In this episode, Kearin Lowry guest appears on The In Demand Accountant where she explores the concept of empowering staff in the workplace with a science-based approach to people.
Kearin works with business owners and C-Suite leaders to build leadership capacity, recruit talent and design organisation structure and positions that deliver strategic results. A dynamic businesswoman, we often rely on her pragmatic advice in our own business as well as those of our clients.
We cannot separate ourselves from work, therefore we must integrate the whole person. How we do this may require us to ‘undo’ years of learnt habits formed from the old rules of business taught. But learning to effectively manage human connection businesses and help channel human energy, will give us effective and productive workplace environments, with reduced turnover and cultures no one wants to leave.
What we cover in this episode
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How to empower staff to be captains of their own ships in the workplace
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Expanding our mindsets around what motivates people to work, beyond monetary rewards
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How to train for collaboration with other professionals
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Breaking down the ‘expert’ silo rules
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Creating safe workplaces where contrary to popular belief, bringing your problems to work can be beneficial, by being able to resolve issues faster therefore creating efficiencies in the long run
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Effectively managing human connection businesses which applies to all businesses
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Helping young team members learn vital skills earlier in their careers
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Kearin’s top three tips for professional services members on team and productivity
Quotes
“People can only offer their energy into our businesses and by rethinking capacity and how we channel it we can drive and build thriving professional services businesses”.
“One of my catch cries up until three/four years ago was “don’t bring your problems to work, we don’t want to hear about it” and you should bring your best self. But I’ve known through my own personal development work that if you’re worried about something or have something and you don’t have a safe place to discuss it, you carry it with you”.
“Having a workplace where you feel safe to say, this is my whole life…..we cannot separate ourselves, we are ONE person.”
“We have a very narrow mindset about why people work, it’s about salary or flexibility, it’s a step-up or promotion so we move, but integrating the whole person and letting them be themselves – there’s a lot to be said for that in terms of how long can that person stay with your business and grow with your business”.
“What we’re underestimating, I think is the value of learning professional presentation, communication within the workplace first. Having your junior members of the team, be able to write professional emails or put together professional reports, that’s a skill. But because they’re not the advisor they don’t generally get to do that”.
“The process of workflow needs to be established in the business, so someone needs to take ownership of that, so other people understand what they need to do.”
“Human behaviour can be measured, and we can assess it and we can understand people far more when we a foundation of science. Things like personality, cognitive ability, matches in preference in roles really set people up for success, and we can do that objectively. That’s absolutely needed in modern business.”
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