John Van Dyke’s Post

Meaningful work For many SME's the majority of time is spent working in the business but it is important to find time to work ON your business. One area that is vital to focus on is whether you are creating meaningful work for your employees. Individuals at work want certain things and these include, feeling safe, a sense of belonging, doing work that matters, feeling valued and have the opportunity to grow. We want individuals to be able to bring their whole and real self to work. But what this looks like to each individual is different but it is always carrying out work that allows the individual to feel that they are making a difference and contributing to something larger than themselves. Organisational development can create meaningful work by looking at how to improve the over effectiveness and culture of an organisation. Individuals who are carrying out meaningful work are more productive and effective for an organisation. One of the first steps to creating meaningful work is ensuring that employees and workers have psychological safety. Psychological safety can be a good indicator as to the health or an organisation and what you will see as an output would included, more creativity, no bullying or toxic leadership, low staff turnover and absenteeism, enhance employer reputation and increased productivity and skill development. Areas to examine as part of a systemic approach would be; data, outcomes (rather than outputs) and evaluation. There are many ways to engage and drive change, one includes the 'Change Equation' which highlights the importance of the motivation and momentum for change, and how this is key to outweighing the resistance. So how do you get this started?.......At the top, if your leaders are challenging negative behaviours and emulating positive ones then others will follow. If they can show the potential for psychological safety and meaningful work then that will be the best place to start for changing a culture. If this is something you want to explore more or want help with, then please reach out to the STEP HR team on hr@stepscotland.co.uk For Stirling based businesses we have access to funding to support projects such as these and much more. We look forward to hearing from you. In the words of Richard Beckhard "People do not resist change people resist being changed".

A key to deciding on a business location is knowing how your clients or customers want to visit you.

My most recent article in Entrepreneur Media where I discuss what we have found at Dynasty Financial Partners as benefits of "work from work". Its not a one size fits all approach of course for entrepreneurs and every business is different but I can say for me my career has personally benefitted from being around my teammates over my career, and believe same is true for most of the Dynasty team. For young professionals starting off in the work place I think those first few years can be as much or more about what you "learn" vs what you "earn" and being proximate with mentors, team members, and clients can help speed up professional development. For leaders I find perhaps the most important thing is being clear; as ambiguity or different rules for different people can foster animosity inside your business causing unintended consequences. I hope you find the piece helpful as you think through what is best for you business. Dynasty Connect https://lnkd.in/eKkzFkCX

"If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs." – Tony Gaskins As professionals, we put in our time, energy, and expertise to help businesses thrive. But at the end of the day, who benefits the most? The owners. The security of a job is often an illusion—one corporate restructure or market downturn, and the stability we once thought we had can disappear. The reality is that while we work tirelessly, the real rewards are reaped by someone else. So why not take control? Why not use that same passion and dedication to build something of your own? Something where the fruits of your labor truly reflect your hard work. I believe there is incredible potential when like-minded professionals come together, pooling their skills and experiences. Let’s stop building someone else’s dream and start building our own. If you’re thinking about collaborating, I’d love to explore ideas with you. Let’s turn our collective strengths into something bigger—our own business.

Summer is here – kids are out of school, the weather is getting hot, vacations are planned. But what does it mean for your business, especially if you are in an industry where summer is a slow period? This article from Entrepreneur Magazine offers useful insights on how to use the slow period to get your business ready for the busy season ahead! Whether you take the time to get organized, train your team, evaluate your strategy or rest up for the busy season, learn how to make the most of this opportunity to prepare for the future.

Investing in your team Is how you retain them. You're trying to run a successful real estate office, But if your staff keep leaving as quickly as they do, Your business will never get any bigger. In my experience, the best way to retain staff is to consistently invest in them. That can mean a few things for your team and work environment Like helping them build on their skills, rather than just dumping more tasks on them And taking necessary steps to make the office a comfortable and safe space, Allowing your people to work to the best of their abilities. When your staff feel empowered to lean into their strengths through their work, And they know you'll be there to support them where they need it, You'll have a much easier time keeping them and their valuable skills by your side!

You can’t build a business if you don’t give your team a chance to do their job. But a lot of businesses, (especially in the early stages) don’t focus on implementing what Harvard calls ‘license’ to make their own decisions. Which is simply giving your team the ability to go out & do things. ↳ To be able to take initiative themselves. Here’s 3 ways I’d recommend for businesses to start building ‘license’ ⤵️ 1/ Let go a little. - I know, I know. It’s hard to hand over control. - But give your team space to make decisions. - You’ll be surprised at how capable they are. 2/ Encourage problem-solving. Instead of always providing the answers… ↳ Let them figure things out 🤷🏻♂️ Sure, they might make mistakes (who doesn’t?). ↳ But that’s how they grow. 3/ Actually trust them. - Might sound obvious, but it’s so damn important. - And absolutely NO ONE wants to be micromanaged. - So if you hire great people, trust them to make decisions. Building ‘license’ does take time. But it’s the best way to build up a strong team. P.S. What would you add as No.4?

There’s more to business than just running a smooth operation.   What I’ve enjoyed most throughout my work is the community. Building alone is challenging, but what re-energizes me is knowing there’s people who support my journey. And that’s how I view operations, it’s lonely in the beginning, but turns towards building together. Founders tend to put their head down and build forward. There’s an immense sense of enjoyment seeing your creativity turn into innovation. But that sense of joy can become overwhelming and consume so much energy. The pressure of building your company can seem isolating, even though, you’re in a room of people. It doesn’t have to become that way. Don’t conform to what conventional teaching programs us to believe. You don’t have all the answers and you shouldn’t strive to have all the answers. The reality is you’re wearing multiple hats out of necessity in the beginning. You’re charting a new path and can’t see all the angles in the moment and your people know this. Much like you, they’re throwing so much of themselves into the process and getting by. They see their leader down in the trenches and do the same. And that does build compounding momentum, but the time comes when it’s not enough to stay ahead. That sense of the endless race turns into burn out for you and your team. Separate each of you gets things done by sacrificing tomorrow’s gains for today’s fires. You want to build the business, but constantly need to manage it. That’s where community takes center stage. Community in operations means each person owns their seat by removing all the hats. This goes for the founder too. The chaos produces so much noise. Yet, the one thing it makes clear is that everyone learns how they contribute maximum impact. It’s about identifying the foundational processes that creates value inside your business. Locking that into place communicates to the outside world “this is how we deliver results for you!”. Internally, it captures how you perceive and understand your company. When your people see their place inside your understanding you’ve just created buy-in. Why? It signals that you’re ready to take your operation to the next level with a systematic approach. No more chasing what’s in front of you. It’s now about building on the foundation built by your people and led by your vision. Operations is community. It embodies what everyone contributes on your combined terms and not driven by necessity to keep up. Build, learn, co-create ops, lock in structure, and unlock sustainable growth.   What do you find the greatest challenge for scaling your operations? Follow me, Humberto Garcia(🔔), one rep at time every week (aiming for 3😁) I lean into your operations with actionable tips and growth strategies.

Seeking to supercharge your TEAM DYNAMICS and PRODUCTIVITY? Check out the blog post, "5 Creative Team-Building Strategies for Your Business." Whether you're a budding startup, a small business, or a seasoned corporation, fostering a robust team spirit is paramount for success. Discover innovative approaches that inject fresh energy into your team and amplify collaboration. These strategies are crafted to inspire, motivate, and unite your team toward shared objectives. Read our blog post now and unleash the full potential of your team. https://bit.ly/3UcUGdH #TeamBuilding #Productivity

Who is The Flexible Path not right for? Anyone who believes that the office should be the centre of the work. The office is a tool, just like technology. If you are heavily invested in commercial real estate - either as an investor or an employee in the real estate field - and your goal is to figure out how to make your RTO mandate successful, this community is not for you. Anyone who is looking for a quick fix. Shifting mindsets and worldviews takes time. So does developing new skills like learning how to negotiate and influence. Anyone unwilling to dedicate time to doing the work. There is no magic wand that will get you the perfect amount of flexibility. There is no one right answer. There is no set solution - only the one that you craft and negotiate for yourself. No one else knows what you want and can negotiate it for you. You are accountable. Community supports and guides but you have to show up. Who is the ideal member for The Flexible Path? Someone who is optimistic about workplace flexibility and believes they can advocate for the changes they want to see in the world…if only they felt supported. Someone who has an open mind and understands that learning new skills is the best for of self-advocacy there is. Someone who is willing to challenge the status quo and stand up for the possible futures they envision for their work, their life and their family. Someone who shares generously and is willing to engage with others and trust the process. Community is a collaborative creation to achieve results and transformation. Someone who is comfortable with ambiguity and uncommon practices like imagination training and future simulations.