Lee's latest episode talks about the intricacies of maintaining change momentum and combating loneliness within change management. He shares insights on understanding individual journeys, building belief and trust, leading with connection over tools, and the importance of habits in driving change. Through engaging anecdotes and actionable advice, Lee encourages listeners to embrace the challenges of change management with enthusiasm and purpose. KEY TAKEAWAYS Understand that everybody is on a journey, including yourself, and recognise where individuals are on their journey to create the right conversation. Build belief, confidence, and trust in yourself, the solution, and the organisation to understand and address potential barriers to progress. Lead with connection rather than tools to tailor your approach and make it more relatable and effective. When creating or breaking habits, focus on the cue and reward, not just the routine, to facilitate lasting change. Help individuals move away from pain or towards pleasure, considering the neutral zone as a stepping stone to transition effectively. BEST MOMENTS "Lead with connection not with tools because that allows you to tailor your narrative about the tool, the solution, the technique, the thing in a meaningful way and vary your presentation."  "Don't just focus on the routine and document in the process because if you just create a process and ask people to do it, not everybody will do it."  "Fundamentally, we're trying to get people to create and have the right motivation, the right reasons for action so that they do the right thing at the right time every time."  "The toothpaste manufacturers made the reward feel so amazing that everybody then wanted, okay, your teeth are now clean, your mouth feels so fresh."  "It's not our approach that's broken, it's our approach to change that's broken. And I think just by applying a few different strategies to what we do and how we do it, it can help us overcome some of the challenges that we face today."HOST BIO 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 talks about the complexities of leading change within organisations, focusing on maintaining momentum and limiting loneliness in the process. He emphasises the importance of understanding where individuals are on their change journey, addressing resistance, and building belief, trust, and confidence in the solution, approach, and organisation. This episode serves as part one of a two-part series, offering practical approaches to make positive strides in the ever-evolving landscape of change management. KEY TAKEAWAYS Change can be both the best and worst job, with feelings of loneliness and loss of momentum being common challenges. Understanding where individuals are on their change journey and addressing their beliefs, confidence, and trust are crucial for successful change implementation. Change and improvement should be viewed as everyone's job, but not everyone sees it that way, leading to challenges in driving change. It is important to view situations through the eyes of others, considering their perspectives on consistency, connection, and credibility in relation to the proposed solutions and organisation. By recognising and addressing resistance, maintaining momentum, and limiting loneliness, change practitioners can deliver successful change initiatives in a people-focused business environment. BEST MOMENTS "Change for me has been and is the best and worst job that I have ever had."  "Everybody is on a journey. So if they're on a journey, we're on a journey, and people are saying these things."  "All change starts with belief. So like Santa, we believe in Santa, don't we?"  "I shared those four quads because those four quads are what I've heard a lot and I asked a group which one of these four quotes have they heard the most." "And that's where his lack of belief, confidence or trust came from."  HOST BIO 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.

Join Lee as he talks about the importance of considering three key factors before implementing tools in business change initiatives. Lee emphasises the significance of prioritising connection and understanding the audience before introducing tools, drawing parallels to the world of comedy where connection is paramount. He highlights the need to assess the problem the tool aims to solve, the design principles behind it, and the predictability of results in the current environment.  Listeners are encouraged to think critically about their approach to tools and change, aiming for meaningful connections and tailored solutions for optimal outcomes. KEY TAKEAWAYS Connection is Key: Prioritise building a connection and relationship with the individuals you are working with before introducing tools or solutions. Consider the Problem: Before applying a tool, identify the problem it aims to solve and ensure that problem exists in the context you are working in. Understand Design Principles: Learn about the design principles behind the tool to determine if they still align with the current situation and if they may be constraining your solution. Predictability of Results: Evaluate how predictable the results of the tool are in the environment you are in and if it effectively addresses the problem at hand. People First: Remember that success in implementing initiatives relies heavily on how well you connect with and understand the people you are working with. BEST MOMENTS "Any fool with a tool is still a fool."  "People protect what they build. If you turn up with a ready-made tool, then it's got to absolutely fix the issue that they've got in the best way that they perceive for them to have any ownership or belief in that thing."  "Change is not easy. If it was, everybody would be doing it."  "When you lead with connection and relationship and build an understanding of who you are delivering, supporting these initiatives with, then it allows you to vary your performance based on who is in front of you."  "I think by understanding those three things, it can give you a better understanding of the tool that you need to apply."  HOST BIO 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's latest episode explores the concept of change as a journey, emphasising the individual nature of each person's experience. Lee discusses various models like the Kubler-Ross change curve and Bridges transition model, highlighting the importance of understanding people's past experiences and emotions when leading change initiatives. The episode underscores the significance of making individuals feel positive, safe, and supported throughout the change process, ultimately expressing the need for empathy and gradual progress in navigating the complexities of change. KEY TAKEAWAYS Change is a journey that individuals go through, and it is important to understand each person's unique journey. Resistance to change often stems from past experiences and habits that individuals are comfortable with. Making people feel positive, safe, and supported is crucial when leading and delivering change initiatives. Change requires breaking old habits or creating new ones, which can be challenging but necessary for progress. Understanding where people are coming from, collectively working towards a common destination, and moving forward gradually are key aspects of successful change management. BEST MOMENTS "Change is not easy because we are creatures of habit. Every single day, the majority of the things that we do are habitual." "We need to make people feel positive. We need to make people feel safe. We need to make people feel supported."  "Everybody is on a journey. Not everybody wants to be on a journey. We may face resistance."  "Change is a journey for everybody... Changing anything is often not like flicking a switch."  "Mayor Angelou said, 'I'll forget what you did, I'll forget what you said, but I'll never forget how you made me feel.'" HOST BIO 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 reflects on the first six months of 2024, sharing his personal achievements, including running marathons and launching online courses, attributing his success to the intensity and frequency of his nine-month challenge. He discusses the importance of structure and rhythm in achieving goals, emphasising the concept of intensity times frequency equals connection. The episode concludes with a challenge for listeners to apply intensity and frequency to their endeavours for a successful second half of the year. KEY TAKEAWAYS Reflect on Your Progress: Take time to reflect on your achievements and progress at regular intervals, like at the end of six months, to see how successful you have been. Set Big, Ambitious Goals: Setting big, scary, and ambitious goals can provide the structure and intensity needed to achieve them, allowing for creativity and engagement throughout the process. Intensity and Frequency Create Habits: By combining intensity (strength of reason and feeling) with frequency (repetition), you can create new habits and connections, whether in personal goals or professional relationships. Strive for Connection: Building connections, whether with yourself, others, or within an organization, requires intensity and frequency to strengthen the bond and achieve common goals. Consistency is Key: Consistently applying intensity and frequency to important tasks or goals can lead to success and achievement, as seen in the example of training for a marathon. BEST MOMENTS "I absolutely believe that this has all been achieved through the consistency in my nine month to 100km challenge." "Intensity times frequency equals connection. Connection is the first of the four C's, so connect, converse, calibrate and celebrate."  "Whatever fires together, wires together. But the only wire together, if you do it continually and repeatedly, and you've got a strength of feeling, strength of reason, and then you do that repeatedly, it will then become habitual."  "So last week we spoke about how we're connecting everything together from the bottom all the way through the top and connecting from a best perspective."  HOST BIO 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.

This episode explores the crucial concept of connection in the realm of leadership, change management, and organisational success. Lee emphasises the significance of connecting people to the purpose, vision, and initiatives of a business to drive sustainable performance excellence. Through the framework of the four C's - connection, conversation, collaboration, and celebration/reflection - Lee explores how fostering strong connections among individuals and aligning behaviours with organisational goals are essential for achieving desired outcomes.  The episode underscores the necessity of aligning values with behaviours, fostering emotional connections, and continuously striving to improve connectivity within organisations to drive success. KEY TAKEAWAYS Connection is Key: Connection in leadership, change management, and overall business is essential for success  The Four C's Framework: The four C's framework - Connection, Conversation, Collaboration, and Celebration & Reflection - is a high-level process for delivering sustainable performance excellence. The Best Model: The Best Model focuses on connecting strategies and improvement initiatives to influence leadership behaviours, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, business targets. Behavioural Alignment: Aligning company values with expected behaviours can be challenging, there is a need for clear communication and understanding to create a cohesive environment. Future-Framing: Encouragement is needed to envision the future state of the organisation in terms of what will be seen, heard, and felt, and align improvement initiatives to create that desired future. BEST MOMENTS "Connection is absolutely key. And I guess if I was to do a word cloud of all of the podcasts, the nearly 300 podcasts, I think the word connection and connected would probably feature quite highly."  "Connection is key. Why am I banging on about connection?"  "Engagement is largely influenced by the behaviours of the people that we are working with." "We need to connect the behaviours of all of our people. The environment that is being created to engage our employees."  "Connect the dots to achieve success. Start with the behaviour and how we wanna be in it actually."  HOST BIO 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.

This episode explores the intriguing debate between maturity and ownership when implementing solutions in organisations. Lee reflects on his experiences and conversations, emphasising the importance of balancing these two factors. Through engaging storytelling and practical advice, Lee navigates the complexities of decision-making in organisational improvement, offering a thought-provoking perspective on achieving long-term success. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ownership Over Maturity: When introducing a solution, prioritise ownership over maturity. People are more likely to protect and improve something they have built themselves. Balancing Act: Striking a balance between maturity and ownership is crucial. Sometimes compromising on one for the other is necessary. Long-Term Success: Focusing on ownership and developing a habit of continuous improvement leads to sustainable success in the long run. Context vs. Control: Depending on the situation, decide whether to lead with context (ownership) or control (maturity) to address the problem effectively. Infinite Game: Emphasise playing the long game rather than a finite one. Encourage continuous improvement and sustainability for lasting impact. BEST MOMENTS "I cannot believe that we are nearly at episode 300. When I started the podcast, I believed after about 10-20 episodes, I would run out of content."  "One of the things that I am a big advocate of and we have spoke about before is that people protect what they build."  "The right answer is ownership. But I'm not sure that when things play out, when the pressure is on, when we are trying to help people get better, I think that inadvertently a number of people might push the maturity button."  "So when you are introducing a solution, consider maturity and ownership. And sometimes you can't have both. You might have to compromise one for the other." "It's not about what you would like it to. It's about whether they own it and they know how they can develop it continually. That is successful. That is sustainable. And that is how you win the long game." HOST BIO 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.

Business Problems Solved's latest episode discusses the concept of operational excellence and high-performing environments. Lee emphasises the importance of engaged and empowered people in driving business performance. By focusing on the interactions and engagement of team members rather than just metrics and tools, Lee highlights the true essence of operational excellence - making people and driving performance simultaneously. Listeners are encouraged to consider the impact of their leadership style on creating a culture of growth and development within their organisations. KEY TAKEAWAYS Operational Excellence: Focus on creating high-performing environments, engaged and empowered people, and effective leadership to drive better performance. Purpose of Performance Boards: Emphasise that the purpose of performance boards is not just about the visuals or metrics but about driving engagement, conversation, and improvement within the team. Creating Engaged People: Highlight the importance of creating an environment where people feel comfortable being vulnerable, discussing feelings, and addressing challenges openly to drive growth and performance. Watermelon Reporting: Address the issue of superficial reporting where problems are covered up due to fear, emphasising the need for honesty, openness, and acceptance of mistakes to drive improvement. Focus on People and Environment: Emphasise that true operational excellence is achieved by focusing on developing people and creating an environment that fosters growth, challenge, and continuous improvement for both individuals and business performance. BEST MOMENTS "I believe, are working towards the same destination. Because all of these things done correctly help the team, the function, the business perform better than they are today." - "And following observing this conversation with the two change folk, I went for a cup of coffee and I reflected on what I had just seen unfold in front of me."  "Watermelon reporting. I've often spoke about so it's it looks green on the outside or it's green on the outside. So we're reporting green." "Do they all feel like they've just watched the best film or TV programme that they've had an opportunity to do at the end of every meeting?"  "You can't just keep hitting people over the head to get them to work faster. You have to help your people grow."  HOST BIO 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 creating an innovative and engaged workforce by challenging the traditional notion of "ask for forgiveness, not for permission." He discusses the importance of leading with context, giving permission, and encouraging behaviours like challenge, conflict, failure, and problem-solving within a safe environment. Listeners are encouraged to embrace failure and conflict as opportunities for growth and improvement, ultimately fostering a culture of continuous learning and development. KEY TAKEAWAYS Encourage Creativity and Risk-Taking: Instead of asking for forgiveness, not permission, create an environment where people feel safe to try new things and be creative without fear of failure. Lead with Context, Not Control: Provide clear expectations and direction while allowing individuals to define their own approach. This fosters creativity, innovation, and empowerment. Give Permission: Allow individuals to challenge, confront, fail, and solve problems. Make it acceptable to hold each other accountable and provide constructive feedback. Role Model Behavior: Leaders should demonstrate the behaviours they expect from others, including being vulnerable and embracing discomfort. Check-In and Reflect: After encouraging action, follow up to ensure individuals act on their thoughts and feelings. Address any barriers preventing them from doing so and reinforce a culture of continuous improvement. BEST MOMENTS "Ask for forgiveness, not for permission. Ask for forgiveness, not for permission. And you say that when you want people to try new things."  "Lead with context, not with control. And when you lead with context and not control, then that is encouraging people to define their own how." "We need to give permission and lead with context. Give permission for people to do certain things. Give permission for people to hold people to account, but lead with context."  "The more we do it, the easier it becomes. So don't just say to people, ask for forgiveness, not for permission. There's some ground rules, there's some Things you need to do to make that possible."  "Let's create this environment where failure, challenge, conflict and problems are recognized, identified, and actually reinforced that actually the good things, they're not bad things, they're good things."  HOST BIO 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 operational excellence through the lens of two renowned entrepreneurs, Steve Jobs and Richard Branson. He talks about the importance of connecting the dots in operational excellence, drawing on the wisdom of Jobs and Branson.  Through examples and practical insights, listeners are encouraged to connect the dots between tools, behaviours, and environments to drive success in business operations. The episode underscores the need to start with the end in mind, as advocated by Stephen Covey, and to always be connecting dots to create a conducive environment for achieving business goals. KEY TAKEAWAYS Continuous Improvement: The key habit within operational excellence is the habit of continuous improvement, engaging people, and striving for excellence in all aspects of the business. Connecting Dots: The importance of connecting the dots between different elements in a system to achieve a particular destination, as emphasised by successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson. Reflecting Backwards: Understanding that one can only join the dots looking backwards, as plans may change and evolve, highlighting the importance of reflection and learning from past experiences. Creating the Right Environment: Focusing on creating the ideal environment through connecting the right dots, including leadership behaviours, visual performance boards, and metrics, to drive engagement and achieve business targets. Start with the End in Mind: Emphasising the concept of starting with the end goal in mind and connecting the dots looking back to create a path towards success and making a difference in the business. BEST MOMENTS "Fundamentally, it's about the habit of continuous improvement and the habit of engaging people."  "You can only join the dots looking backwards... the plan's out of date."  "Always be connecting dots... you have to stop at a particular point."  "If you create the right environment, then people will behave in a particular way." "Start with the end in mind, connect the dots looking back."  HOST BIO 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.