3D Juggling 511: Underemployment

Claire writes: I had one of our cups of coffee last week with someone who works for a public sector organisation which has already made its first round of redundancies.  Those people who are left are expected to deliver the same service with less resource.  Does that sound familiar?

It may well be that their work can be done differently and more effectively with less people.  But only if they have time to stop and think.  James Watson, an American scientist, said: “It is necessary to be somewhat underemployed if you want to do something significant”.  Creativity comes when our minds are not fully or over occupied.  What can you do to create just enough underemployent in your week? Think about it...


© 2011 3D Coaching Ltd
May be distributed freely.  Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com


When we are working with executives and executive teams we often become aware of ‘tension’ between executive directors (EDs) and non executive directors (NEDS).  Typically EDs value the external experience, expertise and challenge that NEDs bring whilst experiencing frustration about how this is offered (‘they don’t understand our constraints...’), and NEDs value the experience, expertise and commitment of EDs whilst experiencing frustration at their assumptions about what’s possible (and often, in the public sector, an apparent lack of accountability).  We’re thinking about how NEDs establish authority and relate to EDs, and about how EDs can help them to challenge appropriately. We’d love to hear about your experiences.

Click here for a factsheet from the Institute of Directors about the role of a NED

3D Juggling 442: Integrity

Jane writes: 'What do you do if you experience a mismatch between what your organisation says is important, and what it demonstrates is important through its actions? This is a challenge faced by Non-Executive Directors (Neds), whose role is to provide an independent view of the company that is removed from the day-to-day running of the organisation. Their intention should be to help the Executive Directors to see what can be seen by others and to use new insights to review the daily operation and performance of their organisation. What can we learn from research into the role of Neds?The Higgs Review in 2003 highlighted that effective Neds question intelligently, debate constructively, challenge rigourously and listen sensitively.

Virginia Bottomley (former Conservative minister, now a headhunter for an executive search firm) states that ‘the trick is knowing how to challenge without being seen as a member of the awkward squad’. Neds can be held accountable for not challenging the decisions, directions, plans and appointments of the executive group. What are you held accountable for? How do you help yourself and others to challenge with integrity, demonstrating your intention of achieving improvements?

3D Coaching can help you to have powerful and transformational conversations, email us info@3dcoaching.com

Love this? Do us a favour and send it to five people. Who thinks like you? You could send it to someone who is struggling with a non-exec role.Discuss this week's juggling at http://www.3dcoaching.blogspot.com/

© 2009 3D Coaching Ltd May be distributed freely. Please retain contact details: www.3dcoaching.com and send a copy/ link to info@3dcoaching.com