Business Problems Solved Podcast

Lee Horton delves into the concept that the best teams do not necessarily consist of the best thinkers, but rather create the best thinking environment. He emphasises the importance of leaders asking questions to empower and engage their teams, rather than providing all the answers. Lee discusses the significance of morning meetings or daily huddles in setting the tone for the day and encourages leaders to ask thought-provoking questions that stimulate critical thinking.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Focus on Asking Questions: Instead of providing all the answers, leaders should focus on asking questions that stimulate thinking and empower their teams. Encourage Reflection: Encouraging team members to reflect on past experiences and challenges by asking looking back questions can help identify areas for improvement. Set Clear Expectations: Daily meetings should focus on setting priorities and activities for the day ahead, ensuring everyone is aligned on goals and expectations. Create a Safe Environment: Leaders should create an open and safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Drive Action: By asking forward-looking questions and setting clear actions, leaders can drive progress and ensure continuous improvement within the team. BEST MOMENTS "The best teams don't have to be full of the cleverest people. The best teams are the ones that create the best thinking." "If you're always sought out for the answer, then you're not enabling, empowering your people and your teams."  "You could ask, what are the escalations from your area? Did anything get in the way of you or your team doing what you needed to yesterday or on the last shift?"  "So our aim as leaders is to really create thoughts in our people... the best teams create the best thinking." "How do you create the best thinking in your people? I would absolutely love to know."  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 art of coaching and the importance of asking great questions. Lee Horton emphasises the significance of thought-provoking questions that are succinct, open, relevant, timely, and free from bias and emotion. By exploring what makes a great question, Lee highlights the role of coaching in supporting performance and development opportunities for individuals. KEY TAKEAWAYS Coaching is essential in managing and leading people, as it involves asking thought-provoking questions to support performance and development opportunities. A great question in coaching should be succinct, open, relevant, timely, unbiased, and devoid of excessive emotion. Thought-provoking questions challenge the thoughts and minds of the recipient, typically framed as "what" and "how" questions rather than "why" questions. The focus of a great question should be on benefiting the recipient by promoting their learning and growth, rather than serving the questioner's personal gain. Effective coaching involves creating an environment with sufficient space and time for individuals to think and develop, ensuring the right level of honesty and transparency for meaningful conversations. BEST MOMENTS "We often say that coaching is how we all need to be... So we support performance and development opportunities by asking questions that create thoughts in the right environment with sufficient space and time for that person to think and develop." "A question that is succinct and thought-provoking... You want to create the most thought-provoking question. And often, the more succinct it is, the more thought-provoking and wide it can be." "What makes a great question? Well, it's got to be open, not closed... It's got to be relevant to the situation that you're in, especially in a work environment." "The most thought-provoking question that I ask is, 'what else?'... So we can't coach in every single situation... we've got to manage things, lead people, but we coach the gaps." "Great questions are thought provoking... We really want to develop people. We want to coach the gaps to develop and grow our people." 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 delves into the crucial aspect of leadership buy-in in successful change initiatives. Lee talks about the importance of senior leaders actively engaging and supporting change efforts beyond just financial investment. Using the analogy of a glass ceiling and floor, Lee highlights the disconnect between leaders and employees, stressing the need for transparent communication and genuine connection at all levels of the organisation. By discussing the role of leaders in setting vision, expectations, and asking the right questions, Lee underscores the collective responsibility of all individuals in driving successful change.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Leadership Buy-In: The importance of emotional, physical, and vocal buy-in from senior leaders in change initiatives is crucial for success. Glass Ceiling and Glass Floor: The concept of a glass ceiling for employees looking up at leaders and a glass floor for leaders looking down, highlights the need for better connection and understanding between all levels of the organisation. Role Modelling: Leaders need to set vision, and expectations, and check in on progress to ensure alignment and success in change initiatives. Communication: Effective communication flowing both ways, from leaders to employees and vice versa, is essential for transparency and problem-solving. Empowerment and Support: Leaders should empower employees to solve problems at their level while also providing support and guidance where needed to overcome obstacles. BEST MOMENTS "Change is for everybody, not everyone else." "Leaders need to understand where they can support. What's the main blocker getting in the way of where it is that you're trying to get to?" "Leaders need to check in against those expectations. Check-in each of the layers of the organisation to see that the right things are being spoken about at the right level."  "Leaders need to empower and enable our people to solve the problems at the right level. And we can only do that if we're clear and transparent and we've got clarity of priority." "Leadership buy-in is often cited as a challenge, but we've all got a role in helping leaders buy into the change initiative."  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 delves into the crucial aspect of role modelling within change teams. Lee, drawing from his 18 years of experience in change management, highlights the common failure of change teams to effectively role model the behaviours and strategies they advocate for others. By emphasising the importance of role modelling, Lee underscores the significance of change teams embodying the principles they aim to instil in leadership and operational teams. Through practical insights and real-world examples, Lee encourages change teams to prioritise self-improvement and consistent modelling of best practices to effectively support and guide others through change initiatives. KEY TAKEAWAYS Change teams often struggle with role modelling effective systems themselves, which can hinder their ability to support others effectively. Role modelling what is expected of others is crucial for change teams to build credibility and trust with the teams they are supporting. By continuously improving their own systems and practices, change teams can better empathise with the challenges faced by the teams they work with. Change teams should prioritise developing their own operational excellence tools and techniques before assisting others to ensure they lead by example. Encouraging a culture of continuous improvement within the change team can lead to better outcomes for the teams they support. BEST MOMENTS "Change teams seem to have a big challenge with role modelling."  "If we don't role model, if we don't do what we're suggesting that everybody else should do, then why the blooming heck should they do it?"  "Change teams historically are not the best at role modelling the things that they are expecting others to do."  "Change is for everybody and the people that should be the best at change are change people."  "We need to role model. We need to believe because it allows us to empathise." 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 footprints leaving clues in our personal and professional journeys. Reflecting on his own diverse experiences, including DJing, owning a bouncy castle business, and self-publishing children's books, Lee highlights the valuable lessons learned from each endeavour. By exploring the footprints left behind by these experiences, Lee emphasises the importance of understanding and maximising the potential of one's team members. KEY TAKEAWAYS Reflect on past experiences to understand present actions and behaviours. Consider the transferable skills gained from diverse past roles. Explore how personal journeys can influence current approaches. Recognise the importance of understanding team members' unique backgrounds. Maximise potential by leveraging the footprints and clues left by individuals. BEST MOMENTS "I've had to delve deeper into my past and start to note down some of the things that I've carried with me, the footprints that I've left behind on my journey." "I really think that my random journey is not actually that random. When you look at the footsteps that I have trodden, the clues that have been left behind, you see how I am." "Footprints leave clues. What clues have your footprints left and what clues have the footprints of your people left? Have you tried to understand it? If not, why not?" "I've learned something in every interaction that I've taken to developing the person that I am today." "The communication from DJing, the understanding the customer from DJing, and the importance of really getting to know the customer." 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 delves into the crucial role of rest in personal and professional growth. Drawing from his experience training for marathons, Lee highlights the necessity of rest periods for muscles to grow and strengthen. He parallels this concept with the workplace, emphasising the importance of downtime between meetings to allow for reflection, action, and progress. Through relatable analogies and thoughtful insights, Lee encourages listeners to consider how adequate rest can lead to enhanced performance and overall well-being.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Rest is essential for growth: Just like muscles need rest to grow stronger after exercise, individuals and organizations require rest periods to reflect, recuperate, and progress effectively. Back-to-back meetings hinder productivity: Constantly being in meetings without breaks can lead to fatigue and limit the opportunity to act on tasks and initiatives discussed during those meetings. Reflection is key to personal and professional growth: Taking time to reflect, unpack thoughts, and work through challenges can lead to personal development and improved performance in the workplace. Create space for action: Allocating time between meetings to work on action items and allowing individuals to physically rest and mentally unpack information can lead to better outcomes and growth. Balance is crucial: Just as a balanced workout routine includes rest days, a balanced approach to work involves creating space for reflection, action, and personal growth to achieve optimal results. BEST MOMENTS "Rest and not just keep doing activities... I need to rest to be able to grow."  "Growth only occurs during rest... muscles need the opportunity for growth after being under tension." "We treat everybody like a simple maths... we try to deal with everything in our heads." "Actions need progressing, whether it's from you or whether you're the conduit to create activity."  "Are you giving yourself enough space and enough rest to grow personally?"  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 concept of looking at people through a deeper lens to truly understand and engage with them. He discusses the importance of considering individuals as a whole person, comprising their thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs. By breaking down the person into these four components, Lee explores how leaders can effectively engage with their teams and drive positive change. The episode emphasises the significance of whole-person reflection, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and actions to enhance personal growth and leadership effectiveness. T KEY TAKEAWAYS Consider the Whole Person: Break down individuals into four parts - head (thoughts), heart (feelings), hands (actions), and belief (spirit) to truly understand and engage them. Engagement and Leadership: Use the four components (head, heart, hands, belief) to assess engagement and leadership effectiveness. Leadership can be seen as an input, while engagement is the output. Whole Person Reflection: Encourage reflection on what has been learned, emotional journey, actions taken, and beliefs challenged to gain a deeper understanding of oneself and improve personal growth. Individualised Approach: Treat each person as an individual by understanding them emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually to lead change initiatives effectively. Continuous Improvement: Constantly evaluate and adjust leadership and engagement strategies by considering the whole person to collectively move forward towards shared goals. BEST MOMENTS "I often say that it's all about people. But that's really easy to say, but what do I actually mean by that?" "Whole person reflection is something that we can all do each and every day. So we can tap into and really understand whether ourselves have, we're tapping into the whole of our person by looking at our belief, our head or our thoughts, our heart or our feelings, our hands or our actions."  "But the more I thought about it, it's not that easy to do because we need to consider people with different lenses on. And I think if we look at the whole person, heads, hands, hearts, and belief, or thoughts, feelings, actions and spirit."  "How is your leadership building belief? How is your leadership challenging or making new thoughts? How is your leadership making people feel?"  "And when you reflect, think about you as the whole person and see if asking those questions creates any new thoughts, feelings, actions or beliefs." 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.

In this episode, Lee discusses the importance of managing things, leading people, and coaching the gaps in a business setting. He stresses that while coaching is an effective way to develop employees, it is crucial to recognise when to manage situations and lead people instead. Lee highlights the need for clarity of vision, setting expectations, and role modelling when leading people. He also emphasises the importance of asking questions and providing challenges to close gaps and empower employees to take action.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Coaching is an effective way to develop people and should be utilised in leadership. Leadership should be situational and adapt to the specific needs and challenges at hand. Managing things involves processes, performance, standards, health and safety, and quality. Leading people requires setting a clear vision, direction, expectations, and role modelling. Coaching the gaps involves asking questions, providing challenges, and empowering individuals to think and take action. BEST MOMENTS "We've got to be really, really careful that we cannot coach everything."  "Coaching is the optimal way to develop your people."  "We need to lead our people with clarity of vision, clarity of direction."  "We're not providing answers. We're providing questions." "If we can coach the development of our people, it frees us up. It creates more time and capacity for us to spend more time with more people, to develop more people and develop them further." 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 difference between organisational habits and personal habits. He reflects on his previous discussions about individual habits and how they influence culture. Lee defines organisational habits as routines that occur automatically within an organisation, independent of specific individuals. He emphasises the importance of understanding and influencing both personal and organisational habits to shape the desired environment and achieve collective goals.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Differentiating between organisational habits and personal habits is important. Organisational habits are routines that happen automatically within an organisation, while personal habits are individual routines. Culture can be defined as the sum of all personal and organisational habits within an organisation. Organisational habits are not necessarily driven by individuals and can include routines such as daily meetings and problem-solving processes. Changing organisational habits can be achieved by changing personal habits, but it is essential to understand and identify the specific organisational habits that need to be influenced. Consider both personal and organisational habits when shaping the environment and culture within a team, department, or business. BEST MOMENTS "Organisational habits, if we follow the same root as habits, so it's routine. It's a routine that happens automatically."  "There's a lot of habits or routines stacked on top of each other, but influenced by the environment they're in."  "There are organisational habits that we need to consider to allow everybody to move forward together."  "Organisational habits are the ones that provide structure and organisation to enable you to move forward together."  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 instincts and habits. He delves into the idea of striving for perfection in human behaviour by encouraging individuals to do the right thing at the right time, every time. Lee discusses the differences between instincts and habits, highlighting that instincts are reactive and unconscious, while habits involve conscious awareness and practice. Overall, this thought-provoking episode challenges conventional thinking and offers practical insights for solving business problems. KEY TAKEAWAYS Instincts and habits are different. Instincts are automatic responses without conscious awareness, while habits have some conscious awareness. Habits can be learned and practised, while instincts are often innate. The goal should be to develop habits that become instinctive, enabling people to do the right thing at the right time, every time. Developing organisational habits is challenging, but striving for organisational instincts can lead to more spontaneous and effective actions. Creating clarity, and alignment, and providing space for practice and learning are essential in developing habits and potentially turning them into instincts. BEST MOMENTS "I want to maybe just go a little bit deeper on this in terms of habits and aspirationally as leaders of people and as leaders of change." "Maybe doing the right thing at the right time, every time, is our striving for perfection, like we do in the improvement world."  "Maybe habits are more reactive and maybe instincts are more proactive at a point, maybe."  "We should be trying to create organisational instincts so that if anything happens, if anything occurs, we all do the right thing at the right time every time."  "Habitual suggests routine. Instinct suggests spontaneity. And if we truly want people to do the right thing at the right time, every time, then we need to create more spontaneity."  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.