The Comet Effect

Some years ago, I joined a technology SME to head it up through its next phase of growth. The business had started up long after the impact of a previous recession and was doing well on the back of a growing economy. From the outside, things looked rosy but inside, it maintained the same informal approach to systems and procedures, communication and control as it did in the start-up.


There was a disconnect between what the senior manager was aiming to do and what everyone else in the organisation thought was happening.

This is what I call the “Comet Effect”.


It can occur where the owner or senior manager focuses on growing the business virtually oblivious to all else in the operations. The effect can emanate itself in some very negative ways. 

Middle managers and staff can be left to carry out tasks and make decisions they are not comfortable with or out of sync with the direction of the organisation. They can become demoralised or maybe even leave. Costs can run out of control because no one is made accountable. Inefficiencies can lead to the same thing because appropriate processes and procedures aren’t put in place. 

Poor control increases risk to the business with all kinds of negative outcomes. Poor communication and inadequate involvement of staff de-motivates employees who become less productive. Staff turnover increases with direct cost to the business.

It isn’t rocket science to know how to stop the problem but it does involve a serious injection of structure into the business.

Depending on the particular business and the maturity of its management framework, there are lots of things to consider to gain better control over the business. Here’s just a few examples of what we installed in this business to improve things:

• Three year rolling business plan were shared with staff members who were also kept updated on ongoing progress. Growth plans were designed to be seamless with other business operations.
• A skills gap analysis was carried out for business needs and appropriate training was subsequently introduced.
• Monthly accounts were revised vs budget with KPI’s agreed and included for team management and accountability.
• Performance incentive schemes were introduced to gain team ownership and buy-in with departments.
• HR policies and the Health & Safety system were updated and made fully compliant. (Yes – this did save significant costs and reduced worries about what could happen if non-compliant!)
• Closer relationships with key suppliers were developed to improve manufacturing performance and reduce costs.

Emphasis on business development plans is obviously key to growing the business.

However as the business grows, inadequate attention to installing the right structures elsewhere in the organisation, commensurate with the particular phase of growth can have a negative effect in many different ways.

Time Management Magic!

― Lee Cockerell, Time Management Magic: How To Get More Done Every Day And Move From Surviving To Thriving

Find experts to assist you in areas you are not strong in.”

“Efficient” is being able to get things done. “Effective” is doing the right things in the right order, and making sure you address everything that is urgent, vital and important, in every part of your life.”

“One of the main reasons people don’t improve is that they are not honest with themselves.”

“With self-discipline almost anything can be achieved in every aspect of life.”

“Physical fitness and a love of reading are among the most important gifts you can give your children.”

“one way to get your priorities accomplished is to schedule them into your calendar.”

“Surround yourself with great people.”

Are You Providing Your Team With Consistent Motivation ?

Your team members are only human. Goals and meaningful feedback go a long way towards providing productive, consistent motivation.

When good students suddenly lose motivation, parents may threaten to take away the smart phone or the car. But neither of these tactics provides good, long-term motivation. To get students back on track, parents can enlist the help of a tutor. As a manager, you too can draw upon elite tutors’ strategies to motivate your team. Here’s how:

Identify the Source of Lost Motivation
The first step in motivating a faltering individual is identifying the reason for the changed behavior. While it’s tempting to attribute the issue to boredom or laziness, there’s very likely a more significant problem.

• Loss of purpose: If team members no longer believe in the company mission, they may stop caring about the quality of their work. Evaluate recent changes in your organization’s direction or policies, and ask yourself if your team has become detached from the vision.
• Loss of ownership. Young adults perform best when they feel they have some control over their duties and goals. This also applies to the freedom to suggest shifts and improvements in the workplace.
• Personal problems.It’s unrealistic to assume our personal lives have no impact on our professional performance. Life and work don’t fit neatly into separate categories. Develop a rapport with your team so they feel comfortable sharing potential health or family issues with you.

Set Goals
Goal setting can also help you motivate your team.

• Create a timeline: People are unlikely to meet indistinct goals with vague target dates. Concrete goals with firm deadlines promote a sense of productive urgency, which establishes accountability among team members.
• Make progress visible: A visual depiction of goals on a chart or whiteboard helps people monitor their progress. Moreover, viewing this progress each day provides positive feelings of accomplishment and leads to an increase in the quantity and quality of work completed. This sense of progress ultimately fuels pursuit of the next goal.

Provide Authentic Feedback
Everyone deserves genuine feedback on his or her performance. Feedback rewards individuals for their accomplishments, encourages them to improve and empowers them to achieve their goals. Authentic feedback does more than just validate the person who earns it — it validates the relationship between the giver and the receiver.

• Acknowledge progress: Recognising when your team has reached significant milestones will undoubtedly keep individuals performing at their best. Acknowledgement not only builds confidence in struggling students but also signals to team members that you notice and appreciate their hard work.
• Give meaningful praise: Don’t offer insincere praise just for the sake of encouragement. You should, however, praise individuals for devoting extra care to a project. Students and adults sense when someone is genuine. Authenticity strengthens the relationship between you and your team.
• Reward accomplishments: Reward hard work to show your team members you value them and appreciate their effort. This can include monetary rewards, time off, or special recognition - you’re recognizing behaviour you want to continue.

If you notice a decrease in motivation, avoid assuming that the individual is apathetic or careless. Identify the source of the problem, set goals to guide that individual back on track and lead with meaningful praise and purposeful encouragement. When your whole team is earnestly invested, your company will be able to rise to any challenge.