How to lose talented staff

Ten ways to lose talented staff

1. Keep moving the goal posts. Never let them get used to the way you want things done. Keep them guessing.
2. Pick on a single fault and keep reminding them of it.
3. Give them feedback on things they cannot change.
4. Question their loyalty/commitment/integrity at random
5. Patronise them
6. Keep them in the dark about important changes then brush off their complaints with 'I thought you knew.'
7. If you can't criticise their work, criticise their personal appearance.
8. Make out that their mistakes have greater consequences than they actually have.
9. Ask them to explain why they made a mistake then constantly interrupt them with your own take on things.
10. Take the credit for their achievements and dump your crises on them.

(With acknowledgements to 'Nasty People' by Jay Carter)

Making Plans

Yesterday, I was having lunch with a friend when he asked me: "Barry, what is your dream?"
I answered that I dreamt of having a house in the South of France, with a large garden where I could grow things and space for a studio to paint in.
"So, what's your time scale for making that happen?"
I answered that it was about 10 years.
"So what if the good fairy came and made it possible? What would be your time scale then?"
I thought about it. "Probably 10 years," I said.
"So it's not a dream then, it's a wish."
I thought about this too. I wasn't sure I agreed with him. He suggested that if I really wanted the house and the garden and studio, if that was truly my dream then if it was possible to have it now, I would. Setting it sometime in the future (so far in the future!) made it less of a dream and more of a wish. He was right. I would think about the house in idle moments; it seemed to be real to me - I could describe it, could see myself in it, but if someone offered it to me right now I would say no. Why? If that was what I truly wanted, why would I choose to carry on the way I am?
That got me thinking. About all the things I put off, because I am too busy doing stuff. You see, being busy is a way of avoiding getting what you want. How many times have you heard people say, "It's a nice idea, but I'm too busy right now."
What are you busy with right now? What is that doing for you? Is it taking you nearer your dreams, or is it just filling your time?
As Lennon wrote in 'Beautiful Boy', "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
So go ahead and dream, make plans even. But be sure to make sure that you are dreaming about and planning the life you really want.

Fantastic Futures

A couple of my colleagues and I have been working together over the past few months to create a new initiative. 'Fantastic Futures' will launch a new workshop on 29th and 30th September in central London. The workshop will combine coaching approaches with a model for changing self-beliefs and is aimed at anyone who wants to create a fantastic future for themselves.

The details and booking form can be found at http://www.fantasticfutures.co.uk/ We are deliberately keeping the numbers low so that those attending will have more individual attention from the facilitators. Take a look at the website and get in touch if you want more information.