Business Problems Solved Podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

mailto:Lee@get.knowledge.co.uk

en-GBJuly 14, 2019

Black Cloud Carriers AND EXCITING NEWS!

We’ve officially launched GET KNOWLEDGE

After many months of hard work, we’ve built and launched Get Knowledge Ltd on Friday. This has been built on our values FACT (Fun, Authentic, Caring, Trust).

Over the coming weeks, we have a host of exciting things in the pipeline to help leaders and change agents for their own personal development or the development of their team/organisation.

We want to work with change agents, coaches and leaders of all levels. So get in touch using the links down below or on any of our social media!

Get Knowledge Ltd

KEY TAKEAWAYS

There are 3 main types of people when it comes to change:
Those that will change
Those that won't change
Those that say they can’t change
Change starts with the individual themselves, their desires and attitude to actually change. So the category of ‘those who can’t change’ isn’t really existent.
Clarify the reason why someone won't change and understand their mindset that’s driving their attitude, beliefs and values. Then focus on this to change their view on change.
You don’t want to have a negative effect on the pro-change people so concentrate on the 80% of people who don’t want to change.
It’s about not wasting your time and energy on trying to convince those people that won’t change because you’ll be fighting a losing battle. So work with the 80% of people who are willing and will change that maybe need a little convincing.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Not everybody wants to change and change is an individual thing.’

‘There’s no such thing as can’t change.’

‘Change starts with the individual themselves.’

‘Create an environment that supports change.’

‘Alienate the people who don’t want to change after you share the reasons for change.’

‘Don’t waste a lot of energy on people who say they can’t change.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

mailto:Lee@get.knowledge.co.uk

en-GBJuly 07, 2019

A Huge Apology!

In this episode of Business Problems Solved Lee explains how he’s reflected on the 3 life tips, that he was given from his friend Chris who has sadly passed away. Lee’s previously spoken about these 3 tips in episode 2 however in this episode he recognises that he’s given these 3 points injustices. Find out the lessons Lee’s learned upon reflection …

KEY TAKEAWAYS

If you’ve listened to episode 2 where I spoke about my best friend Chris, who’s sadly passed away from cancer, I apologise. I asked his for 3 lessons from when he was reflecting back on his life that he would deem as the most important lessons:
Always be yourself.
Make good friends.
Time is limited so act now
Since I published this episode I’ve reflected on these three lessons and I believe that they have a deeper meaning than what I originally shared with you. So that’s what I’d like to apologise for.
Always be yourself – Recognise that voice in your head when it talks you out of doing positive things. Respond after you recognise and be present in your emotions because if you react you’re not being yourself in that period of time.
Make good friends – Create an environment of high trust so people feel confident to be open and honest with you. It’s about communicating successfully.
Time is limited so act now – It’s all well and good saying you’re going to do something but it’s about really recognising what you want to do and creating habits. You don’t know when anything is going to happen so create those habits as soon as possible. Talk to yourself in a positive way.
If you’ve not done what you needed to do yet I encourage you to take that first step.

BEST MOMENTS

‘The revelation that I had was that those three lessons I’ve seen much deeper’

‘Always being yourself if much more than what what people think is authentic.’

‘For me being yourself is being present in your head and being conscious of what the voice in your head is saying.’

‘It’s important to make good friends.’

It’s about creating an environment so that people can trust you and you can trust them so people have confidence to speak out and be honest.’

‘Ask yourself how much you want this habit to take place?’

‘Positive thinking can’t help you do anything however positive thinking can help you do anything better than negative thinking.’

‘Every change starts with you first as an individual.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBJune 30, 2019

Recognise & Respond. DON'T REACT

Self and situational awareness, ‘recognise and respond rather than react.’

In this episode, Lee discusses and explains the importance of recognising and responding rather than reacting. He also explains how this can have a positive affect on your personal and professional life. Listen into this episode to learn more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Your body recognises a need and responds to it e.g. When you need food you get hungry. When you’re more aware of these signs it can help you personally or professionally.
A number of books, self-help podcasts and physical books mention being present in time. For me, this means driving the voice in your head rather than letting it drive you.

Someone with a negative attitude lets facts control their behaviour. E.g. if it’s raining they wont go play in the rain just because it’s raining.
Does your environment support recognising and responding? Ask yourself how to respond rather than react.
It’s all about creating an enabling environment of trust.
Be aware of how in control of your feelings you are. Ask yourself how in control of your feelings are you.

BEST MOMENTS

‘If you can recognise you’re in this space then you can respond rather than react to it.”

“Being aware of that voice in your head, as often as you can be, is very powerful.”

“Being in control of that voice in your head will allow you to influence what it says which can affect your behaviour and the way you react.”

“Someone with a negative attitude lets facts control their behaviour.”

“Every response is an opportunity to learn and have responsibility.”

“Create a supportive environment and understanding the direction you’re heading in.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBJune 23, 2019

Creating a High Performing Team

What Makes a High Performing Team?

‘If asked to name a high performing team many name sports teams because  you can see when they have achieved through the medals and trophies they collect’

In this episode, Lee explains the fundamentals required to achieve a high performing team in any arena.

He provides key strategies for teams in understanding their individual and collective roles as they develop into a high performing team.  

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What actually makes a high performing team?

Having a shared goal
Each team member understanding their role in achieving the goal
A leader or orchestrater to support
These 3 things are fundamental in achieving a high performing team.
Each team is a collection of individuals, so each team requires something that is unique to them that is largely developed by them

Every team requires clarity trams need to understand what the shared vision is, and each team member must have that conveyed to them in a meaningful way
A high level of trust enables a high performing team.
What is it you need to do within your team to give everybody the confidence to be the best version of themselves every day.
How do they know they’ve had a good day?

BEST MOMENTS

‘People are the biggest variable in everything we do’

‘Nobody comes to work to do a bad job, but do we support them to do an amazing job

‘Trust means different things to different people

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBJune 16, 2019

Leadership Lessons From Klopp

‘They believed they could win, they believed they had a chance of victory, having a leader who instils confidence enables you to believe you can deliver’

In this episode Lee explores the ways in which Jurgen Klopp manages Liverpool and shares comments from him that demonstrate the underpinning principles any successful organisation should have in place.

Listen in now to hear about the shared approaches for both business and personal development that make the difference.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

‘It’s not what people think about you when you come in its what people think about you when you leave’

He is saying the team has potential, that despite all the variables they can be successful

When you deal with change every team and organisation is different because people are all different.

‘It’s only the professional game because of the fans, we have to entertain them, it’s our job to help them forget their worries for 90 minutes and talk for the next 3 days about it then talk the following 2 days about the upcoming game’

Your understanding of the needs of the customer and having a relentless focus on delivering customer satisfaction and experience is what you need to do to be successful.

Are your measures aligned accurately to what customers want?

Having a true understanding of the needs of your customer is key to a successful business.

‘First I have to talk to the players and find a common way’

People protect what they build, if you engage people in the solution it will be more likely to be sustainable.

‘Everything in life takes time, to be an adult takes time, to be a footballer takes time the only thing nobody gives time is development’

You have a vision as a business leader to get your business to a particular place. Everything takes time and communicating your understanding that you understand it will take time is crucial.

‘We have to change from doubter to believer now’

He wants people to believe they can achieve and believe in themselves.

Positive thinking will not help you achieve everything, but positive thinking will help you achieve more than negative thinking.

The words that you say are really important

The actions you deliver are really important

Being congruent with words and actions is key we should all be developing an environment of trust where we can all be the best we can be.

BEST MOMENTS

‘The rule is better if you have 11 players doing something wrong, teamwork is pivotal’

‘There are a lot of similarities between business and personal development’

‘Having a true understanding of the needs of your customer is key to a successful business’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBJune 09, 2019

The Key to Sustainment

In this episode, Lee examines sustainment; its definitions and its effects. In a world of improvement, what does it mean to truly sustain?

How many times have we been presented with an initiative that looks or sounds similar to one previously tried? How many times have you tried a diet, only to find yourself gradually slipping into bad habits? What makes an idea not just achievable, but sustainable?

The answer lies within...

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sustainment should always be seen as the next stage in any project. And a project should not be seen as completed until sustainment has been achieved.
The 5S system includes: Sort, Set, Shine (or finesse), Standard, and finally Sustain. This methodology allows you to find a place for everything, and to ensure that everything remains in its place.
When we have achieved habitual behaviour based upon our goals, then we achieve sustainability.
Forward framing - By focussing on where we need to be in the next 3 or 6 months, and gaining clarity on those goals, we can better achieve sustainability.
A true measure of sustainment is what happens when you are not looking. Have the measures and steps taken proved so successful that the process no longer needs maintaining?

BEST MOMENTS

“Sustainment means to keep up or keep going as an action or process”

“Sustainment is about turning all of the desired behaviours into habits”

“When behaviour becomes habitual we go from “maintain” to “sustain” “

“Sustainment is the key to successful improvement”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBJune 02, 2019

Role modelling for change

‘If you are expecting the environment to change, the people to change, then the sooner you start role modelling and showing people the way, the sooner change will begin’

Lee shares key strategies to help change agents and leaders implement effective role modelling to drive forward change, listen in to find out more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A role model is defined as a person who is looked to by others as an example to be imitated.
Being a role model can help change initiatives whether you are a leader or change agent.
Before beginning any change initiative it's vital to think about the end, not just the solution but also the environment you want to create.
If you are delivering a change, is there an opportunity for you to display the behaviours that you want others to develop?
It's often easier for people to buy into a concept if they can see it working for real.
As a change agent, you need to help others to create new habits and the more people repeat a behaviour the more it becomes embedded.
If you want things to change the sooner you role model the change the sooner others will begin to change.
It's important that you start with yourself.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Change starts with you’

‘Consider the habits you want people to display in the environment’

‘You have to start somewhere, and people have to be able to see you doing the things you want them to do’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBMay 26, 2019

Measure Mountain

Proper communication from the workers to the directors and vice versa is one of the critical things that could drive your business to success. And in this episode of the Business Problem Solver Podcast, Lee discusses Measure Mountain, a visualisation tool that can help you create and efficiently manage the hierarchy structure within your company. It’s essential that everyone involved are well-informed about what’s going on. When everyone’s in the know, high performance and determination can be expected. Discover how you could adopt Measure Mountain inside your business when you tune in.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Questions you should ask yourself before setting a target:
- How much influence does a person who has a target actually have on achieving that target?
- What do we want to accomplish by having a target?
- What behaviours will having a target actually drive?
Lee suggests you use his visualisation tool, ‘Measure Mountain’. On the bottom of the mountain are the frontline workers, and on the next level, it would be the team manager, then followed by the directors and so on. It follows the hierarchy, and everyone has to strive to get higher on this mountain.
Key Learnings from Measure Mountain:
- The people at the bottom of the mountain are closest to the actual process.
- As you climb up the mountain, your conversations should be based on severity and time.
- Business owners should have discussions with his workers who know everything about the daily operations.

BEST MOMENTS

“Targets can create a narrow focus, so people only concentrate on doing the things that make them achieve their target.”
“We need to lift leaders up to a level where they’re having conversations of a different type.”
“If you’re at the top of that mountain, you can see farthest into the future. You need to be able to translate your key messages, strategy, the direction, the vision into something meaningful to people that can’t see as far in the future as you.”

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on: 07813342194

Website: Lee@leehoughton.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEBusinessProblemSolver/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusiProbsSolved

Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_business_problem_solver/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf0YC2_ZBuhtC_s-AbHaDw

en-GBMay 19, 2019

Why do CHANGE Initatives Fail?

Lee explains 3 key reasons why businesses fail, how you can overcome these pitfalls if they are to occur and why they’re so important.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

3 Reasons Why Some Businesses Fail

No perceived need for change – You need to know on every level why you’re making these changes. If there’s no need to change already within your business, then you need to find a need for change and change things in a meaningful way.

It’s not lead from the top and driven from the bottom – Ensure all layers of the organisation are pulling in the same direction. Create an environment where everyone is heading in the same direction for these new changes.

Communicate regularly and keep commitments – Communicate progress and direction. No matter how much you communicate, you will never reach everyone so keep communicating. Keeping commitments enables you to gain and maintain that trust that you need from your team to achieve your goal.

BEST MOMENTS

“Create a real need for change”

“You need your leaders to remodel behaviour and create environments that enable and engage your workforce.”

“Create an environment that enable your workforce to deliver and move you step by step towards your desired goal.”

“Communicate progress and direction.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast

ABOUT THE HOST
For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD
You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194
Lee@leehoughton.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

en-GBMay 12, 2019

The 5 D's

What are the criteria required for successful and meaningful change?

Lee Houghton, THE Business Problem Solver has dissected successful change programmes he’s been involved in and created the 5D’s – specific criteria required to ensure successful and meaningful change.

If you want to achieve successful change in your business listen in to find out how and why you should be using the 5 D’s

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The 5 D’s - the specific criteria required for successful transition through any change-

Desire, Discover, Dedication, Deliberate action, Delivery.

Desire is the clarity of purpose and truly understanding the reason why you want to get somewhere. As a facilitator, It’s not about whether you understand the reason for the change but whether everybody else does and if it’s meaningful to them.
Discover what is going on with the processes, the employees and the customers. Speak to your customers and effectively use data to ensure you are moving in the right direction.
Dedication is the maintaining of momentum and moving forward towards your desired state. It is arguably the most difficult to achieve but is fundamental to achieving any change.
Deliberate action is the crucial identification of those things that will help you get to the goal as quickly as possible. Focusing on the 20% of activities that produce 80% of the benefits ( the 80/20 Pareto rule)
Delivery is focusing on the underlying understanding it is a cyclical cycle of celebrating what you have delivered then identifying your next desired state, the next goal you want to achieve. It’s about not standing still.
The 5D’s Desire, Discover, Dedication, Deliberate Action, Delivery consist of elements both seen and unseen but combined provide the criteria for successful change.

BEST MOMENTS

‘If you just keep going will you get there?’

‘That little voice inside your head that drives your behaviour’

‘The power of what you say and how it can influence others’

‘Identifying those vital few things that will help you get there as quickly as possible’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBMay 05, 2019

Dealing with Change

‘At some point, everyone has to deal with a change so big they wonder how they will be able to cope’

You may have gone through a change that for you, has been straight forward but been aware that for others the same change has been much more challenging. In this episode, Lee explains how to deal with change as a leader and facilitator. He highlights the importance of communication and the ‘self-model’ when dealing with change effectively, listen in now to find out more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ultimately change can be positive or painful, it can either be out of your control or because of a choice you have made.
Solving business problems requires people to make a change, so understanding the different ways people approach a change is key.
Individuals respond, accept and adapt to change at varying rates.
Ultimately people react to change in 2 different ways, via escape or via control.
The self-model - The phases an individual goes through when presented with change

Shock

Emotion

Learning

Forward Moving

Typically, everyone will go through the 4 stages
If you are a facilitator of change as a leader or change agent the way you communicate the change to someone and the type of change you are asking them to go through will result in different people reacting to the change in different ways and take varying amounts of time to adapt and accept it.
An understanding of where people are on the journey will ultimately help to solve business problems in a sustainable way.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You can impact in the way you communicate’

‘You can help people by understanding what and how they are feeling about the change’

‘I’m a firm believer in - all change starts with you the individual’

‘Some people move between the different responses depending on the change that is required’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

Lee@leehoughton.com

en-GBApril 28, 2019

The Art Of Self-Talk

Do you ever talk to yourself?

Sometimes it can do us an immense amount of good to stop and really talk to ourselves. But what do we say? How do we say it? And how can we ensure that it has the maximum effect upon ourselves?

Join Lee as he discusses the valuable technique of self-talk, and how to recognise the best way of approaching yourself.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What you say to yourself will drive your actions and behaviours. The voice inside your head is the most important factor when it comes to effective change.
Do you naturally see things with a positive or negative slant? Do you possess a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? Lee points out a handy set of guidelines to help you determine your own outlook.
The engagement equation is Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy ÷ Self Orientation
This formula states that the more we focus upon ourselves alone, the more detrimental the effect on trust.
If you’re a leader, manager or growth agent, and if you wish to use a get the best from your staff, it can be beneficial to approach your style with a growth mindset. A consultant generally acts with a fixed mindset, that is to say, they are the fountain of knowledge, and have no desire to improve the knowledge of others. Coaches act with a growth mindset, hoping the lead others into finding information and answers for themselves.
Sports stars often talk about their attitude contributing to their success. Positive internal talk can improve your performance in life.
Whether you think you will, or whether you think you won’t, then you’re probably right.

BEST MOMENTS

‘This could very well be called the “marmite” podcast...’

‘Somebody with a fixed mindset is focussed on themselves, while those with a growth mindset will put learning from failures at the fore’

‘The way that you talk to yourself, potentially, on your performance’

‘How often do you blame sod’s law or Murphy’s law?’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBApril 21, 2019

Coaching vs Consulting; How to Know What YOU Actually Need

There are significant differences between coaches and consultants, you need to be aware of and understand these before investing in their support. Lee explains what the distinctions are and how understanding your situation can help you to select the most effective support to get what you actually need for your business.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Knowing when to employ the services of a consultant or coach are crucial to further your capability or to help you solve a problem.

It’s about you or it’s about me

Coaching seeks to pull the answers from the client whilst a consultant will tell you what to do or identifies what to do.

Building capability versus solving a problem

Coaching is building the capability the people, consultancy is about resolving a specific challenge.

Exploring versus providing possibilities

When you coach you explore the possibilities when you consult you provide the possibilities.

Asking questions versus providing solutions

Consultants diagnose a problem and make a recommendation about how to tackle it and will then work with you to resolve the issue
Coaches partner with the client to ascertain and clarify the questions that need to be answered in order to move forward.
The key difference between coaches and consultants is where the focus is.
For a consultant, the focus is on solving the specific problem
For a coach, the focus is on the client and helping them tap into and develop their own abilities to solve the problem.
To sustain any change people must be involved in the process. Before you seek any external resources it is crucial to understand what the situation is and what you are trying to solve.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You will know the potential risks of not changing’

‘A coach is a good listener’

‘A consultant uses their eyes to see the processes’

“It’s possible to be called one and display the traits of the other’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

en-GBApril 14, 2019

Employee Engagement

In today's episode, your host Lee Houghton put out to his LinkedIn community his Employee engagement equation and asked what others thought? What are their employee engagement equations?

Lee's Employee Engagement Equation;

Emotion + Involvement = Engagement

His community response exploded. Many replied en masse with lots of their own equations, such as

Responsibility + Commitment = Engagement

Empowerment + Purpose = Engagement

Recognise + Listen too + Allign Values = Engagement

Value + Passion = Engagement

And on and on the list goes! Listen in as Lee discusses his responses, but more importantly;

What is your equation? Do you agree? Let Lee know!

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Spending time with my 2 young children Jack & India, listening to/reading business & personal development material.

What profession are you/have you been in and how much experience do you have in it?

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improvement capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on: Lee@leehoughton.com / 07813342194 / LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by searching for Lee Houghton THE Business Problem Solver

en-GBApril 07, 2019

Are You Using Standards Effectively?

‘Standards are the Foundations for Improvement’

In this episode, Lee explains the different applications and interpretations of standards and how implementing them can effectively help solve problems in your business.

If you want to understand when and why standards can help you to move forward then tune in now.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What is the Standard?

A standard is a level of quality or attainment or something used as a measure, norm or model in comparative evaluations.
In the context of improvement, a standard is an agreed way of doing something so the customer gets what they want irrespective of who is completing the task in a repeatable process.
There are 2 main types of standard – one is a measure of the target condition, one is a measure of conformance to process.

When do you need a Standard?

This ultimately depends on the problem that you are trying to solve
A standard will help to increase the speed of a process if everybody follows the steps correctly to get to the desired outcome.
By understanding the problem to be solved you will understand the standard required to solve the problem.
Standards are complex but delivered in a very simple way.
A standard should be the basis for improvement of a process with a repeatable output. A standard should not restrict and needs to absorb human variation.
A standard should be produced in its simplest form to address the particular problem you are trying to resolve.
A standard should be developed by those who complete the work.

BEST MOMENTS

‘There are differing viewpoints about standards and the level of granularity that should be captured ‘

‘People are a cause of variation and everybody is different’

‘This is about the complexity of the problem and possible complexity of the solution’

‘Ultimately a standard is what should happen, not how it should happen’

‘What are you improving if there is no baseline’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Spending time with my 2 young children Jack & India, listening to/reading business & personal development material.

What profession are you/have you been in and how much experience do you have in it?

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improvement capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on: Lee@leehoughton.com / 07813342194 / LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by searching for Lee Houghton THE Business Problem Solver

en-GBMarch 31, 2019

Plan. Do. Check. Act. (P.D.C.A. Cycle)

“Do you believe that everything you do is a process?”

From brushing your teeth to doing your work assignments to doing your groceries, everything’s a process and, what’s essential to note is, they are all PDCA cycles. In this episode of the Business Problem Solver Podcast, Lee Houghton emphasises why PDCA is not just a planning tool, but a way of life. It does not matter if it’s big or small – or for more apt terms, micro or macro – anything you do in life can be a PDCA cycle. Listen in to know more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The PDCA (plan-do-check-act) was first popularised W. Edwards Deming in the mid-20^th It can be a planning tool or an improvement cycle.
PDCA cycle is way of life. If you try to see everything’s a process where it needs inputs, goes through steps, and produces outputs, you know what you should be expecting to do to get what you want to achieve.
The two PDCA cycles:
- Micro – a weekly to monthly
- Macro – usually three to five years

BEST MOMENTS

“If everything we do is a process, then everything we do can be improved.”
“PDCA is much more than a planning tool. PDCA is much more an improvement cycle. It’s a way of life. It’s a way of looking at things to continuously improve anything and everything you do.”

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on: 07813342194

Website: Lee@leehoughton.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEBusinessProblemSolver/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusiProbsSolved

Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_business_problem_solver/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf0YC2_ZBuhtC_s-AbHaDw

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/business-problems-solved-podcast/id1444154403?mt=2

en-GBMarch 25, 2019

Its ALL About You

MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR BUSINESS MUST BE ALL ABOUT YOU

This inciteful episode brings together strands from the podcast series and explains how leadership, creating positive habits, influencing people and developing an environment of high trust are all dependent on understanding that it begins with you.

Lee ‘The Business Problem Solver’ explores how making positive changes and enabling others to be problem solvers can be achieved to move your business forward.

If you want to make positive changes that make a difference then listen in now

KEY TAKEAWAYS

When you are working in a ‘change role’ you need to understand the difference between a manager and a leader, create positive habits and influence people whilst developing an environment of high trust. To achieve these things, you must understand that it all begins with you.

You can have an influence on the area you work in and the people you work with.

You are the one who decides how you feel and how subsequently you act and behave.

If you’ve been in a role for a year or longer then you have had the opportunity to influence that environment, the way people engage with each other and with you, how people behave in meetings, the roles they have and the way they treat each other.

If you do the same thing over and over you cannot expect to get a different result

If you have a problem and you want to solve it you have to do something different.

The 5 ‘Ds’

Desire

Discover

Dedication

Deliberate action

Delivery

DESIRE is something on the inside, an emotion it’s your personal goals and aspirations to reach something. You need to DISCOVER the things that are stopping you from getting there. How DEDICATED are you to take the DELIBERATE actions that are going to move you on so that you can DELIVER?

The desire and dedication are the 2 things that show your commitment to achieving that goal and environment that you want to get to.

it's important to realise it starts with you. Role modelling behaviours are vital when you are trying to change environments and cultures.

The more people you can get to think and understand that it is all about them, the more you will be able to change the environment and the way you work.

Ultimately it’s all about people if you can enable inspire and develop people and their environment you can solve most problems that you face.

But, before you ask anyone else to change you must recognise and realise that it starts with you.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Everything you have done and the decisions you have taken have led you to this point’

‘The environment you work in is a direct reflection of the way you manage’

‘Why would you get a different result?’

‘If you have a problem and you want to solve it you have to do something different’

‘Would you recommend the place you work to your friends and family’

‘If it is raining outside you can decide whether to go out and jump in muddy puddles or stay inside’

‘If you want people to do something different how often are you the role model ?’

‘If you want people to solve problems how often do you solve problems with them’

‘Lots of decisions are made in meetings but how much understanding do you have of those environments you are trying to change when you are making those decisions?’

‘You decide how you react to any situation, you decide if you want to act today or tomorrow, next week’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

Lee@leehoughton.com

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/business-problems-solved-podcast/id1444154403?mt=2

en-GBMarch 18, 2019

Build Trust

Today Lee is asking ‘do you have a high trust environment?’ he looks in detail at the indicators for both a low and high trust environment and discusses ways that you can change your environment and empower everybody within it.

Listen in to find out about how to make your business a high trust environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

To increase the speed of your process and reduce costs most people look to reduce waste.
If you increase the trust you have in people and create an environment that supports this then you could achieve the same result.
A lack of trust is the biggest hidden problem in business today.
The activity you are planning to do will affect the level of trust you have in the person
Would you let the person look after your child? Would you let that person make an important business or career decision for you?
This is a reflection of how you view a person’s character and competence

Somebody can be a trusted character but have low competency for a particular task

What’s it like to work in a low trust environment?

Do you recognise the level of trust are you allowed to make decisions? Are you micromanaged?

Do people outwardly share their ideas and thoughts with others or are they fearful of the response?

What is a high trust environment?

If you work in a high trust environment you will recognise meetings where everybody contributes without fear about the answers they give. You are autonomous you are allowed to make decisions without seeking approval

What do you need to do to create an environment of trust?

It starts with habits and behaviours. It starts top down bottom up everybody has their part to play in developing an environment of trust.

Allow people an environment of trust, allow people to develop and to make mistakes

Create an open atmosphere where you can talk and listen to the people.

Be honest and transparent and allow people to understand exactly where you are coming from

BEST MOMENTS

‘Develop the environment so you have a high trust environment for everyone’

‘A lack of trust is the biggest hidden problem in business today’

‘Does the level of trust vary according to the seniority of the staff’

‘If you were creating an environment of high trust that would arguably increase the speed and reduce the waste in the process’

‘In a heightened time, security increases because we don’t trust the other people’

‘Are there things you can do to transform your environment to one of high trust?

‘Wastes are tangible’

‘Build relationships in a meaningful way’

‘Until you start to see it, you can't solve it’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

Lee@leehoughton.com

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/business-problems-solved-podcast/id1444154403?mt=2

en-GBMarch 11, 2019

Vital Lessons of a Change Agent

This episode focuses on the 4 vital lessons that Lee has learnt as a change agent.

He uses his extensive experience to provide us with focused examples of how these lessons work in the business environment and why they are so important.

This podcast will help anyone to understand the core elements that affect change in any business, listen in now.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The solution is not yours

The success of change really comes from the person or team you are working with.

People protect what they build and if they have been engaged in it and understand and believe in it then it will be a successful solution.

It’s all about behaviour and enabling people to do the right thing

Everything we do is about getting people to do the right thing and creating an environment that supports doing the right thing.

We need to understand the things that drive behaviours. What actions have we undertaken to enable these behaviours?

Habit stacking – a means to create a new habit or behaviour by stacking it on top of an existing habit or behaviour. This can be an effective way to enable individuals to develop new behaviours.

Make it visual

To engage people quickly visual management is key. It is a powerful way to share with others.

It becomes real for anybody. Visuals clearly expose the challenges and potential difficulties for everyone to see.

Understanding what the problem is you are trying to solve

Everything we do is about continual improvement. It is about critically understanding what the problem is that you are trying to solve.

If you clearly understand what the problem to be solved is, then you will be able to create a compelling need to introduce the solution.

BEST MOMENTS

‘There is a lot of linkage between these 4 areas’

‘If you're not trying to solve a problem what the hell are you doing?’

‘I'm a big advocate of making it visual’

‘We want today to be better than yesterday and tomorrow to be better than today’

‘If you leave me long enough with a pack of post-its and a pen I will redecorate your walls’

‘This created a road map with common goals and the behaviours we wanted to create’

‘The solution is not the change agents, it’s the people who work that process’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material.

Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194