Business Problems Solved Podcast

We are not asking our people and each other enough questions as leaders. When we speak of engagement we need to engage the heart, hands and mind. Lee delves deeper into this concept of questions and answers and asks if, with all the technology providing instantaneous answers, are we losing the habit of asking each other questions at all? 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We need to create an environment where we are asking better questions. Fast solutions for problems often do not provide complex solutions to the given question. 
• With the rise of social media and information sharing, we borrow other solutions to our problems but in doing that we are missing out on a learning opportunity.
• If we want our people to think more we have to challenge them to ask the pertinent questions that will provide the most creative, innovative and effective answers. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘The world of AI is creating answers and things for us to do just with a few commands. Is this going to create a bigger problem when we stop asking questions because all of the answers are already provided for us?’ 

‘If we’d have started by just identifying the correct priorities it would have become a little bit mechanical and we may not have seen the issue that would be solved by us asking that new question.’

‘We don’t want to live in a world where all of the answers already exist. We want to live in a world where we are asking better questions of everybody.’ 

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/

Happy 2023! We are about to start the New Year which of course means new years’ resolutions made in good faith and zealously followed for, perhaps, a month and then dropped like yesterday’s old chip fat-soaked newspaper until 2024. Lee is here with his 3 most relevant and attention-worthy business problems that you should be addressing in 2023. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• How do you plan and execute in continuing uncertain times? We still have instability so it is important to effectively translate what our strategies are into meaningful things for our people to do at all levels of the hierarchy every day. 
• How do you effectively lead in onsite and home hybrid working environments? A quarter of all workplaces utilise hybrid working. Regular collaboration is still stunted and complicated by hybrid working and solutions are still being developed to solve this. Specific systems need to be found to bring the right people together at the right time.
• How do you reduce your costs and still delight your people and customers? The cost of living is affecting staff, supplies and customers. Your people need more from you now than ever and your customers still need to be served effectively.  

BEST MOMENTS

‘At the start of 2021, I decided to write a blog article that was also actually a podcast episode about what I believed were the top 4 business challenges for 2021. I’m going to just go back over them for the start of 2023.’   

‘How do we translate our vision into making it meaningful for our people so they know every single day what they need to do to help us achieve our goal and work towards that on a daily basis as opposed to crossing our fingers?’ 

‘Those are the four C’s that we spoke about. They still exist. Connect, converse, collaborate, celebrate. Those are the four principles I believe in working together.’ 

‘Do you believe that the culture of your organisation is what you want it to be? Is it role modelled by you and the leaders? Does everybody do what is expected of them when nobody's looking?’

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/

What is the difference between an Internal and External Improvement Person, be that a Coach, Consultant or Change Practitioner? Lee has been both and in this episode will detail not only the differences but the commonalities, be it the way the two are perceived by their team or those they are working with, the preconceived notions of seniority or the level of credibility offered and maintained. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The differences appear in the way the Change Leader is perceived. People often find External Change has more credibility as they are tackling a problem That the internal system could not solve. This credibility is fragile and harder to maintain.
• Internally it is harder to gain credibility with those with whom you have previous working relationships. The relationships are at a more equal level, but once respect and credibility are achieved it is easier to maintain amongst familiar companies. 
• Internal change is advantageous due to knowledge of processes and established working relationships with teams. However, an over-familiarity with systems may prevent the spotting of long-term obvious errors and an impartial conception of changes required. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘I’ve had the opportunity to be both an Internal Change Person and currently an External Change Person supporting businesses and teams and leaders to do what they do better.’ 

‘It’s harder to gain credibility because you’ve got to deliver stuff. You’ve got to have a background in delivering, or a level or seniority that allows people to know that you mean business and you can actually help them.’ 

‘With an External, it’s easier to ensure that people have the ownership and accountability of the solution and of the answers because you don’t know the processes.’ 

‘They each bring different challenges, but I think it comes down to credibility. External people have instant credibility that can be lost in how they turn up, show up and what they do. It might take a little bit longer to build credibility depending on your level of seniority and what it is that you do to help people win.’

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/

Feedback is often seen as one of the main drivers for improvement, but the nature of that feedback can have a direct bearing on the continuation of the task and the satisfaction and motivation of the staff members involved. Lee explains the feedback ‘sandwich’, the relevant time and forum for feedback, your relationship with the person you are approaching and how you encourage development and learning by asking the right questions. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The definition of ‘feedback’ is ‘information about reactions to a product or person’s performance off a task which is used as a basis for improvement.’
• A constructive feedback method, the ‘sandwich’ is to offer a positive then an area that can be improved and then another positive.
• We need to give feedback at the right time and correct forum to offer maximum benefit to the target of the feedback.
• Feedback is down to your relationship with the person who you are trying to benefit.
• If your goal is to improve the person that is receiving the feedback, then your role is to keep them thinking, not offer your solutions to the situation.

BEST MOMENTS

‘As a leader of people or of change we are often tasked with giving feedback to build the capability of others.’  

‘When we consider feedback, sometimes we take things personally. In the world of improvement we have these daily huddles, the daily standup. I think that there are different kinds of feedback in that situation that we need to consider.’ 

‘One of the key questions that you need to ask during the initial conversations is how would they like to receive the feedback that you’ve got?’

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/

In improving the working environment the action of adding tools and changes is often reduced to a box-ticking exercise and not approached as a continuous ongoing task requiring regular attention and updating. Lee is here to encourage you to not let all your approaches slide away and degrade and to keep up that constant improvement. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Introduce every new tool on a timeline to keep a close eye on how they are maturing and integrating as they mature and regularly check in on their progress. 
• Process capability and people capability need to move forward together and this does not occur without observation and maintenance.
• Understand what is required to develop the tools and maintain and improve in the future. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘You might have a ‘huddle’, a Daily Standup Meeting, a Short Interval Control Board, some sort of daily conversation taking place. Success is not that the daily conversation is taking place, ‘box ticked’. Success is that you’re constantly, consistently developing the daily conversation in line with what it is you need to deliver.’  

‘We want everything to be improving together, and continuously adapting and changing depending upon what is being seen, what is happening in the environment that the process is being worked in.’  

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/

Our comprehension of specific words is often informed by the experience of learning its meaning, where we got it from or the person who taught us, for example. In this way, our communication should concentrate on what has been heard, rather than what has been said to avoid misunderstandings. Is your teams understanding of a high performing team in sync?    

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• To gain an understanding of peoples opinion of high performance, ask each person to choose an example which for them exemplifies a high performing team.
• Ask them what they think will exemplify themselves as a high performing team so they can understand the different aspects that are required.

BEST MOMENTS

‘I asked everybody to think of a non-work related example of a high performing team. Typical answers are Formula One, the British Cycling Team, Englands Women’s Football Team. When I ask this question it’s to give me a reference point for each person.’

‘It’s vital that we provide spaces for people to explore and share what they have heard not just accept because something has been said that everybody has understood it in the same way.’

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/

This episode's guest is Chris Rainsforth, an award-winning Customer Contact Specialist who has been in the Industry for over 15 years working in both in-house and outsourced contact centres, holding roles in Operations, Training and Support Functions across Front & Back Offices. Chris has experience in developing multi-site, multi-culture and multi-channel change programmes, working across global regions to deliver successful initiatives including enablement, quality assurance, speech analytics and Training and has a demonstrated history in Program Leadership across many functions in a range of industries. His experience is shared as a thought leader and Keynote speaker who has experience delivering small training and discussion workshops up to large-scale conferences and events.

Lee and Chris discuss his journey from homelessness to successful change leader, working for The Forum, a professional training and coaching company, bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience to use in helping clients develop innovative and robust approaches to customer service.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• At 15 Chris became homeless from detrimental choices and being an ‘idiot’, but luckily met people who put him on the road to his current success. Chris’ experiences have led him towards a career advising and guiding other people.
• Contact Centres are great places to launch a business career as it teaches you so much, be it Customer Service, HR, Management or Training.
• To circumvent mistakes of the past, Chris’ family have a very open environment so discussions can be easily held.
• It takes a degree of confidence to issue Keynote speeches, lead Change Groups and run open conferences and events. It is much easier to be yourself in these environments as having to keep up an appearance is exhausting. Be authentic.

BEST MOMENTS

‘We help organisations that run any type of customer operation, whether it’s a contact centre or a back office or retail business, help them understand their requirements and give them learning development and support to make themselves and their people better.’ – Chris

‘One of the key things for me was finding that you don’t need to do everything alone. That’s the place I was in, that I had to do everything alone. It taught me that I don’t need to be expert at everything, I don’t need to know everything, but I do need to know that there are people out there that can help.’ – Chris

‘What three words do you think your daughter would use to describe you?’ – lee ‘I honestly think she would say that I am caring, generous, and I would imagine she would say I’m a role model.’ – Chris

‘People will like me or they won’t, and that’s fine, I’m happy with that. I am who I am and I’m not going try and change who I am anymore. I’ve tried that and it’s exhausting.’ – Chris

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/

This episode's guest is Matt Grady. Born in Leeds, Matt is a thoroughly sporty chap and became a professional golfer which took him to the PGA and via Oxford to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates setting up golf courses until the financial crash of 2008. Returning to the UK and quitting golf, Matt found employment in Sales, particularly in Recruitment, and in the last 11 years has progressed to working for international Biotech and Pharmaceutical Companies. A specialist in solving leadership challenges via recruitment solutions, Matt has turned his hand to writing a book, “Making The Cut : Turning Pro in Sport, Business and Life.” He has his own podcast and is a guest on many others.
Lee and Matt chat about becoming a professional sportsman, his golf career, his move to sales, recruitment, writing a book as a dare for motivation, podcasting and the nature of inspiration.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• At 10, Matt couldn’t see life without golf. His success came from heavily visualising his future and having a great sports teacher at school. Having the right support and the right drive was intrinsic.
• Matt joined the recruitment industry via his sales skills and claimed the stability and investment in his future that golf didn’t offer. 
• “Making the Cut : Turning Pro in Sport, Business and Life.” Was written determinedly in 30 days. 
• Matt has his own podcast, ‘ The Domus Search Leadership Podcast’, tackling the subjects of Health, Mindset, Personal Growth, Nutrition, Training and a weekly segment joined by special guests.
• Filter opinions based on the experience of the person providing them. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘I’ve got a nine year old aspiring goalkeeper next door. Fingers crossed, that’s my retirement plan. What is it that kept you going to actually realise your dream, and did you realise your dream?’ – Lee
‘I was thinking seriously about becoming a sports teacher. Turns out my college didn’t do the A Level, so it was back to plan A all the way.’ – Matt
‘In ten years when I’m 50 I’ll be playing golf on the champions tour and I’ll retire having the time of my life.’ – Matt
‘I’m very much a one man band in a bigger organisation, competing in a very challenging sector, with a lot of competition. So I’m doing, hopefully, what others won’t do today so I can get the results that they won’t have tomorrow.’ – Matt
‘I think if I was talking to a younger group now, teenagers, you might think that someone is going to come and save you, and give you all the skills and all the support, but actually probably 99% of it is you and you really have to do the work.’ - Matt

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 needs a favour. He has started to write a book. A work in progress with a working title of ‘The Leadership Cheat Code.’ Be Lee’s writing accountability partner and ensure that he creates real actionable content and go to bit.ly/theleadershipcheatcode and sign up for progress updates and keep him on track. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The book will be a practical guide to help leaders of people and change and create high performing teams. 
• The acronym C.H.E.A.T currently stands for Communication, Humility, Engagement, Authenticity, Teamwork.
• Chase, nag, cajole, pursue, encourage, persuade, advise and suggest until Lee produces a book that actually can be used to create real change in, and for, its readers. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘I spoke on the podcast about an acronym called T.E.A.C.H. And is anybody working out that the letters in ‘teach’ are the same as ‘cheat’. So there is some commonality with what I shared in that podcast and what I will be writing about in the pages of this book.’ 
‘We’ve spoken about humility before and that is not thinking less of yourself, it is about thinking about yourself less. It’s the difference between selfish and selfless.’
‘In the book I will also be sharing Chris’ story because that’s the foundation for it and sharing the three lessons and where they came from, and then how they feed into The Cheat Code.’

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 relates his journey and career as an Improvement Coach. An immense learning experience and the best and worst job he’s ever had, Lee explains how he has got to where he is now in the career that has given him the greatest satisfaction.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• In 2006 Lee was offered a job that included training in workplace organisation, visual management, standards and problem solving and then presenting it as improvement to teams.
• Lee then spent ten years on projects and programs on problem solving, specific issues that businesses were having difficulty with. This involved end to end visualisation of processes.
• Resistance in improvement made Lee focus on people and their importance in creating systems.

BEST MOMENTS

‘This is how I believe looking back how my career in improvement has transitioned.’

‘It required somebody as part of the solution to move desks. I thought it was a small part of the solution. To him it was massive. It was like I was asking him to uproot his whole family, or leave his family!’

‘When I think about my journey as an improvement person there’s three wheels that I’ve been consistently trying to turn.’

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/

As leaders of people and change, we are always trying to get people to do the right thing at the right time, every time. Rather than repeatedly just telling or ordering them to do so, which requires intervention from you constantly, there are other ways to persuade people to continuously commit to action which Lee explains to you in this episode. 
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• If someone is working a process they have to be either really well trained to the point where the actions become habitual, but not everything we do is a consistent action. 
• If the action is a response to circumstance then training will not help, the person has to make the right decision. 
• The three main influencing strategies are ; using the Person, using Social influence or using the Environment to support it. (PSE).
• You may face resistance due to the pain required to change may surpass the pain of the current process. 
• You can create a sense of belonging and teamwork. Can you provide a role model to the process? 
• Ensure the whole environment is supportive of doing the right thing. For example, easy provision of equipment. 
• Create trust as people need to believe that change is for the greater good. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘Our job as leaders is to help them think about it enough to then, hopefully, do the right thing.’
``We spoke about pleasure and pain quite a bit in the past as well. We always, typically, try to paint this picture of pleasure. The dream that we are trying to create, the process and the place we want people to work in.’
‘The conditions within our environments that we’ve created are also factors we need to consider.’
‘Do not just tell them. Do not just tell people to do something. There are so many other strategies that you can do to help people do the right thing at the right time, every time.’
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 speaks on the importance of understanding not only the way your own head works but also the thoughts of people you work with. Are you getting in your own way, becoming stuck in your own mind in meetings? Do you make assumptions about what others are thinking which alter your attitude and actions, often incorrectly? Lee explains how perceiving your own internal habits and perceptions can be essential to communication and knowing others thoughts crucial to understanding.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Your own thoughts and reactions to others are often a block to being the person you want to be and the messages you want to convey in your meeting. The eclectic nature of our thoughts means we can often bypass sharing all the ideas that occur to us. 
• Our own assumptions drawn from body language and other inconclusive external information can often lead us to prejudge the conversation we are about to have with others. 
• How a meeting starts and its tone often dictates the flow onwards, so it is important to be aware of your own thoughts and the effect others will have on you at this stage.
• We have no control over others' thoughts. We can only persuade people to follow our ideas. Asking people what they are actually thinking can often lead to creative and unexpected results. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘You might go to a meeting and you might recognise that there’s somebody who has been a bit negative about what it is you’re trying to achieve and that might help or hinder you.’
‘Often people say that the first few interactions in any meeting set the meeting tone for its duration.’
‘Giving a point of fact, bit of data, maybe a few slides for context and then just opening the floor and asking ‘what are you thinking?’’
‘Only by sharing the thoughts and ideas that everybody has can we really create amazing solutions and create greater and stronger connections because we are understanding more about each other.’ 
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/

In a lot of teams and businesses when you try to influence one or all of your staff to move faster or push harder you often find you encounter resistance. Lee explains this thorny issue and what you can do to circumvent it.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Deadlines are often set in isolation and that means absolutely nothing to the staff member that is required to meet it. 
• It is important that people connect on three different levels. To you as a person, to the problem that needs to be solved, and to the solution.
• Why would an individual support a change if it’s not to their advantage? No amount of influence or manipulation will speed them up.  
• Personal influence is the consideration of what the advantage is personally for the individual. Social influence is demonstrating other people doing the task you want them to undertake, resulting in peer pressure and example. Environmental influence is changing the surroundings to make it easier to take the action required such as providing the right equipment or circumstances for action. 

BEST MOMENTS
‘Often we don’t necessarily understand where the starting position for everybody is and whether they actually want to go at the pace you’re going.’
‘Everybody moves at the pace they want to go.’
‘If they do not benefit from it and can’t relate to the benefit you’re proposing, why would they do what you want them to do?’ 
‘If you want to have a daily huddle with a white board, then make sure that the room supports having the white board.’
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/

Understanding the end destination and result is fundamental in successful leadership, business improvement and change. Lee explains the steps to achievement by asking the question ‘What needs to be true?”.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• What are the tangible signs as well as key measures that will let you know when you have achieved your target, destination, vision or change?
• Just because you have achieved a measurable result does not mean it is sustainable. A short term result is not necessarily going to make a difference unless full time repeatable systems are in place to produce it.
• Do not be reliant upon the subjective vision of other people to indicate that an objective has been reached. Agree upon a verifiable set of results beforehand to fully confirm that the objective has been met.

BEST MOMENTS
‘One way that we try to articulate this for teams and for businesses is “What habits need to be displayed? What behaviours are being displayed? What outputs need to be produced?”
‘You might need to create something, you might need to start a conversation, you might need to factor something in. So this is truly about understanding where it is you’re trying to get to and then making it real in everybody’s eyes.’
‘What does it look like, feel like, sound like as well? What are the habits, the behaviours and the outputs? And then what needs to be done to create those things? Now you know, tangibly, how you're going to get there.’
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/

Flourish ; To grow and develop in a healthy or vigorous way especially as a result of a particular environment. Isn’t this what we want for all our people? We need a welcoming and encouraging environment to allow our team to develop their skills, express their ideas and creativity and effect positive changes to their workplace. Lee takes a look at how we can accomplish this.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We need to concentrate on people and process capability. Develop these two things together and you can create a future ready and fully engaged workforce.
• Being able to develop, learn and progress are always noted as motivating factors by staff within the work environment.
• Allow people to speak and share in a timely, regular and open fashion to take full advantage of problem solving, process adjustment and to also show that your people are essential and valued.

BEST MOMENTS

‘As leaders we have such a huge role in creating a space for people to flourish. It doesn’t just happen overnight.’

‘Often processes are worked multiple times every single day and things that get in peoples way are identified every single day so what you don’t want to do is have a meeting structure that is monthly.’

‘First things first, it is individual to that person how much they want to grow, how much they want to develop and how much they want to really, really flourish.’

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/

Which statement resonates best with you ; “I will be successful if I can” or “I will be successful if I want”? No one expects to go to work and do a bad job but we don’t provide the environment for people to flourish. Lee discusses the differences in motivations that can drive your team in this episode.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• These questions are to encourage discussion on the nature of motivation for people in their workplace.
• If the answer is “want”, the outcome is dependent on motivations utilised by the organisations on the individual.
• If the answer is “can” the outcome is dependent on external influences like training and equipment. Does the person have the things they need to be able to create?
• As a leader if you ask these questions you will establish you have a far bigger role in this than you think. What are the environmental factors that will allow your people to become self motivated?

BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s a motivation challenge. It’s about unpicking and understanding what is required to motivate. Are you moving towards pleasure or are you moving away from pain to that neutral state?’
‘The things that motivate us internally are actually external things.’
‘You’ve got a big role to play in motivating your people. Don’t just rely on the carrot or the stick. Understand the environmental factors.’
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/

Welcome to episode 200! To mark this event Lee has a fascinating interview with Jim Longton, former senior executive, CEO/MD of major manufacturing businesses in the United Kingdom, USA, Portugal and South Africa.

Jim has had a long career starting in engineering in the 70’s, with experience of the turbulent working environment of poor industrial relations, change resistant work practices and aggressive uncooperative work environments. Jim was intrinsic in changing the culture of the places he worked by introducing a Participation Committee fostering communication between workers and management.
After a long career solving industrial relation problems and setting up and managing production environments, Jim is now available for Consulting, helping you do and achieve your aims and goals. If you need any help or advice implementing changes with regard to improving industrial relations, employee participation in continuous improvement, increasing productivity or total quality improvement - every area of your business, contact Jim and he will see if he can help.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• After leaving school with one ‘o’ level due to undiagnosed dyslexia Jim started as a general engineer apprentice and gathered a Higher National Diploma. 
• When young in the 1970s, Jim experienced and witnessed very bad relations between workers and management.  Small issues led to disputes and weeks of strikes. 
• When Jim rose to a position of high enough influence he fostered cooperation and prevented stoppages and inefficiency by calming and increasing communication and problem solving between management and workers. 
• Jim has never left a job for another seeking higher wages. It has always been for new opportunities. Purpose is more important than payment. 
• Dosulting is consultation based on action. Having retired Jim will now only help people willing to commit to the process fully and respect their people.

BEST MOMENTS

So I went down to the pattern shop and I walked in and I  was completely amazed. This whole woodworking activity is going on in this huge engineering company.’ – Jim 

‘To me it was archaic the way the people spoke to each other, the way that Management reacted and supervisors etc.’ - Jim 

‘What gave you the confidence to try something different and to challenge the norm? – Lee

‘Once you can get rid and eliminate the suspicion, once they trust you, once they realise that they can talk to you and you’ll listen to them, there’s no problem. You’re pushing at an open door, it’s wide open. The problem is always middle management.’ – Jim

‘I knew we could do so much better in terms of meeting deliveries and quality of things and I was more or less getting there, I was right in the middle of firefighting.’ - Jim 

‘Why is everything always in Germany? The industrial revolution started and we did everything. In 1852 in the UK we made 90% of everything that was manufactured in the world.’ – Jim

‘The answer is no. Not unless you absolutely convince me that you are willing to do it. That you are willing to respect your people, talk to your people, take an interest in their needs and their problems because they don’t.’ - Jim 

GUEST RESOURCES

LinkedIn

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jimlongton

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/

Meetings play a fundamental part in a lot of peoples roles and are a huge opportunity if we keep them for just the two key occasions required. Lee details those two circumstances and how you can make the most of a meeting when it occurs.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Communication. To pass information back and forth ensuring the right people are present and the correct data is shared.
• Collaboration. When a task requiring more than one team member requires completion. There are no other reasons in a business context to hold meetings.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Ultimately it's about making things better and improving people and process capability.’

‘I think I truly understand the communication flow. If somebody today on your team had an idea, a suggestion, a challenge, an issue, what is the flow of that information to get it resolved?’

‘Are we asking the right questions? Where does the information stop and how long does it stop?’

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 explains one of the main reasons why Improvement Teams, Change Teams and Lean Teams fail within an organisation and the link between physical fitness and organisational fitness.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• If we want to permanently improve our health then we have to make permanent changes to our lifestyle to achieve this.
• Often improvement is treated like a finite project but it reverts at the end so it is best to think of improvement as a permanent change, much like our health.
• We need to change people to fix the critical stuff that’s hurting the organisation at this point in time but we need to treat improvement as an ongoing task.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Typically we treat improvement like projects, but we need to treat it like a way of being and if we treat it like a way of being, as opposed to a start and a stop date, then it is just how we are.’

‘If I was to hold your hand, in say four months time, and walk in and you’ve created this amazing, amazing environment, what does it look like? When you’re looking around, what do you see people doing? What are they using?’

‘You only need to have a project if there is something that is really affecting you today.’

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 has placed a pole on LinkedIn asking when you start your lean journey what is the ultimate measure of success? Is it the tools that you introduce? Is it how people feel? Is it about the output or performance of the process? Currently there are two leaders, feelings and output.

An interesting result bearing in mind not many people start a change process to improve the engagement of their people. When we acknowledge the importance and engagement of people, do we really honestly respect them and ourselves?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Do we properly engage with our people or respect the time of our people, always turning up on time for group meetings?
• The reason we invest in tools and methods is to create an environment for people to flourish, but we don’t often regard the process from that perspective.
• Lean practitioners and improvement practitioners are trained in tools, they’re not trained in influencing people, building relationships, empathy, building trust, better communication which are skills required to develop great teams.

BEST MOMENTS

‘When I wrote the question this is what I was expecting but maybe not as much on the people's side because, typically, when people start a lean initiative or an improvement initiative it is to fix a particular metric.’

‘We become so fixated on the tool that we are trying to shoehorn in or introduce into the process that really the people element goes a little bit wayward.’

‘A lot of the guests that I’ve had on this podcast have in the later stages of their career recognised the importance of this.’

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/