A Job Done Well - Making Work Better

Twelve Insights for Christmas

• Jimmy Barber, James Lawther and Amanda Gilbert • Season 2 • Episode 16

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We end the year with our version of the 12 Days of Christmas – a light-hearted look at some seasonal insights to help you over the festive period and into 2025.
 
Amanda Gilbert our Learning and Development Guru attempts to keep us in order as we cobble together insights on habits, collaboration and how to behave at Christmas Do's.
 
Thank you to everyone for listening, sharing, following, and supporting the podcast this year. We hope you all have an amazing festive period and a great 2025. If you're lucky, Santa won't be taking advice from James this year – when you've listened in, you'll know why! We hope to see you all for our next episode on January 7th.
 
If you want to help others less fortunate than yourself this time of year, Olio - Your Local Sharing App is a great place to start. 

Hello, I'm James. Hi, I'm Jimmy and welcome to A Job Done Well, the podcast that helps you improve your performance enjoyment at work.

Jimmy:

Good afternoon, James.

James:

afternoon. How you doing?

Jimmy:

I'm doing well. How are you?

James:

I'm doing very well. Thank you very much. I have finished my Christmas shopping today. I have bought, I have bought Mrs. Lauder her Christmas presents. I'm all sorted and ready to go.

Jimmy:

Well, let's hope your Christmas presents work a little bit better than last

James:

What did I get last year? I can't remember.

Jimmy:

Well, last year you bought her a cooking

James:

Yeah, I know that worked quite well. I've

Jimmy:

No, it worked well,

James:

very

Jimmy:

on the podcast, you talked about her one strength in life that I fancy that it worked

James:

well. I've bought, she's now got two strengths I've discovered. So I've bought her and I can say this Yeah, she's got two strengths. I've bought her knowing that she's going to be delighted with it and also knowing that there's no chance she's going to listen to this podcast I bought her a hosepipe.

Jimmy:

Okay. And what are you going to do with your wife and the hose pipe,

James:

Water the garden.

Jimmy:

ask?

James:

the garden.

amanda:

Obviously.

James:

It's what every woman needs. She's a very lucky girl.

amanda:

Oh,

James:

Not any old hose pipe. It's an Amazon, uh, Best Buy. It's like one of those retractable ones on a spring, you know, cell phone. Self winding up is, you know, I'm a very generous man. She's very

Jimmy:

like you say, James, as you believe she is a lucky woman. At least one person in the world believes that. So well done. and obviously, for those of you who are listening carefully, we have been joined by Amanda. Welcome

amanda:

Thank you. Hi. Nice to see you both.

James:

bet you're not getting a hosepipe for Christmas, are you?

amanda:

I really sincerely hope not, James, to be honest. No matter

Jimmy:

trouble ahead. If, if, if that's what you open on Christmas day, I'm quite confident.

James:

I nearly bought a shopping trolley.

amanda:

One of those basket

Jimmy:

No,

James:

no, no. one that you can get when you Because, I've got one of those ones which goes up steps. You know, they've got fancy three wheels. It's very technical. I was quite taken by that, but I

amanda:

Who are you really shopping for?

Jimmy:

I'm, I'm so glad James, we don't do Christmas presents, mate. Jesus Christ. Anyhow, Amanda, welcome our resident learning and development guru who has joined our Christmas episode. To, help keep us in check and add value as

amanda:

Well, thank you. I'm very

Jimmy:

go through what we are in tightening at the moment, the 12 insights of Christmas,

amanda:

You promised me that you weren't going to sing.

Jimmy:

that's Yes, that was, that was the prerequisite for you coming on to the

amanda:

was.

Jimmy:

No, no singing, but we have got 12 insights to share with the audience, that we think are useful in life at this time of year and into 2025 as well. Hopefully. So we don't really need to talk what we've been up to because it's all about Christmas shopping and James is like, He's, he's

James:

are you not?

Jimmy:

and engaged

James:

Well, the thing is, the

Jimmy:

none of us can follow that.

James:

is, yeah, anything that you buy your partners after I've said that, you're just going to look tight, aren't you?

amanda:

Or imaginative, creative, innovative, thoughtful.

Jimmy:

there is a, there's a face, there's a very, very well known Facebook group called, um, uh, is it dull old men or something like that? I

James:

I'll have to look it up.

Jimmy:

honestly,

James:

I'll put it right in.

Jimmy:

member of that. You should, you should check it out. James is right up your street. Anyhow, should we start with, our 12 insights of Christmas?

James:

on then.

Jimmy:

We're not going to sing on the first day of Christmas. My true love gave to me one clear purpose.

amanda:

everyone needs one of those. No, seriously.

Jimmy:

that everyone should have for Christmas. A clear purpose to give you focus. And meaning to your work.

amanda:

It is true. mean, you've talked about It a lot in your, throughout the podcast. I feel like that's been a theme that both of you have focused on or lots of the problems that you are helping people to wrestle with come back to actually just how clear are you and the line and how well have you communicated what it is your business is trying to do. So

James:

Yeah, but it doesn't need to be any old purpose.

amanda:

Okay,

James:

Alright? Most organizations just focused on money. And it's a bit like Christmas presents. You need to give some people something that they want.

amanda:

like a

James:

Like hose pipe.

Jimmy:

Yes.

James:

of money doesn't do it. So it's something your customers want.

amanda:

Something I really want. Okay, got it.

Jimmy:

Right.

James:

I wonder if you can edit that so it sounds good. Do

Jimmy:

we've done 51 episodes sounding vaguely coherent, intelligent.

James:

Yeah, and this is where it slips apart. Right then, so on the second day of Christmas, then, what's your, what's your insight for the second

Jimmy:

On the second day of Christmas,

James:

My true love, give to me.

Jimmy:

hopes. Two hopes of being successful if you rely on performance management and targets,

James:

those two hopes are?

Jimmy:

none and Bob,

James:

That, that, you're presupposing, you're presupposing that people who listen to this know who Bob Hope is.

Jimmy:

I know. And that's the thing that, that, that probably doesn't work because anyone under the age of, you know,

James:

52, yeah.

Jimmy:

won't know who Bob Hope was, but there you go,

amanda:

But essentially, I think what you're trying to communicate is no hope, right?

Jimmy:

no hope, absolutely. And James can do his 28 second rant about performance

James:

Now, my lips are sealed.

Jimmy:

But yes, if you're going into 2025 thinking that those two things will hope will help you be successful,

James:

are wrong. Pop Hope, coming to see you. All right, so that's number two. Number three, then. What have we got for number three?

Jimmy:

Number three, we've got three bits of advice for the Christmas period and work.

James:

Go on, then. So give us the first one.

Jimmy:

First one, don't shit on your own doorstep.

James:

nice, that is. That's classy. What exactly do you mean by that?

Jimmy:

this time of year. With lots of alcohol and lots of other things going on around the place to misbehave over this festive period. And you have to remember the people you embarrass yourself in front of. You will be working with on the 5th of January or something, and you will regret your Christmas behavior. If you're not careful,

James:

right, number one.

amanda:

Sound.

Jimmy:

second,

James:

two.

Jimmy:

if you are the boss at the Christmas do please leave early. Get around, talk to everyone whilst they're still sober

James:

your wallet behind the bar.

Jimmy:

get out early before someone

James:

shitting on his doorstep.

Jimmy:

Even if, what, yeah, even if it isn't you, someone else will be shitting on their own doorstep by talking badly to you and they will be embarrassed. Save them that embarrassment, get out early.

James:

can I go for number three then? Because I think number

Jimmy:

only because it's your pet favourite thing and we disagree

James:

whatever else you do for Christmas, do not have a fuddle.

amanda:

You're the Fuddle Grinch.

James:

It's a culinary disaster. You should not be having a fuddle. There is only so many pork pies and stews. Uh sausage rolls and crisps you can eat in one go and the fuddle is not the way forward. So no

Jimmy:

Can I just explain two things here, right. First off, I think we should explain what a fuddle is because coming from down south, I had not heard of a fuddle till I moved up north. It is not something that people either down south or our global listeners will even have a clue what we're talking

James:

there's no point in explaining to'em'cause they're getting away with it. You have no

Jimmy:

Well, they are, they are obviously dodging a bullet according to you, but a fuddle is where every person in the team brings a little bit of food together and you have effectively a buffet that the team has, you know, has prepared. And you will often have, as James says, things like pork pies and crisps and sandwiches. And my personal favorite. Is the foil hedgehog with cocktail sticks with cheese and pineapple

amanda:

You might be showing your age. I'm not

Jimmy:

still think that is retro. It's retro.

James:

Yeah. Well that, no,

Jimmy:

What's your view? What's your view, Amanda? Huddles yes or

amanda:

I'm

James:

it's not a huddle. It's a fuddle.

amanda:

That's a fuddle. That's a fuddle.

Jimmy:

Sorry. Huddles. Huddles we're a yes. Fuddles? I don't know. Amazing what one, one letter can make to a meaning of a sentence.

amanda:

I'm okay with Fuddles. I think, James, you probably haven't been to ones that have been incredibly well managed. The best version, I think, is it's a great idea to bring a team together. Everyone contributes something. Avoid the mistake of, you know, multiple bowls of crisps by just getting everyone to fill out a beautiful checklist beforehand to say what they're going to bring and what they're not going to bring. And, of course, remember to be inclusive. So, make sure there's some vegan options, etc.

James:

Uh, yeah.

amanda:

everyone's part of the fuddle

James:

sausage rolls. You're really selling it to me.

Jimmy:

You seen, have you seen that advert? I can't remember if it's Iceland or one of those shops. And it says, we cater for all your, all event charities at Christmas. We've got this, we've got this and that. And if vegans turn up, we've got this as well. It's like outside people. And that's advert on TV. Anyhow, James, if he colored his skin green, he would be the

amanda:

the Grinch. You would. Cater for everyone. Yeah, be thoughtful about it. Thoughtful about

Jimmy:

number, number four, James.

James:

uh, number four. Four quarterly budget cycle. I'm

Jimmy:

And what

amanda:

What about it?

Jimmy:

budgeting?

James:

Well, it's just pointless'cause it invariably gets linked to the, the T words target.

Jimmy:

Yes,

James:

to work for an organization where they used to have, I remember it vividly, probably this time of year, quarter five. And what quarter five was, was everybody running around like mad headless chickens, trying to get the volumes up for the end of the year, so that they hit their targets. Which meant of course that come January, they were absolutely screwed all over.

Jimmy:

I always did feel a bit of a way of a supposedly highly analytical company thinking there were five quarters in a hole, but let's, you know, get

James:

it's not, it wasn't just them though. I was talking to somebody the other day and, who interestingly, who, who had read my book. So there's another four, four days left before you can buy my book and on Amazon and, you know,

Jimmy:

free before

James:

Absolutely. That's the book. Um, what he

Jimmy:

that is a stocking filler that everyone wants.

James:

I bought Mrs. Law the one to go with the hose pipe. Um,

Jimmy:

Did you sign

James:

did I say, I should have done really, shouldn't I? they used to have, quarterly targets and it was, it was a computer manufacturer And he said what they had all these sane blokes what they were doing was they were every end of the quarter They basically bang computers into boxes Send them to their own customers on the express understanding that they'll then be able to invoice the customer and the customer would send them back as reach returns and then they take them off the books later on So you've got all these same people just shipping computers around the the country just nuts. So they get costly targets pointless

Jimmy:

Quarterly targets and also quarterly budgeting cycles and targets often drive short term thinking, and that doesn't always work out well for

James:

Well, by definition, hang on, talk about analytical, short term thinking, no more than three months. Do you see what I did there?

Jimmy:

there you

James:

I'm brilliant.

Jimmy:

Anyhow,

James:

We're moving on to number five.

Jimmy:

don't think we're completely financially naive though, because managing the finances of any company is absolutely vital. It is the suboptimal way quarterly budgeting cycles are applied in lots of organizations.

James:

Did you know, actually, just sticking with that, did you know Warren Buffett, who is one of the richest men in the world, he doesn't have a budget in his organisation?

amanda:

Really?

James:

Yeah? Because he said it just drives a load of stupid behaviour.

Jimmy:

there you go. It's good enough for Warren.

James:

good enough for me. Right, number five. And

Jimmy:

Five. On average, we will all consume 5, 000 calories on Christmas

amanda:

Oh, my goodness. You are kidding me. Really?

Jimmy:

Oh, yeah. 5, 000 calories.

amanda:

That probably explains a lot.

James:

is, what is the learning point there?

Jimmy:

the insight here is, Christmas can be, a time of excess. It can be a time where families get together and there can be lots of stress. There's the stress of buying presents. There's the stress of families or, you know, stress of not being able to go out. There's all sorts of stress. And I think, you know, the learning point from this is just just, just give yourself a bit of time, be thoughtful about yourself, be kind to yourself over Christmas because it can be a very stressful

James:

Layoff Equality Streets,

Jimmy:

perhaps.

James:

I've got another one for 5 actually, I was thinking about it.

Jimmy:

Yeah, Conor.

James:

5 Explorations. For those who have listened to our podcast, don't look so blank. You were there. Those are the five explorations of whole intelligence. Storm Ray, remember that?

Jimmy:

Dawn Ray.

James:

So, um, there's something to go back and listen to,

Jimmy:

On the sixth day of Christmas that might well, not certainly

James:

true love. dead to me. Yeah.

Jimmy:

James is true. Love gave to him. Six Sigma.

James:

Yeah. I don't know why we chose this one, right? I think i've been i've been short changed here So six sigma I am I am for my sins a six sigma black belt I can tell you that knocks them dead when I total tell them that when i'm in the pub, but Six sigma the thing about six sigma is everybody says It doesn't work. But it's not just Six Sigma. Everybody says it doesn't work. They, they'll talk about Lean and they'll say, Oh, it doesn't work here. And then systems thinking and Agile. And ultimately they'll say it doesn't work here. So you've got all these, programs and activities and tools and things which are going on. So I've got two words of wisdom on these, programs that

Jimmy:

Go on then.

James:

write. So the first one is, You know, pick your tool. So these things do work but only if you apply them to the right type of problem. So know what your problem is and, and use the, the right approach to it. It's a bit like me telling you a hammer doesn't work, right? These two things, they do work but just don't roll them out indiscriminately. And the second one is, here's a thought for you, if it doesn't work in your organization and none of these things have worked in your organization but they have worked in other people's organizations, you've got to ask yourself, what is it that doesn't work? The tool or the organization? Anyway, there you go. That's my deep thought for you about Six Sigma.

Jimmy:

Amanda, can you just note the professionalism that I am showing when James talks about his tool and picking his tool, and if your tool doesn't work,

amanda:

you've resisted. Except you haven't really, have you?

James:

Yeah, I've read it all.

Jimmy:

not, I couldn't help it. I couldn't help it, but good advice, James, pick your

James:

Pick your tool.

amanda:

right All for the job.

James:

The right, yeah, exactly.

Jimmy:

And actually the reality is the principles behind all of the things that you talked about make sense and you know, the, the desire for all of these things to improve how you work and how you run your business is a sensible principle.

James:

Right then, on that preachy point, number seven. Oh

Jimmy:

seven habits of highly effective

James:

yeah, can you remember them?

amanda:

Jimmy and I are big fans of this. So

James:

then Amanda, give us the seven habits.

Jimmy:

Little bit like the five government missions. Can we name the seven habits?

amanda:

I think we probably can between us. Can we? So be proactive.

Jimmy:

Yeah,

amanda:

Begin with the end in mind.

James:

win win. I've

amanda:

Things first. Do I need to remind you what these are all about, Jan?

James:

in. No, you're all right.

Jimmy:

there, is there sharpening your saw or am I

amanda:

Habit

James:

Which I'd like to point

Jimmy:

Woohoo!

James:

is a type of tool.

amanda:

Yes it is. And it's also about keeping in balance all the facets of your life. Spiritual, emotional, health, environmental. Yes. What have we got? Any others you can think of?

Jimmy:

No,

James:

How many did we get? Five. I think if I could apply five. habits of highly effective people, that makes me pretty good.

amanda:

It also explains a lot about you. Think win win. we haven't got that. Think win win. So this is how you find a solution that meets everyone's needs. Seek first to understand before you're being understood. So that's about listening actively and communicating, understanding someone's point of view. And then one of my favourites, which is synergise. That's about working

Jimmy:

American. That's American James. If you

James:

That's an American

Jimmy:

our American audience at

James:

It's all right.

amanda:

Joking apart though, I'm a massive fan of Seven Habits. It's just such brilliant language if you introduce it to your organization. about, you know, helping everyone to kind of understand that, connection between them and the power of their collective contribution. and it works really well in your personal life too. So maybe start at the beginning of the year, maybe we should do a new year podcast, but by exploring the seven habits and setting some goals. Oh, no, not goals. you don't like your targets, do you?

Jimmy:

a, no, but that's a, that's a great episode to, to, for 2025

James:

I've got a bit more on habits. I have to think about habits. you are, your habits, there's a thought for you. So you are your collection of habits. Okay. But what does that mean? Uh if for an organization and this is why I think continuous improvement is This is deep. I'm good, right? This is why I think continuous improvement is so good because If an organization is constantly getting better and it's in its habits to do that Then an organization will improve whereas just rolling out a big project and thinking that's going to work. That's not a habit So you are your habits. There you think of that?

Jimmy:

good one. Well, whilst we're bollocking on about habits. Another good book to, read is Atomic Habits by James Clear. That is another fantastic book. One of the bits of advice from that book, which work actually works incredibly well, is if you want to build a habit, attach it to a habit you've already got. Now, I, I know this is a silly one, but I had to, stretch my ankle after an injury every evening, and I could never remember to do it before bed. So what I did is every time I brushed my teeth. I'll stretch my ankle and actually it worked brilliantly and I'd never forget to stretch my ankle because I'd attached it to the habit that I already had, which was brushing my teeth every night before I go to bed, so it's called habit stacking apparently,

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Jimmy:

eight is the eight ball in pool and, it's a saying, which again, is probably a bit American, but behind the eight ball means that

amanda:

one.

Jimmy:

under bit under bit of pressure, under stress in the firing line. So, Amanda, what's your solution? What do you do when you're, you're behind the eight ball?

amanda:

Well, first of all, thank you for giving a label to that and a term. Wow, what do I tend to do? It kind of depends, but one of the things that I, I really helps me and I, is advice I'd share with anyone is go outside. So if you possibly can, you're feeling a bit under pressure and this works at home and it works, at work, especially. If you can, Take a step back. Ideally, get outside. Even better if you can be in nature and look at trees and what have you. But just kind of connect to something else first. And then what that helps me to do is to find kind of a new set of eyes, to put to the problem or whatever it was that was creating that kind of pressurized environment. It's about deliberately and intentionally taking that pause, taking a step back. And if you can, get outside and focus on something else for a bit. Works every time.

James:

Take that and we can link that back to previous episodes. Rachel Edmondson Clark, did this, episode on, emotions and moods and she was all about, yeah, taking yourself outside. So break it. Do you know what I do? Um, do you know what I do when I'm behind the eight ball? I jump, I jump the shark.

amanda:

You do what?

Jimmy:

James found this saying when we did an episode, which you can also go back and listen to about corporate jargon, James found the saying, jump the shark. And actually Jones, I've heard it a few times since in fairness.

amanda:

I have never heard It Do I need to go back and listen, or are you going to help me translate that?

James:

Jumping

amanda:

I stay away?

James:

when you do something just because you can do Oh right, so it's, you did ask, it's Was the Fonz, do you remember the Fonz? It was apparently Henry Winkler who played the Fonz, was a very good water skier.

amanda:

All right.

James:

And so, because he could water ski, they had this whole episode where he took a bet and jumped a shark on his water skis. Which got nothing to do with Happy Days or Henry Winkler or the Fonz or anything, they just did it because they could. So there you go, jumping the shark is doing something because you can, not because you should.

amanda:

Okay.

Jimmy:

just to round up on eight, my one solution that I'll share is, and I share this often with my kids. If you're behind the eight morning, feeling stressed, some deep breaths. Amazing. We all, every day we breathe and, but we are not, really. unleashing the power of controlling your breath and managing your breathing, because we do it subconsciously, right? but you, if you take three really deep breaths, hold them, let them out, three in a row, it immediately starts to lower the body's stress levels. Sorry, that's my on for behind

James:

So is that why you say to me, would you just stop breathing?

Jimmy:

No, that's a whole different reason. James,, number nine. and another new fact for us, on the ninth day of Christmas, nine is the Norse symbol for completeness. So

James:

Why is the 9 the Norse symbol for completeness?

Jimmy:

James,

James:

you

amanda:

As it is.

James:

do you? You

Jimmy:

because it is,

James:

You don't have a clue.

Jimmy:

is. Funnily enough, I think the fact that I know that nine is North symbol for completeness is enough, right? But you being the analyst, you want a bit more. I have no idea, my knowledge about North mythology and symbolism Stops at that point.

James:

It's a bit like that quote, isn't it? Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Winston Churchill.

Jimmy:

Anyhow, the point with this is I bet loads of people are sitting there now hatching their 2025 pet projects. We're all going to be kicking off a load of new stuff in 2025 when we haven't completed the project. What we do in 2024 and lots of the organizations that we have worked with over the years just always complain. There is too much going on, and one of the key reasons why there's too much going on is because you haven't finished. What you started. So if you just complete projects, even if that means you're just going to stop them and kill them dead, it doesn't matter. Just finish what you started. Right. 10, take 10 at this time of year. To think about people a little bit less fortunate than yourself, because there are lots of people who are struggling this time of year, struggling with the cold, struggling for money, struggling with loneliness, just take 10 and try and do some, give it, give a little back, whatever that will, will be spread a little Christmas cheer with someone less fortunate than yourself.

amanda:

Yeah, I love that. Often organizations create opportunities for that, which is super helpful. Then, you know, but the things like, the Christmas trees with the gifts on for, the kids or maybe go and visit, you know, some of the, senior folk when, when they're having their kind of Christmas lunch and serve Christmas lunch, or it's great

Jimmy:

Yeah, and there's, there's, there's a couple of apps that you can go on that where people can make requests of things that they're short of clothes, food, stuff like that. and you can donate via, via those as well. Local food banks are always striking this time of year. So. Take 10.

James:

Well done. Good idea.

Jimmy:

11 on the 11th day of Christmas, it's 11 team members in a lot of sports teams. There are 11 team members. So, our wisdom for 11 is, think about your team. Think about collaboration in 2025. Amanda, you are the queen of collaboration.

amanda:

Bless you for saying that. And yeah, this is, I feel deeply passionate about this is how do you bring teams together and help them and support them to work together brilliantly, to create something better than they would on their own. And you know, sometimes it happens as a happy accident, but I think it's smart advice to be able to be intentional about supporting your teams to be at what it. collaborate well. Often that's about how do you have great conversations together? How do you create a mutual plan and shared understanding of the work you're going after? And actually, when it gets a bit tough, if conflict shows up, how do you work through the conflict rather than have that fester and brew? So I'm a massive fan of, yes, working collaboratively and teamwork, but actually also advising leaders and anyone who is responsible for a team together. To think about how you support your team to really develop that muscle. It, it pays dividends. It really does.

James:

Well, I'm a bit, uh, I'm not sure if cynical is the word, but I go a little bit further on this one. I think an awful lot of what we do in business is actually stymies collaboration. So you've got, Yeah. you've got departmental targets. You've got individual targets. You've got the let's screw this. Yeah. Let's screw the supplier. And a lot of what we do in business really just stops collaboration. So my challenge will be actually. Think about what you're doing, which stops collaboration and stop doing that. Because as you say, it's really powerful.

amanda:

Yeah, it is.

Jimmy:

And if James, who doesn't particularly like other people, whoever they are, is a big fan of

James:

It's not I don't like the people, it's they don't like me, mate.

Jimmy:

So the final one, 12th day of Christmas, uh, the 12th from us is 12 angry

James:

Okay, so why are we talking 12 angry men? Were we scraping the bottle of barrel with this one?

Jimmy:

We were not scraping the bottom of any barrel. This is Cultural James, cultural references. 12 angry men is a very famous film starring Henry Fonda. One lots of Oscars and it will be on, it's a black and white film. It will be on TV at some point over the

James:

Ah, it's a classic Christmas film.

amanda:

Classic.

Jimmy:

want to stop at Christmas, but have a look at it. It's an amazing film and effectively Henry Fonda plays a juror and they are all going to convict this guy. And Henry Fonda is the one who says. He's not guilty and the whole film's about how he challenges the thinking of the group think of everyone and influences them all to, change their mind. And, I won't spoil the film, but it is well worth watching and it just, supports the, The dangers of groupthink and a lack of diversity and thinking in diverse ways.

James:

Well, I had a look up, I looked this up because I knew we were going to talk about diversity and did you know, I've got interesting facts for you. Did you know that, this is a genetics one because I like a good genetics fact, but Watson and Crick, the people who, discovered DNA, one of them was an American zoologist and the other one was a British physicist. So there you go. Diverse thinking, big scientific. I'll start with that. I'm going to raise it. Here's another one. Companies with female board members

Jimmy:

Yep.

James:

companies that only have male board members. So there you go. Diversity of thinking in the top. Yeah.

Jimmy:

That is, that is not a shock. Let's be honest. And that concludes our 12 insights for Christmas

amanda:

no singing, as promised.

Jimmy:

as promised. Well, you have heard me and James sing. So the request for no singing is a very sensible one. any final well wishes Amanda to conclude this year?

amanda:

Well,

Jimmy:

And this podcast

amanda:

has been really great fun working with you on this and listening to you and to your guests. So thank you for all the

Jimmy:

and James as well,

amanda:

yeah, I was talking to you, Jimmy.

Jimmy:

uh, couldn't, couldn't

amanda:

No, seriously, listening to you both

James:

It was the plural you,

amanda:

And some wisdom. Yes, it was. And some wisdom in there too. So thank you for that opportunity. I'm really looking forward to hear what you've got to offer in 2025.

Jimmy:

And be a part of it. No

amanda:

Well, thank you. If you'll have me, I'd love to.

Jimmy:

James, anything for

James:

Yeah, I will see you in the new year, I will be the man hanging from, uh, one of the trees in the centre of Nottingham by his neck with a house pipe. Happy Christmas.

Jimmy:

There you go. Well, if you will buy your wife a hose pipe, that's probably all you deserve, James.

amanda:

still got time to correct that

James:

I can send it back.

Jimmy:

Yeah. The shops have not shut yet.

amanda:

There's still time. Can we help you in any way?

Jimmy:

strategies that we would recommend at this stage in the

amanda:

Yes, 100%. Happy

Jimmy:

And finally, then hopefully you found this episode a little bit of light listening for Christmas. And thank you to everyone for listening to the podcast through the year and everyone who's supported, contributed, liked, shared, followed, et cetera. And, yeah, we hope you and your families have a healthy and happy festive period. And we'll see you all back in the new year with another podcast back on the 7th of January.

James:

a good Christmas.

Jimmy:

Have a great one everyone.

amanda:

Christmas.

James:

Cheers now.

We cover a whole host of topics on this podcast from purpose to corporate jargon, but always focused on one thing, getting the job done well, easier said than done. So if you've got. Unhappy customers or employees, bosses or regulators breathing down your neck. If your backlogs are out of control and your costs are spiraling and that big IT transformation project that you've been promised just keeps failing to deliver, we can help if you need to improve your performance, your team's performance, or your organizations. Get in touch at Jimmy at jobdonewell. com or James at jobdonewell. com.

People on this episode

Head Shot

James Lawther

Co-host
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Jimmy Barber

Co-host
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Amanda Gilbert

Guest