Recharge On Air With Alan Hargreaves

Common sense and scientific research make it clear people are more productive when they feel good. What can leaders do to make people feel better?

Managers often encounter challenging times when it all seems too complicated. Try taking an imaginary helicopter ride. Climb out of the crowded view inside your head and take in the entire landscape. It can be calming and insightful.

The hybrid business model can appear confronting, yet it opens the door to a more agile operating style. Rather than a hindrance, see it as an opportunity to build flexibility, boost productivity and cope with a rapidly changing landscape.

Difficult as it has been, the pandemic introduced a level of urgency that accelerated change. It has reminded us of the importance of taking action. Try keeping your foot on the gas. There is still plenty to do.

Strategies which embrace stakeholder interests have often been seen as an enemy of shareholders value. That might be changing as the pandemic forces faster innovation in work practices and business tactics.

The share prices of stocks like FB, Apple, Amazon, Netflix or Google trade at prices way above traditional values. Even if this is not a sustainable phenomenon, their performance dramatically emphasises the power of focusing on long term value versus short term profitability.

The surge in online connection and virtual workspaces will not go away when Covid does. What's good about that? What are the problems? What can we do about them?

The Covid crisis has supercharged changes that were already underway. The pandemic may end, but things will be different on the other side. What are you going to do about it?

Recessions present challenges and opportunities. Use the urgency to create change; take advantage of the uneven impact; return financial management to front and centre.

Few leaders have stepped up as ideal role models in the coronavirus crisis. What can we learn from their failures?

Terminating an employee can be confronting. How to do it properly.

Commercial principles don’t change with time, place or technology. Business is still about supply, demand and customer connection.

When dealing with difficult individuals, stick to the commercial facts. If you want to find a solution, focus less on the person and more on your management responsibilities.

Worried about maintaining business momentum? To keep moving, start by asking yourself three simple questions.

For real progress, building on a strength beats fixing a weakness. Find out what you are good at and do more of it.

No recession does not mean no tough times. Regardless of the economic outlook, carry out a regular health check if you want to maintain resilience and growth.

The life cycle of any business means means different strategies for incumbents and start-ups. Although there's an array of tactical options, there is no guarantee that any will be successful.

Outsourcing is often the best way to manage parts of your business. Sometimes it's the best way to manage most of it.

Confidence is a great strength but it works best when it embraces uncertainty. Rather than deny risk, the most effective advice — to colleagues or customers — accommodates the chance of error and manages it.

Simple rules underwrite a successful business. Drill down into basic commercial principles to find solutions.