March 10, 2025 • 18 mins
This is what happened when I gave Notebook LM a copy of our book 'Every Second Counts' and used the interactive mode to be part of the conversation
Simon thinks it is amazing, have a listen
#theproductivityexperts
Register for the 2025 Productivity Forum
Find us in the Top 50 Productivity Podcasts
Connect to Simon on LinkedIn
Follow ReThink on LinkedIn
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, buckle up everyone.
We're diving deep into.
Every Second Counts a book bythe founders of Rethink
Productivity.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And they're obsessed with helping businesses.
You know, work smarter, notharder, right.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Smarter, not harder.
Exactly, think of this deepdive like a crash course in
making every second count foryour business.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Ooh, I like that Every second counts, because
every second does count.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Ooh, I like that Every second counts because
every second does count, itreally does and Rethink
Productivity.
They're all about finding thathidden time and those hidden
cost savings, you know, andsometimes in places you wouldn't
expect.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah, they find them in the most unexpected places.
It's amazing.
The book's really laid out likea roadmap.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
A roadmap.
Ok, I like that.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
To better productivity.
Each chapter is like a stopalong the way.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
OK, so like a journey , each chapter is a stop.
I like that visual and thechapter titles.
Oh man, they're juicy Likewhere is your money really going
?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ooh, that's a good one.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Or how can I serve more customers at peak times
Stuff every business owner wantsto know, right.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
For sure, At Rethink.
They're all about makingdecisions based on evidence, you
know.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Evidence based yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Not just going with your gut or following the latest
trend, and the book is full ofreal examples, real companies
who've done this.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Real world examples.
Gotta love that Proof.
It actually works.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Exactly, and it doesn't matter what size your
business is or what industryyou're in.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It's universal, those challenges.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Everyone's dealing with tight labor markets, trying
to save money.
You know it's relevant toeveryone.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Absolutely OK.
So let's take this journeychapter by chapter.
Chapter one Boom Hits you withthat question when is your money
really going?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
It's the question everyone's asking.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
And I can admit, when I read this chapter I was like,
oh, that's me.
They talk about salary budgetsbeing misallocated.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Oh yeah, Happens all the time.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Money meant for customer facing roles ends up
going to behind the scenes tasks.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Right, you think you're spending it on this, but
it's going to that.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Exactly and rethink.
They have this tool.
They call it the outputdiagnostic.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
The output diagnostic .
It's powerful.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
And it's all about measuring, like where is
employee time actually going?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Versus where you think it's going, there's often
a big difference.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
A big difference.
So tell me, how does thisoutput diagnostic thing work?
Do they like use software?
Do they observe people?
Is it like employee surveys?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
It depends.
It really does depend on thebusiness.
The type of work they do Makessense.
They might use time logs, theymight watch people work.
You know, sometimes they usesoftware that tracks how people
are using systems.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Okay, so like a multi-pronged approach?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
The important thing is to get good data, accurate
data on how time is being spentacross the whole operation.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Okay, paint me a picture, Give me an example,
like a real company, where thisdiagnostic revealed something
surprising.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Okay, so there was this grocery retailer.
They thought their labor costswere fine.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
They thought they had it under control.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
But when they did the output diagnostic they found
they were spending twice as longdealing with excess stock.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Excess stock.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Then they were processing deliveries.
Think about that.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
More time moving stuff around than getting it on
the shelves.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
More time moving it than selling it.
Yeah, Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
So what'd they do with that information?
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It made them totally rethink their inventory.
They were doing things the oldway, overstocking just in case.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Just in case, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
So they moved to a just in time system.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Just in time Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
They worked closely with suppliers to have a steady
flow of goods but no hugestockpile.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So that saved money on warehousing, I'm guessing.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, warehousing labor, and it freed up employees
to spend more time withcustomers.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
More time with customers.
That's what we want.
Okay, chapter two, here we go.
How can I serve more customersat peak times?
This is where the money's maderight.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
This is the make or break time for a lot of
businesses.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Peak periods, but things can go wrong quickly if
you're not ready.
Think about your own busiesttimes, listener.
Are you really ready to makethe most of them?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
This chapter gets into something Rethink.
Calls aggregation of marginalgains.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Now, that's a phrase.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Aggregation of marginal gains.
It's the idea that lots oflittle improvement can add up to
a big increase in efficiency.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Okay, love the phrase , but what's it look like in the
real world?
Give us an example, somethingour listeners can relate to.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
So they talk about this coffee shop slammed during
the morning rush.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The morning rush, oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
They were at max capacity, couldn't hire more
people, couldn't buy moreequipment.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
So what did they do?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Rethink helped them analyze their drink making
process every single step.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Wow, every step.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
They found that frothing milk was a bottleneck.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
The milk frother Always a bottleneck.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
But instead of buying a fancy new machine.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Which would be expensive.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
They did something simpler they angled the paper
cups.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Angled the cups.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
So they were easier to grab and they got one-handed
syrup dispensers.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Wait.
They increased capacity bychanging the angle of the cups.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It sounds crazy, but it worked.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
That's brilliant, so simple.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Those little tweaks saved seconds on each order.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Seconds add up.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
And their throughput went up by 25%.
No major investments.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
That's amazing.
Small changes, big impact.
I love it All right.
Chapter three deep breatheveryone.
How can I make savings?
No-transcript, I know Not themost fun topic, but let's be
real Finding ways to trim thefat.
It's essential, especiallythese days.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Especially these days .
If you want to thrive, you'vegot to be smart about spending.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Exactly and rethink.
They actually reframe costcutting.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
They do, they turn it into a positive thing.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
A positive thing.
How so?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
They say it's a chance to streamline your
operations, get rid of waste,free up money for growth.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
OK, so like spring cleaning for your business.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Exactly Get rid of the clutter, make space for what
matters.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
I can get behind that .
So what's their secret?
How do they find those savings?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
They have a three-step approach.
First, figure out what you canS-stop doing.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Just stop doing Completely.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, you've got to challenge those old assumptions,
those processes that are justhabit.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
But might not be necessary anymore.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Right.
Second streamline the essentialtasks make them simpler, more
efficient.
Okay, so like optimize thethings you have to do and use
technology to automate theboring stuff, the repetitive
stuff.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Automation love it.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Minimize downtime.
Make sure people are scheduledwell.
That communication is good.
Reduce errors.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
So that things flow smoothly, less wasted time.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Exactly Less wasted time, more productivity.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Give us some examples .
What are some of thoseorganizational comfort blankets
businesses can get rid of?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Oh, you'd be surprised.
Things like counting cash everysingle day.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
When you could do it weekly.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Exactly, or tracking inventory by hand when your
system does it automatically.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Oh yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
And then there's all the reporting, data entry.
So much of it's already digital, but people are still doing it
manually.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
It's like those subscriptions we forget to
cancel, just draining moneyevery month.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
It is, it really is.
The key is to questioneverything and be willing to let
go of those old habits.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Let go of the things that aren't serving you anymore.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Exactly Be intentional.
Focus on what drives value foryour business and your customers
.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Value, that's the key word.
All right, this has been great,but we're just getting started.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Welcome back to our deep dive into every second
counts.
We spent part one walkingthrough those first steps.
You know getting a handle onwhere your money and time are
going and really maximizingthose peak times, those busy
periods.
You know when you can make themost profit.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Yeah, where the magic happens.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Exactly, and now we're going to bring those
concepts to life.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah, let's see how it works in the real world.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
With some real world examples, because stories are
how we learn, right.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Stories make it stick Absolutely.
So let's jump back to thatgrocery retailer from chapter
one.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
The one spending more time managing extra stock than
actually helping customers.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Oh yeah, I remember that one.
The output diagnostics showthem they were kind of stuck in
the past with their inventorypractices.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Right, they were so focused on having enough of
everything, just in case.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Just in case.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It created a huge mess for them logistically.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, totally inefficient.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
But once they had that data they could make a case
for change, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Okay, so what do they do?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
They worked with their suppliers to get that
just-in-time system going.
Just-in-time Meaning they onlyordered what they needed when
they needed it.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
So less clutter, less space wasted and less time
moving boxes around.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Exactly A win-win for employees and for customers.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I like it, so it benefited everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It did.
And what's interesting is, thisshift to just-in-time had a
ripple effect.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
A ripple effect?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Okay, Because they weren't constantly moving stock,
the shelves were always full.
Customers could find what theyneeded.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Happy customer.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Happy customers.
Happy customers more likely tocome back, spend more, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
And that means higher profits.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Exactly so.
It all comes back that datadriven decision making, finding
the root of the problem.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And then taking action.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Exactly.
Ok, let's switch gears.
Look at a case study that showsaggregation of marginal gains
in action.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Oh yeah, Love that phrase those little tweaks that
add up to big wins.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Right, this one goes back to chapter two.
Remember that coffee shop.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
The one swamped during the morning rush.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
They couldn't hire more staff, couldn't buy more
equipment.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
So they had to get creative, and they did it by
changing the angle of the cupsright.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
And the one-handed syrup dispensers.
Remember, and the one-handedsyrup dispensers remember.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
It's amazing what a difference those little things
made.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
It shows how a few seconds saved on each order can
have a big impact.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Especially when you're dealing with hundreds of
orders, right, every secondcounts, like that old saying for
one a nail, the shoe was lost.
For one of a shoe, the horsewas lost.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Exactly.
Sometimes the smallest thingscan make or break a system.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So true.
So what else did they dobesides the cups and the syrup?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
They kept analyzing found another bottleneck the
coffee grinding and espressoshots.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Oh yeah, that's a crucial step.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So did they buy a fancy new espresso machine.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
I was going to guess that.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Nope, they went for a more strategic solution an
automated grinder and shot maker.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Okay, so the machine does the heavy lifting.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Which frees up the baristas to focus on the human
touch.
You know, frothing milk, latteart, talking to customers.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
So they use technology to help, not replace
their people.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Exactly that's the key Finding that balance.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
And what was the outcome?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
They increased capacity by 25% without
sacrificing quality.
In fact, customers loved it.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Faster service, consistent drinks.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
It's a win-win-win for the business, the employees
and the customer.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
All because they were willing to experiment and keep
improving.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Exactly Okay.
I want to look at a case studythat shows the importance of the
people you know engaging youremployees.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh yeah, getting them involved, making them feel
valued.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
This one takes us to chapter five.
It's all about leadership andstructure.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Okay, leadership, that's huge.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Rethink talks about this kitchen retailer struggling
with their showroom.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
The showroom.
That's where you make the sale.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Their employees were trying to do too much, Too much
yeah.
Feeling overwhelmed, burnt out.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
They had this one role.
It was supposed to covereverything Sales, design,
customer service, even cleaning.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
One person doing all of that.
No wonder they were stressed.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And the customers felt it too.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Oh, yeah, probably getting ignored or passed around
.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Exactly so.
Rethink, did what they doobserve, listen, gather data.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
They're like detectives.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
They spent time in the showroom talking to
employees and customers.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Getting the full picture.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
And what they found was the problem wasn't the
employees themselves.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
It was the system.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
The structure of the role they were trying to wear.
Too many hats couldn't excel atany of them.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Spread too thin.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Exactly, always putting out fires, never time to
connect with customers.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
So they needed to break down that role.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Specialization Make sense.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
They recommended separate roles for sales, design
, customer service.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Each with their own responsibilities, clear goals.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
That way, employees could focus on their strengths
become experts.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
And the customers did ?
They notice the difference?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Oh yeah, no more wandering around, lost, getting
ignored.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Okay, so everyone wins again.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
They had knowledgeable staff to help them
guide them.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
It's a reminder that productivity isn't just working
harder.
It's about working smarter.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
And creating systems that work for everyone, both
employees and customers.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
So empower your people, listen to their feedback
and have a good structure inplace.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Absolutely Okay.
Let's look at a case study thatshows Rethink's approach to
technology.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Technology, gotta love it, but it can be tricky
sometimes.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
This takes us back to Chapter 9.
Remember, it's all aboutvalidating those projected
savings.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Making sure your investments are actually paying
off.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
They talk about this warehouse struggling with order
picking efficiency.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
They had all the fancy tech robots, automation,
the works.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
But they weren't seeing the results they expected
.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
What was the problem?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Wi-Fi dead spots.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Wi-Fi.
Are you serious?
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I know Ironic right, they had all this high-tech
equipment.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
State of the art.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
But it was being sabotaged by a weak signal.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
They overlooked a crucial detail the robots needed
a strong signal to communicatewith the system.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
But the warehouse was so big.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Huge Lots of metal shelving, disrupting the signal.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
So delays, errors, all because of bad Wi-Fi.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Exactly their high-tech solution, tripped up
by low-tech infrastructure.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So how'd they fix it?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
They could have replaced the whole Wi-Fi system,
but that's expensive andtime-consuming.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Yeah, not ideal.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
So they went with a simpler solution Wi-Fi boosters.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Strategically placed, I'm guessing.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Targeting those weak spots.
It's a reminder that sometimesthe simplest solution is best.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Keep it simple.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
And it shows Rethink's problem-solving
mindset.
They're not afraid to getcreative.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Find what works, whatever it takes.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
So always validate your assumptions, test your
systems and be ready to adapt.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Technology is a tool, not a magic wand.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Exactly.
It has to be used strategicallyto get the results you want.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Okay, this has been fascinating, but now I'm
thinking how do we apply thisstuff?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Yeah, let's get practical.
What can our listeners do tomake every second count in their
own businesses?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Welcome back for the final part of our deep dive into
every second counts.
We've covered the principles.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
We've seen those principles in action.
Yeah, real companies, realresults.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
And now it's time to get personal, to think about
your business.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
How can you make every second count?
Because it's not just theory,it's about making a difference.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
It's about results and remember every business is
unique.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
There's no magic formula that works for everyone.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
But there are some fundamentals we can all use,
starting with data.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Data.
Yeah, remember, rethink's bigthing Evidence-based decision
making.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Got to have that data to make smart choices.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It's about moving beyond gut feelings, really
understanding what's going on.
That's where the outputdiagnostic comes in, right A
powerful tool helps you seewhere your team's time is really
going.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And you might be surprised by what you find.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
You often are.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
And you don't need fancy software to start, Just
grab a notebook a pen and justwatch Observe your operations.
Be a detective.
Where are the bottlenecks?
Where are people struggling?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Are there tasks that just take way too long?
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Once you have that baseline data, you can start
looking for those organizationalcomfort blankets.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Those things you do, just because you've always done
them.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
But they might not be necessary anymore.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
So be brave Challenge the status quo.
Ask yourself, why are we doingthis?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
And if the answer is well, we've always done it this
way.
It might be time for a change.
Could you automate it, delegateit, maybe get rid of it
entirely, and don't be afraid toexperiment, try new things.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
See what works.
Track the results, because whatworks for one business might
not work for another.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Find your own path.
Okay, now let's talk about timeand motion studies.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Sounds a bit technical, but it's really just
about breaking down tasks intotiny little pieces and seeing
how long each piece takes.
Like a detective, analyzingevery movement.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
You can do this yourself or hire an expert.
The key is to be objective.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Just look at the facts.
Where are the delays?
Are there unnecessary movements?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Can you combine steps , eliminate steps.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
It's like a science experiment.
You're gathering data to seehow the process actually works.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Not how you think it works.
Sometimes there's a bigdifference.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
And once you have that data you can start finding
those opportunities to improve.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Maybe there's a step that's always taking too long.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Maybe there's back and forth between departments
that could be streamlined.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Maybe a simple tool could save minutes on a task.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Remember those one-handed syrup dispensers.
Small changes, big impact.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
So look for those marginal gains, those little
tweaks that add up.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
It's about having that mindset of continuous
improvement.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Always looking for ways to do better, be more
efficient.
Now data is important, butlet's not forget about the
people, your employees.
They're crucial.
They're the ones on the frontlines.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
They often have the best ideas for improvement.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
They see those inefficiencies every day.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
So create a culture where they feel comfortable
speaking up.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Ask them what frustrates you, how can we make
things better?
Speaker 2 (16:48):
And, most importantly , listen to them and act on
their suggestions.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Because productivity isn't about working people
harder.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
It's about empowering them to do their best work.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Creating an environment where everyone
thrives, and that's whereleadership comes in.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Are your leaders supporting their teams?
Do they have time to coach andmentor?
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Are they creating a space where people feel safe to
share ideas?
Speaker 2 (17:12):
These are big questions for any leader.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Think about your own leadership style.
Are you empowering your team?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Or are you micromanaging, creating
bottlenecks?
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Rethink talks a lot about role clarity making sure
everyone knows what they'reresponsible for.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
And delegation, giving people the authority to
make decisions.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Trust your team.
Let them do what they do best.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
And as you make changes, measure the results,
don't just assume it's working.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Track those metrics, compare before and after.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Be willing to adjust.
Productivity is a journey, nota destination.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
And finally, embrace technology.
Ai is changing everything.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
It's going to be even bigger in the future.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
So experiment, find the tools that work for you.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
But remember, technology is a tool, it's not a
magic solution.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Use it strategically to automate tasks, to free up
your people for higher levelwork.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
So there you have it A crash course in Rethink's
productivity philosophy.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Data driven, empowered by technology and
focused on the human element.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
It's a journey and we hope this deep dive has given
you the tools to start your ownjourney.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
To a more productive, fulfilling and profitable
business.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Every second counts.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into Every
Second Counts.
We hope you found it valuable.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
If you have any thoughts, any questions, we'd
love to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Connect with us on social media, share your
insights.
Let's keep this conversationgoing.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Until next time, keep diving deep.
All right, buckle up everyone.
We're diving deep into.
Every Second Counts a book bythe founders of Rethink
Productivity.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And they're obsessed with helping businesses.
You know, work smarter, notharder, right.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Smarter, not harder.
Exactly, think of this deepdive like a crash course in
making every second count foryour business.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Ooh, I like that Every second counts, because
every second does count.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Ooh, I like that Every second counts because
every second does count, itreally does and Rethink
Productivity.
They're all about finding thathidden time and those hidden
cost savings, you know, andsometimes in places you wouldn't
expect.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah, they find them in the most unexpected places.
It's amazing.
The book's really laid out likea roadmap.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
A roadmap.
Ok, I like that.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
To better productivity.
Each chapter is like a stopalong the way.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
OK, so like a journey , each chapter is a stop.
I like that visual and thechapter titles.
Oh man, they're juicy Likewhere is your money really going
?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ooh, that's a good one.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Or how can I serve more customers at peak times
Stuff every business owner wantsto know, right.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
For sure, At Rethink.
They're all about makingdecisions based on evidence, you
know.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Evidence based yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Not just going with your gut or following the latest
trend, and the book is full ofreal examples, real companies
who've done this.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Real world examples.
Gotta love that Proof.
It actually works.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Exactly, and it doesn't matter what size your
business is or what industryyou're in.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It's universal, those challenges.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Everyone's dealing with tight labor markets, trying
to save money.
You know it's relevant toeveryone.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Absolutely OK.
So let's take this journeychapter by chapter.
Chapter one Boom Hits you withthat question when is your money
really going?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
It's the question everyone's asking.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
And I can admit, when I read this chapter I was like,
oh, that's me.
They talk about salary budgetsbeing misallocated.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Oh yeah, Happens all the time.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Money meant for customer facing roles ends up
going to behind the scenes tasks.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Right, you think you're spending it on this, but
it's going to that.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Exactly and rethink.
They have this tool.
They call it the outputdiagnostic.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
The output diagnostic .
It's powerful.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
And it's all about measuring, like where is
employee time actually going?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Versus where you think it's going, there's often
a big difference.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
A big difference.
So tell me, how does thisoutput diagnostic thing work?
Do they like use software?
Do they observe people?
Is it like employee surveys?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
It depends.
It really does depend on thebusiness.
The type of work they do Makessense.
They might use time logs, theymight watch people work.
You know, sometimes they usesoftware that tracks how people
are using systems.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Okay, so like a multi-pronged approach?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
The important thing is to get good data, accurate
data on how time is being spentacross the whole operation.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Okay, paint me a picture, Give me an example,
like a real company, where thisdiagnostic revealed something
surprising.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Okay, so there was this grocery retailer.
They thought their labor costswere fine.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
They thought they had it under control.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
But when they did the output diagnostic they found
they were spending twice as longdealing with excess stock.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Excess stock.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Then they were processing deliveries.
Think about that.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
More time moving stuff around than getting it on
the shelves.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
More time moving it than selling it.
Yeah, Wow.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
So what'd they do with that information?
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It made them totally rethink their inventory.
They were doing things the oldway, overstocking just in case.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Just in case, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
So they moved to a just in time system.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Just in time Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
They worked closely with suppliers to have a steady
flow of goods but no hugestockpile.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So that saved money on warehousing, I'm guessing.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, warehousing labor, and it freed up employees
to spend more time withcustomers.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
More time with customers.
That's what we want.
Okay, chapter two, here we go.
How can I serve more customersat peak times?
This is where the money's maderight.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
This is the make or break time for a lot of
businesses.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Peak periods, but things can go wrong quickly if
you're not ready.
Think about your own busiesttimes, listener.
Are you really ready to makethe most of them?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
This chapter gets into something Rethink.
Calls aggregation of marginalgains.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Now, that's a phrase.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Aggregation of marginal gains.
It's the idea that lots oflittle improvement can add up to
a big increase in efficiency.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Okay, love the phrase , but what's it look like in the
real world?
Give us an example, somethingour listeners can relate to.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
So they talk about this coffee shop slammed during
the morning rush.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The morning rush, oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
They were at max capacity, couldn't hire more
people, couldn't buy moreequipment.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
So what did they do?
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Rethink helped them analyze their drink making
process every single step.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Wow, every step.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
They found that frothing milk was a bottleneck.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
The milk frother Always a bottleneck.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
But instead of buying a fancy new machine.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Which would be expensive.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
They did something simpler they angled the paper
cups.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Angled the cups.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
So they were easier to grab and they got one-handed
syrup dispensers.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Wait.
They increased capacity bychanging the angle of the cups.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It sounds crazy, but it worked.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
That's brilliant, so simple.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Those little tweaks saved seconds on each order.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Seconds add up.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
And their throughput went up by 25%.
No major investments.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
That's amazing.
Small changes, big impact.
I love it All right.
Chapter three deep breatheveryone.
How can I make savings?
No-transcript, I know Not themost fun topic, but let's be
real Finding ways to trim thefat.
It's essential, especiallythese days.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Especially these days .
If you want to thrive, you'vegot to be smart about spending.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Exactly and rethink.
They actually reframe costcutting.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
They do, they turn it into a positive thing.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
A positive thing.
How so?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
They say it's a chance to streamline your
operations, get rid of waste,free up money for growth.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
OK, so like spring cleaning for your business.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Exactly Get rid of the clutter, make space for what
matters.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
I can get behind that .
So what's their secret?
How do they find those savings?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
They have a three-step approach.
First, figure out what you canS-stop doing.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Just stop doing Completely.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, you've got to challenge those old assumptions,
those processes that are justhabit.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
But might not be necessary anymore.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Right.
Second streamline the essentialtasks make them simpler, more
efficient.
Okay, so like optimize thethings you have to do and use
technology to automate theboring stuff, the repetitive
stuff.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Automation love it.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Minimize downtime.
Make sure people are scheduledwell.
That communication is good.
Reduce errors.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
So that things flow smoothly, less wasted time.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Exactly Less wasted time, more productivity.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Give us some examples .
What are some of thoseorganizational comfort blankets
businesses can get rid of?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Oh, you'd be surprised.
Things like counting cash everysingle day.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
When you could do it weekly.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Exactly, or tracking inventory by hand when your
system does it automatically.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Oh yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
And then there's all the reporting, data entry.
So much of it's already digital, but people are still doing it
manually.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
It's like those subscriptions we forget to
cancel, just draining moneyevery month.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
It is, it really is.
The key is to questioneverything and be willing to let
go of those old habits.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Let go of the things that aren't serving you anymore.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Exactly Be intentional.
Focus on what drives value foryour business and your customers
.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Value, that's the key word.
All right, this has been great,but we're just getting started.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Welcome back to our deep dive into every second
counts.
We spent part one walkingthrough those first steps.
You know getting a handle onwhere your money and time are
going and really maximizingthose peak times, those busy
periods.
You know when you can make themost profit.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Yeah, where the magic happens.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Exactly, and now we're going to bring those
concepts to life.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah, let's see how it works in the real world.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
With some real world examples, because stories are
how we learn, right.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Stories make it stick Absolutely.
So let's jump back to thatgrocery retailer from chapter
one.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
The one spending more time managing extra stock than
actually helping customers.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Oh yeah, I remember that one.
The output diagnostics showthem they were kind of stuck in
the past with their inventorypractices.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Right, they were so focused on having enough of
everything, just in case.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Just in case.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It created a huge mess for them logistically.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, totally inefficient.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
But once they had that data they could make a case
for change, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Okay, so what do they do?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
They worked with their suppliers to get that
just-in-time system going.
Just-in-time Meaning they onlyordered what they needed when
they needed it.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
So less clutter, less space wasted and less time
moving boxes around.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Exactly A win-win for employees and for customers.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I like it, so it benefited everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
It did.
And what's interesting is, thisshift to just-in-time had a
ripple effect.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
A ripple effect?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Okay, Because they weren't constantly moving stock,
the shelves were always full.
Customers could find what theyneeded.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Happy customer.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Happy customers.
Happy customers more likely tocome back, spend more, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
And that means higher profits.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Exactly so.
It all comes back that datadriven decision making, finding
the root of the problem.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
And then taking action.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Exactly.
Ok, let's switch gears.
Look at a case study that showsaggregation of marginal gains
in action.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Oh yeah, Love that phrase those little tweaks that
add up to big wins.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Right, this one goes back to chapter two.
Remember that coffee shop.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
The one swamped during the morning rush.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
They couldn't hire more staff, couldn't buy more
equipment.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
So they had to get creative, and they did it by
changing the angle of the cupsright.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
And the one-handed syrup dispensers.
Remember, and the one-handedsyrup dispensers remember.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
It's amazing what a difference those little things
made.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
It shows how a few seconds saved on each order can
have a big impact.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Especially when you're dealing with hundreds of
orders, right, every secondcounts, like that old saying for
one a nail, the shoe was lost.
For one of a shoe, the horsewas lost.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Exactly.
Sometimes the smallest thingscan make or break a system.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So true.
So what else did they dobesides the cups and the syrup?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
They kept analyzing found another bottleneck the
coffee grinding and espressoshots.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Oh yeah, that's a crucial step.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So did they buy a fancy new espresso machine.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
I was going to guess that.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Nope, they went for a more strategic solution an
automated grinder and shot maker.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Okay, so the machine does the heavy lifting.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Which frees up the baristas to focus on the human
touch.
You know, frothing milk, latteart, talking to customers.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
So they use technology to help, not replace
their people.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Exactly that's the key Finding that balance.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
And what was the outcome?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
They increased capacity by 25% without
sacrificing quality.
In fact, customers loved it.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Faster service, consistent drinks.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
It's a win-win-win for the business, the employees
and the customer.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
All because they were willing to experiment and keep
improving.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Exactly Okay.
I want to look at a case studythat shows the importance of the
people you know engaging youremployees.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh yeah, getting them involved, making them feel
valued.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
This one takes us to chapter five.
It's all about leadership andstructure.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Okay, leadership, that's huge.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Rethink talks about this kitchen retailer struggling
with their showroom.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
The showroom.
That's where you make the sale.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Their employees were trying to do too much, Too much
yeah.
Feeling overwhelmed, burnt out.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
They had this one role.
It was supposed to covereverything Sales, design,
customer service, even cleaning.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
One person doing all of that.
No wonder they were stressed.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And the customers felt it too.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Oh, yeah, probably getting ignored or passed around
.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Exactly so.
Rethink, did what they doobserve, listen, gather data.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
They're like detectives.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
They spent time in the showroom talking to
employees and customers.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Getting the full picture.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
And what they found was the problem wasn't the
employees themselves.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
It was the system.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
The structure of the role they were trying to wear.
Too many hats couldn't excel atany of them.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Spread too thin.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Exactly, always putting out fires, never time to
connect with customers.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
So they needed to break down that role.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Specialization Make sense.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
They recommended separate roles for sales, design
, customer service.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Each with their own responsibilities, clear goals.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
That way, employees could focus on their strengths
become experts.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
And the customers did ?
They notice the difference?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Oh yeah, no more wandering around, lost, getting
ignored.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Okay, so everyone wins again.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
They had knowledgeable staff to help them
guide them.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
It's a reminder that productivity isn't just working
harder.
It's about working smarter.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
And creating systems that work for everyone, both
employees and customers.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
So empower your people, listen to their feedback
and have a good structure inplace.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Absolutely Okay.
Let's look at a case study thatshows Rethink's approach to
technology.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Technology, gotta love it, but it can be tricky
sometimes.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
This takes us back to Chapter 9.
Remember, it's all aboutvalidating those projected
savings.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Making sure your investments are actually paying
off.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
They talk about this warehouse struggling with order
picking efficiency.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
They had all the fancy tech robots, automation,
the works.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
But they weren't seeing the results they expected
.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
What was the problem?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Wi-Fi dead spots.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Wi-Fi.
Are you serious?
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I know Ironic right, they had all this high-tech
equipment.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
State of the art.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
But it was being sabotaged by a weak signal.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
They overlooked a crucial detail the robots needed
a strong signal to communicatewith the system.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
But the warehouse was so big.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Huge Lots of metal shelving, disrupting the signal.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
So delays, errors, all because of bad Wi-Fi.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Exactly their high-tech solution, tripped up
by low-tech infrastructure.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So how'd they fix it?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
They could have replaced the whole Wi-Fi system,
but that's expensive andtime-consuming.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Yeah, not ideal.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
So they went with a simpler solution Wi-Fi boosters.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Strategically placed, I'm guessing.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Targeting those weak spots.
It's a reminder that sometimesthe simplest solution is best.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Keep it simple.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
And it shows Rethink's problem-solving
mindset.
They're not afraid to getcreative.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Find what works, whatever it takes.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
So always validate your assumptions, test your
systems and be ready to adapt.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Technology is a tool, not a magic wand.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Exactly.
It has to be used strategicallyto get the results you want.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Okay, this has been fascinating, but now I'm
thinking how do we apply thisstuff?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Yeah, let's get practical.
What can our listeners do tomake every second count in their
own businesses?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Welcome back for the final part of our deep dive into
every second counts.
We've covered the principles.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
We've seen those principles in action.
Yeah, real companies, realresults.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
And now it's time to get personal, to think about
your business.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
How can you make every second count?
Because it's not just theory,it's about making a difference.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
It's about results and remember every business is
unique.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
There's no magic formula that works for everyone.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
But there are some fundamentals we can all use,
starting with data.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Data.
Yeah, remember, rethink's bigthing Evidence-based decision
making.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Got to have that data to make smart choices.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It's about moving beyond gut feelings, really
understanding what's going on.
That's where the outputdiagnostic comes in, right A
powerful tool helps you seewhere your team's time is really
going.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And you might be surprised by what you find.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
You often are.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
And you don't need fancy software to start, Just
grab a notebook a pen and justwatch Observe your operations.
Be a detective.
Where are the bottlenecks?
Where are people struggling?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Are there tasks that just take way too long?
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Once you have that baseline data, you can start
looking for those organizationalcomfort blankets.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Those things you do, just because you've always done
them.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
But they might not be necessary anymore.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
So be brave Challenge the status quo.
Ask yourself, why are we doingthis?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
And if the answer is well, we've always done it this
way.
It might be time for a change.
Could you automate it, delegateit, maybe get rid of it
entirely, and don't be afraid toexperiment, try new things.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
See what works.
Track the results, because whatworks for one business might
not work for another.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Find your own path.
Okay, now let's talk about timeand motion studies.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Sounds a bit technical, but it's really just
about breaking down tasks intotiny little pieces and seeing
how long each piece takes.
Like a detective, analyzingevery movement.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
You can do this yourself or hire an expert.
The key is to be objective.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Just look at the facts.
Where are the delays?
Are there unnecessary movements?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Can you combine steps , eliminate steps.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
It's like a science experiment.
You're gathering data to seehow the process actually works.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Not how you think it works.
Sometimes there's a bigdifference.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
And once you have that data you can start finding
those opportunities to improve.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Maybe there's a step that's always taking too long.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Maybe there's back and forth between departments
that could be streamlined.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Maybe a simple tool could save minutes on a task.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Remember those one-handed syrup dispensers.
Small changes, big impact.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
So look for those marginal gains, those little
tweaks that add up.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
It's about having that mindset of continuous
improvement.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Always looking for ways to do better, be more
efficient.
Now data is important, butlet's not forget about the
people, your employees.
They're crucial.
They're the ones on the frontlines.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
They often have the best ideas for improvement.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
They see those inefficiencies every day.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
So create a culture where they feel comfortable
speaking up.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Ask them what frustrates you, how can we make
things better?
Speaker 2 (16:48):
And, most importantly , listen to them and act on
their suggestions.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Because productivity isn't about working people
harder.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
It's about empowering them to do their best work.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Creating an environment where everyone
thrives, and that's whereleadership comes in.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Are your leaders supporting their teams?
Do they have time to coach andmentor?
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Are they creating a space where people feel safe to
share ideas?
Speaker 2 (17:12):
These are big questions for any leader.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Think about your own leadership style.
Are you empowering your team?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Or are you micromanaging, creating
bottlenecks?
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Rethink talks a lot about role clarity making sure
everyone knows what they'reresponsible for.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
And delegation, giving people the authority to
make decisions.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Trust your team.
Let them do what they do best.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
And as you make changes, measure the results,
don't just assume it's working.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Track those metrics, compare before and after.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Be willing to adjust.
Productivity is a journey, nota destination.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
And finally, embrace technology.
Ai is changing everything.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
It's going to be even bigger in the future.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
So experiment, find the tools that work for you.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
But remember, technology is a tool, it's not a
magic solution.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Use it strategically to automate tasks, to free up
your people for higher levelwork.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
So there you have it A crash course in Rethink's
productivity philosophy.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Data driven, empowered by technology and
focused on the human element.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
It's a journey and we hope this deep dive has given
you the tools to start your ownjourney.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
To a more productive, fulfilling and profitable
business.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Every second counts.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into Every
Second Counts.
We hope you found it valuable.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
If you have any thoughts, any questions, we'd
love to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Connect with us on social media, share your
insights.
Let's keep this conversationgoing.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Until next time, keep diving deep.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Cold Case Files: Miami
Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides. Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves.