Leadership Principles > 22nd Century Business > JOY at WORK

Listen to the words of the man himself (Dr. Deming) as he talks us through the 5 Main Deadly Diseases of Western Management

In this lecture we start to look at the factors that help to produce creative ideas in individuals'

An important aspect of communication. This lecture shows the summarising power of a mind map as Barry talks through a mind map about a book on negotiation to someone who doesn't yet know the mind mapping technique (N.B. this lecture is also included in bonus sections of some of my other courses)

I was the conference keynote speaker at a recent International HR (Human Resources) Conference in Egypt (held June 15th 2019). Here is the short video I produced for the conference organisers in advance of the session. You'll see that in this presentation overview,  I'm incorporating many of the principles that I advocate in this course.

This lecture is also available in the bonus section of my "New Thinking Course"

The next three lectures are taken from a presentation I made to Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs at Sandwell College. This first lecture is the start of that presentation.

How much important knowledge about Business Success is currently hidden from you?

So think about how much knowledge about creating JOY at WORK was unknown to you before taking this course?

If you want to know more about "Knowledge about Knowledge", I cover this topic in more detail in my "New Thinking" Course

I include here for download an article about our 'social brain' (Managing with the Brain in Mind by David Rock) The article refers to a study by Naomi Eisenberger and Matthew Lieberman, published in Science (vol. 302, no. 5643, October 2003, 290–292)

This study suggests that one thing is clear: The human brain is a social organ. Its physiological and neurological reactions are directly and profoundly shaped by social interaction. Indeed, as Lieberman puts it, “Most processes operating in the background when your brain is at rest are involved in thinking about other people and yourself.”

This fits with much of the content I share in this course that there are a series of 'brain-related' factors that influence our 'joy at work'

The authors suggest that "this presents enormous challenges to managers. Although a job is often regarded as a purely economic transaction, in which people exchange their labor for financial compensation, the brain experiences the work- place first and foremost as a social system. Like the experiment participants whose avatars were left out of the game, people who feel betrayed or unrecognized at work — for example, when they are reprimanded, given an assignment that seems unworthy, or told to take a pay cut — experience it as a neural impulse, as powerful and painful as a blow to the head. Most people who work in companies learn to rationalize or temper their reactions; they “suck it up,” as the common parlance puts it. But they also limit their commitment and engagement. They become purely transactional employees, reluctant to give more of themselves to the company, because the social context stands in their way.

Leaders who understand this dynamic can more effectively engage their employees’ best talents, support collaborative teams, and create an environment that fosters productive change. Indeed, the ability to intentionally address the social brain in the service of optimal performance will be a distinguishing leadership capability in the years ahead".

Busyness can sabotage Joy. Here Sofo Archon gives one perspective that he calls the Sickness of Busyness

Barry was interviewed recently with topics covered pertinent to both education and business. It's a long interview so it's been edited and broken down into several separate parts. This is Part One (other parts will follow monthly)

Notes from the podcast (BizUlearned):

In this episode 14, Cowboy, Mark, and Barry Mapp discuss the concept of ‘Biz Unlearned’, focusing on critical thinking, the importance of understanding unknown unknowns, and the impact of fear on creativity and learning. They explore the necessity of doing nothing in certain situations, the role of education in shaping thought processes, and the need for disruptors in times of crisis, particularly during the pandemic.

The conversation also touches on the assumptions made during the pandemic and the varied responses from different countries. In this conversation, the speakers discuss the multi-faceted challenges faced by business owners, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They explore the importance of rethinking assumptions, the role of outsourcing, and the benefits of mind mapping as a tool for organizing thoughts and strategies. The discussion also touches on historical lessons from quality management, particularly the influence of W. Edwards Deming, and emphasizes the need for collaboration over competition in business.

Takeaways

• The important knowledge is what we don’t know we don’t know.

• The death of a project is often in the unknown unknowns.

• Doing nothing can be powerful in crisis situations.

• Education should drive out fear to enhance learning.

• Fear limits creativity and innovation in business.

• Disruption can lead to self-organization and emergence.

• Experts may be limited by their own expertise.

• Assumptions made during crises can lead to poor outcomes.

• The pandemic response varied greatly across countries.

• Understanding different perspectives is crucial in problem-solving.

• The data surrounding COVID-19 was inconsistent and often misleading.

• Fear can lead to poor decision-making in business.

• Many business owners struggle with execution despite having ideas.

• Rethinking assumptions is crucial for business success.

• Outsourcing can help overcome specific challenges in business.

• Mind mapping is an effective tool for organizing thoughts.

• Collaboration is more beneficial than competition in business.

• Historical lessons from Deming can inform modern practices.

• Business owners need to adopt a broader perspective on their challenges.

• Effective project management is essential for business survival.