Telstra has released the results of their Productivity Indicator – and I found the results fascinating*.
The two key highlights are:
1. Improving productivity is a top priority for 76% of large Australian Organisations. Second only to improving the customer experience and level with increasing revenue (as rated by 350 Australian Leaders).
2. There is a major gap (i.e. 52%) between the management expectations of productivity improvements and what they actually achieve.
According to this research there are some organisations that perform better than others and these are more likely to have invested in:
– Customer Communications
– Process Improvements &
– Communication Technology.
This makes perfect sense.
But what about in addition to these actions investing in improving the productivity of collaborating, problem-solving and decision making?
In particular, the productivity of each and every group or team.
More and more work is done in groups and teams.
So it makes sense that if we could improve the engagement, creativity and productivity of our teams and groups we will be able to greatly improve the performance of an organisation.
Yet focussing specifically on groups and teams has been a major gap for most leaders.
They have invested time and effort in trying to develop greater team-work but what about the tools that groups use?
The two major tools used by groups and teams are brainstorming and meetings which are slow, sap the energy from people and often are ineffective.
In a time-poor, fast-moving world these tools seem out of date.
We need a 3rd alternative.
It is for this reason that we are so excited about our new tool called Ideas Blitz.
In our Blitz surveys we have noticed improvements in such team or group productivity measures as:
– time efficiency
– quicker in making decisions and
– a reduction in analysis-paralysis
An Ideas Blitz in Summary:
– a quick, short session (i.e. 2- 20 minutes or less)
– focus on one problem or issue
– involving 6 people or less
– using a semi-structured, 5 step process
– can be called by anyone, at any time or any challenge (they become the Blitz leader).
Blitz has become even more accessible with Blitz Mobile app.
Improving the productivity of teams requires new tools, creativity and engagement.
As Neville Power, The CEO of Fortescue Metals said:
‘We think the most important factor for productivity is an innovative and energised workforce where everyone is encouraged to put forward their ideas to improve efficiency.’
*http://www.telstraenterprise.com/researchinsights/Pages/TelstraProductivityIndicator.aspx
So if leaders want to improve the productivity of teams then they will need new thinking and tools.
Ideas Blitz is one such tool.