Business Problems Solved Podcast

It’s a return engagement for Damian Hughes, best-selling author and Professor Of Organisational Psychology & Change. Damian has returned to Business Problems Solved to guide you through how to unlock the secrets of high-performance in people, so that you can invigorate your business journey! KEY TAKEAWAYS High performers are generally blessed with a rare humility. It is this humility that allows them to see the potential of external change. Everybody has the capacity to be a high performer in a selected field. The key is to unlock the identity of that field, and help that person to become the best performer they can be. The transition into becoming a high performer is often triggered by an event that jolts our way of thinking. these are the “golden seed” moments as described by Freud. The art of successful teaching is the art of reducing an idea, or gestating it, so that the idea is refined to its core. By discovering the seed of the idea, we can make it translatable to every kind of audience through the outer garments of words. When we slow down, we come to appreciate the speed at which we were moving. The lockdown has given us all the benefit of seeing how reflection can alter perception. BEST MOMENTS ‘We are often distracted by the outcome of a performance instead of the seeds of it’ ‘If you’re good at something, then you’re also smart enough to be able to explain why you’re good at it’ ‘At some stage in your life, someone comes along and sows a golden seed that makes you believe in yourself’ ’Sometimes ideas need time to gestate and grow’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   Damian Hughes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/damian-hughes-a376121?originalSubdomain=uk Damian Hughes - https://www.gordonpoole.com/talent/damian-hughes/ The High Performance Podcast - https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KrR4/ 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/

It’s a time for reflection, and due to popular demand, Lee has decided to share his own highly personal story; the powerful advice that has brought him here, as well as the emotionally-charged lesson that drives him forward. KEY TAKEAWAYS Sometimes it takes the darkest moments of tragedy in life to wake us up to the missing components in our own lives. Always be yourself. Make good friends. Time is limited. These are the lessons that mean the most. It’s vital to achieve your goals on your own terms. Always be yourself, and never try to be a carbon copy of someone you emulate. BEST MOMENTS ’There are some pivotal moments in life that have shaped me into the person I am’ ‘If I went now, would my kids be proud of what I’ve achieved?’ ’The key to successful change is people' 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 talks to Paul McGee, also known as "The Sumo Guy”, the author of many books that have had a transformative effect on the way we think, and which have helped many in the business industry to adopt a new, more empowering way of operating. Paul joins Lee today for a very special conversation in which he discusses the message of inspiration he lives by, how evolution can be more powerful than revolution, and the importance of looking forwards. KEY TAKEAWAYS SUMO is an acronym for “Shut Up, Move On”, a phrase that soon became the more inspiring “Stop. Understand. Move On”, a mantra that has led Paul to great success. People are a much more effective way of creating change and growth. We need to focus less on technological innovations, and more on understanding people. Dwelling on our failures only keeps us rooted in the present, instead of driving us forward. Learn and grow with each failure, and treat them as lessons. It is the response to any challenge that influences the outcome. Making sure our messages are eternal and relevant will ensure their survival, and our success. The art of empowering communication is the distillation of any concept into concise simplicity, and transmitting it in the most powerful way at that moment. BEST MOMENTS ‘Get the best out of yourself, the best out of others, and the best out of life’ ‘My life’s been about evolution, not revolution’ ‘I want to equip the next generation with skills that will last a lifetime’ ‘I’ve got a message that is relevant for your life. I’m scratching where you’re itching’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast The Sumo Guy - https://www.thesumoguy.com Paul McGee Twitter - https://twitter.com/thesumoguy Paul McGee Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/paul.mcgee.5245 Paul McGee LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulm5/?originalSubdomain=uk Paul McGee YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUn8r9hCk8ewTXHapv1-Ngg How Not To Worry by Paul McGee 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/

Geoff Ramm is the owner and creator of Celebrity Service, a professional speaker, author and customer service and marketing specialist. Geoff is the architect behind Celebrity Service, a system designed to give your business a customer service experience that will radically alter the way your customers see you. It’s a system that can create a paradigm shift in the way you operate; which can give you an insurmountable lead over your competitors today! KEY TAKEAWAYS We can learn and develop ourselves exponentially by applying the lessons learned and recounted in stories. The art of storytelling is the art of improving ourselves through refinement. The accepted wisdom is that businesses need to go the extra mile, and to exceed expectations. These are not new or disruptive teachings. We need to go deeper. Celebrity Service is founded upon the principle of closing the gap between the service we give customers, and the aspirational service we would give to the biggest celebrity in the world. The main problem businesses face in increasing their service levels is engagement between their staff and customers.  There’s always a nugget of information in the things that customers say; a small truth that can enable you to fully understand their needs, and to better serve them. BEST MOMENTS ‘I genuinely believe that Celebrity Service is the differentiator between you and your competitors’ ‘I’m not telling stories. I am in the stories’ ’Small-minded people say “cost”. The positive people say “invest”' ‘Celebrity Service is the art of asking questions and listening to the nugget’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast Geoff Ramm - http://www.geofframm.com To take Geoff up on his incredible offer, connect with him at geoff@geofframm.com Geoff Ramm LInkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketingspeakermarketing/ Geoff Ramm Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Geoff-Ramm-Celebrity-Service-OMG-Marketing-Speaker-192560274147492/ Geoff Ramm Twitter - https://twitter.com/GeoffRamm 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/

Now may be a time for self-reflection, and to examine the many pathways that have merged to form our own unique journeys. Lee has been considering his own story as a change agent, specifically examining the sometimes loneliness of change and its implementation. KEY TAKEAWAYS Being a change agent means that often we are the sole voice of innovation. It takes a certain mental fortitude, as it’s not always a happy place to be. Leaders of organisations often attribute stagnancy and failure to its people. They believe that things that have worked in the past should work always, and never need to be revolutionised. The only factors we can truly change are our perceptions about others, and our feelings towards our role and how we perform.  What can you do to challenge your own thinking? Are there angles you haven’t considered? Only by opening our minds to the wisdom of others can we approach challenges from a differing perspective. BEST MOMENTS ‘We can be the only person in that organisation pushing that boulder up a hill’ ‘You can only change the things you have direct control over’ ‘Concentrate on you first before anyone else' 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 is with Trish Wilson -  Continuous improvement specialist and professional Network Catalyst from New Zealand who has successfully built international networks over the last 6 years. As a curator of networking Trish knows how to develop the right culture and the importance of learning from each other in smart inspirational conversations where an initial spark can take a conversation on an unexpected journey that provides everyone involved with something special. This is a great conversation with Lee and Trish exploring the key elements of networking and explaining why being with others to learn and share is so inspirational and a vital part of continuous improvement for everyone.   KEY TAKEAWAYS If everyone was able to talk to each other everything would be so much better. The network is an ecosystem there are those who are really involved and those who only dip in occasionally. Why network? – It’s all about being around people sharing ideas, not being alone, inspiring others and learning something new. It’s about people who are doing sharing with others who are doing. To get into networking you need to be curious. You ask a question and then you are curious about the answer so you can ask another question. Don’t write anything or anyone off at the beginning you never know where something amazing is going to come from – you have to be an explorer. People are amazing but there are a huge variety of wants and needs across any group and its about being able to have a smart conversation where everyone comes in on the same level. Being able to successfully curate is about developing the right culture When you put like-minded people together they are all able to bring something that benefits others. It’s a journey an exploration and people resonate with different networks, you have to find out who you are, how you are.   BEST MOMENTS ‘Often the conversation goes off in all sorts of different inspirational ways’ ‘You have to be a bit of a giver to network successfully’ ‘It’s a pivotable role to make the acceleration happen and the connections stick’ ‘It’s about sparking the initial conversation’   VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast  CICE website Trish Wilson LinkedIn   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 talks to motivational speaker, communications expert and self-professed “Zookeeper”, Nigel Risner, a man who’s been on both sides of success, and who’s since devoted himself to helping businesses and their leaders improve in over seventy countries. Nigel joins Lee to discuss his formula for success, and to talk about his incredible “zookeeper” theory, designed to allow leaders to unlock the potential in their teams. KEY TAKEAWAYS Speak with authenticity. Speak from the heart. Share your message with honesty and passion. A valuable message will always find its way to the right people. You lead people and you manage things. When you’re a parent, you lead your child to success, and you manage the objects and processes around them. It’s the same in business. We need to know when to lead and when to manage. Most of us, instead of listening, are waiting to respond. The greatest zookeepers are the ones who listen. Treat participants in the conversation as though they are the only thing that matters in the world. Nigel’s top two tips for those wishing to supercharge their speaking career: You need to have a “Martini Speech” - Develop a keynote speech that you can deliver “anytime, anyplace, anywhere” You need to become phenomenal at marketing - Get out there and understand how to sell your services and yourself. Never give “feedback". Give "feed-forward”. People can’t turn back time and do things differently. Constructive input happens in the moment, and is far more effective as a tool for future positive outcomes. Too many businesses focus on the last customer instead of the next customer. By giving each interaction our total attention, we create life-changing experiences. BEST MOMENTS ‘Making money isn’t complicated. Working with people is complicated’ ‘If you’re in the room, be in the room’ ‘LISTEN contains the same letters as SILENT’ ‘If you’re brilliant, but no-one knows it, you’re not brilliant’ ‘I am your most important person in the world right now'   VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast Nigel Risner - https://www.nigelrisner.com Your Best Year Starts Here Podcast - https://www.nigelrisner.com/podcast Nigel Risner LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-risner-chief-zoo-keeper-09632/ Nigel Risner Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nigel.risner Nigel Risner Twitter - https://twitter.com/Nigelrisner 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 is with Gavin Preston Business Strategist and Growth Expert who has extensive expertise and experience helping businesses to scale and grow. In this time where for many small businesses it’s all about survival, they discuss the ways this can be achieved successfully with Gavin’s ‘Keep Your Boat Afloat – A Business Survival Guide for COVID19 Times’ We are all in a period of enforced change and the most important thing for any business is to be able to make it to the other side. There is great content and practical advice in this episode listen in and find out how to survive and thrive moving forward.   KEY TAKEAWAYS The most important thing is to get your business out the other side so you can take advantage of the opportunities when the resurgence of the economy begins. Sometimes when you in the middle of everything it can be difficult to think rationally because you are in a flight or fight mode. Once you have established the basics you can move forwards People are now beginning to think about how they can use this time productively to be in the best position moving forward. People are on different parts of ‘the change curve’ created by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Some people have already moved to acceptance and are looking at opportunities whilst others are still in denial. Focus on small simple steps you can take every day to get back in control. The emotional journey of change is one where there is a grieving process that has to be experienced and moved through. People who have their own businesses are creative, flexible and like to solve a problem. This will be a defining moment for many businesses and there will be entrepreneurs who will find solutions that will move their businesses forward over the next 5 years. The pdf ‘Keep Your Boat Afloat – A Business Survival Guide for COVID19 Times’ provides the 8 steps any business needs to work through to be able to survive and then thrive as the opportunities come on the other side of this situation. The 8 steps; looking after your employees, cash strategies, ascertaining your supply chain, talking to your customers, Pivoting and adaptation and marketing along with community and mindset play a vital role in the survival of any business.   BEST MOMENTS ‘Sometimes when you are in the middle of everything it can be difficult to think rationally because you are in a flight or fight mode’ ‘I have lived through the rise and demise of a business, I was the person centre stage with the suppliers, clients, staff and other stakeholder groups’ ‘If you cut too deep and too soon you won’t have a business on the other side. It’s about achieving the right balance’   VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast  Keep Your Boat Afloat Pdf The Business Mastermind Podcast Gavin Preston Website   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/  

Today on The Business Problems Solved Podcast, Lee Houghton explains the 4 C’s of communication and how they can help us during these difficult times in business during the COVID-19 outbreak. It can be hard to get the team together and to promote productivity whilst we are all working from home, Lee suggests some key ways that we can keep positive and maintain team spirit. Lee also applies the 4 C’s to people who are living in isolation, working on relationships and supporting your friends and family whilst maintaining good mental health.   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/  

Daniel Priestley is an author, speaker and entrepreneurial mastermind, as well as the founder of Dent Global, one of the world’s leading strategists in ensuring your business is able to tap into the wealth of expertise and value that sometimes isn’t used to its full potential. Daniel’s here to talk about the importance of becoming the “key person of influence” in business, and the value in treating business as your passion, and as a game we all play. KEY TAKEAWAYS Daniel has been hooked on entrepreneurship since his early days in business, when he found himself going it alone, after a slight disagreement with his boss. Since then, he has grown six global businesses, and has no plans to slow down. As products mature, so too do they become commonplace in the marketplace. The way that we can differentiate our product from others in a crowded field, is to employ a “key person of influence” in order to boost its profile. A good example of this is Richard Branson. Being a key person of influence requires a certain level of experience, insight and the raw materials required to stand out. Daniel runs an accelerator designed to boost people, and recommends that they come in with at least 15 years’ worth of experience. So many people spend far too long admiring the value in others, but failing to recognise the value they have themselves. By assembling the many elements of their success, their value can be easy to demonstrate. They key elements of importance when it comes to positioning yourself as a key person of influence are: You need to have a product eco-system (gift - prospects - robust core product - retainer model) Develop a functioning team. Entrepreneurship is a team sport. It’s far easier to be happy in your professional life when you’re doing something you love, and are passionate about. Daniel is lucky in that entrepreneurship is his burning passion. The thrill of business is always in the pursuit. Money is a great way to shed light or truth on what you’re doing, and to determine if what you’re doing is working, but it should never be the end result. Following the money is always doomed to failure. If you’re looking at a potential project in which money is already being made, the chances are that you’ve already missed the boat. You’ll only be playing catch-up. Trust your awareness. If your instincts are ringing alarm bells in your head, then make sure you’re attuned to them. They’re ringing for a reason. Daniel’s Five P’s, when it comes to being a Key Person Of Influence are: Pitch Publish Products Profile Partnership Sales is an unnatural type of behaviour. Most people hate the prospect of sales. Daniel likens it to physical exercise, in that we don’t enjoy it, but it is necessary. Roleplaying is good way of practicing sales. Data will be the new way of marketing in the future. It has already been used for presidential campaigns and for political purposes, and will be much stronger, in the end, than social media itself. BEST MOMENTS ‘From my passion in entrepreneurship, I went off and wrote four books’ ‘Until you’re a key person of influence, your job should be to becomea key person of influence’ ‘People want to know that you’ve succeeded at something’ ‘You’re looking for that rag-tag bunch of people who’ve got time available’ ‘I love to geek out!’ ’The money’s there to keep score, but that’s not the point of the game’ ‘It’s hard to sell yourself. It's much easier to sell a sports car or a piece of camera equipment’ ‘I was a weird kid' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast Dent Global - https://www.dent.global Daniel Priestley - Key Person Of Influence eBook - https://amzn.to/2w638EO Daniel Priestley - Oversubscribed eBook - https://amzn.to/3d9QZ2m Daniel Priestley - Entrepreneur Revolution eBook - https://amzn.to/2wdMdA6 Daniel Priestley - What’s Your Business Worth? eBook - https://amzn.to/2Wjtkq1 Daniel Priestley - 24Assets eBook - https://amzn.to/2Wlk98I 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/