundation.
It all came together beautifully on the morning of the third day's riding. We were heading across Normandy on a plateau with a tail wind, riding in a bunch, taking turns on the front. We were rolling smooth, and it felt amazing. Views across cornfields, sunshine, fresh air, fast smooth road, hardly any cars, working together with good humour and excitement. Paris was 90 miles away and we were cruising. Perfect.
I cycle regularly and so my legs were quite accustomed to longer distance riding. I take my hat off to those on the ride who do not ride as regularly. In the 140 participants, at least 100 I would say were just everyday folk who decided that this is a good cause that deserves their support. If I felt a little tired (and happy) to arrive at the Eiffel Tower, they were even more so. It's amazing what they did. Truly. Together we raised over £200,000 for The Big Issue Foundation - important funds to help our homeless get back on their feet and back into society.
So, thank you Alman, Sean, Wyn, Mike, Will, Tomas and our guide Barrie for good memories and sharing the journey.
And thank you to over 50 generous friends and colleagues who supported the cause and helped me to raise over £2000 In sponsorship. Thank you.
If you would like to support The Bug Issue Foundation, you can still sponsor me. All donations count.
It all came together beautifully on the morning of the third day's riding. We were heading across Normandy on a plateau with a tail wind, riding in a bunch, taking turns on the front. We were rolling smooth, and it felt amazing. Views across cornfields, sunshine, fresh air, fast smooth road, hardly any cars, working together with good humour and excitement. Paris was 90 miles away and we were cruising. Perfect.
I cycle regularly and so my legs were quite accustomed to longer distance riding. I take my hat off to those on the ride who do not ride as regularly. In the 140 participants, at least 100 I would say were just everyday folk who decided that this is a good cause that deserves their support. If I felt a little tired (and happy) to arrive at the Eiffel Tower, they were even more so. It's amazing what they did. Truly. Together we raised over £200,000 for The Big Issue Foundation - important funds to help our homeless get back on their feet and back into society.
So, thank you Alman, Sean, Wyn, Mike, Will, Tomas and our guide Barrie for good memories and sharing the journey.
And thank you to over 50 generous friends and colleagues who supported the cause and helped me to raise over £2000 In sponsorship. Thank you.
If you would like to support The Bug Issue Foundation, you can still sponsor me. All donations count.
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
You Can't Always Get What You Want
I was 21 years old, standing about 100m from the stage at the old Wembley Stadium with goosebumps on my arms, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
It was a warm July evening and Mick Jagger was singing to me. Yes, singing to me, directly at me. It wasn't that he was looking at me or anything so obvious. It was his words. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you'll get what you need". They hit me.
Now I'm not sure how I'd managed to be a Stones fan for all of my teenage years without having heard that song. But that's how it was. It was at Wembley that I first heard the song and the timing was perfect.
I'd just graduated from Manchester Uni. It wasn't exactly a celebration. I was in fact quite seriously pissed off. I'd ended up with a grade lower than I had expected. To make matters worse I had missed it by one mark. One mark out of six hundred. You couldn't miss the grade any closer. Despite my appeal to the examiners I could not leave with the grade that I had consistently scored in coursework all through my final year.
So, I was deep down pissed off, knowing I could have done better. It's a horrible feeling, that you let yourself down, but Mick picked me right up and in the course of four minutes turned me inside out and made me feel good again.
"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you'll get what you need". The message was clear. You make your own success and it doesn't come free. You've got to work for it. It may not always go your way, but try hard, and you'll get your reward.
6 months later and I was listening to the same song on my Walkman sitting on a chairlift in the sun. I had my skis on and I was trying to see if it was possible to ski every high point and every low point in the Espace Killy ski area (Val D'Isere and Tignes, France). I had decided that I wanted to do a ski season and despite being flat broke with my credit cards maxed out, here I was, soaking up the sun and living the dream. Mick's words sounded better than ever because it was my own bloody mindedness that had made it possible for me to be working in a ski resort. (Oh yes, I skied the entire area that day: non-stop in 6h15).
So, here I am working in an internet start up in 2011. A little older, a little wiser. One thing remains true. Nothing in life comes for free. Success requires effort, persistence and belief. It also requires laser sharp focus and a view on the horizon that we're headed for. Mick was right, it's the trying, the striving, the effort that gets us what we need. No-one does it for you, you've got to make it happen yourself. You've got to try sometimes.
It was a warm July evening and Mick Jagger was singing to me. Yes, singing to me, directly at me. It wasn't that he was looking at me or anything so obvious. It was his words. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you'll get what you need". They hit me.
Now I'm not sure how I'd managed to be a Stones fan for all of my teenage years without having heard that song. But that's how it was. It was at Wembley that I first heard the song and the timing was perfect.
I'd just graduated from Manchester Uni. It wasn't exactly a celebration. I was in fact quite seriously pissed off. I'd ended up with a grade lower than I had expected. To make matters worse I had missed it by one mark. One mark out of six hundred. You couldn't miss the grade any closer. Despite my appeal to the examiners I could not leave with the grade that I had consistently scored in coursework all through my final year.
So, I was deep down pissed off, knowing I could have done better. It's a horrible feeling, that you let yourself down, but Mick picked me right up and in the course of four minutes turned me inside out and made me feel good again.
"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you'll get what you need". The message was clear. You make your own success and it doesn't come free. You've got to work for it. It may not always go your way, but try hard, and you'll get your reward.
6 months later and I was listening to the same song on my Walkman sitting on a chairlift in the sun. I had my skis on and I was trying to see if it was possible to ski every high point and every low point in the Espace Killy ski area (Val D'Isere and Tignes, France). I had decided that I wanted to do a ski season and despite being flat broke with my credit cards maxed out, here I was, soaking up the sun and living the dream. Mick's words sounded better than ever because it was my own bloody mindedness that had made it possible for me to be working in a ski resort. (Oh yes, I skied the entire area that day: non-stop in 6h15).
So, here I am working in an internet start up in 2011. A little older, a little wiser. One thing remains true. Nothing in life comes for free. Success requires effort, persistence and belief. It also requires laser sharp focus and a view on the horizon that we're headed for. Mick was right, it's the trying, the striving, the effort that gets us what we need. No-one does it for you, you've got to make it happen yourself. You've got to try sometimes.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
7 Management Tips Tested on 4 Year Olds
I came down to breakfast today to see a hand written note with childcare tips. My wife had been out the night before with a good friend who we've known for 15 years. Between them they have 7 kids.
On reading the note at first I thought it was a list of childcare tips. After a moment I realised I was mistaken. It was a set of management tips.
Here's the note...
And in case you can't read it here is what it says. 7 tips. I added my own explanations.
1. "Squabbling place" - take time out to discuss why they are arguing
This is the pub. If you can't find a pub a coffee shop might do, but alcohol is always more effective than caffeine. A good old chat solves most arguments. Don't go to bed angry.
2. New rule, repeat new rule
If you want to have your people understand the rules, repeat them until they start saying them back to you. You probably need to say it at least 10 times before anyone hears and 20 times before they listen. Maybe 30 times and they'll understand. 40 times and it might get done that way.
3. Positive praise over a negative situation
Kill negativity with positivity. This is the Richard Branson smile rather than the Alan Sugar frown. Find the bright spots and amplify them, the negativity dries up like a puddle on a summer's day.
4. Sticker for own bum wiping
In business you need to wipe your own bum. No-one else wants to do it for you, so get used to doing your own job. Likewise, make sure your team do their job and that you don't do it for them. Praise any sign that this is happening. It takes 2 years to teach a toddler to wipe their bum properly. It can take longer for managers to let their team do the work.
5. Clear up own mess (e.g split milk)
If you fuck up, clear it up. There's no better way to a P45 than to let others clear up your shit.
6. Own breakfast (youngest 4)
Solve your own problems and encourage your team to do the same. Just don't throw them in the deep end until you've taught them to swim.
7. Find own clothes night before and layout
Encourage your team to make their own plans. Not making plans is not acceptable, however just as kids will get dressed more willingly if they set out the clothes, so will your team be more likely to deliver on plans if they do them, not you.
I can't believe my wife and her pal were talking about work all night. Some people!
On reading the note at first I thought it was a list of childcare tips. After a moment I realised I was mistaken. It was a set of management tips.
Here's the note...
 |
| 7 Management Tips Tested on 4 Year Olds |
And in case you can't read it here is what it says. 7 tips. I added my own explanations.
1. "Squabbling place" - take time out to discuss why they are arguing
This is the pub. If you can't find a pub a coffee shop might do, but alcohol is always more effective than caffeine. A good old chat solves most arguments. Don't go to bed angry.
2. New rule, repeat new rule
If you want to have your people understand the rules, repeat them until they start saying them back to you. You probably need to say it at least 10 times before anyone hears and 20 times before they listen. Maybe 30 times and they'll understand. 40 times and it might get done that way.
3. Positive praise over a negative situation
Kill negativity with positivity. This is the Richard Branson smile rather than the Alan Sugar frown. Find the bright spots and amplify them, the negativity dries up like a puddle on a summer's day.
4. Sticker for own bum wiping
In business you need to wipe your own bum. No-one else wants to do it for you, so get used to doing your own job. Likewise, make sure your team do their job and that you don't do it for them. Praise any sign that this is happening. It takes 2 years to teach a toddler to wipe their bum properly. It can take longer for managers to let their team do the work.
5. Clear up own mess (e.g split milk)
If you fuck up, clear it up. There's no better way to a P45 than to let others clear up your shit.
6. Own breakfast (youngest 4)
Solve your own problems and encourage your team to do the same. Just don't throw them in the deep end until you've taught them to swim.
7. Find own clothes night before and layout
Encourage your team to make their own plans. Not making plans is not acceptable, however just as kids will get dressed more willingly if they set out the clothes, so will your team be more likely to deliver on plans if they do them, not you.
I can't believe my wife and her pal were talking about work all night. Some people!
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