Category: Other Stuff

We are 3 years into building the prototype for something bigger than ourselves and reflecting on the journey so far.

One of our earliest tasks was to define what it was that would be in the DNA of the business – what would our core values be? Our second value out of the hat was Improve Continuously http://www.jungleproperty.co.uk/corevalues/#core-value-2 but 3 years on how have we done? Pretty good. Every day we come to the office a) to deliver what it is the customer values and b) improve on what we did yesterday – yesterday is yesterday, old hat and things have moved on so we ask what we can do differently today. Very often our greatest inspiration comes when we are away from the coal face, walking the dog, running or just sitting in the garden and it is from here that some of our best ideas come.

Well we are pleased to say we have implemented at least one new idea for every day we have been in business each one a small acorn from which great oaks may grow but it is more ‘evolution’ than ‘revolution’ and we can proudly say we have implemented 1000 ideas in 3 years!

Improve and grow or calcify and die – which path is your business on? Are you doing the same today as you did yesterday?

I have just read an article in the Fortune magazine about the inner workings of Facebook and a core part of their modus operandi is what they call the Hackers Way.

What has hacking got to do with my business you may ask? Well the Hackers Way is all about continuous improvement and iteration.

Facebook is currently valued at $80+ million so there may be something about continuous improvement that could benefit your business. Continuous improvement is one of our 10 core values here at Jungle Property so this all strikes a cord for us (not the $80 million bit!). Each day we come to the office to solve problems and improve on what we did yesterday…..

Don’t accept anything as it is – make it easier, faster, safer or more fun – do it with less and do it daily. Wherever you are, is where your future journey begins. Learning and improvement is for life and more of a marathon rather than a sprint.

Improvement is for everyone – we are all responsible for improving our life and our work. Respond to the changing environment by recognising that was the best yesterday may not be the best today.

It is always the simple that produces the marvellous. Be inquisitive, challenge the status quo and implement small incremental changes. Rather than doing one thing 1000% better, do a 1000 things 1% better. The continual alignment of small improvements will transform your life and the lives of other team members, customers and partners.

Improve as an individual or as a team but just do it – quickly, easily, persistently, tenaciously.

I have just finished reading The Happy Manifesto by Henry Stewart and I am please to say it becomes the latest addition to the Jungle Property library as another source of inspiration for all those who want to be part of our great story.

I read the draft of this book a couple of years ago and it is still as good (ok better!). In summary the simple ideas that make your workplace great are as follows:

1. Trust your people
2. Make your people feel good
3. Give freedom with clear guidelines
4. Be open and transparent
5. Recruit for attitude, train for skill
6. Celebrate mistakes
7. Community: create mutual benefit
8. Love work, get a life
9. Select managers who are good at managing
10. Play to your strengths

I am not going to give any more away so get the book now and be inspired to create a great place to work – The Happy Manifesto