Business Problems Solved Podcast

Join Lee as he explores the concept of "Measure Mountain" and the importance of recognising and enabling effective teams within an organisation. Lee talks about the need to not only focus on the team delivering the 'valuable' work but also on other teams such as the leadership team. He encourages leaders to consider the horizontal lines of communication and collaboration, in addition to the vertical hierarchy. Lee challenges listeners to think about how many teams they really need and how they can help their teams become better, ultimately driving overall success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Recognise the importance of having effective teams at different levels within your organisation. It's not just about the team delivering the value work, but also about the leadership team and other horizontal teams.
• Avoid the pitfall of every layer of leadership having the same conversation every day. Enable capable individuals to fix issues within their own teams, rather than escalating them to higher levels unnecessarily.
• Consider the right rhythm for team meetings and communication. Depending on the needs of your organisation, you may benefit from more frequent meetings, such as weekly or daily, to address challenges and enable efficiency.
• Connect the goals and metrics from top to bottom within your organisation. Break down long-term strategic goals into shorter-term targets that are meaningful and relevant to each level.
• Focus on building the capabilities of your teams. Don't solely prioritise the value-adding work, but also invest time in developing the skills and effectiveness of your teams to help everyone move forward together.

BEST MOMENTS

"How many team of teams? Is your organisation or your department, your function built up of many different teams?"

"Those that are doing the work day in, day out, often get a lot of the focus, and the other teams get neglected."

"One pitfall that I see in organisations is that every layer of leadership having the same conversation every single day about the same issues."

"Does your leadership team need to be recognised as a team? And if so, what does that mean to them? How can they work better together?"

"Spending a bit of time building the capability and getting your teams to perform better may actually help everybody else move forward together as well."

Business Problems Solved Podcast

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

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.

In this episode of the podcast, host Lee is joined by guest Sam Morgan to discuss the challenges and mindset shifts involved in starting your own business and helping others as a change leader. Sam shares his personal journey from being introduced to Lean principles to realizing his passion for empowering people and helping them unlock their potential. They delve into the importance of building trust and confidence, taking small steps towards goals, and overcoming self-doubt. They also explore the challenges of valuing oneself, setting prices, and navigating the mental obstacles that come with starting a new venture. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Lean is about people empowerment: Lean is not just about improving processes, but also about empowering people to realize their potential and believe in their ability to achieve their goals.
• Building trust and confidence: To help others believe in themselves, it is important to build trust and confidence through building relationships, asking questions, and encouraging experimentation.
• Belief is a journey: Belief in oneself and one's abilities does not happen overnight. It requires consistent practice, overcoming self-doubt, and taking action to build confidence over time.
• Overcoming mental obstacles: The biggest challenges in pursuing one's own path or starting a business are often the mental obstacles, such as self-doubt, fear of failure, and undervaluing oneself. It is important to work on changing these negative narratives and beliefs.
• Focus on the most important things: In order to achieve success and avoid overwhelm, it is crucial to focus on the most important tasks and goals. Filtering out unnecessary noise and distractions allows for greater clarity and progress.

BEST MOMENTS

"Lean is all about how things work together to make what we see at the end."

"It's all in service of making life better for people and people realizing that they have potential inside them."

"It really is an empowerment framework… It's about people believing that they can do the things that they didn't believe they could do." 

"It's much easier to act our way to a new way of thinking than to think our way to a new way of acting."

"The most important thing is the battle of the mind… The importance of the narrative, our stories that we tell ourselves."

ABOUT THE HOST

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

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.

Lee shares a personal experience that has made him reflect on the importance of making challenges and changes feel real for people. He discusses his decision to participate in two charity events, the London Marathon and a 100-kilometre ultra event, and how it only became real for him when he started sharing it with others and receiving donations. Lee explores the significance of emotional attachment and involvement in driving motivation and commitment, emphasising the importance of communication and creating a sense of accountability. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Making something real involves sharing it with others and getting them invested in it. Lee's charity events became real when he created JustGiving pages and told his family and friends. This emotional connection and involvement of others made the challenge feel more tangible and significant.
• Getting people to have "skin in the game" is crucial for leadership challenges and change initiatives. Lee says to think about how you can involve more people and make the challenges feel real to them. This could include working in groups, explaining the impact on a daily basis, selling a vision for the future, or leveraging current pain points to motivate action.
• Having a goal or vision is not enough; it needs to be made real through communication and conscious awareness. 
• Emotional attachment and belief are triggered when something becomes real. Lee's own challenge made him feel physically sick and driven by the fear of letting others down. When something becomes real, it evokes strong emotions and motivates individuals to take action and succeed.
• Planning and structuring are essential in achieving goals. Structuring the journey and aligning actions with intent and goals can lead to success.

BEST MOMENTS

"And ever since that moment, and ever since donations have started to come in, something has happened and it's become real." 

"So, how can we use and leverage people's current feelings of what's not working to help them move towards a neutral state, to help them to move towards an acceptable state to where they want to get to because it's definitely pain that's fueling me at the minute…" 

"The thing that's actually driving me and the thing that made it real was when I shared it with other people. When other people started sponsoring me and I'm driven by, I don't want to let anybody down." 

"What can you do to make it real to people so they can feel what it means to them? So what can you do to make it real? Because when it becomes real, my God, it feels real." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

Lee discusses the importance of silence in both the external and internal world. He emphasises the need to create spaces for silence in meetings to allow people time to think and truly engage in the conversation. Lee challenges listeners to consider their comfort level with silence and how it affects their ability to listen and ask better questions. He suggests avoiding padding or justifying questions, and instead giving people the space and time to think before exploring their understanding. Lee also explores the concept of quieting the chatter in one's own mind to be fully present and actively listen. He encourages listeners to become more comfortable with silence, as it can lead to better answers and a deeper understanding of others.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Creating space for silence: In meetings and conversations, it is important to save a seat for silence. Allowing people time to think without filling the silence with unnecessary words or padding on questions can lead to more thoughtful and meaningful responses.
• Comfort with silence: It is essential to assess one's comfort level with silence. Some individuals may feel nervous or uncomfortable with silence and tend to fill it with laughter, additional words, or noises. Recognising and addressing this discomfort can help create a more conducive environment for effective communication.
• External silence: When asking questions, it is important to be comfortable with silence in the external world. Avoid questions with unnecessary justifications or explanations. Instead, ask concise questions and give people the space and time to think before responding. This can lead to more genuine and thoughtful answers.
• Internal silence: To truly listen and be present in a conversation, it is crucial to quiet the chatter in one's internal mind. Starting with an empty cup, emptying the mind of biases and preconceived notions, and focusing solely on listening can enhance understanding and engagement in the conversation.
• Trusting safe space: Creating a trusting safe space is crucial for effective communication. Actively listening and showing genuine interest in others' thoughts and ideas can foster trust and encourage open and honest communication. Being comfortable with silence plays a significant role in creating this safe space.

BEST MOMENTS

"If I didn't [think every episode was important], then it wouldn't be an episode, so that's a silly thing for me to say." 

"Often, the only thinking time that people have is when somebody else is speaking, and that means, that they are not actually engaged fully and listening truly to what other people are saying." 

"Don't pad your questions out. Don't justify the reason why you've asked the question. Give people space and time to think about it first and then explore." 

"Start with an empty cup, means empty your mind of all of those thoughts and then just ask the first question and then your second question has got to be the mother of, I guess the answer that the person gives has got to be the mother of your next question, not your internal chatter." 

"Silence is just as important, if not more important, than what you say. So how can you become more comfortable with silence, both in the outside world and in your internal mind?" -

Business Problems Solved Podcast

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

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.

Lee explores the difference between getting by and getting better in business. He emphasises the importance of asking the right questions to promote continuous improvement and challenges leaders to reflect on the questions they ask their teams. Lee discusses the three key factors to consider when asking questions: the type of question, the environment in which it is asked, and the person being asked. He provides examples of questions that promote getting by versus getting better and encourages leaders to engage the minds of their team members by asking open-ended and expansive questions. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The questions we ask as leaders can either hinder or promote continuous improvement. It is important to ask better questions that encourage deeper thinking and generate more ideas from our teams.
• The type of question we ask is crucial. Instead of asking closed-ended questions that elicit simple yes or no answers, we should ask open-ended questions that start with "what" or "how" to encourage more expansive thinking and tap into the memory of our people.
• The environment in which we ask questions is also important. It should be a safe and trusting environment where people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas without fear of being chastised or blamed.
• Engaging the minds of our people is essential for creating an engaged team. By asking better questions and actively listening to their responses, we can understand what gets in their way and take action to help them improve.
• Continuous improvement requires more than just going through the motions of daily meetings. Leaders should focus on extracting valuable insights and ideas from their teams by asking better questions and creating a culture of continuous improvement.

BEST MOMENTS

"I've come to the realisation that actually, as leaders, the questions that you ask may be preventing and stifling you from getting better." 

"We want to promote a level of thinking that taps into the memory of our people. We don't just want front-of-mind and in-moment answers." 

"What happened yesterday that may have caused a safety issue? You're then promoting thinking and getting people to think about all of the near misses, all of the opportunities that may have caused a safety issue." 

"Are you OK? How are you feeling? It opens the mind and allows you to understand the things that are getting in people's way and then allowing you to then get better." 

"Don't just assume that just having a daily meeting and going through the motions of the topics that you believe are the right ones to talk about. Don't just go through the motions and ask everybody, have they had a safe day?" 

Business Problems Solved Podcast

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

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.

In this episode, I delve into the intriguing concept of "empty happiness" and "empty improvement." It's fascinating how we often confuse fleeting moments of joy with genuine, lasting happiness that we experience when we look back on our life's journey. This parallels the world of business, where I've witnessed countless instances of efforts aimed at improvement that ultimately lead to no substantial change.
My exploration will illuminate the path toward transformation in both personal and professional spheres, offering valuable insights for leaders striving to make a real impact. So join me as we dissect the nuances of happiness and improvement, and discover how they intertwine in the realm of business problem-solving.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Empty happiness is a real phenomenon that occurs when we experience temporary joy or satisfaction in the moment, but upon reflection, realise that it was not a truly fulfilling or meaningful experience.
• The same concept applies to improvement efforts in business. Empty improvement refers to making changes or fixes that may seem beneficial in the moment, but ultimately do not have a significant impact or contribute to the overall goals and direction of the organisation.
• To avoid empty improvement, it is important to differentiate between developing the habit of continuous improvement and making tangible, meaningful improvements. The habit of improvement involves regularly engaging in problem-solving sessions and creating a culture of continuous improvement within the organisation.
• Tangible improvements, on the other hand, require a clear understanding of the organisations destination and the obstacles that are preventing progress towards that goal. By aligning problem-solving efforts with these obstacles, leaders can ensure that improvements are meaningful and contribute to the overall success of the organisation.
• Building the habit of problem-solving and improvement requires creating a desire in individuals to fix things and solve problems. This can be achieved by connecting their emotional attachment to the organisations goals or by creating a craving for completing specific activities. Developing understanding, skills, and confidence in problem-solving will naturally follow, leading to more effective and impactful improvements.

BEST MOMENTS

• "Happiness in the moment is different to happiness when you're looking back."
• "Empty happiness is a real thing. We only want to have happy moments that are not empty, that when we're looking back, they are actual happy moments."
• "Empty improvement is a real thing. How can you ensure that you're not delivering or having empty improvement?"
• "If you can encourage and create an environment where people are continuously improving regularly, then you're forming that habit."
• "Building the habit of problem solving whilst selling the destination of where you're trying to get to will build the desire."

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

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.

In this special episode, host Lee takes a reflective journey by engaging in conversations with his two children, Jack and India. Jack, aged 10, shares his insights on what makes a good manager, drawing from his love of football and admiration for figures like Elon Musk. Meanwhile, 8-year-old India expresses her aspirations to become a teacher or business worker, emphasising the importance of helping others and always doing one's best. Through these conversations, Lee realises the need to have more meaningful discussions with his children and gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and experiences. This episode serves as a heartfelt thank you to listeners and a reminder of the value of sharing lessons and experiences to inspire and help others.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Gratitude and reflection: The host expresses gratitude for the listeners and reflects on the journey of the podcast, emphasising the importance of feedback and sharing lessons learned.
• Lessons from personal experiences: The host shares lessons learned from his best friend's passing and aims to share any lessons he learns with others to make a meaningful impact.
• Lessons from children: The host interviews his two children, Jack and India, to gain their perspectives on leadership and change. They emphasise qualities such as being polite, imaginative, and vocal as important for good leadership.
• Importance of connection and social skills: Both children highlight the importance of being social, making friends, and helping others fit in. They emphasise the need for leaders to be vocal, help each other, and create a welcoming environment.
• Personal growth and self-belief: The children discuss the importance of being happy, being oneself, and always doing one's best. They encourage self-confidence, resilience, and not letting negative influences deter personal growth.

BEST MOMENTS
"So, yeah, so just just thank you. And like I said, it's been a really reflective experience."
"By imagining new things. By thinking up new things. All right, yeah. Good, good, good."
"Because some people are different to others and some people won't understand as easily as others."
"Always try your hardest, yeah. 100%. 100%, everything."
"Always remember nobody can stop you of what you wanted to be."

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

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.

Lee discusses the challenge that many organisations face when it comes to deploying their strategies effectively. He emphasises the importance of engaging employees and creating a more meaningful and collaborative approach to strategy deployment. Lee introduces a framework of three key questions: Why are we doing this, what do our people need to be, and what elements do we need in place to achieve our goals? By answering these questions and involving the team in the process, leaders can create a clear direction, define desired behaviours, and establish the necessary systems to successfully implement their strategies. Lee concludes by offering a downloadable guide to help listeners navigate this framework and align their departments or functions towards their desired outcomes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Deploying a strategy within an organisation is full of challenges, it's essential we engage people in the process.

• Using a question framework to guide the deployment of a strategy, focusing on purpose, people, and process can help in helping things go smoothly.

• The purpose questions involve defining why the organisation is pursuing a particular strategy and what goals or metrics they aim to achieve.

• The people questions focus on identifying the desired habits and behaviours of employees that will contribute to the success of the strategy.

• The process questions involve determining the tangible elements and actions needed to support the desired behaviours and achieve the defined goals.

BEST MOMENTS

1. "People don't fear change, they fear being changed."

2. "There is a better way than a lot of organisations adopt that can create a more engaging way to deliver the deployment of a strategy, of a direction, of a vision."

3. "To achieve this, our people need to be role models, coaches, positive, respectful, and engaged."

4. "This means we need to have the following things in place: communication system, certain meetings, certain governance, certain roles and responsibilities."

5. "To make this a reality, these actions are required to be delivered. Who's going to do those actions? By when?"

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

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.

Lee explores the concept of opportunities and how they are perceived and acted upon. He shares a simple anecdote about a coin glued to the floor to illustrate how some people may not see opportunities while others may misinterpret them. Lee emphasizes the importance of mindset, work ethic, and consistent questioning in recognizing and seizing opportunities for improvement. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Opportunities are all around us, but not everyone sees them or takes advantage of them. It is important for leaders to help their teams recognize and seize opportunities for improvement.
• Mindset plays a crucial role in identifying opportunities. Believing that everything can be improved and being open to opportunities increases the likelihood of recognizing and taking advantage of them.
• Asking better questions can help broaden people's thinking and enable them to see opportunities. Consistency in asking these questions and creating a space for open dialogue is key.
• Creating an environment where people feel empowered to take action on opportunities is essential. This may involve bringing together individuals from different teams or functions to work collaboratively on identified opportunities.

BEST MOMENTS

"Opportunities are something that everybody, I believe, everybody has the opportunity for opportunities."

"If everything in this world is a process, it has inputs, it has outputs and it has steps to achieve it. And every process can be improved."

"We need to find a mechanism, find a way to get people to open up to the opportunities that are in front of them, to ask them better questions, to get better answers."

"We've got to increase the belief in our people first to recognize the opportunity or things that can be improved."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

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

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.

Rather than being a black-or-white question, the gap between safe and strong tends to be a sliding scale as only caution can build safety and only risk can result in strength. Lee looks at this balancing conundrum in the context of creating change.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Initially, you may want your people to be safe so they can confidently try repeatedly and possibly fail more comfortably.
• Do you provide answers, templates, and constant guidance for your people, or are you allowing them to fail and learn?
• We are aiming for an unsafe, strength-building formula with the ability to learn, judge and mitigate risk.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Ultimately you want them to be strong, you want them to learn for themselves, you want them to stretch that comfort zone.’

‘You increase the level of risk, but you also increase the level of strength of the person.’

‘How much are we willing to push the boundaries on our current comfort levels to try new things, but do it in a way that’s helping us get to where we want to get to.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Business Problems Solved Podcast         

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

Lee@leehoughton.com

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

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.

In this episode of Business Problems Solved, host Lee Horton draws an unexpected analogy between change management and sun cream. He reflects on his recent family holiday and compares the role of change management in protecting individuals from the harmful effects of change to the function of sun cream in shielding people from the sun. Lee emphasises the importance of recognising that change affects individuals differently and that different levels of support and communication may be necessary. He encourages listeners to approach change management with a personalised and adaptable approach, just as one would choose the appropriate sun cream factor for different individuals. Overall, this episode offers a unique perspective on change management and provides practical insights for successfully navigating organisational change.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Change management and sun cream are similar in that they both act as barriers between something (change or the sun) and people. Change management is there to protect individuals from the harmful effects of change, just as sun cream protects individuals from the harmful effects of the sun.
• Just as different people have different tolerances to the sun, different people respond differently to change. Change management should take into account the individual needs and responses of people involved in the change process.
• Change management, like sun cream, should be applied regularly and with the end goal in mind. It should not be a one-time event, but an ongoing process that considers the different factors and variables at play.
• People who may appear resistant to change may simply need a different level of support or communication. Just as some people need a higher factor sun cream, some individuals may require more frequent or tailored communication to help them navigate the change process.
• It is important to treat change management as a positive and necessary aspect of implementing change, rather than a negative barrier. Just as sun cream protects and enhances the tanning process, change management helps individuals and teams transition successfully to their desired state.

BEST MOMENTS
"Change management is often seen as a barrier between the change and or the solution and people."
"Change management is there to protect you from the harmful effects that change can have."
"Often people don't fear change, they fear being changed."
"Change management is like sun cream. It needs to be applied regularly, but with the goal in mind."
"Just remember everybody that is on your program, that is a person, and that person may need a different level of support, a different level of protection, a different level of a barrier between them and the actual change itself."

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

When applying change in various organisations Lee has found resistance a common problem. In this episode, he identifies the key reasons why it is so often encountered and how you can circumvent them.  

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We need to share what we are thinking clearly with everyone when we explain the reasons for change. If people do not understand the rationale behind the decisions it is easy for them to discard or ignore them. 
• Change brings uncertainty. People worry about what change will mean to them specifically.
• A perceived lack of leadership support will be interpreted as disapproval of the changes and will make staff consider them unimportant. 
• People fear that changes will remove their control. 
• Previous unsuccessful change efforts can create resistance. 
• Lack of incentive. People need to see a benefit for the increased work. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘I think this is the biggest thing, a lack of communication.’
’Actively listening to concerns and addressing them transparently and applying regular updates and opportunities for people to ask questions and provide feedback is key.’
‘A lack of visible leadership can undermine the change effort and lead to resistance.’
‘Highlight lessons learned and emphasise the steps taken to ensure its success.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

How do you create an ongoing strategy to facilitate change in the long term rather than just being reactive to current problems? Lee notes some key points to bear in mind when forming a  plan for others to follow to create change well into the future as well as right now.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Use technology to help to achieve your goals.
• Systemically find problems to solve by engaging your people, metrics and identifying targets.
• Create a new system, or adapt one that already exists.
• Know your organisation to fully visualise your goals.
• Identify what will keep you motivated.

BEST MOMENTS

‘You can either create something new or adapt and use something that already exists.’

‘Do this by engaging with people, not sat by yourself in a room with a PowerPoint slide deck.’

‘When the going gets tough, and it may get tough because we are dealing with people here, what are the things that are important to you that are going to keep you going every single day?’

‘If you can brand it in a particular way that makes it memorable then that just makes it easier to differentiate it from everything else that’s happening within the organisation.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Business Problems Solved Podcast         

CONTACT METHOD

You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194

Lee@leehoughton.com

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

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.

Lee reflects on the past five years since his friend Chris’ passing as well as Chris’ three lessons that have been so intrinsic in leading change in that time, and his dive into those lessons that he has experienced since his loss. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• When you allow people to be themselves, we are all so vastly different. It’s our differences that make progress possible.
• Always be your authentic self.
• Make good friends. 
• Time is limited.

BEST MOMENTS
‘All the way through school I was the kid who would go bright red and wouldn’t speak out in class.’
‘It’s our differences and not our similarities that make what we do special.’
‘With Chris’ 3 lessons I try to go deeper into those 3 lessons more and more often. Over the last 5 years I’m continuing to delve deeper.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

Lee discusses how amongst change leaders when challenging people’s thinking to move closer to the goal,  your credibility can be much more important than your ability to influence. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A challenge can be uncomfortable, but the important thing is your subject’s view of you and your credibility in their opinion. 
• It can often be easier to gain credibility as an external change person. 
• Build trust and credibility with the leaders that you are supporting. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘Imagine you are a lean coach and you are supporting a leader and you believe the leader can be better at leading people, improving the processes or whatever it is.’
‘If you’re starting from a place where the person that you are supporting does not believe that you are credible or doesn’t believe that what it is that you are supporting them with is credible then it doesn’t matter about the ability of the quality in your challenge’
‘How can you build that credibility rather than just relying upon your ability to challenge?’

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

The ‘Say, Do Gap’ is the delay between when people say they are going to do something and when they actually do it or the difference in quality between what they say they are going to achieve and what they actually produce. Lee talks about an extra stage in this process, the ‘Think Feel’ stage. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• If we can influence the thoughts and feelings of our people then we have a chance of influencing the culture of our organisation. 
• If someone feels that an environment is not safe to freely express themselves there will be a substantial ‘Think, Feel, Say’ gap.
• Remove the obstacles to free expression to act on things more quickly and achieve better resolutions.  

BEST MOMENTS
‘What people are thinking and feeling isn’t necessarily what they are saying when they are asked.’ 
‘How many times have you had thoughts or feelings that you’ve not actually spoken?’
‘People talk about trust a lot and I think when you have a high trust environment then the gap between what people feel and say is far, far reduced.’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

In this episode of Business Problem Solved, Lee chats with Steve Rames, a global director of a Fortune 100 American corporate. Steve shares his journey from a YTS scheme to a corporate director, his passion for Lean, and the importance of honesty and hard work. Lee and Steve discuss Steve's journey from a production line to a global director, his experience with Lean and Six Sigma, and the importance of honesty and hard work in his career. They also discuss the challenges of leadership, the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, and the future of Lean. In addition, Steve shares some insights on his experience with plant closures and lean implementation, and the importance of connecting with people through humor.

BEST MOMENTS

• "Leadership is all about making other people successful." 
• "If you concentrate on what is within your sphere of influence, then your sphere influence grows."
• "A quarter of an hour without laughter is a quarter of an hour, Tyneside is a jolly place." 
• "I was just dropped into many, many troubling situations, which were a whole lot of fun and total adrenaline maximizing the comedy." 
• "Truth is the thing we've got to get truth from. The truth, from the guys on the tools, has got to be the same truth spoken in the boardroom, Alight, you're having different conversations, but they've got to be based on the same truth."

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

One measure of a successful meeting can be the amount and share of vocal engagement experienced during the discussion. However, this is far from being an absolute requirement and there are exceptions as Lee explains in this episode. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Sometimes people are fully engaged when they are thinking. 
• People often fill space vocally as this is often rewarded. Silence is necessary.
• Silence occurs when people are fully considering what they have heard and working on solutions. Encourage relevant silence.  

BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s not just about filling all of the spaces. Success in a meeting doesn’t have to be measured by output and voices because silence is also ok.’
’One skill for a leader is not to break that silence.’
‘The more comfortable we can all become with silence and getting lost in our thoughts, building on each other’s thoughts and sharing them openly and safely the better the solutions, answers and the resolutions.’ 

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Business Problems Solved Podcast         

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

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.

In this episode, Lee chats with James Edmondson, an experienced and results-oriented Agile leader and systemic team coach, with a reputation for working collaboratively with senior teams in both operational and head office environments. He is a people focussed leader with highly attuned emotional intelligence that enables strong relationships at all levels and also a veteran with over 20 years of experience working collaboratively under pressure and with a character that inspires the very best out of high-performing teams.
Lee and James discuss his ‘water-based’ career, his adaptation of military ‘cell’ structures as a form of team management, the meaning of ‘agile’ in a team context, moving from military to civilian life, and the lessons he has learned in teams and leadership. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• From 20 years in the Navy to his current career with Anglian Water, James has always specialised in team focus. 
• One of James’ first tasks was dealing with the COVID response which gave him invaluable experience in change management.
• James uses a ‘cell’ system model which he learned from the Navy in his team-leading strategy. 
• James is now a certified team coach after training in the field.
• The idea of an all-powerful, super-efficient, singular leader is a myth.
• Get rid of the ego, be humble, ask questions and know that you do not know all the answers.

BEST MOMENTS
‘I remember looking into the Navy as a teenager and thinking, goodness me, it’s just like a really good rugby team or really good football team or really good cricket team. They’re always playing together and got focus on an outcome.’-James
‘That cell structure gave us a really cohesive unit. It decentralised leadership to a certain extent. With the way we connected it all together it allowed people to have shared awareness and real clarity on what we were trying to achieve.’-James
‘I started to dig into what ‘agile’ meant and I did a couple of courses.’-James
‘You’ve used the word ‘teams’ a lot and you’ve also used ‘team of teams’. What is it about teams that make you feel the way you do and what is it that makes a great team?’-Lee
‘The notion of a heroic leader or a superman or supergirl just getting things done on their own is nonsense.’-James
‘What makes a great leader? There’s so much to go into here but straight away it’s humility and trust.’-James

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/

Lee rounds off his 3 Things series with 3 more important, thought-provoking points highlighted throughout the past few weeks. Here is a reflective summary of the choosing and honing of the ten topics covered.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Thinking about the ten most valuable areas to discuss has been a worthwhile, constructive task.
• Having to narrow down to 3 most important points forces focus and clarity on all the chosen topics.
• This series has facilitated thinking, feeling and doing on each of the topics covered efficiently.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Just narrowing it down to the 10 things that I believed would add the greatest amount of value to you has been just a great reflective space and a great reflective opportunity for me to really consider these things.’

‘When you are given a topic to think about and forced to identify the 3 things that you believe are the most important of that really forces the thinking and I had some great moments sat by myself identifying the 3 things for each different topic as well.’

‘This mini-series has allowed me to think feel and do about each of these different things and it’s an amazing reflective space for me. I don’t think people take the necessary amount of time to actually reflect.’

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/