Posted on 13/04/202313/04/2023 by admin

How to Adapt to a Changing Job Market with Transferable Skills

The terms “hard” and “soft” skills are not necessarily outdated, but they are becoming less commonly used in modern workplace discussions. The main reason for this is that the traditional categorization of skills as either hard or soft does not fully capture the complexity of skills that are valued in today’s job market.

Hard skills are typically defined as technical or specific abilities that are often easily quantifiable and measurable, such as proficiency in a programming language or knowledge of accounting principles. Soft skills, on the other hand, are often described as interpersonal or social skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

While these categories may have been useful in the past, they can be limiting and fail to capture the full range of skills that are necessary for success in many modern workplaces. For example, skills such as adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking are increasingly valued in many industries, but may not fit neatly into either the hard or soft skill category.

As a result, many employers and professionals are beginning to use more nuanced language to describe the skills they value, such as “core” or “foundational” skills that are essential for any job, and “contextual” skills that are specific to a particular industry or job function.

Overall, while the terms “hard” and “soft” skills may still be useful in some contexts, they are increasingly seen as overly simplistic and inadequate for describing the full range of skills that are necessary for success in modern workplaces.

A new era of Human Resources (HR) Management

The post-industrial era brought about significant changes in the way businesses operate and manage their human resources (HR). One way to understand this shift is through the lens of Belbin team roles, which describe the different roles individuals can play within a team to maximize their effectiveness.

In the post-industrial era, businesses moved away from traditional hierarchies and towards more collaborative and flexible work environments. Belbin team roles became particularly relevant in this context, as businesses recognized the importance of building diverse teams that could work together effectively and efficiently.

Here is an overview of how each of the Belbin team roles could be applied in a post-industrial HR management context. As you read the roles below, think about which one sounds most like you, and which ones describe the people you like working with as part of a collaboration:

Plant:

The plant role involves generating new ideas and concepts. In a post-industrial HR management context, this role might be particularly important for businesses seeking to innovate and adapt to changing market conditions.

Monitor Evaluator:

The monitor evaluator role involves analyzing ideas and assessing their potential value. This role can be particularly important in a post-industrial context where businesses need to make quick decisions based on incomplete information.

Coordinator:

The coordinator role involves managing the team and delegating tasks. In a post-industrial context, the coordinator role may be particularly relevant for businesses seeking to build collaborative, cross-functional teams.

Resource Investigator:

The resource investigator role involves seeking out new opportunities and contacts. This role could be particularly important in a post-industrial context where businesses need to be proactive in identifying new markets and potential partners.

Implementer:

The implementer’s role involves turning ideas into action. In a post-industrial context, businesses may rely on implementers to rapidly prototype and test new products or services.

Completer Finisher:

The completer finisher role involves ensuring that tasks are completed to a high standard. In a post-industrial context, this role may be particularly important for businesses seeking to deliver high-quality products or services in a rapidly changing market.

Team worker:

The team worker role involves building relationships and promoting collaboration within the team. In a post-industrial context, the team worker role may be particularly important for businesses seeking to build diverse, inclusive teams that can work effectively together.

Specialist:

The specialist role involves providing expertise and knowledge in a specific area. In a post-industrial context, businesses may rely on specialists to provide deep domain expertise in rapidly evolving fields such as technology and digital marketing.

Overall, the post-industrial era brought about significant changes in the way businesses manage their HR. By focusing on building diverse, collaborative teams that can rapidly adapt to changing market conditions, businesses can maximize their chances of success in today’s rapidly changing business environment.

While the team roles at work defines the tasks the role undertakes as an example, it does not define what skills are required to do the tasks. And while this may suit larger businesses, what do small businesses do that can’t afford to employ 9 staff?

What does a Micro-business do if they don’t have the staff?

A micro-business is defined as a any business that has 4 or fewer employees, and make up 85% to 90% of all businesses (by number of businesses).

The answer under the team roles is to group the roles into 3 categories that require similar skill sets to complete tasks. This allows micro-business owners to create job descriptions with primary, secondary, and tertiary tasks relating to which of the job roles are most needed to implement an operational or marketing plan.

The Belbin team roles are grouped into three domains:

Action-oriented roles:

These roles are focused on achieving the team’s objectives and include the Plant, Implementer, and Completer Finisher roles. Action-oriented roles are often associated with getting things done and driving results.

People-oriented roles:

These roles are focused on building relationships and promoting collaboration within the team. The Teamworker, Resource Investigator, and Coordinator roles are all part of this domain. People-oriented roles are often associated with promoting communication and fostering teamwork.

Thought-oriented roles:

These roles are focused on generating new ideas and analyzing information. The Monitor Evaluator and Specialist roles are both part of this domain. Thought-oriented roles are often associated with innovation and intellectual curiosity.

By grouping the Belbin team roles into these three domains, businesses and organizations can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their teams and identify areas for improvement. By building teams that are diverse across all three domains, organizations can maximize their chances of success and adapt more effectively to changing market conditions.

Around 60% of all businesses do not employ anyone in Queensland, so they have to do all the 3 domains themselves. You don’t start your own business because you want to do things you don’t like doing, so “solopreneurs” tend to form collaborations with others in the market, known as “complimentors” rather than competitors, who refer work to each other rather than taking on customers that want the solopreneurs hate doing.

This is why networking events have become so successful in recent years at creating viable businesses from their membership. But if you don’t know what skills you have to offer first, it is unlikely others will form collaborations with you as you have nothing to offer in return. If all you have is money to offer, not skills, you may as well employ staff who will work with you for that.

Future skills for work

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If this is all making sense so far, then this definition of what skills are will likely align with your business values. Both as a self-assessment, and what to look for in others to join your team.

The VeriSkills® (by QTAC) Human Capability Standards are sorted into three domains of learning and nontechnical practice. When constructed, each capability will focus on a distinct but complementary balance between cognition, personal character and emotions, and applied skills and knowledge.

Based on global research projects and extensive collaborative research work, the collaboration between The Institute for Working Futures Pty Ltd and Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC®) sought to validate the most important capabilities for the future workplace.

So for those of you out there, like me, who don’t have a PhD in education, here are the skills to develop to excel at the above job roles:

Thinking skills

Critical Thinking

Able to use a range of tools or methods to critically examine and assess existing information, thinking, assumptions and issues to present well-reasoned insights or to make judgements.

Creativity

Able to actively contribute to creative works, ideas or novel solutions.

Adaptive Mindset

Able to adjust to change and maintain their curiosity, while dealing with disruption, pressure and setbacks, in a resilient and positive manner.

Innovative Thinking

Able to be entrepreneurial and make connections between disparate ideas, challenge current thinking or practices, and actively use knowledge to create new products, solutions or opportunities.

Personal skills

Lifelong Learning

Able to identify and continuously develop one’s own knowledge, skills and personal attributes such as mindset and motivation.

Initiative and Drive

Able to appreciate personal strengths and weaknesses and effectively relate to others in a professional manner. This includes being able to work independently, set and attain personal and work-related goals, being motivated, and accepting responsibility for their actions.

Cultural Awareness

Able to engage with others with sensitivity and regard for diversity and the social or cultural differences impacting behaviour.

Ethics

Able to act with integrity and in conformance with social and professional standards of ethical conduct.

Empathy

Able to recognise and regulate their own emotions in any situation, while also being good at identifying and respecting the needs and feelings of other people.

Action skills

Communication

Able to communicate with clarity and impact to facilitate individual and collective understanding, action or information exchange.

Collaboration

Able to work collaboratively with all types of people, contribute to teamwork and to build relationships and networks across a range of people or groups.

Problem-Solving

Able to define and analyse problems, generate optimal solutions and make recommendations.

Digital Acumen

Able to use digital technology to undertake workplace tasks and outcomes.

Customer Focus

Able to focus on customer service requirements and works proactively to raise the customer experience.

Are skills transferable?

The short answer to this is yes, and no.

Skills may be transferable, but performance in new job roles depends heavily on the level of skills you have in areas such as life-long learning, problem-solving, and of course collaboration skills if you are joining a new team.

To explain this we turn to Core Skills for Work framework which defines “when” skills are transferable in a given real-world situation.

The Core Skills for Work (CSfW) make up one part of the “foundations skills” listed as unit requirements in all Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications as part of the formal tertiary education system in Australia.

However, performance is not automatically transferrable to new contexts, as application of skills, knowledge and understandings in a new context requires an understanding of that context.

Hence, an individual who has only ever applied their skills in a classroom setting will need to learn about the protocols and expectations of a work situation, and gain practical experience in applying their skills in a work environment.

This is the source of the criticism from businesses for Uni or RTO courses that lead to a qualification that don’t require some form of work placement in and real-world business experience.

They may be competent to do the job, but to keep new employees on small business owners need to new employees to be proficient to keep their job. This means the new employee may have the skills, but not at the level a Micro-business owner needs them to be.

No business I know can afford to put 25% of their new employees through proficiency coaching as part of their onboarding process. Maybe during a 3-6 month probation, if the employees last that long.

This is a huge barrier for micro-business to put on just one new employee, even as a casual or contractor. A barrier we hope to overcome for around 8,500 businesses in Brisbane Southeast employment region through the Small Business and Jobs expo this year.

How will we do that?

Come along to Nissan Arena on June 13^th, 2023, for the Brisbane expo, and find out for yourself.

Posted on 03/04/202307/05/2023 by admin

What is imposter syndrome, and how to overcome it

No matter who you are, what you do, and how good you are at it, imposter syndrome strikes everyone at some time. It is more than just a lack of confidence. It is more than overcoming fears. But just like fear can stop you from doing things, fear can also save your life. So, in that sense, imposter syndrome can be both a good and a bad thing.

It is a complex problem that has a different solution for everyone. Although increasing knowledge can actually make it worse, to explain why it is a problem and develop solutions we first need to define the problems. For that, we use different interrelated theories.

With the hope of creating self-awareness, more so than trying to explain time travel, in this article, we will talk about how the different theories work together so that you can create your own solutions, or at least ask for help with that.

The dunning-Kruger effect

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency of individuals with low ability or knowledge in a particular domain to overestimate their own competence and expertise in that domain. In other words, people who are less skilled or knowledgeable in a certain area are more likely to overestimate their abilities in that area, while those who are more skilled or knowledgeable are more likely to accurately assess their abilities.

The effect is named after social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger, who first described it in a 1999 paper. They found that people who scored in the lowest quartile on a test of humor, grammar, or logic tended to significantly overestimate their scores, while those who scored in the highest quartile tended to slightly underestimate their scores.

The Dunning-Kruger effect is often associated with the phrase “ignorance is bliss” because those who are less skilled or knowledgeable may be more confident and optimistic than those who are more skilled or knowledgeable, even if their confidence is unwarranted. The effect can be particularly problematic in domains where decisions have important consequences, such as medicine, finance, or politics, where overconfident individuals may make costly mistakes.

The Peter Principle

This is the opposite to imposter syndrome on the Dunning-Kruger effect. Basically they have confidence in their own abilities to do or learn a job, even if they don’t have the skills and knowledge to do it. It manifests as a “fake it till you make it attitude”, and generally don’t go through the dip in confidence on the curve above thanks to positive affirmation through awards as a fast learner. Technically skilled people who are promoted to management positions without training often fall into this too.

The Peter Principle is a management theory that suggests that people in a hierarchical organization tend to be promoted to their level of incompetence. In other words, employees in an organization will be promoted based on their performance in their current role until they reach a position where they are no longer effective, at which point they will remain in that position.

The theory is named after Canadian psychologist Laurence J. Peter, who first proposed it in his 1969 book, “The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong”. According to Peter, organizations promote employees based on their performance in their current role, assuming that success in that role indicates that the employee has the potential to be successful at the next level. However, as employees are promoted, they may reach a level where they no longer have the skills, knowledge, or abilities to perform effectively, leading to a decline in their performance and productivity.

The Peter Principle can have negative consequences for organizations, as incompetent employees in key positions can lead to a decrease in productivity, morale, and profits. To mitigate the effects of the Peter Principle, organizations can provide additional training and development opportunities for employees who are promoted to new roles, as well as regularly evaluating and re-evaluating their performance to ensure that they are still effective in their roles. Additionally, organizations can consider non-promotion-based career advancement paths, such as lateral moves or increased responsibilities within the same role.

What is imposter syndrome?

We said what it is not above, but If you look back at the chart above, imposter syndrome effect people who miss the first 2 steps when learning new things and tend to go straight to the “I’m never going to understand this” step. Some people may take years in their field to recover from this, and the likely triggering of a separation sensitivity generally cause business to fail due to cashflow issues (as we spoke about in this article here)

Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon characterized by persistent feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of competence and success. People experiencing imposter syndrome often feel like they have deceived others into believing they are more capable or talented than they actually are and fear being exposed as a fraud.

In the workplace, imposter syndrome can limit the earning capacity of skilled workers in several ways. First, people with imposter syndrome may hesitate to negotiate their salaries or ask for a raise, even if they have the skills and qualifications to justify higher compensation. They may fear being perceived as arrogant or being found out as a fraud, which can prevent them from advocating for themselves and their worth.

Second, people with imposter syndrome may hold back from pursuing new opportunities or taking on leadership roles because they feel they are not qualified or deserving enough. This can limit their career advancement and earning potential in the long term.

Finally, people with imposter syndrome may be more likely to accept lower-paying jobs or projects that do not match their skills and experience because they feel they are not good enough for higher-paying roles. This can result in underemployment and lower earnings overall.

To overcome imposter syndrome and increase their earning capacity, skilled workers can seek support from mentors or coaches, challenge their negative self-talk and beliefs, and focus on their accomplishments and strengths rather than their perceived shortcomings. They can also practice advocating for themselves and setting boundaries, such as negotiating their salaries and taking on roles that match their skills and expertise.

That is what you can do, which leads to the next question. How do you do that?…

How do you overcome Imposter Syndrome?

It’s simple, but by no means easy. And you are unlikely to be able to do it without support.

It basically requires you to develop a secure attachment strategy, which again every person in the world will do differently. You will need support. We all need a little help from our friends every now and then, right?

A secure attachment strategy refers to a healthy and secure emotional bond that individuals have with their attachment figures, such as parents or caregivers. Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to have positive and trusting relationships with others, feel comfortable seeking help and support when needed, and have a positive sense of self-worth.

Behaviours of people that have a secure attachment strategy may include:

1. Seeking help and support:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to feel comfortable seeking help and support from others when needed, as they trust that others will be responsive and helpful. It’s not a sign of weakness, and I’ve found this is a surefire indicator that a person has a weakness in one or all of their 4 Ps if they struggle to ask for help or can’t delegate tasks when they do get help.

2. Feeling comfortable with intimacy:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to feel comfortable with intimacy and closeness with others, as they trust that their emotional needs will be met in relationships. In a business sense, this relates to having complimenting skills. You can’t do everything (see point 1), and people with a secure attachment strategy know if they have Action, Thinking, or Personal skills as their strengths. They generally seek out 2 other people to collaborate with to fill in the gaps.

3. Being independent:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to feel confident and secure in their ability to be independent, while also valuing and maintaining close relationships with others. Doing everything yourself does not make you independent, in fact, this can project your own insecurities and break the cycle of trust. Again, see point 1.

4. Feeling comfortable with the emotional expression:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to feel comfortable expressing their emotions, as they trust that others will be accepting and supportive. Not showing emotion is a sign of low emotional intelligence in business. Fear can prevent you from doing things, but it can also save your life. If you are not comfortable in expressing your emotions, both positive and negative, look into help to overcome executive dysfunction.

5. Developing positive self-worth:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to have a positive sense of self-worth, as they have received consistent and positive feedback from attachment figures throughout their lives.

Overall, individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to have healthy and positive relationships with others, feel comfortable seeking help and support when needed, and have a positive sense of self-worth. These behaviours reflect a healthy and secure emotional bond with attachment figures and the ability to form positive relationships with others throughout life. If this blog resonates with you, and you want help or just want to chat, book a call through our website HERE.

Posted on 31/03/202331/03/2023 by admin

What is Executive Dysfunction, and how businesses can better manage it.

Executive dysfunction is a term used to describe a set of cognitive and behavioral difficulties that can affect an individual’s ability to plan, initiate, organize, and complete tasks. It is often associated with neurological conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and some forms of dementia.

Executive dysfunction can manifest in a variety of ways, depending on the individual and the specific condition involved. Some common symptoms may include:

1. Difficulty with planning and organization: Individuals with executive dysfunction may struggle to plan and organize tasks, leading to disorganization and difficulty completing projects.
2. Difficulty with time management: Individuals with executive dysfunction may struggle with time management and may have difficulty prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.
3. Impulsivity: Individuals with executive dysfunction may act impulsively without considering the consequences of their actions.
4. Difficulty with decision-making: Individuals with executive dysfunction may struggle to make decisions, especially when faced with complex or abstract information.
5. Poor working memory: Individuals with executive dysfunction may struggle to hold information in their working memory, leading to difficulties with task completion and organization.
6. Difficulty with flexibility and adaptability: Individuals with executive dysfunction may struggle with adapting to changes in routine or unexpected events.
7. Poor self-monitoring: Individuals with executive dysfunction may struggle to monitor their own behavior and may have difficulty recognizing when they are making mistakes or need help.

Executive dysfunction can have a significant impact on an individual’s daily life, affecting their ability to work, study, and maintain relationships. However, with appropriate support and accommodations, individuals with executive dysfunction can learn strategies to manage their symptoms and improve their functioning.

Stress triggers of executive dysfunction for “neurotypicals”

The term neurotypical is used to describe individuals who do not have neurological or developmental differences or disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or Tourette syndrome.

As a society, we now have a greater understanding of “disorders”. A diagnosis these days often lead to people getting the help they have wanted all their life.

An example for me of this was a clip I saw of Lewis Capaldi, who was recently diagnosed with Tourette’s and had an attack on stage. The crowd, obviously aware of what was happening, leaped into song as one to give Lewis enough time to regain his composure which allowed him to continue doing his job (performing his songs).

It must have brought a tear to the eyes of every parent with a disability, who lives with the fear of who will look after their kids when the parents pass away, to see this sort of public show of support (for them and their children).

But executive dysfunction does not just affect the actions of a person with a diagnosed (or undiagnosed) disability. While people with a disability are invariably coached on how to manage executive dysfunction, when they become aware that it is happening, Sadly for neurotypicals, they do not.

The term neurotypical is often used within the context of discussing and understanding the experiences of individuals who do have neurological or developmental differences, such as those with ASD or ADHD. It helps to distinguish between those who may have different experiences and challenges due to their neurological or developmental differences and those who do not.

It is important to note that the term neurotypical is not intended to be a value judgment or to suggest that individuals who do not have neurological or developmental differences are somehow “normal” or “better” than those who do. Rather, it is simply a descriptive term that helps to categorize individuals based on their neurological and developmental profiles.

Symptoms of stress

When stress triggers an attack of executive dysfunction in neurotypicals, they generally don’t have the skills to defend themselves and require an intervention to pull them out of the downward spiral that results in mental and physical health issues.

Instead of being a disability, the ability to self-manage executive dysfunction gives neurodiverse people a competitive advantage in business.

Neurotypical individuals typically exhibit typical patterns of behavior, communication, and social interaction that are considered to be within the range of what is considered normal or typical for their age and developmental stage. They may have their own individual differences in these areas, but they are not considered to have significant impairments or differences that would be classified as a neurological or developmental disorders.

The symptoms of stress are obvious when you know what to look for. You don’t need to be a neuroscientist and research fellow (I didn’t even know what that was) from Harvard University’s medical school to see them. But I just happen to know one of them.

Here are some tips from Sathiya (sam) Ramakrishnan, PhD, on how to identify 4 symptoms of stress to look out for as a cue for early intervention in all human beings to help manage executive dysfunction:

Cognitive symptoms

Cognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with thinking and perception. These can affect various cognitive processes such as memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and decision-making. Cognitive symptoms can be a result of various medical conditions such as brain injury, neurological disorders, or mental illness, and they can also be a side effect of certain medications or treatments.

In simple terms, cognitive symptoms are problems with thinking and perception that can make it hard to remember things, pay attention, or understand what others are saying.

This could include:

Memory loss: Inability to recall past events or information.
Difficulty to focus: Difficulty in maintaining concentration or attention on a task or activity.
Impaired judgment: Decreased ability to make sound decisions or choices.
Negative life outlook: Pessimistic view or expectation of future events or experiences.
Anxious thoughts: Excessive worry or fear about potential future events or outcomes.
Constant worry: Persistent and ongoing feeling of anxiety or concern about different aspects of life.

Emotional symptoms

Emotional symptoms refer to changes or disturbances in a person’s emotional state or mood. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can impact a person’s ability to function in daily life.

Some common emotional symptoms include:

Anxiety: feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease.
Depression: feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in life.
Irritability: easily getting angry or frustrated.
Mood swings: rapid and significant changes in mood or emotions.
Crying spells: frequent or sudden outbursts of tears.
Loss of interest: decreased enjoyment or motivation in previously enjoyable activities.
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt: negative self-perception and negative self-talk.

Emotional symptoms can be a result of various medical conditions such as mood disorders, neurological conditions, or physical health issues. Substance abuse, grief, or stress can also contribute to emotional symptoms.

Physical symptoms

Physical symptoms are changes in the body that are a result of stress. These symptoms can be the body’s response to stressors, such as physical or emotional events, and can range from mild to severe. Some common physical symptoms of stress include:

Headaches: tension headaches or migraines can be a result of stress.
Muscle tension: stress can cause muscle tension, leading to pain or discomfort.
Fatigue: stress can drain a person’s energy, leading to feelings of exhaustion.
Insomnia: difficulty sleeping or staying asleep can be a physical symptom of stress.
Gastrointestinal problems: stress can cause digestive issues, such as upset stomach, acid reflux, or constipation.
Rapid heartbeat: stress can cause an increase in heart rate or palpitations.
Chest pain: stress can cause chest pain or discomfort, mimicking the symptoms of a heart attack.
Skin problems: stress can cause skin problems such as hives, eczema, or psoriasis to worsen.

It’s important to note that while stress can cause physical symptoms, physical symptoms can also be a result of other medical conditions. If you experience physical symptoms that persist or worsen, it’s important to seek medical attention.

Behavioral symptoms

Behavioral symptoms of stress refer to changes in a person’s behavior or habits that are a result of stress. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can impact a person’s daily life and relationships. Some common behavioral symptoms of stress include:

Overeating or undereating: changes in appetite can be a result of stress.
Substance abuse: some people may turn to alcohol, drugs, or nicotine to cope with stress.
Withdrawal: stress can cause a person to withdraw from social activities or relationships.
Aggression: stress can cause a person to become more irritable, angry, or aggressive.
Nail biting, hair pulling, or skin picking: stress can cause a person to engage in these types of behaviors, known as “nervous habits.”
Impulsive or reckless behavior: stress can cause a person to act impulsively or recklessly without thinking about the consequences.
Difficulty concentrating: stress can make it hard for a person to focus or pay attention.
Lack of motivation: stress can decrease a person’s motivation or drive.

In simple terms, behavioral symptoms of stress are changes in behavior or habits that are a result of stress. These can range from changes in appetite and substance abuse to impulsive behavior and lack of motivation. These symptoms can impact a person’s daily life and relationships.

If you want to learn more about managing executive dysfunction,

or other stress management and self-care techniques, form an actual Neuroscientist who can explain what’s really going on in your body right down to a cellular level, connect with Dr Sam from SMB health.

Posted on 27/03/202327/03/2023 by admin

What is the gig economy, and how to do it

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The gig economy is a term used to describe a labour market characterized by short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to traditional permanent employment. In the gig economy, workers are often paid for each “gig” or task they complete, rather than being paid a fixed salary or hourly wage.

The gig economy is enabled by technology platforms that connect workers with clients or customers, often through mobile apps or websites.

Essentially the Gig economy has created self-employment opportunities for people looking to escape the limitations of traditional employment. While traditional employment exchanges time for money no matter how productive workers are, service businesses in the gig economy charge for outcomes. Productivity is rewarded by allowing businesses to take on more work and multiple streams of income for more consistent revenue using transferable skills across multiple industries.

Common ways people get paid work in the gig economy include:

Ride-sharing and delivery services:

This includes companies such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash, where individuals use their own vehicles to provide transportation or delivery services to customers.

Freelance work:

Freelance work is common in the gig economy and includes jobs such as writing, graphic design, programming, and consulting. Freelancers work on a project-by-project basis and are often paid per project.

Online marketplaces:

Online marketplaces such as Etsy, TaskRabbit, and Fiverr allow individuals to sell products or offer services directly to customers. These platforms take a commission on each sale.

Gig platforms:

Gig platforms such as Upwork and Freelancer connect businesses with independent contractors who can perform a variety of tasks, such as data entry, customer service, and virtual assistance.

Short-term rentals:

Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO enable individuals to rent out their homes or apartments to travelers on a short-term basis.

Overall, the gig economy offers flexibility and autonomy for workers, but can also come with uncertain income and a lack of job security.

australian-cash-100 — Australian cash $100. When was the last time you saw this?

How the gig economy can help people from low-paying industries earn extra income

The gig economy can provide individuals from low paying industries with an opportunity to earn extra income through flexible work arrangements. This is because the gig economy allows individuals to work on a project-by-project basis or perform short-term tasks for clients or customers, often through mobile apps or websites. Here are some ways the gig economy can help people from low paying industries earn extra income:

Flexibility:

Many gig economy jobs allow workers to set their own schedules and choose when and where they work. This can be especially helpful for individuals who have other responsibilities, such as caregiving or attending school.

Low barriers to entry:

Many gig economy jobs do not require formal education or training, making them accessible to individuals from low paying industries who may not have a college degree or professional certification.

Variety of job opportunities:

The gig economy offers a wide variety of job opportunities, from driving for ride-sharing services to completing short-term projects on freelance marketplaces. This can allow individuals to find work that fits their skills and interests.

Increased earning potential:

By working in the gig economy, individuals can take on multiple jobs or projects at once, potentially increasing their earning potential beyond what they might make in a traditional low-paying job.

Overall, the gig economy can provide individuals from low-paying industries with a flexible and accessible way to earn extra income. However, it is important to note that gig work can come with its own challenges, including income uncertainty, lack of benefits, and limited job security.

Working from home” vs doing “remote work”.

The terms “working from home” (WFH) and “remote work” are often used interchangeably, but they can have slightly different meanings.

Working from home generally refers to working from one’s own residence or home office, regardless of whether the work is done for an employer or as a freelancer. The emphasis is on the physical location where the work is being done.

Remote work, on the other hand, refers to working outside of a traditional office environment, often using technology to communicate with colleagues and perform work tasks. Remote work can be done from anywhere, not just from home, and may involve traveling or working from a co-working space, a coffee shop, or any other location outside of a traditional office.

In essence, working from home is a subset of remote work, as it refers specifically to working from one’s own home. However, remote work can encompass a wider range of work environments and situations.

It’s important to note that both working from home and remote work require reliable technology and good communication skills, as well as the ability to work independently and manage one’s own time effectively.

While both offer flexibility and freedom to work from anywhere, remote work may require additional skills such as time zone management and strong communication skills to ensure effective collaboration with remote team members.

Work health and safety if the business allows a person to work from home.

Businesses in Australia are still responsible for work health and safety (WHS) Even if employees work from home. This is the main reason why companies forced employees to return to the office after the COVID-19 lockdowns.

If you had an office space to use as part of your work contract, the ATO would say you could not get a tax deduction to set up your home office. If workers chose to work from home, they would be out of pocket and have to set their home office

they have a duty of care to provide a safe and healthy work environment for their workers, regardless of where the work is performed. This duty of care is outlined in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act), which applies to all businesses operating in Australia, including those who allow employees to work from home. Even sole traders who don’t employ any staff still have to provide as safe workplace for what is their biggest business asset – themselves and their own mental health also comes under the WHS act as a requirement of doing business.

Under the WHS Act, businesses have a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of their workers by eliminating or minimizing risks to their health and safety as far as reasonably practicable. This means that businesses must identify, assess and control risks associated with work, including those that arise from working from home, and provide appropriate resources and support to workers to ensure their health and safety.

In practice, this means that businesses must take steps to ensure that their employees who work from home have a safe and healthy work environment, including providing appropriate equipment and ergonomic support, conducting risk assessments of the home workspace, providing guidance and training on WHS requirements, and ensuring that workers have access to appropriate support and resources.

duty of care obligations

If a business fails to meet its duty of care obligations under the WHS Act, they can be held liable for any harm or injury caused to their workers, and may face legal and financial consequences, including fines, compensation claims, and reputational damage.

This is a reason why even if you do contract work these days, the business employing you will generally want to see evidence that the sole trader has public liability insurance specific to that industry. If you don’t know what is a high risk activity from a WHS point of view for your industry, look at what your insurance quote covers to guide your operational plan.

The higher the premium, the more high risk activities are in the normal job tasks in the gig economy. This can be a barrier to entering the gig economy in some industries, so the gig economy is not for everyone.

But one thing is for sure, the Gig economy is here to stay. Particularly in industry where low skilled labour get a low hourly rate, and is also addressing the gender pay gap as reward for effort rather than being the best is also a feature of the gig economy.

If you would like to join the gig economy, let’s chat.

Book a call here.

Posted on 24/03/202306/08/2024 by admin

The 3 reasons why businesses fail, and how to avoid them right from startup.

Small businesses are the backbone of many economies worldwide, providing employment opportunities and driving economic growth. However, despite their potential, many small businesses fail within the first few years of operation. According to the Small Business Administration (in the USA), about 20% of small businesses fail in their first year, even in the world’s biggest market.

The stats are similar in Australia. The failure figures tell a different story when you look into it and it depends on your definition of failure. These days the barriers of entry to start your own business are so low, that it is more likely that 20% registered an ABN, but just never generated any income from it.

30% Fail in their second year, and nearly 50% by their third year.

In this article, we will discuss the three main reasons small businesses fail and how they affect business viability.

This is not a “failure” these days as more and more businesses are set up for purpose rather than profit. Even not-for-profits need to generate income, and Social Traders say 72% of social enterprises give 100% of their profits to the causes they support. For many, just creating a business is a way to bring their dream to reality. So if that’s your goal, and definition of success, who says it’s not a real business?

And who says it’s not a real business if you don’t employ staff? It’s OK to create a job for yourself! in fact, 60% of all businesses registered in Queensland are contractors that don’t employ any staff. Another 25% employ less than 5 staff.

If you turn the percentages around, it means that 4 out of every 5 people who intend to start a business successfully do that for the first year. It’s when they try to run it and grow it over the next 5 years that they tend to stuff thing up.

As a well-known business coach, Dale Beaumont would say,

“you are not in the business of what you do. You are in the business of marketing what you do.”

Let’s investigate that…

Business development and marketing

The marketing mix is a concept used by marketers to describe the four main elements that make up a company’s marketing strategy. These four elements are often referred to as the 4 Ps of marketing. They are critical to business success, and if you have a weakness in any one of the 4 Ps as a business will fail 100% of the time if you can’t overcome it.

You may have strength in the other 3 Ps, but this will just drag out the impending doom. Systematically causing a drain on resources and creating weaknesses in other Ps. Accelerating the downward spiral that is obvious to outsiders, including customers.

The marketing mix elements are:

Product (or service)

This refers to the actual product or service being offered to customers. Companies must carefully consider the design, features, quality, and packaging of their products to meet the needs and preferences of their target customers.

Price

This is the biggest challenge for startups. It refers to the price at which the product or service is sold. Companies must set prices that are competitive and reflect the value of the product to the customer. Value is what a customer is willing to pay. The price is what you want customers to pay, usually based of the costs involved with providing the product to make a profit. Demand, from market research, can only be confirmed when people are willing to pay you to supply their demand.

However, “the customer rarely buys what the company thinks it’s selling, and they never buy products” – Peter Drucker. They are buying the experience of using you product, and how well it satisfies your customer’s needed and wants increases the value for money invested by customers. Money is just a consequence of providing value.

Place (or position in the market)

This refers to the distribution channels through which the product or service is sold, such as online stores, physical retail stores, or wholesalers. Companies must choose the right distribution channels to ensure that their products are available to customers where and when they want them.

Promotion

This refers to the marketing and advertising activities used to promote the product or service to customers. Companies must create effective advertising campaigns and promotional materials to create awareness and interest in their products among their target audience. If you don’t have any obvious weaknesses in the above 3 Ps, you have “developed” a business that you can now promote. But if this P is your weakness, your business will still fail. What is the point of having the best product in the world if people don’t know how to get it?

By carefully considering and managing these four elements of the marketing mix, companies can develop a successful marketing strategy that meets the needs of their target customers and helps them achieve their business goals.

How to avoid weaknesses in your 4 Ps from startup

To come up with solutions to problems caused by weaknesses, you first have to define the problem, and in fact if it is a problem for you. If the whole industry has the same problem, it creates an opportunity for you to get a competitive advantage if you can overcome it. This is known as you Unique Selling Point, or USP.

This is not just what you do that no one else does. That’s about your ego and wanting to be different. But if people don’t want to pay extra for it, it’s not a selling point. And it can be a root cause of the problems in your business defined below:

Poor Cash Flow – Price

Poor cash flow is one of the primary reasons why small businesses fail. Cash flow is the amount of money coming in and going out of a business. A negative cash flow occurs when a business spends more money than it earns, leading to a shortage of funds to cover expenses. When a business is not generating enough revenue to meet its expenses, it may have to resort to borrowing money, which can be challenging for small businesses that lack collateral or a strong credit history.

Poor cash flow can arise from several factors, such as low sales, high expenses, slow-paying customers, or poor inventory management. In many cases, small businesses struggle to manage their cash flow because they don’t have adequate financial management skills or tools to track their cash flow. As a result, they are unable to anticipate and mitigate cash flow problems, leading to a cycle of financial difficulties that eventually lead to the business’s failure.

Poor Strategy – Place

Another significant reason why small businesses fail is poor strategy. Strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term goal. A good strategy outlines the business’s direction, goals, and how it intends to achieve them. Without a clear strategy, a business may struggle to attract customers, generate revenue, or remain competitive in the market.

A poor strategy can manifest in several ways, such as lack of market research, poor product positioning, or an inadequate marketing plan. For instance, a business that fails to research its target market may create a product that does not meet its customers’ needs or fails to identify its customers’ pain points. Similarly, a business that does not have a clear marketing plan may struggle to reach its target audience or generate sales.

Poor Products – Product

A third reason why small businesses fail is poor products. A business’s product or service is its main offering to customers. Poor products can lead to low sales, customer dissatisfaction, and loss of market share. Customers expect quality products that meet their needs and provide value for their money. If a business fails to meet these expectations, customers may switch to competitors, leading to a decline in revenue.

Poor products can arise from several factors, such as a lack of product development skills, insufficient quality control measures, or failure to adapt to changing market demands. For instance, a business that does not have a rigorous quality control process may produce defective products that fail to meet customer expectations. Similarly, a business that fails to adapt to new market trends may lose its competitive edge and fail to attract new customers.

Early intervention is the key to success.

Small businesses are vital to many economies worldwide. However, they face several challenges that can lead to their failure.

Small businesses are vital to many economies worldwide. However, they face several challenges that can lead to their failure. Poor cash flow, poor strategy, and poor products are the three main reasons why small businesses fail. To avoid these pitfalls, small businesses must have adequate financial management skills, a clear strategy, and a commitment to producing quality products that meet customer needs. With these measures in place, small businesses can thrive and contribute to the growth of the economy.

The core sensitivities refer to three prototypes of core emotional experiences that individuals may have in response to challenging situations. These three prototypes are esteem sensitivity, separation sensitivity, and physiological safety sensitivity.

Each of these sensitivities is associated with specific behaviours that individuals may exhibit in response to challenges or stressors. Having kindness and empathy for people in this situation is essential to building long-lasting, trusting, productive relationships in business.

So to put humanity back into business, without getting too personal and crossing boundaries, here are 3 emotional triggers that can cause weaknesses in each of the 4 Ps

Esteem Sensitivity – Poor Product

Esteem sensitivity refers to the emotional experience of feeling insecure or uncertain about one’s worth or value in a social context. Individuals with esteem sensitivity may exhibit behaviours such as:

A strong need for recognition, approval, and praise from others
A fear of rejection, criticism, or failure that may lead to avoidance of challenging situations
A tendency to overreact to perceived threats to their self-esteem, such as perceived slights or insults
A focus on external validation, such as material possessions or status symbols, as a way to boost self-esteem
A tendency to compare themselves to others and feel inferior or superior based on these comparisons

Separation Sensitivity – Poor Cashflow

Separation sensitivity refers to the emotional experience of feeling anxious or distressed when separated from attachment figures, such as parents or close friends. Individuals with separation sensitivity may exhibit behaviours such as:

A strong need for closeness and intimacy with attachment figures
A fear of abandonment or rejection that may lead to clingy or dependent behaviours
A tendency to seek reassurance and validation from attachment figures, especially in stressful situations
Difficulty tolerating alone time or being in unfamiliar environments
A tendency to over-analyze social situations and interpret neutral or ambiguous behaviour as a sign of rejection or abandonment

Safety Sensitivity – Poor Strategy

Safety sensitivity refers to the emotional experience of feeling unsafe or threatened in one’s environment, such as in response to physical danger or social threat. Individuals with physiological safety sensitivity may exhibit behaviours such as:

A heightened sensitivity to potential threats or danger in the environment
A tendency to avoid situations that are perceived as risky or potentially dangerous
Difficulty regulating physiological arousal, such as increased heart rate or sweating, in response to stressors
A focus on physical self-preservation, such as avoidance or defensive behaviours, as a response to perceived threats
A tendency to experience hypervigilance, or constantly scanning the environment for signs of danger or threat

The core sensitivities describe three prototypes of core emotional experiences that individuals may have in response to challenging situations. These sensitivities are associated with specific behaviours that individuals may exhibit, such as a strong need for external validation in esteem sensitivity, a fear of abandonment or rejection in separation sensitivity, and hypervigilance or defensive behaviours in physiological safety sensitivity. Understanding these sensitivities can help individuals recognize and regulate their emotional responses to stressors and improve their emotional well-being.

A secure attachment strategy – Promotion

If you have confidence in your 3 Ps above, you are less likely to be triggered into creating a weakness leading to a downward spiral in your business.

Fake it till you make it rarely works in an age where people are so exposed to on social media. While you may not believe, consciously, you have a weakness in one of the above 3 Ps, when you start to promote yourself on social media the crack in your Armor will soon appear.

Bartholomew's two-dimensional model of attachment

How you handle the “keyboard warriors” is often the test of if you still have doubts about your 3 Ps. But if you feel secure and have confidence in your business development, you also develop a secure attachment strategy that will prevent you from getting dragged back into discussions that don’t serve your business needs.

Behaviours of people who have a secure attachment strategy may include:

Seeking help and support:

Feeling comfortable with intimacy:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to feel comfortable with intimacy and closeness with others, as they trust that their emotional needs will be met in relationships. In a business sense, this relates to having complementary skills. You can’t do everything (see point 1), and people with a secure attachment strategy know if they have Action, Thinking, or Personal skills as their strengths. They generally seek out 2 other people to collaborate with to fill in the gaps.

Being independent:

Feeling comfortable with the emotional expression:

Developing positive self-worth:

Individuals with a secure attachment strategy tend to have a positive sense of self-worth, as they have received consistent and positive feedback from attachment figures throughout their lives.

If this blog resonates with you, and you want help or want to chat, book a call through our website HERE.

Posted on 01/02/202301/02/2023 by admin

How to recognise opportunities to develop and apply new ideas

Continuous improvement is the process of continually identifying, assessing, and implementing ways to improve products, services, or processes. In the context of your own work, it means constantly evaluating and seeking ways to improve one’s performance, skills, and knowledge.

This can involve making incremental changes, which are small, gradual improvements made over time, rather than large, drastic changes. By recognizing the value of continuous improvement, an individual is committing to a mindset of always striving to be better and more efficient in their work, which can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Continuous improvement can contribute to the design of new approaches within the immediate work environment by encouraging the identification of problems or inefficiencies, and the development and implementation of solutions. Through the process of continuous improvement, individuals and teams can identify areas for improvement, set goals, and create action plans to achieve those goals. By regularly evaluating the effectiveness of these plans, and making adjustments as needed, new approaches can be developed and implemented in the work environment.

Additionally, continuous improvement can foster a culture of experimentation and innovation within the work environment, as individuals and teams are encouraged to try new ideas and approach problems from different perspectives. This can lead to the development of new and more efficient processes, products, or services.

Moreover, continuous improvement can also encourage employees to take ownership of their work and to be more engaged in their job by giving them an opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement, this can improve the overall productivity and satisfaction of the employees.

In summary, continuous improvement can contribute to the design of new approaches within the immediate work environment by promoting problem-solving, experimentation, innovation, employee engagement, and a focus on achieving specific goals.

Addressing Problems

There are several ways to address problems affecting your role in a small business:

Identify the problem: Clearly define the problem and its scope. Gather information and data to help understand the problem and its causes.
Involve relevant stakeholders: Consult with team members, colleagues, and other relevant stakeholders to gather their perspectives and ideas.
Develop a plan: Based on the information gathered, develop a plan to address the problem. The plan should include specific, measurable goals and a timeline for achieving them.
Implement the plan: Put the plan into action and monitor progress.
Evaluate the results: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the plan, and make adjustments as needed.
Communicate: Communicate the progress and outcome of the problem-solving efforts to all the stakeholders.
Continuously Improvise: Continuously look for ways to improve the process and to prevent similar problems from arising in the future.
Seek support: If the problem is too big to handle by oneself, seek support from management or external resources such as consultants, or experts.

By following these steps, one can effectively address problems affecting their role in a small business context, and help improve the overall efficiency and productivity of the organization.

Adapting proposals vs exploring new ideas

Adopting proposals suggested by others where these do not require radical change refers to the process of being open to and willing to consider new ideas and suggestions.

Even if they may not align with one’s own initial thoughts or approach. This can involve taking the time to understand and evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of the proposal.

Then you can work to adapt and implement it in a way that is practical and feasible within the current constraints of your own job role as part of continuous improvement processes.

Adapting proposals is a different process to the ongoing exploration of new ideas.

Exploration of new ideas requires skills to assess the viability and effectiveness of a small business with limited people and financial resources is critically important to the survival of a small business.

Exploring new ideas, rather than adapting proposed ideas for implementation, requires business management skills assess viable options. To do this you would need to have developed analysing and critical thinking skills in earlier topics in this program to be given the decision-making authority to do this at the stage of the business improvement process.

Small business need to continuously innovate and explore new ideas in order to stay competitive and grow, and can adapt their operations faster than larger business to bring new products to market before major competitors.

Small businesses often have limited resources, and therefore must be strategic in their decision-making and resource allocation. By continuously exploring new ideas, a small business can identify new opportunities for growth and improvement, and develop innovative solutions to the challenges it faces.

Summary

the Adopting proposals is about being open to and willing to consider new ideas and suggestions, even if they may not align with one’s own initial thoughts or approach. Exploring new ideas is about the need for small business to continuously innovate and explore new ideas in order to stay competitive and grow.

You may be asked to do both of these things if you are working for a small business as you would have direct access to the business owner, but at the end of the day the business has to be able to make money to afford to keep you on. Perfections is the enemy of profits, which is why all businesses, large and small, have their own versions of improvement processes to test and trial products to see if it is want customers want.

You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist, and you can’t ask customers for feedback on it either. This is the balancing act all businesses go through, but small businesses generally have better relationships with customers who give better feedback on what others would be willing to pay for it.

If you can do that, you get word-of-mouth advertising and promotes for your business, which is usually the cheapest form of marketing businesses can do.

Developing self-management skills

Facilitating a climate in which creativity and innovation are accepted as an integral part of the way things are done in successful small businesses, for example:

build in time for idea creation and sharing,
deliberately look for the potential in ideas proposed by others,
especially when ideas do not seem immediately practical

This is examples of what would make you more suitable than others to work for a small business as not everyone has the right mindset to do this.

Not matter if you are looking for employment or contract work on a project, having the skills to do this increases you earning capacity with small businesses.

If you have this on your resume or client testimonials it stands out in an interview. Which even prospective clients do too before agreeing to pay you.

Even you don’t think you have the experience (or are eligible to) apply for a position or start a business, this skill can still get you the gig.

Posted on 27/01/202327/01/2023 by admin

Essential implementation skills required in a small business

Small businesses often allocate tasks to people that work for them above the level of authority in a larger business. This can be a great source of frustration for employees who have experience working in the industry.

As the team workers have direct access to the business owner who is used to doing the work themselves, often the business owner may not realize that they are actually allocating management tasks.

This may seem to the business owner as just how you do things in a small business. However, what you are doing is giving the worker management experience to put on their resume. This gives the worker the confidence to apply for management jobs, which pay better, even in a small business.

People don’t leave a job for better money. How do they know they can get better money for another company if they are not looking for a better-paying job? And a job is no longer an employment agreement.

What is a “Job”?

Working under an ABN as a “Solopreneur”, AKA, a business as a sole trader, is also considered a “job” by the ATO. It is categorized as a “self-employment agreement”, and now you can get funding (as a wage subsidy through Centrelink) and 12 months of coaching to set yourself up with a job. With all of the flexible work arrangements, the Fair Work Commission is trying to get larger businesses to do.

The key definition from the ATO as to if you are a “contractor” or under an “employment agreement” is contractors have the ability to set their own hours of work, and also are allowed to subcontract their work to meet the demands of the client outcomes. So if you are looking for that, read our previous blog on Thinking of starting a business, and want to know how to do that. But for Employers and employees, please read on.

You don’t hear people talking at the pub, saying “I love my job”, and their friends say “yeah, but you could get better money working for another company”. Usually, they say, “wow, how can I get a job like that”. Money doesn’t even come up unless they say they don’t like their job.

People who are doing what they love, and are allowed to do regularly, don’t say they don’t like their job. If they don’t love what the do in their job they say “it’s OK”, so don’t want to leave. However, this is what has been coined as “quiet quitting”, which is the situation employees (and business owners) find themselves in where they stay because they don’t know what else they can do.

This is becoming the biggest problem in Business today, as part of the “great resignation” debate. Job ads were at their highest levels since before the GFC. It takes 8 weeks (at least) to replace good employees, who only have to give you 1 or 2 weeks’ notice. That is a big cost to micro-businesses if 20% of their staff leave.

What’s the problem?

2 quotes spring to mind whenever I have this discussion with Small Business owners.

The problem is not “what if we train them well and they leave?”, the problem (for any business) is “what if we don’t train them well, and they stay” – Henry Ford. That want really costs a small business money, customers, and time, as there is nowhere for them to hide
Train them well enough so they can leave, then treat them well so they don’t have to – Richard Branson

A third quote, from this century, is “people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses” – Simon Sinek.

What makes a bad boss? Lots of things, but in this case, it’s poor delegation skills.

While leaders and managers may have been promoted because of their skills in the job they were doing, if they are not trained well in leadership and management, then this becomes a big problem.

Job ads are back to the level they were before the GFC, but this time, the unemployment rate is much lower. So if staff leave you, it will be very tough to replace them anytime soon.

From the Australian Government Internet Vacancy Index 2006 to 2022 — From the Australian Government Internet Vacancy Index

What good leaders and managers both do

Good leaders and managers know the capabilities of the people in their care. If they delegate work above the person’s required skill level for their job, good managers reward their team no matter if they ask for it or not.

It’s not about the money, it’s usually acknowledgment that they are performing above their pay grade, and they feel appreciated and secure in their job. Why would they look for another one?

If this is a problem for you, here is something that might help you out. This list is from the core skills for work framework used in business training qualifications.

Do an audit on yourself and your delegation skills before saying “don’t you know how hard it is to get good staff”?

Maybe you need to employ a supervisor or manager, even if you have no other staff. Sometimes business owners need to accept they are not the best person to be managing the business

Team member skills

Plans a range of routine, and some non-routine, tasks, accepting stated goals and aiming to achieve them efficiently
Applies formal processes when planning more complex/unfamiliar tasks, producing plans with logically sequenced steps, reflecting some awareness of time and resource constraints and the needs of others in the immediate vicinity
Implements actions as per plan, making slight adjustments if necessary, and addressing some unexpected issues
Seeks assistance from more experienced colleagues as required
May use ICT based systems and programs to assist with planning, implementing and tracking progress
Assesses effectiveness in terms of how well-stated goals were achieved and how closely the process followed the original plan and timeframes

Supervisor

Develops plans to manage relatively complex, non-routine tasks with an awareness of how they may contribute to longer term operational and strategic goals
Begins to recognise the importance of other stakeholders throughout the process and is learning to clarify goals and proposed methodology with others, maintain communication and manage expectations and understanding
Monitors actions against stated goals, adjusting plans and resources to cope with contingencies
Uses a combination of formal, logical planning processes and an increasingly intuitive understanding of context to identify relevant information and risks, identify and evaluate alternative strategies and resources
Sequences and schedules complex activities, monitors implementation and manages relevant communication e.g. formal project management processes and associated technology
Reflects on outcomes and feedback from others in order to identify general principles and concepts that may be applicable in new situations
Recognises the need for flexibility and is learning how to adjust or even abandon plans as circumstances and priorities change

Manager skills

Develops flexible plans for complex, high impact activities with strategic implications that involve a diverse range of stakeholders with potentially competing demands
Recognises the critical importance of clarifying, focusing and aligning goals and expectations, and may use the process to build ownership of, and broad commitment to achieving outcomes
Uses a mix of intuitive and formal processes to identify key information and issues, evaluate alternative strategies, anticipate consequences and consider implementation issues and contingencies
May operate from a broad conceptual plan, developing the operational detail in stages, regularly reviewing priorities and performance during implementation, identifying and addressing issues and reallocating resources
Skilfully utilises existing structures and systems to coordinate activity, or designs new processes as required
Focuses effort on what is most important, delegating to others as required, managing interruptions, recognising potential issues and taking quick action to identify and resolve problems
Gathers data and seeks feedback from others to gain new perspectives and identify ways to strengthen planning processes in the future

If you need more help with this, or in a hole and can’t see a way out, let’s have a chat. Every business goes through this at some point. We have options anyone can do, and people in our network that can help anyone too.

Posted on 20/01/202325/01/2023 by admin

Thinking of starting a business, and want to know how to do that

Anyone can start a business in Australia regardless of their citizenship or residency status. However, there are certain requirements that must be met in order to legally operate a business in Australia.

You must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and register for goods and services tax (GST) if your business has a turnover of $75,000 or more.
You may need to obtain licenses and permits specific to your business and industry.
You will also need to comply with Australian laws and regulations regarding business operations, including workplace health and safety, consumer protection, and fair trading.
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you will need to obtain the appropriate visa to work and operate a business in Australia.

It is important to consult with the relevant government agencies and professional advisors to ensure that you meet all the necessary requirements and comply with the regulations.

What is popular now

Popular start-up businesses can vary depending on location and industry, but some examples of popular types of start-up businesses include:

E-commerce businesses: Online stores or marketplaces that sell products or services.
Technology businesses: Software development, app development, and other tech-related businesses, including SaaS (Software as a service) to support other small businesses
Service-based businesses: Consulting, coaching, and other professional services.
Food and beverage businesses: Restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and other food-related businesses.
Health and wellness businesses: Gyms, spas, and other businesses related to health and wellness.
Social media and digital marketing: Social media management, digital marketing and other online advertising businesses.
Home-based businesses: businesses that can be run from home, such as tutoring, pet-sitting, and home cleaning, online business managers, and virtual assistants.
Home renovation and remodeling businesses: Businesses that specializes in home renovation, remodeling and maintenance.

It’s important to note that there are many more possibilities for start-up businesses, and it’s always a good idea to research and consult with experts to identify opportunities in your area.

Popular Small Business roles

If you are looking to start a business that provides services to help other small businesses, then you can look at the popular jobs advertised on the internet to see where the skills gaps are in Australia. If big business takes up all this talent, Small Businesses are unlikely to find someone who only wants to do a couple of hours of work a day as a casual employee.

This is why the gig economy has taken off. Not only do you get work from one small business, they tell all their mates in business about you. That’s how Paula from Beyond the Maze started her VA business 9 years ago. Now she has 8 people working for her to fill the demand. Including now being able to afford a personal assistant, and living the dream of most business owners who want to spend more time with their families.

While LinkedIn has produced a report of the top 25 job roles worldwide, The internet vacancy index available through the Australian government’s labour market portal may give you a better idea of the contractor work that is available.

If you look at the work that is done by Virtual Assistants, usually business administration and customer contact roles (including online sales), there are over 40,000 jobs advertised that require these skills every month in Australia alone. For people based in Australia. The main reason Australian businesses contract work to overseas VA’s is no longer because of the cheap hourly rate. They are happy to pay Australians to do it, going by the number of ads for them, they just can’t find them to do it.

Advertised jobs

The top 2 advertised job roles in Australia have over 40,000 positions advertised every month. As, usually, larger businesses advertise jobs on the internet, this number doesn’t take into account the 2.4 million local small businesses. 85% of small businesses are micro-businesses, with under 5 employees, if they can find people to do these jobs, that is. Many just give up looking for help.

Forcing people into these jobs is not the answer either. If these jobs were filled by long-term unemployed, so-called “dole bludgers”, and were forced to take up jobs in the top 3 advertised roles, Australia would run out of job seekers in just 4 month time.

Or if you wanted to force them to help small businesses, there would only be enough long-term unemployed to help 1 out of every 10 small businesses. So who would you like to make that decision?

That’s why businesses that provide service to small businesses don’t have any trouble getting work. So if you are looking to get a pay increase for your office job, working flexible work hours, most likely from home, self-employment is a viable option.

Overcoming low pay rates

Recent changes late in 2022 to Australia’s fair work act have put a renewed focus on closing the gender pay gap. It’s not just about increasing the minimum wage in female-dominated industries. Just about all businesses learned the difference between working from home and being set up to do remote work, thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns.

People who have set themselves up to do work under flexible work arrangements outside of the office need to have more skills than people working in the office. Adult Self-management skills that require fewer managers to supervise. Improve processes to get more work done in less time to maintain a work-life balance. Not to mention WHS laws cover the time to travel to and from work.

If a business says you are suitable to do remote work from home, you should be paid more than the people doing the same job in the office. Not just for your higher skills add value to the organization, but it cost the business less to employ you.

Add in carers and aid, and you have 3 female-dominated industries at the top of the internet job adds, where fair work is trying to increase the minimum wages. Overcome previous discrimination over pay rates with gender bias factors in professions where cheap overseas alternatives exist.

Calling BS from Big Business

We’ve seen this argument used by Coles and Woolworths as to why they keep the price of a 2 lt bottle of milk at 1980’s prices. “we can’t pay the farmers more, as our customers can’t afford a price rise”. In Queensland, dairy farms had to close down as they could pay the bills, and now the supermarkets have to ship milk up from Victoria (and have done so for many years).

Where are we now? from $2 a bottle to, what, over $3? I wouldn’t know as I only buy non-homogenized milk. When I spoke to the dairy farmers they explained why I should do that, that’s also how I found out about “farmgate” prices.

Did you know that coffee farmers around the world on average only get $0.07 (7 cents) per kg for the coffee they grow? Luckily there are Aussie companies like AgUnity to help some of the poorest farmers around the world. But like many Aussie startups, they have to operate overseas. Using blockchain technology with people that have never owned a smartphone, and working with fairtrade organizations and NGOs to lift farmers out of poverty (UNSDG #1). But in Australia, the lucky country, they don’t operate as I doubt most people here knows what real poverty is.

Who are big businesses to set what people can afford, particularly when customers realize the cost to human lives? If it’s not droughts or flooding rain, it’s the mental health issues that have the greatest loss of human life.

Why do remote workers have to live in the metropolitan area I wonder? You can ask the new Queensland Chief entrepreneur that, next time she travels to an event in Brisbane from her home in Goondiwindi. Google it if you don’t know where that is.

How is the commission helping Small Businesses?

The Fair Work Act now has a new equal remuneration principle to guide the Commission’s consideration of equal remuneration and work value cases. This is to help the Commission issue pay increases to workers in low-paid, female-dominated industries, particularly in big business for example.

To say it will hurt small businesses first is crap. The big businesses regularly lock up talent by giving them more hours, when they get them in that is. So their talents go to waste and they do extra work not related to the primary role. Usually urgent but not important tasks, which devalues the employee, and big businesses blame employees for “quiet quitting”?

“people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses” – Simon Sinek

Whereas Small business says “I can only afford to pay [this amount]”, and contractors learn how to get the work done faster. Which essentially increases the contractor’s hourly rate as they can work for more than 1 client.

For equal remuneration cases, the Commission can now make an equal remuneration order (ERO) on its own initiative as well as on application.

When considering an application, the Commission:

can consider comparisons between occupations and industries or if work has been undervalued based on gender historically
isn’t limited to comparing similar work and doesn’t need a male comparator
isn’t required to find discrimination based on gender if considering a comparison or if work has been historically undervalued based on gender.

If you are looking for where the increased wages could come from, have a look at the job roles below. The business admin-related role with the lowest number of female employees has the highest earnings. Yet their customers are predominantly female users, who would be better suited to teach new customers how to use the technology.

Or, maybe big businesses can stop employing highly skilled people and get them to do low-paying jobs under the veil of “job security”. These are the first jobs that get cut back.

How do you get a job doing what you love? Book a free chat here and discover who wants to hire you.

It’s the highest requested job for us to find someone to do… Train people to use the technology admin staff use every day. And the only question employers ask in the interview is “why do you love doing that”.

We think it’s about time you got paid what that’s worth, don’t you?

Posted on 19/01/202319/01/2023 by admin

What is the BOW model, and how to use it

The BOW model is one of those cool business acronyms that everyone seems to have heard of when you say what it is, but no one seems to know where the term came from. It’s a decision-making tool that can be used in 2 ways. Just like to word itself has 2 meanings, so does this model.

If you don’t know where you are going to end up, it’s like the bow of a ship. The captain, or the leader of the business in this context, knows what direction the ship is going when they look out from the bridge to the bow of the ship. That is if the ship is going forward, of course, you can go full steam ahead.

But this didn’t work out so well for the Titanic, so the model, too, doesn’t always work out for you.

The other context is as a bow and arrow when you have a clear target to shoot for, which is likely to be the purpose of the business. The problem in this context is once you let the arrow fly, there is nothing more you can do.

Sure, you can shoot another arrow, if you have one, but until you decide to do that you are left standing there holding the bow waiting to see the consequences of your actions.

Why do people use the BOW model in two ways?

The thing with the arrow model is as the target gets further away, you need a bigger bow with more leverage to cover the distance to the moving target.

But the chances of hitting the target are slim to none as it moves further away, which happens in a regularly changing market. When that happens, you can jump in your ship and go full steam ahead pointing the bow at the target. When you get in range of your bow, you can have another shot at the target.

With each passing arrow, you get closer to the target and increase your chances of hitting it with your arrow. Even if you have no skill with a bow and arrow, any idiot can hit a target with a ship once they get going. They just point the bow at it, and don’t have to do any more work. These people will only miss if they stop.

But ships don’t go on land, so this may seem an unlikely fable to you. So, if you’ve read Sinek’s book, think of it this way. The bow on a ship is used by infinite gamers, whereas the bow and arrow are used by finite gamers.

Does that make sense?

What does BOW stand for?

I mentioned it was a decision-making tool, but I should have mentioned what the letter stood for, right? Well, if I did that, would you have read my story above? PR experts tell you to tell the story of what you do, not just say what you do. So now we’ve made the copywriters happy…

BOW stands for:

Best
Ok
Worst

Simple, right?

But you won’t find it on Google, and there is no point asking ChatGPT either.

When I first started using it a few years ago, I was told it must have a name if I wanted to use it for my business training. So in the spirit of the acronym MUST, as in Make Up Shit Too, that’s what I did and the BOW model was born. But then we had to go out and validate the ideas in business.

How I use this to identify and recognize skills and recommend career pathways giving people options, and enough information about the options for that person to make an informed decision as to what is best for them.

The problem I’ve found is that giving too much information causes analysis paralysis, and people become indifferent to all options.

How much information does each person need? Well for that, look up the diffusion of innovation personality types. That’s a whole other session on its own. Just keep moving on and if you want advice on this, book a call at the end of the blog.

Are you joking?

What started as a joke, just like “trickle-down economics”, does have sound theory behind it. It is similar to what others say is the “good, better, best” model, which is where people usually run to. However, to me, that sounds like a positive mindset BS if you don’t believe you can make a bad decision. And, more than a little bit narcissistic to me. Not who I was looking for Validation from.

That model also doesn’t take into account that a bad decision is not the opposite of a good decision. Both good and bad still require a decision to be made. So indifference, as the opposite of both a good and bad decision, sits in the middle of the 2 for fence sitters. Who could go either way depending on the consequences for them of not deciding what to do?

This just got real!

This is no joke to the business owner as indecisive people cost money, which Small businesses can’t afford to lose. And people that really want what you do will decide faster than people who feel they “need” to buy from you.

I’ve found that people that say they “need” to do anything and think they have no other options, which is more likely to lead to bad decisions. So the worst customers are usually in business and take sooo long to decide to pay you too.

Here is a chart that we put together to show how if you do what you love (your best option), rather than loving what you do (the OK option), you chose to be in the top 1/3 of performers using this decision-making model.

If you use this decision tool 3 times to decide a course of action, you have 27 different outcomes. So if you do what you love, you can put in the least amount of effort possible and go through 3 lots of 6 monthly performance reviews, and employers will usually still see their “best” candidates for a job rate their performance at 66%.

If new hires just put in an OK effort their rating generally stays at 80%.

This is why they say “if you do what you love, it’s no longer called work”. However, this causes resentment from people that “need” to keep their job, as these people have to put in 100% effort or more just to get out of the bottom 33% of workers.

How to get over yourself, and your success

To get over this, the top 1/3 only need to do an “OK” job to help get the “needy” people up to an average employee, and it also keeps the “best” workers operating at 66%.

Otherwise, the team will work at the pace of the slowest member, at a huge financial cost to any business. But it’s the responsibility of true business leaders to recognize this.

The leaders are not always the business owners, sometimes they are the managers. But if you don’t understand this, your leaders will leave, and all the people that you thought were your followers will go wherever your former leader goes.

It’s lonely for managers at the top If they don’t have someone to follow. That’s where mentors come in at any level in business.

Being your best

The “best” doesn’t mean the best at making decisions.

Part of a growth mindset is praising people for going through the process, in this case of making a decision based on the available information as to what you think is best for them. This may conflict with the business interest, but it forces them to make their own decision they must live with, not blame you for it.

“Quiet quitting”, I’ve found out, describes people who are indifferent to both staying or going. And if they did leave, they don’t know what else they would do next. They generally just want job security, and money coming in. They may be picky, but not fussy if that makes sense to you.

Can you do what you love?

People that do what they love, different from loving what you do, would still do it even if they were not getting paid, so don’t quit quietly. Conflict arises with people that love what they do, including people that love being a manager or leader title rather than loving doing the actual job.

People who want to do keep doing what they love, sooner or later, say “I’ve had enough of this shit, incompetent people telling me what to do”, and often look at starting their own business

If you are looking for further explanation or validation for this, look up the “Peter Principle”, which has been around since the 60’s. It is the main reason I’ve found most employees leave when unemployment rates are low. It also explains why some people are not suited to promote themselves to being business owners.

When you own your own business, you still have people telling you what to do. They are called regulators, customers, and clients, and if you don’t listen to them pretty soon you’ll have to sack yourself from that job, too.

“People don’t leave bad jobs. They leave bad bosses.” – Simon Sinek

Do you agree with that?

How to use the BOW model in business

Here is an example from our skills program as to how you can use it to decide who is your ideal customer in business, integrating it with a bunch of other tools, including #1 on our list of 100 tools, the Business Model Canvas (BMC).

The first thing to do when using a BMC as a business health check tool is to decide who is your customer segments as part of the business model canvas for the business you wish to work for.

We don’t start filling out the information in the same order as listed from 1 to 9 on the canvas template and the first thing you have to identify who your business will be of service to.

This you your business’ why, and determines what you want to do in what-if situations for your ideal customers. Then you can reverse-engineer your business operations to find and develop how you can deliver products and services to customers.

To keep it simple, and practical for you to use, in each section of the Business Model canvas you only write down 3 options, using the BOW model to simplify your decision into the following categories:

The Best Customers

Your ideal customer, someone who loves to do what you love doing, and also wants to do it the way you do it. They are likely to be the 20% of your customers that generate 80% of your profits. Why I ask business owners to tell me who are their best customers, they describe their avatar of their ideal customer (every time).

But when I ask business owners to tell me the name of their top five favorite customers and describe those customers to me, what those 5 customers have in common rarely sounds anything like their ideal customer. That’s usually when the lights go on, and they start to understand why their business is so much hard work for so little money, too.

Think of it like the old dad joke, but, again, it’s no joke in business:

“How many Psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb? Only 1, but the lightbulb must want to be changed.’

The OK option

These are customers that love what you do but don’t love the way you do it. These are likely to be 20% of your customers and 80% of your problems. While they are good for generating income but are too much hard work to keep your business profitable as they take too many resources, away from growing your business. When you get OK customers to 25% of your business, you start to go broke as 100% of your financial resources are spent on fixing problems with current customers, not keeping up with market changes or trends. A terminal illness in business.

The Worst Option

These are the customers that desperately need a solution. If someone says they “need” to do anything then they believe there are no other options. In business, you always have options, so if you “need” to take on these customers it adds to the 20% of the customers that cause 80% of your problems (see above for the result). While you may provide short-term fixes for these customers, they are a big drain on your resources, even more than the OK options. The business might take them on as charity cases to have a social change impact.

Putting it all together…

If just 5% of your customers fall under this last (worst) category, it is likely to take up 80% of your resources to fix their problems. They are that “needy”.

You don’t have the spare capacity to take on new OK customers, but may get funding to take them on, so still list them on your canvas as the last option of customers to take on, but only when and if you can afford your worst customers on. You would be better offer referring them to someone else setup to help them. You can’t help everyone, and it is abuse if you try to manipulate people into doing what you want them to do when it is clearly not the best option for you or them.

The golden rule in a service business is, like they say in the airline safety briefing, “you must put your own oxygen mask on before you can help others”.

Even not-for-profits and charities have to be able to generate income. But at this stage, we are not looking and funding options, that will come in section 9 of the canvas when we look at revenue options.

So for now, just use these questions as the criteria to decide on the customer segments of the business and see if it comes up with a different target market to what you think is your ideal customer:

Who do you help?
Which groups are you creating value for?
Who is your most important audience?
Avatars of individual people and their interests
What problems are you trying to solve for them?

If you need help with this, we can help you in a free 15-minute discovery call

If you what to change the way you do business, or just want to know what options are out there so you can work out what is best for you, we love talking to you.

It’s what we do best.

Posted on 13/01/202319/01/2023 by admin

How to recognize opportunities to develop and apply new ideas

What is continuous improvement?

Don’t assume everyone has the same definition of what something is, so let’s start with this. To me, continuous improvement is the process of continually identifying, assessing, and implementing ways to improve products, services, or processes.

In the context of your own work, it means constantly evaluating and seeking ways to improve one’s performance, skills, and knowledge.

Addressing Problems

There are several ways to address problems affecting your role in a small business:

Identify the problem: Clearly define the problem and its scope. Gather information and data to help understand the problem and its causes.
Involve relevant stakeholders: Consult with team members, colleagues, and other relevant stakeholders to gather their perspectives and ideas.
Develop a plan: Based on the information gathered, develop a plan to address the problem. The plan should include specific, measurable goals and a timeline for achieving them.
Implement the plan: Put the plan into action and monitor progress.
Evaluate the results: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the plan, and make adjustments as needed.
Communicate: Communicate the progress and outcome of the problem-solving efforts to all the stakeholders.
Continuously Improvise: Continuously look for ways to improve the process and to prevent similar problems from arising in the future.
Seek support: If the problem is too big to handle by oneself, seek support from management or external resources such as consultants, or experts.

By following these steps, one can effectively address problems affecting their role in a small business context, and help improve the overall efficiency and productivity of the organization.

Adapting proposals vs exploring new ideas

Adopting proposals suggested by others where these do not require radical change refers to the process of being open to and willing to consider new ideas and suggestions.

Even if they may not align with one’s own initial thoughts or approach. This can involve taking the time to understand and evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of the proposal.

Then you can work to adapt and implement it in a way that is practical and feasible within the current constraints of your own job role as part of continuous improvement processes.

Adapting proposals is a different process from the ongoing exploration of new ideas.

Exploration of new ideas

Exploring new ideas, rather than adapting proposed ideas for implementation, requires business management skills to assess viable options. To do this you would need to have developed analyzing and critical thinking skills in earlier topics in this program to be given the decision-making authority to do this at the stage of the business improvement process.

Small businesses need to continuously innovate and explore new ideas in order to stay competitive and grow and can adapt their operations faster than larger businesses to bring new products to market before major competitors.

In summary, Adopting proposals is about being open to and willing to consider new ideas and suggestions, even if they may not align with one’s own initial thoughts or approach. Exploring new ideas is about the need for small businesses to continuously innovate and explore new ideas in order to stay competitive and grow.

Do you need to do both?

You may be asked to do both of these things if you are working for a small business as you would have direct access to the business owner, but at the end of the day, the business has to be able to make money to afford to keep you on. Perfection is the enemy of profits, which is why all businesses, large and small, have their own versions of improvement processes to test and trial products to see if it is what customers want.

If you can do that, you get word-of-mouth advertising and promotion for your business, which is usually the cheapest form of marketing businesses can do.

Developing self-management skills

To finish off this topic, we get our network members to try improving their own plan you did to manage their workload and commitments completed in week 3 of our 14-week program. See if your plan has opportunities to develop and apply new ideas incorporated into your plan.

If not, or even if you do, add more time to do this into your plan. If you do this it is likely you will get offers for more work which you will need to make sure you have time for in your schedule if you accept a position.

Facilitating a climate in which creativity and innovation are accepted as an integral part of the way things are done in successful small businesses, for example:

build in time for idea creation and sharing,
deliberately look for the potential in ideas proposed by others,
especially when ideas do not seem immediately practical

These are examples of what would make you more suitable than others to work for a small business as not everyone has the right mindset to do this.

No matter if you are looking for employment or contract work on a project, having the skills to do this increase your earning capacity with small businesses.

If you have this on your resume or client testimonials it stands out in an interview, Which prospective clients do too before agreeing to pay you.

Even if you don’t think you have the experience (or are eligible to) apply for a position or start a business, this skill can still get you the gig.

If you are looking for help to improve your small business, book a free discovery call here.