Business Problems Solved Podcast

This week, Lee talks to Katie Anderson, a leadership coach, independent consultant and author of "Learning To Lead: Leading To Learn". Katie discusses the concept of connection and how the writing of the book influenced her own viewpoints on this, as well as coaching and the foundational keystones upon which all good leaders must build their outlook. KEY TAKEAWAYS Connection with humans and the world around us is the foundational place upon which leaders and change agents must build. We build connection by being authentic, and endeavouring to remove any kind of hierarchy that we may imagine exists. When we coach or act as leaders, we should not try to have the answer to every question. It is our responsibility to guide others towards solutions, not provide them on tap. We cannot control events, but we can control our reaction to these events. Leaders and coaches are the ones who must act as the calming voice when challenges arise. BEST MOMENTS 'It's hard to listen to your own voice, but it's important, too' 'That's the foundation of leadership and continuous improvement' 'Connection is the key to everything' 'There can be an unnatural balance in hierarchy' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast         Katie Anderson - https://kbjanderson.com/about/ Learning To Lead - Leading To Learn - https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ 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 week, join Lee for a highly personal reflection upon the third anniversary of one of life's more momentous events - one that shaped Lee's future forever after. KEY TAKEAWAYS By pretending to be something we're not, we only ever hold ourself up to unhappiness. We can't be truly fulfilled in life unless we're living on our own terms. The best friends in life are the ones who'll be there when you need them. But friendship is a two way street. You also need to be the friend they need in times of trouble. We need to create environments and avenues for people, so that they can share when they are not feeling at their best. BEST MOMENTS 'The last three years have arguably been the most transformational' 'I have tried to be the kind of person that other people would want me to be' 'Make good friends, because you never know when you'll need them' 'People - that's the secret to everything we do' 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 week, Lee talks to fellow podcaster, Martin Teasdale, the voice behind the Get Out Of Wrap podcast and one of the most experienced contact centre operators ever, about the background in life that gave him the skills to strike up an instant rapport, the power of "JFDI", and what really goes on behind that voice on the end of the line... KEY TAKEAWAYS The military lifestyle, of constantly being on the move and making new friends, while often seen as a negative, actually instilled in Martin the gift of being able to quickly strike up rapport with people. Teams are often a reflection of society as a whole. You can find representatives of youth, education, the older generations, part-time workers and even those with a high level of experience. People calling into contact centres are generally not calling for fun. They always call with a purpose. They have a need. Sometimes, we must put aside our own feelings and tribulations, and engage empathetically, which can be tough. Whenever we face down a challenge, we must remember that the pain is temporary, and that all things will pass. Push through and the challenge will be little more than a memory before long. BEST MOMENTS 'There's a part of you that says - JFDI!' 'It's a microcosm of society' 'People come into work and they are dealing with the challenges of life' 'When things are going bad, it is just a moment' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast        Get Out Of Wrap Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-out-of-wrap-contact-centre-chat/id1462669837 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 do you do when you retire at the age of just 28 years old? If you're anything like this week's guest, Norman Crowley, entrepreneur and environmental campaigner, you jump straight back into the world of business. Norman is a driven business genius, who sold his welding company for a six figure sum, and used it to not just reinvest in business, but also to help change the world for the better. In this week's fascinating show, Lee talks to Norman about what drives him, and how to be a force for good in the world. KEY TAKEAWAYS The skills we learn are often the result of necessity, and not always supplemental. When we need a task to be completed, and we have no one on hand, we develop the skills required, and therefore become able to complete these tasks in the future, broadening our skill-sets. Success is never a series of uninterrupted wins. Every empire is built upon failures. These failures provide teachings, which steer us towards success. Fear prevents us from finding out what is possible. If we defy fear and develop the right mind-set, we can surprise ourselves by what is out there. If we keep our goals and aims to ourselves, then there is no compulsion to succeed in them. If we verbalise and announce our goals, then we commit ourselves to seeing them through. BEST MOMENTS 'A lot of walking on hot coals, is about getting people into the right mental frame' 'In my world, the divide between work and time off is very blurred!' 'It's very hard to bottle up secrets of success' 'Success is a series of failures tied together with optimism' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast        Crowley Carbon - https://www.crowleycarbon.com 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 week, Lee talks to Paul Serafino, the founder of Accelerated Journey, helping people to amplify their impact and soar to the executive level. Paul discusses why change doesn't take year but only a decision, as well as the power of your network, and how to energise and positively impact your own business journey. KEY TAKEAWAYS Quality connections are worth far more than a myriad connections. By focussing on the ones that matter, we strengthen our network instead of diluting it. if we hope to make real impact in the world, we can't just sit and wait for it to occur. We have to go out there and find it. We have to take control. If we enable others to do better through effective leadership, then we should be allowing them into our way of thinking without making them feel as though they are not in control. Being a leader is not about changing people. It is about empowering them to do better as part of your team. This requires internal work first. BEST MOMENTS 'It's not about quantity - it's about quality' 'I connected with people and learned as much as I could' 'It's amazing what people want. They want to lead all kinds of amazing things. They want to change the world' 'Perception is huge' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast        Paul Serafino - https://paulserafino.com Paul Serafino LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pserafino/ 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 week, Lee is in conversation with Kate Miles-Roberts and Bev Holden, the founders of Clear Thinking, about the ways in which we can think a little more clearly, to feel more at ease and in comfort, and by doing so create great things. KEY TAKEAWAYS Wisdom so often resides in a room with people in it. The purpose of Clear Thinking is to create a sense of ease and comfort, which in turn encourages the perspectives, input and wisdom of those in the room. Thinking is the most important starting point for any endeavour. It is far more effective that fulfilling some nameless API or business target. Every thought we have affects the way that we feel. This in turn affects the way we behave or operate. Therefore, effective thought is at the heart of every action. Effective coaching is the form that causes people to think, and to try and find the solution for themselves. BEST MOMENTS 'We love creating environments where clear thinking is inevitable' 'Some of the greatest business minds in the world do the thinking' 'We're helping people to "be" in the moment' 'The quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the thinking we do' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast        Clear Thinking - https://www.clearthinkinguk.com/about/ 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 week, Lee engages in a fireside chat with fellow business expert, and the man behind the ultra-successful 'Scale Up Your Business' podcast. Lee and Nick discuss their respective business journeys, the lessons they've learned along the way, change, business, and the things that are truly important in life. KEY TAKEAWAYS Sometimes the hardest moments in life are the ones that help us to realise what's important. This leads us to a sharper focus. You can't ever be truly successful unless you're spending each day on something that aligns with your beliefs and values. Time is a gift. We should use each moment with care. We never really know when our time here runs out, so we must make the most of each day, of each opportunity. that's what life is all about. Certain aspects of business are never going back to the way they were. Remote working has been proven to work. Hybrid workplaces are bound to become more normalised. BEST MOMENTS 'I've been able to have amazing conversations with amazing people like yourself' 'At the heart of all of these things are people' 'Always be yourself. Make good friends. Time's limited' 'The idea that people can be productive out of the office is part of a systemic change' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast       ABOUT THE GUEST My name is Nick Bradley. I’m an entrepreneur, author, speaker and investor. My background is in growing and scaling VC and Private Equity backed businesses. Having successfully built, bought and sold a number of companies, and removed myself from day-to-day operations, my focus now is on helping entrepreneurs get to where they want to be, in business and in life. As well as investing in growth businesses and backing turnarounds - with the ultimate aim of creating value from significant capital events. I’m passionate about personal and professional development - showing up and being the best version of myself ... every day. My bigger vision is to help bring entrepreneurial skills, experience and mindset to people in developing nations - so they can follow their dreams, live life more on their terms - utilising entrepreneurship as a global force for good. Nick’s Facebook Page: https://scaleup.vip/FB Nick’s LinkedIn: https://scaleup.vip/LI Nick's Instagram: https://scaleup.vip/IG Scale Up Your Business website: www.suyb.global 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 the final episode of the 'Not Just An International Author' series, Lee talks to globally renowned employee engagement consultant, speaker and author, Chester Elton! Chester joins the discussion to talk about how he and his co-author came to be dubbed as "The Apostles of Appreciation", and why striking the right balance between work and the home should be at the cornerstone of every decision we make. KEY TAKEAWAYS When interacting with others, no matter how slight, always try to do so with empathy and consideration. You never know what that person is going through. Business is important, but it can never be as important as the happiness we seek to build at home. We need to consider what's truly important. The greatest businesses, the greatest leaders, and the most harmonious companies, are always based on a celebratory culture and gratitude. Leaders must try to show their own vulnerability in order to win the respect of their people. By displaying their humanity, they become far more relatable. BEST MOMENTS 'You work really hard, you surround yourself with really good people and you do the right thing' 'Be good to everybody - everybody's having a tough day' 'If they tell me "You are your father's son" - that's the greatest compliment that anyone could ever give me' 'No success in business can ever compensate for failure in the home' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast       Chester Elton - https://chesterelton.com Chester Elton LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chesterelton/ 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 week in the 'Not Just An International Author' series, Lee talks to Alain Hunkins, the author of 'Cracking The Leadership Code' about what leadership really means, how best to influence in order to achieve our goals, and the three key elements of a great leader. KEY TAKEAWAYS Leadership is the art of understanding people and achieving outcomes through using that understanding in order to influence others. There are patterns among the best leaders, who all use connection, communication and collaboration to inspire others. We cannot hope to truly connect with others if we do not truly listen to them. If someone is trying to tell us something, we owe it to them to give our full attention and absorb their message entirely. There are four essential needs in order for people to work at their best - safety, energy, ownership and purpose. BEST MOMENTS 'Whenever we're trying to get someone else to do something, that is leadership!' 'Everything gets done through, by and with people' 'What helps us learn best are stories' 'The ability to sit still, listen and be quiet, I have found to be an incredibly useful leadership skill' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast       Alain's website: www.alainhunkins.com Alain's book site: www.crackingtheleadershipcode.com Alain's linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alainhunkins Alain's TEDx talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/alain_hunkins_the_basic_truth_most_leaders_neglect 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 this third instalment in the mini-series 'Not Just An International Author', Lee talks to author, speaker and LinkedIn expert, who joins Lee to talk about her array of skills, her business journey so far, and why it might well be time to rethink that LinkedIn profile of yours... KEY TAKEAWAYS LinkedIn profiles are often simply structured as online resumes, when in fact they should be crafted so as to give a far better picture of who you really are. People are attracted to a story. By creating your own narrative, you essentially welcome people into that story. A LinkedIn profile needs to aligned to your goal. We need to ask ourselves what the true purpose of our presence there, really is. A reworked LinkedIn profile may sometimes receive less hits, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It may mean that you're getting more qualified hits - that you have refined it to suit your actual target audience. BEST MOMENTS 'The LinkedIn profile is more than just your online resume' 'You can control what people think through the story you tell' 'When you tell your story and let people how you shine and why you shine, good things happen to you' 'Sometimes it's not even on LinkedIn that you'll feel the success' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast       Donna Serdula - https://donnaserdula.com 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/