Covid-19 and Monty Hall’s goats – why we are making the wrong decisions everywhere
By Jon Harris In standard27th June, 2020
Most countries’ and communities’ Covid-19 policies are wrong. A classic historical description of a particular cognitive bias, the so-called “Monty Hall” problem, shows why. Monty Hall was a US game show host in the 1960’s and 70’s. In Behavioural Safety training, we often speak about a favourite game on his show “Let’s Make A Deal”,
2019 General Election – tactical voting suggestions
By Jon Harris In standard24th November, 2019
2019_election_marginals_tactical_voting_plan We’ve quickly prepared this list of marginal constituencies with suggestions of how to vote tactically to prevent a Conservative majority in the next parliament (because we don’t want one).
Friends Indeed
By Jon Harris In standard14th July, 2017
Friends Indeed Every manager needs to grasp the difference between the separate concepts of ‘being friends’ and ‘being friendly’. It’s rather hard to manage your friends, but it’s rather hard *not* to manage using a friendly manner. So where’s the line? How do you know what to talk about, and in what manner; so
Loving your Staff
By Jon Harris In standard15th November, 2016
Loving your Staff Since America decided to jump off a cliff, I’ve been thinking about Love. I think Philip Larkin was right: “What will survive of us is Love”. I’ve written, and often speak, about how a sense of ‘liking’ your staff makes the management and leadership conversation easier. Sometimes I hear objections to
3 Customer Service Sins in Just 10 Words
By Jon Harris In standard25th August, 2016
3 Customer Service Sins in Just 10 Words I was waiting to get served in the pub yesterday evening – hot day, nice garden, busy bar – and the customer next to me, whose turn it was, asked the bar staff member if she could order some food. She was asked which table number
Geoid – Planet Earth and the difference between Management and Leadership
By Jon Harris In standard29th February, 2016
I was recently working with a group of managers at a large manufacturer when a great example of the difference between management and leadership came up. We were working on an important conversation that needed to happen amongst team members. The manager responsible for that area kept looking at the clock, acutely aware of
Beansprout Vindaloo
By Jon Harris In standard18th January, 2016
Beansprout Vindaloo – understanding the Thomas-Kilmann conflict model The Thomas-Kilmann conflict model is a wonderfully useful tool to help businesses and groups think about how different individuals tend to approach conflict in different ways. However the five terms used in the model, to describe the different approaches to conflict, can be hard for
Don’t Talk Turkey
By Jon Harris In standard6th January, 2016
Don’t Talk Turkey It’s been widely reported today that a new app called “Just Not Sorry” has been launched in the US. It is targeted at women in business and aims to assist them in writing, primarily by avoiding any drain on their sense of authority which, the app’s developers contend, is caused by
Three Reasons for “I Won’t” and What to Do About Them
By Jon Harris In standard23rd March, 2015
Q. What should you do, being a manager, when Charlie tells you or makes you feel that he doesn’t want to do what you’ve asked? A. First, satisfy yourself that he can do it, that he has the skill and capability. If not, address that with practical help, training and support. But if that’s not
Why Hazel from “Watership Down” is such a brilliant leader
By Jon Harris In standard9th January, 2015
A fun tradition has recently been repeated in my household for, probably (alas) the last time – I’ve finished reading WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams to my youngest daughter. This epic tale of a band of voyaging rabbits is coloured with hundreds of animal characters, many of them brilliantly drawn with verbal quirks and ticks