How to use the Pareto 80/20 Principle in your life The Pareto Principle, often referred to as the 80/20 rule, originated from the observations of Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in the late 19th century. Pareto noticed that approximately 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. This observation led him to explore similar patterns in other areas such as wealth distribution and even within his garden where he found that 20% of the peapods produced 80% of the peas. The principle was later popularized in the context of quality control and business management by Joseph M. Juran in the 1940s. Juran Duran applied Pareto’s observation to various quality issues coining the term “the vital few and the trivial many” to emphasise that a small number of causes often lead to a large majority of the problems or effects. The Pareto Principle has since been widely applied in various fields including economics, business and productivity, highlighting the unequal distribution of input and outcomes in many systems. The 80/20 rule can be a powerful tool for improving productivity and efficiency in your daily life. There are several common misconceptions about the Pareto Principle, including: 1. Exact 80/20 Split Many people believe that the 80/20 split is always exact. The ratio is actually an approximation and can vary depending on the situation. The principle is more about the general idea that a small number of causes often leads to a large proportion of the effects 2. Universal Law Some think the Pareto Principle is a strict mathematical law. However, it is a rule of thumb, not a precise formula. The percentage of inputs and outputs do not have to add up to 100%. 3. Effort vs. Results A common misconception is that you can achieve 80% of your results with just 20% of the effort. While a small number of causes can lead to a large number of results it does not mean you can work minimally and expect maximum outcomes. 4. Neglecting Other Factors Another misuse is interpreting the principle as an excuse to focus solely on high-value activities and neglect other important factors. This can lead to an imbalance and potential issues in areas that are overlooked. 5. Applicability to All Situations People sometimes assume the Pareto Principle applies universally to all situations. While it can be a useful tool in many contexts it is not always applicable and should be used with consideration of the specific circumstances. Understanding these misconceptions can help you apply the Pareto Principle more effectively in your life and work. Here are some practical ways to apply it: 1. Time Management Identify the 20% of tasks that contribute to 80% of your results. Focus on these high-impact activities and minimise time spent on less important tasks. 2. Work and Projects Determine which 20% of your projects or clients generate 80% of your income or satisfaction. Prioritise these to maximize your efforts and returns. Conversely, you may find that 80% of your time is spent servicing the lowest 20% of your income generators so look at ways to offload these customers and clients. 3. Learning and Skill Development Focus on the 20% of skills or knowledge that will give you 80% of the benefits in your career or personal growth. This could mean mastering key concepts or techniques that have the most significant impact. 4. Health and Fitness Identify the 20% of exercises or dietary habits that contribute to 80% of your fitness goals. Concentrate on these to achieve better results with less effort. 5. Decluttering and Organization Apply the rule to your belongings by keeping the 20% of items you use 80% of the time. This can help you maintain a more organized and clutter-free environment. A prime example of this is usually what we have stored in your wardrobes but don’t use! 6. Relationships Invest more time and energy in the 20% of relationships that bring you 80% of your happiness and fulfilment. This can lead to more meaningful and rewarding connections. This can apply to work and personal relationships. 7. Financial Management Focus on the 20% of expenses that make up 80% of your spending. By managing these key expenses, you can better control your budget and save money. By identifying and concentrating on the most impactful areas, you can make more efficient use of your time and resources. Is there a specific area where you’d like to start applying the 80/20 rule? 8. People Management Used as a guide, the 80/20 rule here can help guide you as a manager to invest time in your team to get the best from them. It does not mean; you spend 80% of the time ‘manging them’ and neglect your other tasks. 9. Personal satisfaction/happiness I often use this principle to consider where I am on the scale in terms of happiness or enjoyment within in a task or role and if the scale is tipping away from 80% then it may be time to consider making some changes. How can you use the Pareto Principle of 80/20 to improve your life?

The concept of "delegation" was introduced by leadership experts Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey. It doesn't imply that you can't handle everything yourself; rather, it shows that you're a capable leader who can identify tasks suitable for others on your team. In practice, delegation means shifting responsibility to team members, fostering their involvement and ownership, and enhancing overall teamwork. Effective delegation is essential for successful leadership. Here are some key strategies to ensure it's done effectively: 1. Know What to Delegate: Identify day to day activities which are not urgent or important that can be assigned to others. 2. Select the Right Person: Choose someone based on their skills, interests, and experience . When choosing someone for a specific job. You may decide to delegate to someone with the relevant experience who can complete the task quickly for urgent tasks or, use it as a training and development opportunity for someone looking to grow. 3. Provide Adequate Resources and Support: Ensure that those you delegate to have the necessary tools, information, and guidance to succeed. Confirm their understanding of what is being asked of them. Give SMART guidance and always check if they have the training and capacity to complete the task in the required timescale. 4. Make expectations Clear: Clearly define objectives, outcomes, and specific expectations for the delegated task. Never assume anyone else’s understanding or knowledge. Listen to their interpretation of what is required and depending upon their skill set, it may be wise to discuss in detail how they plan to achieve the task. 5. Give Feedback and Praise: Regularly check in on progress, offer constructive feedback, and recognise achievements. Positive reinforcement encourages growth and motivation. Again, adjust your support depending upon their skills and knowledge. 6. Know when not to delegate: Not every task can be delegated. For instance, anything sensitive or personal should be handled directly by you. Many Senior Leaders say that they are too busy to delegate. Hold this thought in your mind: For every 10-minute task you can delegate to someone else, you can save yourself one working week a year! How’s that for some motivation? Effective delegation has many benefits for you and your team. It develops skills and empowers your team allowing you to focus on higher-value activities. Here are some key benefits: 1. Time Management: Freeing up a leader’s time for strategic planning, decision-making, and high-impact activities. 2. Skill Utilisation: Ensuring theright skills are applied to each job by assigning tasks to team members with relevant experience. 3. Empowerment: Delegation empowers team members, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. It also boosts their confidence and professional growth. 4. Team Development: Leaders who delegate effectively contribute to the development of their team members’ skills and competencies. 5. Improved Productivity: Distributing tasks efficiently leads to increased overall productivity within the organization. Effective delegation is a win-win—it benefits both leaders and their teams. The more you delegate, the more you can focus on the tasks that only you can achieve. Top tip: Identify as many tasks as possible that you do not need to do yourself and identify team members who would benefit from learning those new skills. Then schedule time to teach them what they need to know. Delegating effectively also offers valuable insights into your leadership abilities and personal growth. Here’s what you can learn: 1. Self-awareness: Recognize your own strengths and limitations, understanding which responsibilities align with your expertise and which are better suited to others. 2. Trust and empowerment: Build trust within your team by showing that you believe in their abilities and empowering them to take ownership of tasks. 3. Time management: Free up your time to focus on strategic activities helping you prioritise and allocate your resources more efficiently. 4. Leadership skills: Delegation is a core leadership skill. As you delegate more, you develop your ability to identify the right people for specific tasks and how to guide them effectively. If things don’t go quite as planned, stop and consider: The phrase “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you” is a powerful reminder to look inward before criticizing others. This emphasises self-awareness and personal responsibility. Golden rule – remember there is more than one way to achieve a goal – develop faith and trust! Research indicates that 37% of employees view teamwork as essential, while 27% leave an organisation due to a lack of collaboration. Delegation plays a crucial role in building strong relationships between leaders and team members. When employees feel trusted and empowered through effective delegation, they are more likely to excel in their roles and contribute to the success of the organisation. Effective delegation benefits both you and your team, leading to higher productivity and growth. It isn’t about avoiding tasks—it’s about empowering others and optimizing productivity.

Effective communication is vital for the success of any business. There are a number of factors to bear in mind: 1. Roles Ensure that everyone understands their role and responsibilities and how their efforts contribute to the success of the business as a whole. 2. Communicate your business goals Surprisingly, very few businesses communicate the ‘grand plan’ down the line. Frequently if people on the ‘shop floor’ are asked questions about the direction of the company they may well not be aware of where the business is heading. If they don’t know or understand where the business wants to go, how can they effectively contribute? 3. Set the tone As a leader you set the tone for communication within the organisation. How do you think your team would describe your communication skills? I am frequently asked by coachees as to how to ‘manage’ their line manager! 4. Open communication Your team spend a great proportion of their time and effort in their roles so keep them informed of your future plans, progress made, big wins and challenges, as they are invested in the success of the business too. People thrive on feeling included. 5. Listening skills Active listening is vital for effective communication. As a leader avoid falling into ‘telling’ mode. Instead listen actively to your team members. Hear their feedback, challenges and progress made and ask them for suggestions. 6. Problem solving Encourage team discussion and team resolution. This way you get potential solutions you may not have thought of and more ‘buy in’ from the team as a while. 7. Solutions If asked for a solution to a problem, always ask: “What have you tried so far?” What are your thoughts?” Don’t jump in and ‘fix’. Allow tyour team to demonstrate their knowledge and develop their problem solving skills. 8. Empathy Empathy allows you to put yourself in other people's shoes and to understand your team members perspectives, challenges and emotions. 9. Patience Patience is essential. Make sure you give team members the time and space to express themselves. Do NOT talk over them or cut them short because you are in a hurry. 10. Transparency Be fully transparent with the direction of travel and any challenges on the horizon. Allow your team to ‘lean in’ and play their part. 11. Honest Provide regular company updates as this will help to align employees with your thinking. Always be honest, otherwise what does this say about your company culture? 12. Invite suggestions from everyone Too often business owners say ‘their door is always open’ but is it really? This can be particularly true in family businesses, where the family always end up making the decisions. This can prevent employees from making suggestions if they feel the decision may have already been made. 13. Conflict resolution Too often managers and leaders ignore the mumblings and signs of dispute and secretly hope it will all go away or resolve itself. Nip issues in the bud before they become issues which then become very time consuming to deal with and can cause deep rifts. 14. Win/Win Always seek to find a win/win solution to problems otherwise no one is truly happy, and issues will just arise again down the line. 15. Celebrate and reward wins This makes everyone happy! 16. No judgement or reprisal If you really do welcome suggestions from your team then take a moment and reflect if you, and the senior leadership team, really do welcome suggestions without judgement, and in the case if any type of whistle-blowing without fear of reprisal? 17. Non-verbal communication What does your body language transmit to others? What are you picking up from the body language of your team? Remember the elements of personal communication: 7% spoken word 38% voice, tone 55% body language 18. What isn’t being said As a coach I listen to what is being said, and what is not being said. Allow space in conversations for people to express themselves. 19. Inspirational communication As a leader your words matter. Inspirational communication motivates and aligns the team towards a common vision. Try using or displaying quotes from renowned leaders or authors to emphasise your key messages which will resonate with your team. 20. Flex your communication style As a manager and leader, we need to change our approaches to meet the needs of our teams members, this is also true of communication. Try adapting your style to suit the recipient. Mirror their choice of language eg ‘think’, ‘feel’ and see how much more effective it can be. These are just some of the aspects which you can reflect upon to improve and develop your communication skills. If you would like to explore this subject further: 1. Book a coaching session to work on your style 2. Book a workshop for yourself or your team members

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People buy from those they know, like, and trust. This is generally agreed to be true of today’s consumers. That people buy from people. I’m not just talking about sales to customers here but also leading teams. Gaining employee engagement through good leadership. I started managing staff over 40 years ago and back then there was a distinct separation maintained by managers or business owners from their teams or employees. Consider the working landscape now. Over a relatively short amount of time (even though it may feel longer when you have been in the workplace for 10, 20, 30, 40 years, or more), the workplace has changed significantly. Employee expectations have changed significantly. They expect and demand more from their employers and their working environment. Combine this with the need to demonstrate your brand and culture to differentiate yourself in the marketplace and there is a need to show your personality and character. However, with the colossal (I am tempted to describe it as catastrophic) growth of social media, a lot of personal information is out in the open, which can be detrimental. My questions for you to ponder today are: What does my team need from me as a Leader? Do they need to see a bit more of me as a person? Or am I too close to them? Am I too exposed? Do I over-share? The Johari Window is a framework for understanding conscious and unconscious bias that can help increase self-awareness and our understanding of others. It is the creation of two psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham, with the name being taken from combing their first names. There is lots of information on the web if you want to investigate it in more detail. The basic premise is that trust can be acquired by revealing information about you and learning from feedback. Each person is represented by the four quadrants or windowpanes. Each signifies personal information, feelings, motivation, and whether that information is known or unknown to oneself or others. When I first came across this model, approx. 15 years ago, I was studying for my Level 5 in Leadership & Management and managed five different teams within a large company. It made me reflect on how much my team knew of me as a person and once I considered them as individuals, it led me to open up more which in turn improved our relationships and communication. Since then, it has become part of my reflective practice. Why not take five minutes and have a look for yourself? Please feel free to book a chat if you would like to find out how Executive Coaching can benefit you as a Leader or Manager in your business.

Do you have an action plan for your time management? Whilst I was writing this, I had to stop and reflect on myself. The last thing I want to do is tell anyone how to manage time and be a hypocrite. Time Management is one of my favourite subjects, and I could probably write about a different aspect or technique every day so here is just one thought. Successful time management includes using your intelligence and skills, as well as putting an action plan into play. Action plans are lists of responsibilities that instruct a person “to carry out to achieve an objective.” The list centers on the goals immediately needing achievement on demand. The list or action plan enables you to center your attention on the specific obligations required of you. There are lots of software programs available that help those of us with busy schedules and where time management is a struggle. Larger companies would be wise to invest in this type of software since it is a source for managing time. However, if you own a smaller company, the software programs are often expensive so you might want to resort to some of the software programs that offer similar tools for organizing, such as Microsoft Outlook, to manage your time. Microsoft Outlook has book organizers, address books, and other tools sufficient enough to help smaller businesses manage their business. If you are not using a cloud-based storage platform yet and are still storing files on your computer, be sure to back up your data so nothing is lost. Backups are essential for protecting important documents, and it spares you the headache and heartbreak if your hard drive fails, and your data is lost. Even though many of us use cloud-based systems now, how often do we work on a current draft or project, on our desktops, without thinking about backing up? It may sound obvious but be sure to use a clearly labeled and logical file name that you will remember. So much time can be wasted trying to find a poorly labelled document. My first ever job in the NHS was in the Medical Records team and I spent every day searching the hospital looking for misplaced records! Keep your files tidy and archive regularly so older versions of documents are not used in error. Last week, I saw the consequences of this when a client’s assistant had been using an old version of a contract, with incorrect prices, which resulted in the loss of thousands of pounds in revenue before it was spotted and corrected. Be brave. Delete files you no longer need. Why hang on to something that you will not need again? Wasted documents take up time and space in the sense that if you are searching for a document and continue to stumble on papers you no longer need, it is a waste of time. Your laptop will benefit from a tidy up too as it can help to increase speed and available space if you have a good declutter. Remember saving 10 minutes a day saves you one working week every year! What would you do with that time? If Time Management is an issue for you or one of your team members, then I’ve just created a workshop just for you. Alternatively, why not book a Power Hour to tackle your time bandits, let’s get you sorted TODAY!

The software application PowerPoint has been a revolution in public speaking, particularly in the business world. PowerPoint is easy to use, available with almost every implementation of the Microsoft Office suite and it's reliable. If you can use Microsoft Word, you probably have the skills to put together an effective presentation using PowerPoint. But just like anything else, there is a right way and wrong way to give a talk using PowerPoint as a speaking tool. If you have ever sat in on a presentation where the speaker used PowerPoint unwisely, you know that the tool can become as much of a curse as a blessing to a public speaker. So, it's good to have some guidelines on how to use PowerPoint to help your presentation and not hurt it. Knowing in advance some of the problems that can disturb your talk if you use PowerPoint unwisely can help you in the design of your slides. Avoid too much text It’s a good idea to keep the text short and punchy. Use pictures to convey your message instead. If you put a long paragraph of information up on the screen, you will see people squinting to try to read it all. Even if the section of your talk refers to that text, you put your audience in the position of trying to read that text or listen to you. Either way, part of your message will be lost as they try to keep up. Special effects Special effects like animation, fade or other ways text can be revealed on each slide can be fun but please use them in moderation! Avoid the temptation to get too cute with these effects. It's always nice to have a little humor in your presentation but if your slides are overly “busy or cutesy” it reduces the credibility of your talk. Also, if every slide uses a different special effect, color scheme, or font, not only is that distracting to the audience, it makes you look like you just discovered PowerPoint and had to play with all of the toys it has. Keep the slides consistent with your brand font and colours. Timed progression Another great device that PowerPoint offers is to allow the software to change slides for you on a timed progression. In that way, PowerPoint can change the slide every two minutes allowing you just the amount of time you want between slides. While this is also very slick, it is a dangerous toy to use because it can cause you to stumble while doing your talk. You have to have your talk planned to a high level of precision to carry off that kind of talk and if you pause too much, have a question pop up or have any other disturbance in your script, PowerPoint will move on when you do not. So, use this feature with caution. Face the audience How many times have you seen presenters turn their back on their audience to read a PowerPoint slide to them? This is the number one most common mistake people do when speaking using PowerPoint. Turning your back on your audience is always a bad idea. Make sure you are facing forward when discussing your slides. Check yourself I have seen too many presenters standing in front of key data or blinding themselves with the projector light so always check and plan where you intend to stand or move around. Also, avoid fiddling with coins in your pocket or the gadget to change slides. It is too easy for the audience to tune into your behavior rather than what you are saying. Keep It Simple My preference would always be to keep the slide number to the bare minimum. Use pictures to prompt you for each slide’s point and to engage the interest of your audience but it avoids them trying to ‘read’ the slides. Rehearse the points you want to make for each slide. Check your timings. Keep your special effects and transitions simple to avoid complications. This approach assures that PowerPoint remains a tool that you are using not a tool that is using you. If you would like some support with preparing your presentation, or delivering it, then please get in touch as they are some simple ways to make your presentation land better and to increase your confidence in delivering it.

There is no doubt, times are tough for some businesses now. Some sectors are thriving, but I am still hearing too many tales of people struggling as clients are postponing or cancelling work, tightening their belts and opting for the cheaper option, or trying to tackle themselves. If you are being negatively affected, then take some time and work ON your business - stop and reflect. What can you do to change your mindset and find new revenue streams? MINDSET Firstly, try not to panic. Work through some, or all of the tasks below and YOU WILL FEEL BETTER. Taking positive action leads to positive results. ASSESS YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION Take a good look at your finances. Are your financial worries clouding your judgment or creating paralysis? Start with your Cashflow forecast so you can see where the potential problem times might be. Again, this is something I would encourage every business owner, no matter how large or small, to have and keep up to date. You cannot rely on your accountant to tell you how you are doing as this will all be based on retrospective figures. Nor is it good enough to rely on your bank balance figure only as an indicator of your financial well-being. Have a system to ensure you invoice for work done promptly. Diarise to invoice immediately after the work has been completed or first day/Monday of the month. Can you ask for stage payments? Tackle your credit control. What monies are owed to you? Ring all of your creditors today. Check they have received the invoice in case it has not arrived with the Accounts department. Ask if it is being processed. Remind them that it’s overdue and ask for a specific date when it will be paid. Then follow it up if you don’t receive it when agreed. It is an unfortunate fact of life, that many companies will pay based on “who shouts loudest”. If you are not following up, you may well get pushed to the back of the queue. If you find this difficult, you can create an accounts@ email from your business so you can use that for all your accounts-related activities. Then ‘wear’ that hat when doing your accounts. This will help you feel more removed and professional. Ideally, you would have a system for issuing invoices, reminders, and follow-up dates systemised. If this is still too difficult for you then seek the help of a credit professional. I have lots of contacts if you need an introduction. Can you reduce your terms? I was working with a company recently that had 28-day terms for a service that most customers would expect to pay on collection. When we discussed why they operated like this, it became apparent it was historical with no valid reason. So, we reduced terms for contract clients to 14 days and for other customers, it became cash on collection. This had a massive positive effect on their cash flow and the customers all accepted the change as it was reasonable. Can you renegotiate terms with the companies you work with? Either supplying or purchasing from? Again, this can ease your cash gap worries. RESOURCES Take stock of your assets and consider whether you are utlising all your resources. Do you have skills and services that you could use but have stopped for whatever reason? LEAD GENERATION STRATEGIES What lead generation strategies are you currently using? What have you used in the past that worked but you have stopped for whatever reason? I would recommend having five different strategies you use and allocating time to each eg 20% to each so you are not just focusing on those you find easiest or like more! Are you looking for clients or customers in the right places? Where would your ideal client look for your type of product or service? Are you sticking with the comfortable options? Some of the strategies need to be ‘hunter’ rather than ‘farmer’ so you get a faster response. Not everything can be a long game! Plan your activities but do not spend valuable time on this today if this is a form of procrastination for you. Remember, progress not perfection. MARKET YOURSELF When was the last time you contacted previous customers and clients and reminded them of everything you do? Time flies by and people often only remember the one thing they purchased from you so it’s important to remind clients of your existence and everything you do/offer. Review your marketing materials. Are you portraying the benefits of using YOUR services to your potential customers? What makes you different? Unique? Special? How will you help them overcome their problems? Are you focusing your energies on the right activities? Are you sticking with the safe options? Use testimonials, reviews, and case studies to promote yourself and write blogs or articles to demonstrate your expertise. GET SUPPORT Brainstorm with trusted friends, peers, colleagues, team members, or your Mastermind group. If you haven’t got a Mastermind group, now might be a good time to reach out to other professionals you know and seek support. Identify successful and supportive peers whom you trust, to be honest, and direct with you. Family members and/or partners may not be the best option as they may find it hard, to be honest. Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved. That may not be strictly true but as humans, we generally feel better if we feel heard and understood. Talk to someone today. TAKE ACTION These are only a few of the things you can do, and I have focused on immediate actions you can take today but with some tweaks to your systems, a lot of these problems can be prevented. I guarantee that if you take action today, it will make a difference. If I can help you with any of the tasks above then please get in touch TODAY. Please don’t be stressing alone.

I was at a breakfast networking event last week, and the topic was menopause in the workplace. It raised a lot of valid points about menopause not being treated as an illness but rather a process of life, an ongoing event. This led me to think about how I have been treated as an employee, during major life events and changes during my career, and how I treated my team when they were going through significant life events. Unfortunately, I have come across too many managers and directors who have gone to great lengths to avoid having to address issues with staff, waiting and hoping the issues will pass so they don’t have to take action. I have heard too many people in leadership positions over the years say “I can’t cope with crying women; you’re HR can’t you deal with it?” I am sure any HR professionals reading this will have witnessed this behaviour first-hand as well. It doesn’t matter what the topic of the conversation is, more how you react and handle it. Do you avoid having tough, difficult, or sensitive conversations? If so, I urge you to pause and reflect as to why? Ask yourself, what topics do I try and avoid? And, why? What do I need to address within me to be able to have open dialogues with anyone and everyone about anything?! What does it say to my team about me as a leader? Am I letting them down? Am I creating an open and inclusive culture? Am I sensitive to my team’s needs or relying on them to raise matters with me? If so, how would it feel if I had to go to someone in authority to ask for help to make my working day more bearable? Why bother? You have invested time and money in creating and developing your teams but unless you support them when they need it, they may well leave, and as we all know talent acquisition and developing individuals takes an enormous amount of time and effort, let alone the negative impact and disruption to the affected teams. It’s not just the individual who needs support, that you might be potentially upsetting, but also colleagues who know what is going on and will question, “is this how I will be treated if I need help”? If you want a company culture where staff feel valued, heard, and respected then don’t make them have to ask you for help! By “nipping issues in the bud”, you can prevent issues from escalating and becoming a crisis, or potentially developing into conflict within teams. What can you do? Start, by taking your inventory and addressing your blind spots. Own your part and seek help to be a better leader. Get comfortable with yourself first. Learn how to have conversations and understand if your team really is ok, or just politely replying to you because they are thinking “what’s the point of mentioning …”. Get comfortable and confident having sensitive, tough, awkward, personal, or challenging conversations as soon as you need to, and not postponing or ignoring them. Then you can tackle the obstacles within the company. There are so many simple hacks you can do within a workplace to improve the quality of the working day, and usually with minimal expense but you do have to be open to making change. Addressing your demons in this area could be the single, best thing you can do for your business today! The results will be worth it for your personal development, your personal life, and the changes within your workplace as a result of you really being open, approachable, and empathetic, truly are limitless. Don't forget that as a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure every member of your leadership team is also comfortable talking to their team members.