Author: Bob Bannister

Stop Losing Sleep Over Losing Sleep: An Insomniac’s Guide to Falling Back Asleep 

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

We’ve all been there – your eyes snap open at 3 AM and no matter how hard you try, your mind refuses to shut off and let you drift back into peaceful slumber. As the hours tick by, anxiety starts creeping in about how exhausted you’ll feel later. Before you know it, the alarm is going off and you’re facing another day running on fumes. 

Disrupted sleep isn’t just an annoyance, it’s a chronic stressor that takes a massive toll on your health and performance. Numerous studies have linked insomnia to increased risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even early mortality. Lack of sleep also crushes productivity, alertness, and cognitive function while amplifying moodiness and emotional volatility.  

The good news? There are techniques that can help you stop the cycle of anxiety-inducing wakefulness and get your sleep back on track. I’m going to break down some of the most effective mind, body, and environment hacks for rapidly falling back into restorative slumber when insomnia strikes.

However, before we dive into those, it’s important to have the right mental framework about nighttime awakenings. Despite common misconceptions, it’s completely normal and natural to wake up briefly during sleep cycles. The key is not stressing out and staying relaxed so you can easily transition back to sleep.

As Dr. Gregg Jacobs explains in his Harvard Medical School guide to overcoming insomnia, “Cycles of light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep periodically occur, and brief awakenings are completely normal…If you remain awake, it’s because your mind is racing or you’ve made yourself tense.”

With that mindset in place, here are some practical techniques to employ the next time you find yourself wide awake at an unfortunate hour:

The Muscle Relaxation Technique

One of the biggest obstacles to falling back asleep is physical tension. When you’re tossing and turning, your body goes into a state of chronic stress and alertness that’s extremely counterproductive for sleep. 

The solution? A sequential muscle relaxation routine that de-stresses your body and redirects your mind away from worrying thoughts. Here’s how it works:

1. Take a few deep breaths to centre yourself. Inhale through your nose and feel your belly expand. Exhale slowly through pursed lips.

2. Start by tensing the muscles in your face for 5-10 seconds, squeezing your eyes shut tightly and clenching your jaw. Release the tension and feel those muscles go limp.

3. Move slowly down your body using the same tense-and-release cycle: Shoulders, arms, chest, core, legs, feet. Concentrate on the sensation of letting go completely.

4. Once you’ve progressed through the entire sequence, spend a few minutes just lying still and enjoying the profound relaxation coursing through your body.  

5. If your mind starts wandering, gently guide it back to focusing on your breath and physical sensations.

This practice melts away the anxiety that fuels insomnia and physiologically prepares your body for deep, restful sleep. Just be patient and allow your previous tension to fully drain away.

The Chilly Bedroom Trick

Most people sleep best in a slightly cool environment between 18-20°C. Cooler temps facilitate the natural drop in core body temperature that initiates sleepiness and high-quality rest.

If your room is too warm or you find yourself overheating after some time under the covers, it can disrupt your circadian rhythms and leave you tossing and turning for hours.

An easy fix? Keep a small fan running to circulate air and a spare pair of socks by your bedside. If you wake up feeling flushed and restless, throw on the socks to radiate some excess body heat and allow the fan’s gentle breeze to whisk it away. Dropping your skin temperature just a few degrees is often enough to trigger the natural sleepiness you need to quickly fall back under.

Light Dimmer Shades and Monitor Dimmers

In our modern world, we’re constantly bombarded with artificial light that confuses our circadian clocks and makes it harder to produce the sleep hormones melatonin and adenosine. Even small amounts of ambient light can delay or disrupt quality sleep.

To hack this, invest in some blackout curtains or portable light dimmer blinds to create a perfectly dark sleeping environment. Blue light filters for your tech devices can also help minimise photic stimulation that signals your brain to stay awake and alert.

If you do need to check the time or briefly use your devices, implement the “night mode” settings that cut blue wavelength light emissions down to minimal levels. Every little bit of light control can make a major difference when you’re trying to lull yourself back into deep slumber.

The 20-Minute Get Up Rule

There’s nothing more frustrating than being wide awake after an hour spent hopelessly trying to force yourself to sleep. At a certain point, this sleep effort just becomes counterproductive and risks building a negative mental association with your bed.

Experts like Dr. Jacobs recommend implementing a strict “20-minute rule” for these situations. Here’s how it works:

1. If you’re still awake after 20 minutes of tossing and turning, get up and go to another dimly-lit room. 

2. Engage in a relaxing activity like light reading, listening to calm music, or doing some gentle stretches. Avoid stimulating activities that will further delay sleep.

3. Only return to your bedroom when you start feeling sleepy again.

4. Repeat this cycle as needed throughout the night, never allowing yourself to stay awake in bed for longer than 20 minutes.

Although it seems counterintuitive to get up, this process actually retrains your brain to associate your bed with sleepiness rather than wakefulness and anxiety. Over time, it rebuilds the neural pathways that enable you to quickly fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.

The “First Aid” Toolkit

Despite our best efforts, true insomnia may still strike occasionally leaving you desperate for any relief at all. For those challenging nights, assemble a “first aid” toolkit of mild natural sleep aids to gently nudge your body and mind closer to slumber:

– Chamomile tea: The glycine in chamomile has been shown to induce slight sedation and reduce anxiety/stress that fuels insomnia.

– Magnesium supplement: Magnesium aids muscle relaxation, reduces stress hormones, and regulates melatonin production – all key for high-quality sleep.

– Essential oil diffuser: Lavender, bergamot, and clary sage oils in particular have been studied for their natural sedative and anxiety-reducing effects when inhaled.  

The key is moderation and only using these aids sparingly during acute bouts of wakefulness. Over-reliance can disrupt your natural sleep patterns and circadian rhythms. But sensibly deployed, they can provide valuable assistance on those brutal insomnia-plagued nights.

Chronic sleep disruption and deprivation is an often overlooked but immensely damaging form of stress that degrades every aspect of your health, performance, and well-being. With the practical mind/body techniques outlined here, you now have a full arsenal to combat and conquer insomnia before it spirals out of control.

By rapidly re-establishing high-quality sleep, you’ll be able to show up as the energised, focused, and resilient version of yourself each and every day. No more running on empty or dreading the harsh impacts of another sleepless night.

Sweet dreams!

“The Hidden Thief: How Low-Level Stress Robs You of Years”

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

Low-level chronic stress, often referred to as “daily hassles” or “background stress,” is a pervasive issue that can have significant impacts on our overall well-being and even our life expectancy. This type of stress is caused by the constant barrage of minor stressors that we encounter in our daily lives, such as traffic jams, work deadlines, family obligations, and financial concerns.

Here are some causes of low-level stress:

1. Work-related stress: Long hours, demanding workloads, job insecurity, and conflicts with co-workers or superiors can contribute to chronic stress.

2. Financial stress: Concerns about paying bills, managing debt, or maintaining a stable income can create a constant state of worry and anxiety.

3. Family and relationship stress: Conflicts with partners, children, or other family members, as well as caregiving responsibilities, can be emotionally and mentally taxing.

4. Social media and technology overload: The constant influx of information and the pressure to stay connected can lead to feelings of overwhelm and stress.

5. Environmental stressors: Noise pollution, crowded living conditions, and lack of access to green spaces can contribute to chronic stress.

The downside of these stressors is that they can have a profound iImpact on our Well-being.  Here are some of the key ways we can be negatively impacted.  

1. Physical health: Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and digestive issues, and contribute to the development of chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

2. Mental health: Low-level stress can lead to anxiety, depression, irritability, and difficulty concentrating, impacting overall mental well-being.

3. Sleep quality: Stress can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to insomnia or poor sleep quality, which can further exacerbate stress levels.

4. Cognitive function: Chronic stress can impair memory, decision-making abilities, and overall cognitive performance.

Scarily low level stress is know to have an unhelpful impact on life Expectancy:

Research has shown that chronic stress can have a detrimental effect on life expectancy. Long-term exposure to stress hormones, such as cortisol, can accelerate the aging process and increase the risk of developing age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer.

Additionally, the negative effects of chronic stress on mental health, sleep, and overall well-being can contribute to a lower quality of life and potentially shorten life expectancy.

The link between chronic low-level stress and reduced life expectancy has been well-documented in numerous academic studies. According to a 2012 study published in the journal BMJ Open, individuals who experience high levels of chronic stress have a 29% increased risk of developing heart disease, which is a leading cause of premature death worldwide (Russ et al., 2012).

A large-scale study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of London found that individuals with high levels of stress had a 43% increased risk of premature death (Stringhini et al., 2017). The study, which followed over 200,000 participants for an average of 8.5 years, estimated that individuals with high levels of stress could potentially have their life expectancy reduced by 2.8 years.

Furthermore, a meta-analysis published in the journal Psychological Bulletin analysed data from over 300,000 participants across 33 studies. The researchers concluded that high levels of stress were associated with a 37% increased risk of premature mortality (Rozanski et al., 2019). They estimated that the life expectancy reduction associated with chronic stress could range from 1 to 3 years, depending on the severity and duration of the stress.

It’s important to note that these estimates are based on population-level data and can vary depending on individual factors, such as genetics, lifestyle choices, and the presence of other health conditions. However, the consistent findings across multiple studies highlight the significant impact that chronic stress can have on overall health and longevity.

By taking proactive steps to manage low-level stress through techniques like mindfulness, self-care, and lifestyle modifications, individuals may be able to mitigate these negative effects and potentially increase their life expectancy.

Addressing Low-Level Stress:

To mitigate the impact of low-level stress, it is crucial to adopt healthy coping mechanisms and lifestyle changes. These may include regular exercise, mindfulness practices (e.g., meditation, deep breathing), time management strategies, seeking social support, and engaging in hobbies or leisure activities that promote relaxation and stress relief.

It is important to recognise the cumulative effects of daily stressors and take proactive steps to manage stress levels, as chronic stress can have far-reaching consequences on both physical and mental health, ultimately impacting our overall well-being and potentially shortening our life expectancy.

A simple but significant approach that can make a major difference in managing low-level stressors is the practice of self-care through intentional breaks and leisure activities. In our fast-paced lives, we often neglect to prioritise time for rest, relaxation, and activities that bring us joy and fulfilment. However, these intentional breaks can serve as powerful stress-relieving mechanisms and help us recharge our mental and emotional batteries.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to incorporate self-care through intentional breaks and leisure activities into your daily routine:

1. Identify activities that bring you joy and relaxation: Make a list of activities that you find genuinely enjoyable and restorative. These could include hobbies like reading, gardening, playing a musical instrument, painting, or engaging in sports or physical activities you love.

2. Schedule dedicated time: Once you have your list of preferred activities, intentionally block off time in your calendar for these self-care breaks. Treat these appointments with the same level of importance as you would a work meeting or any other commitment.

3. Start small and build up: If you’re new to this practice, begin with short breaks of 15-30 minutes per day. As you get more comfortable with taking these intentional breaks, gradually increase the duration to an hour or more, depending on your schedule and needs.

4. Disconnect from work and distractions: During your self-care break, make a conscious effort to disconnect from work-related tasks, emails, and other distractions. This dedicated time is solely for your own enjoyment and relaxation.

5. Engage in your chosen activity mindfully: When you begin your self-care activity, fully immerse yourself in the present moment. If you’re reading a book, saver the words and the story. If you’re gardening, pay attention to the feel of the soil and the scents of the plants around you. This mindful engagement can help you truly disengage from stressful thoughts and enter a state of relaxation.

6. Practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques: If you find your mind wandering back to stressful thoughts or concerns during your self-care break, take a few deep breaths and consciously relax your body. You can also incorporate simple relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation exercises.

7. Reflect on the experience: After your self-care break, take a moment to reflect on how you feel. Notice any changes in your physical, emotional, or mental state. This awareness can reinforce the importance and benefits of intentional self-care.

By consistently incorporating self-care through intentional breaks and leisure activities into your daily routine, you’ll be better equipped to manage low-level stressors. These dedicated moments of relaxation and enjoyment can help you recharge and approach stressful situations with a clearer mind and a more positive outlook.

Remember, self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for overall well-being and stress management. By prioritising time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation, you’ll be better able to navigate the challenges of daily life with greater resilience and balance.

References:

Russ, T. C., Stamatakis, E., Hamer, M., Starr, J. M., Kivimäki, M., & Batty, G. D. (2012). Association between psychological distress and mortality: individual participant pooled analysis of 194 373 adults aged 16-82 years. BMJ Open, 2(2), e001141.

Stringhini, S., Carmeli, C., Jokela, M., Avendaño, M., Muennig, P., Guida, F., … & Chadeau-Hyam, M. (2017). Socioeconomic status and the 25× 25 risk factors as determinants of premature mortality: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of 1· 7 million men and women. The Lancet, 389(10075), 1229-1237.

Rozanski, A., Bairey Merz, C. N., Rozanski, A., & Bairey Merz, C. N. (2019). The impact of psychosocial factors on cardiovascular disease: a review of epidemiologic evidence. In Stress and Cardiovascular Disease (pp. 21-38). Springer, Cham.

The Delicate Balance: Supporting Employee Wellbeing While Meeting Organisational Needs

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

The Clock is Ticking: Supporting Employees Without Sacrificing Organisational Wellbeing

It’s no secret that employee wellbeing has become a top priority for organisations in recent years. With burnout reaching epidemic levels and mental health struggles on the rise, managers are increasingly focused on supporting their people. But this presents a dilemma: how do you support employee wellbeing without compromising organisational wellbeing?  

As managers, we want to be compassionate and understanding. But we also have responsibilities to the organisation. Deadlines need to be met, goals need to be achieved, and work needs to get done. So where do you draw the line? How do you find the delicate balance between caring for your people while also caring for the business?

In my experience, the key is taking a nuanced approach. As much as we want blanket policies and black-and-white rules, life is filled with shades of gray. Supporting our employees’ wellbeing while meeting organisational needs requires us to make judgement calls, weigh competing priorities, and consider each situation on its own merits. 

Here are a few principles I’ve found helpful for striking the right balance:

Take Time to Understand the Full Context

When an employee is struggling, take time to understand what’s really going on before jumping to conclusions. Is this a one-off bad day, or part of a deeper mental health issue? Is there a temporary personal crisis, or an unrealistic workload? Get the full story before deciding how to respond.

Set Clear Expectations Upfront

Be clear about workflows, responsibilities, and deadlines. That way, if someone genuinely can’t deliver due to wellbeing challenges, you can have an evidence-based conversation about adjustments. Vague expectations only enable people to take advantage.

Offer Flexibility, Within Limits

Accommodate needs when you reasonably can. Let someone shift hours if they’re having insomnia. Grant a day working from home during a stressful time. Provide extra time off for counselling. But don’t allow indefinite flexibility – set clear parameters to avoid potential abuse. 

Open Two-Way Communication

Create an open dialogue. Employees should feel safe being vulnerable about challenges they face. But managers also need to give candid feedback when wellbeing impacts performance. Handle these conversations privately, delicately, but directly.

Focus on Outcomes Over Perfection 

Aim to get the job done, even if work quality suffers temporarily while someone works through a tough time. A good-enough result on time is often better for the business than a perfect deliverable late. 

Set Boundaries Around What You Can Accommodate

While you want to support people, you also need to communicate limits on what’s realistic for the organisation. If deadlines are tight, explain additional delays simply aren’t viable. If absences are straining the team, address that openly. 

Involve HR When Appropriate 

HR partners can provide expertise in managing complex wellbeing situations while ensuring legal and company policy compliance. Loop them in when cases require specialised guidance. 

Look for Sustainable Solutions

The goal is to support employees through challenges, not enable them to avoid responsibilities indefinitely. Offer time-bound accommodations, then work together on strategies to build resilience when they’re ready.

Also Watch for Signs of Enabling

Well-intentioned flexibility can enable unhealthy dependency and avoidance of duties. Notice if accommodations go on indefinitely without improvement. Discuss nagging concerns transparently.

With the right balance of compassion and candidness, patience and accountability, flexibility and structure, managers can handle even the most difficult dilemmas around employee wellbeing versus organisational needs. The solutions won’t always be cut and dry, but when we approach situations with nuance rather than rigidity, we find that win-win outcomes are usually possible with a little creativity and care. The wellbeing of our people and our organisations go hand-in-hand more often than we realise – with the right balance, we can nurture both.

Leading By Serving: Why Servant Leadership is the Key to Better Management

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

We all know the stereotypical “boss” – barking orders, taking credit, and putting their own interests first without regard for their team. But in today’s modern workplace, this command-and-control style of management simply doesn’t cut it anymore. Employees want to be empowered, not controlled, and servant leadership is the way forward.

So what exactly is servant leadership? It’s a management philosophy that flips the typical hierarchy on its head. Instead of the manager being served by their team, the manager’s primary role is to serve their team members, helping them develop and perform at their best. Here are three reasons why embracing servant leadership is the key to being a better manager:

1. It creates a culture of trust and engagement.

With servant leadership, managers focus on understanding what their team members need to excel in their roles. They ask questions, actively listen, and seek to remove any obstacles standing in the way. This shows employees that their manager genuinely cares, building trust and strengthening relationships. Workers who feel trusted are much more engaged and willing to go the extra mile.

2. It develops employees to their full potential.

Servant leaders are constantly looking for ways to help their team members grow. They act as mentors, offering support and advice to help employees reach their career goals. Servant leaders also give credit where credit is due, allowing team members to take on leadership roles and shine. This emphasis on employee development leads to higher job satisfaction and greater retention.

3. It drives better results. 

With servant leadership, managers are deeply invested in making their team successful. This motivates them to provide all the tools, resources, and support their team needs to excel. And when employees feel empowered by a manager who cares for their wellbeing, they become highly motivated to deliver great work. The end result is a team that collaborates seamlessly to drive better collective results.

The days of arrogance and self-serving leadership are over. Managers who embrace servant leadership create winning cultures where employees are engaged, empowered, and performing at their peak. The servant leader’s mindset – serving their people rather than being served – fosters greater trust, growth, and performance. 

Here are 5 key pillars of a servant manager:

– Listening: Seeks to understand by actively listening to team members’ needs and concerns. 

– Empathy: Strives to empathise with employees’ perspectives and experiences.

– Healing: Helps employees overcome personal problems impacting work. 

– Awareness: Has self-awareness to understand their own strengths and weaknesses.

– Persuasion: Leads by example and persuasion, not formal authority.

So let servant leadership be your guiding philosophy. Make it all about your team, not you. The growth and success you’ll cultivate will be truly transformational. Will you rise up to this challenge? The time for servant leadership is now.

Developing a Strong Team Strategy

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

Having a clear team strategy is crucial for aligning a team around common goals and ensuring everyone is working together effectively. Here are some key elements to focus on when developing a strategy for your team:

Define Shared Goals

The first step is to define the overarching goals for the team. What is the team aiming to accomplish? How will success be measured? Make sure everyone understands and buys into the goals. Having shared objectives provides direction and motivation.

Determine Team Member Roles  

Once you have the goals in place, determine what roles each member needs to fill to help achieve those goals. Look at team members’ strengths and interests and divide responsibilities accordingly. Outline clear expectations for each role. Ensuring people are in roles that play to their strengths will drive engagement.

Create Processes and Standards

Put processes, tools, and standards in place to streamline how the team gets work done. This could include communication norms, project management systems, rules for decision making, etc. Well-defined ways of working together will increase efficiency and consistency. Document these standards so the team can reference them.

Foster Open Communication

Open communication ensures information flows freely on the team. Encourage team members to ask questions, share updates, voice concerns, and collaborate. Communication helps alignment, prevents surprises, and enables the team to solve issues quickly. Create the expectation that communication is everyone’s responsibility.

Provide Ongoing Feedback

Provide regular positive and constructive feedback to team members. Praise successes and progress to motivate. Address any issues early before they become problems. Feedback allows for continuous improvement and development. Frequent check-ins show team members you value their contributions.

Developing an intentional team strategy takes work upfront but pays off exponentially. With aligned goals, roles, processes, communication norms, and feedback practices in place, teams can work together seamlessly to drive results. Revisit and refine the strategy over time as needs evolve. A strong strategy enables a team to thrive at any challenge.

The Future of Management: How AI is Revolutionising Leadership

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

Managing people is one of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of business leadership. As technology continues to evolve rapidly, managers have an exciting opportunity to utilise AI to enhance their skills and better lead their teams. Here are three ways AI is transforming management for the better:

1. Unbiased Hiring and Promotions

AI hiring tools can reduce unconscious bias in the recruitment process by focusing on skills, experience and cultural fit rather than demographic factors. Post-hire, AI performance analysis can benchmark employees and make data-based recommendations on promotions, ensuring fair advancement opportunities. This results in more diverse, qualified teams.

Here are a few ways existing AI tools can help reduce bias and promote diversity in hiring and advancement:

  • Blind recruitment – AI can remove names, gender pronouns, ages, addresses, and other potentially biasing information from resumes/applications before they reach hiring managers. This helps ensure candidates are evaluated on merit rather than demographics.
  • Skills testing – AI-powered skills assessments and interviews can evaluate job-relevant skills in a standardised, objective way. This reduces subjective bias in traditional interviews.
  • Redacting bias from job descriptions – AI can scan job postings for gendered or non-inclusive language and suggest alternatives. This helps attract a more diverse applicant pool. 
  • Predictive analytics – AI can analyse past hiring and promotion patterns to identify areas where certain groups are being disadvantaged. Actions can then be taken to correct these issues.
  • Performance analytics – AI can collect data on employee performance in an objective, unbiased way. This data can then inform promotion decisions based on skills and merit rather than subjective or biased factors.
  • Candidate sourcing – AI recruiting tools can proactively seek out qualified candidates from underrepresented groups on job sites and social media. This builds a more diverse pipeline.

So, AI can reduce bias by focusing on skills, providing objective performance data, and enhancing diversity efforts throughout the hiring and promotion processes. But AI itself also needs to be carefully designed to avoid reflecting biases in the underlying data or algorithms. Ongoing monitoring is important.

2. Personalised Training and Development 

Through analysing performance data and employee engagement surveys, AI can determine knowledge gaps and design personalised training programs to address them. Managers leveraging AI development tools can create growth opportunities tailored to each individual. This helps motivate and retain top talent.

Here are some ways existing AI tools can help provide personalised development opportunities and retention of top talent:

  • Knowledge gap analysis – AI can analyse performance data, project work, and skills assessments to identify areas where employees lack proficiency. This allows personalised training.
  • Surveys and feedback analysis – Sentiment analysis and natural language processing of engagement surveys and manager feedback can surface development needs and dissatisfaction.
  • Learning recommendations – Based on roles, skills, interests, and development needs, AI can suggest appropriate training courses, mentors, stretch assignments, and other growth opportunities.
  • Career pathing – By analysing employee strengths, weaknesses and aspirations, AI can map out potential career trajectories within the company tailored to the individual.
  • Retention risk analysis – AI can determine which top performers are flight risks based on analysing engagement, satisfaction, compensation, and external opportunities. Proactive retention initiatives can then be launched.
  • Coaching algorithms – Chatbots and other AI coaching tools can have personalised conversations with employees to set development goals, suggest growth opportunities, and keep them motivated.
  • Personalised content – AI can determine each employee’s preferences and needs and curate personalised content feeds with relevant mentoring advice, training materials, and job openings.

The key for AI is to provide the personalised insights at scale that managers cannot easily discern for every employee. This empowers organisations to be more strategic about development and retention, especially for their highest potential talent.

3. Enhanced Employee Wellbeing

Monitoring biometric and sentiment data, AI can discern dips in engagement, happiness or health in specific employees. It can then recommend management interventions like workload adjustments, tactful check-ins or wellness perks. This empathetic approach improves workplace satisfaction, reducing stress and burnout.  

There are some emerging AI tools that can help monitor and improve employee well-being:

  • Sentiment analysis – AI can analyse language in emails, messages, and surveys to detect negative emotions like stress, anxiety, or unhappiness. It can flag concerning cases.
  • Biometric monitoring – Devices like smart watches can track biometric data like sleep patterns, heart rate variability, and skin temperature. Irregularities may indicate poor health or burnout risk.
  • Facial analysis – With consent, AI can analyse facial expressions during video meetings to evaluate engagement, happiness, and energy levels over time.
  • Work pattern analysis – AI can study work habits by tracking application/tool usage, response times, meeting schedules, and time logged. Anomalies may signal problems.
  • Recommendation engines – Based on analysed wellness signals, AI can proactively recommend interventions like workload adjustments, quiet time allocation, or accessing certain benefits or programs.
  • Virtual coaches – Conversational agents can have empathetic dialogues with employees to discern stress factors, provide motivation/encouragement, and guide them to helpful resources.
  • Anonymous reporting tools – Employees can anonymously report issues like burnout, discrimination, health conditions, etc. and AI can analyse prevalence and recommend appropriate org-level responses. 

The key is for AI to act as an invisible assistant, keeping human workers happy and healthy through objective insights and compassionate recommendations delivered at the right moments. However, strong ethical guidelines around consent and transparency are critical when monitoring employee wellbeing with AI.

The role of management is evolving from task-master to coach and mentor. With AI’s help, managers can focus more attention on strategic leadership and cultivating authentic relationships. This leads to both happier employees and improved business results. By embracing AI’s capabilities, managers can future-proof their skills while unlocking the full potential of their workforce.

Why team ‘function’ is more important than team ‘performance’.

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

There is a clear difference between high performing teams and high functioning teams.

Put simply, many high performing teams are not necessarily high functioning. They achieve what they achieve through effort, blood, sweat and frequently tears. Performance in these organisations is exhausting, often stressful, there is fall out and discontent. They are battle zones. In truth, these are not pleasant environments in which to work, but so often we put up with it because when we jump we find exactly the same issues emerging in the fire as well as the frying pan.

In contrast high functioning teams are positively slick, they are pleasant supportive places to exist. They operate in such a different zone that performance becomes the by-product. So nearly all high functioning teams are also high performing, but without the angst found in high performing teams that are not high functioning.

It’s this inability to function highly that we have witnessed time and time again. Almost everywhere you will find people working hard, everyone is busy, at least by the norms of their incumbent culture. Performance is striven for on all almost every front, but it’s like giving a diabetic with a headache some paracetamol when the reality is their blood sugar is too high. Working harder and faster, becoming increasingly busy is not the answer, improving the way we function is.

Effective collaboration between teams is crucial for organisational success, yet tensions and miscommunications frequently arise. Soft systems methodology provides a constructive approach to understand and enhance team relationships, improving the way they function. 

Here’s how it can be applied:

1. Define the Problem Situation

Gather information from members of the different teams to understand their perspectives. What issues or challenges exist in working across team boundaries? What goals or values do the teams share? Where are the discrepancies in viewpoints or preferred ways of working? Develop a rich picture visualising the current dynamics.

2. Develop Root Definitions 

Articulate the purpose and nature of each team by crafting a root definition, expressing their core transformational processes. For example, “Team A is an internal service provider delivering reliable technical infrastructure to business units.” Distill the essence of each team’s responsibilities, priorities and self-image.

3. Build Conceptual Models

Based on the root definitions, represent the ideal activities, relationships and flows for each team through conceptual models. This outlines how each team might function optimally from their own standpoint. Consider information flows, decision processes, monitoring systems, and more.

4. Compare Models to Reality

Compare the conceptual models to the actual current situation. Identify gaps between the ideal and real practices for each team. Develop hypotheses for why discrepancies exist, considering conflicting performance metrics, poor communication channels, or different cultural values.

5. Define Feasible Changes

Propose feasible changes that could improve inter-team working relationships, aligning with the conceptual models. Focus on enhancing communication, better coordinating project workflows, adjusting incompatible key performance indicators, and addressing cultural misunderstandings.

6. Take Action to Improve

Implement small incremental actions to change inter-team dynamics for the better. Meet regularly to review progress, gather feedback, and adjust the interventions based on the impact observed. It may take several iterations to see meaningful improvements to team alignment.

Soft systems methodology provides a thoughtful approach to unpack complex team relationships. By developing conceptual models aligned to each group’s perspective, organisations can gain insight into dysfunctional dynamics and make changes to enable smooth collaboration between teams. The focus is on pragmatically improving the situation rather than assigning blame. With effort and willingness to experiment, teams can function well and in turn, perform better.

Evaluating Management Effectiveness with Key Performance Metrics

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

As a manager, it’s important to regularly assess how effective you and your team are at achieving goals and driving results. While management style and qualities like leadership ability are critical, there are also quantitative metrics that can provide insight into management performance. Tracking key metrics over time can reveal progress, highlight problem areas, and help managers refine their approaches to improve outcomes.

Some examples of useful metrics for evaluating management effectiveness include:

  • Employee Engagement – Highly engaged teams are more productive and driven. Employee engagement surveys and scores indicate the level of enthusiasm and connection employees feel to their work and organisation under a manager’s leadership.
  • Project Delivery – Tracking on-time delivery of projects and milestones shows how well a manager keeps initiatives on schedule and within budget. Delivery delays or cost overruns may point to issues like poor planning, communication gaps, or inadequate resource allocation.
  • Productivity – Metrics like sales numbers, calls handled, cases closed, or output per employee demonstrate how much and how efficiently work is getting done under a manager. Managers can compare productivity metrics against past performance or industry benchmarks. 
  • Quality of Work – The error rate, customer satisfaction score, remake/return rate, or other quality metrics reveal how consistent and reliable team output is under a manager. High quality work indicates thoroughness and good management oversight.
  • Absenteeism & Turnover – Low absenteeism and staff turnover signal that a manager has created an engaging environment where people want to, and can, show up to work. High turnover may indicate poor culture, lack of development, or ineffective leadership.
  • Cost Management – Budget versus actual spending, waste reduction, and other cost metrics demonstrate how well a manager controls expenses and manages resources efficiently. Excess spending may point to poor planning or oversight of costs.

Regularly tracking key performance indicators like these can provide managers with tangible insights into what’s working well and what needs adjustment. Analysing results over time and comparing against targets and past performance can show a manager’s strengths and growth areas when it comes to strategy, operations, team building, and leadership. Just as important as choosing the right metrics, however, is acting on the data to continually enhance management capabilities. Key performance indicators are a tool for improved self-awareness and accountability on the path to management excellence.

Managing Change in Your Team: 3 Critical Steps

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

Change is inevitable in any workplace. As a leader, it’s your job to help your team members embrace change and move forward in a positive way. Here are three critical steps you can take to manage change effectively in your team:

1. Communicate early and often. When change is coming, don’t keep it to yourself. Gather your team and explain what is happening, why it’s happening, and how it will impact their roles. Be transparent and give them time to process the information. Keep communicating throughout the transition period with updates and more details. The more informed your team is, the less uncertainty and fear they will have.

2. Involve your team. Don’t dictate change without input from your team members. Have open discussions where they can ask questions, raise concerns, and offer suggestions. Make them an active part of the planning and transition process. When people feel involved, they are more likely to buy into the change. Provide opportunities for feedback and listen carefully.

3. Recognise emotions. Change can bring out many emotions like anxiety, anger, sadness, or fear of the unknown. Acknowledge that it’s normal to feel this way. Be empathetic and allow time for your team to go through the emotional transition as well as the practical one. Offer resources or training to help them build confidence and acquire new skills. Celebrate small wins and milestones along the way.

Change doesn’t have to be negative. With care and planning, you can guide your team through transitions and come out stronger on the other side. Pay attention to their needs, validate their concerns, and keep everyone focused on the bright future ahead. With these steps, you and your team can embrace change as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

Standing Ovation: Creative Ways to Prepare a Winning Online Business Presentation

Bob Bannister
by Bob Bannister on

Giving a business presentation in the virtual world poses unique challenges. How do you make an online talk interactive and memorable when you don’t have a live audience? Get creative with these preparation tips for an outstanding virtual presentation:

1. Shake up the flow. Maintain interest by revealing information in an unexpected order. Try a provocative poll to kick things off or start mid-story with a compelling statistic. 

2. Add an activity. Get your remote audience to participate with an online whiteboard activity, chat question, or poll to keep them engaged. Actively involving your audience drives retention.

3. Use engaging visuals. Combine striking images, infographics, and multimedia to deliver an impactful virtual presentation. Well-designed visuals are crucial for keeping a remote audience focused. 

4. Make it personal. Humanise yourself by sharing a quick personal story or fun facts during your self-introduction. This builds an initial connection with your remote attendees. 

5. Check your setup. Test your equipment, internet connection, slides, and conferencing software ahead of time. Have a backup plan ready in case of technical glitches. 

6. Use camera effectively. Look into the camera periodically as you present to mimic eye contact. Pay attention to your background, framing, and appearance on camera. 

7. Engage through chat. Monitor chats and answer questions in real time. Have a colleague moderate chats and cue you on relevant questions.

8. Set the energy. Project high energy, enthusiasm, confidence and stand up while presenting to combat low energy. Your passion will engage your virtual audience. 

With these tips, you can create an online presentation that captivates any remote audience. Take creative risks and leverage technology to deliver an unforgettable virtual presentation.

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I'm Bob Bannister, owner, and trainer at iManage Performance, the specialists in training for remote workers and managers with over 20 years of experience in this sector.

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