Specialist Media Show Presentation - May 2010
On the 25th May, Q5 presented at the very successful Specialist Media Show. Sharing a stage with media industry experts, we presented our views on what it takes to create truly effective multi-media sales teams. Our view being that in the future it was less about 'selling' product (space, clicks, etc) but in positioning yourself to help grow your client's business. As such structuring your sales teams to work across platforms, create solutions that meet needs rather than sell 'space' was crucial.
For the full presentation see below.
Organisation Physiotherapy - March 2010:
As the world economy tries to get back on its feet, organisations are still struggling to recover the effectiveness that they once had. Whether this is because they cut too deep in the wrong areas, or kept doing the wrong things but with less people rather than focus on the core activities they need for the future, they are potentially at risk of not recovering completely. However, we believe businesses need to follow some simple steps to rejuvenate and get back to peak form.
Our experience tells us that businesses need to undertake some 'physiotheraphy'; focusing on those areas that have been damaged most by the recession. Through identifying what the areas of real pain are through a simple diagnostic, creating and delivering on an integrated 'treatment plan', and engaging your people with the future, we can help you recover to be the shape, size and structure you need to be in order to make the most of the recovery.
For the full article see below.
Hello Laura and Sophie - January 2010:
We are very pleased to be able to announce two new arrivals to Q5.
Laura Pethers has joined us as our office manager and is tasked with the responsibility of organising all that we do, and scheduling all our client meetings. Sophie Stock is providing us with independent book keeping and financial support.
We are very excited about what Laura and Sophie will add to Q5 and we are delighted to have them on-board.
Goodbye Meenakshi - January 2010:
Meenakshi Venkatakrishnan, who joined us on an internship from the London School of Economics in June last year, has returned to her home in Tamil Nadu, India. We would like to thank Meenakshi for her outstanding contribution over the last few months, and wish her well as she furthers her career in India.
'The Cost of Doing Nothing' - January 2010:
Selling the benefits of having an engaged, motivated workforce is easy on one level; you know it makes sense...but trying to attribute a financial value to it is much more difficult. Over the last 18 months, many organisations have had to reduce their cost bases. But, cost-reduction programmes conducted at breakneck speed can lead to more than trimming of fat; often it can lead to inadvertent muscle damage, in the form of business processes that no longer work, operated by employees with low morale.
People talk up the intangible benefits of focusing on "people change", but if you are a senior executive trying to persuade your CEO to invest some money in re-engaging their workforce because it will make your organisation more money or, at the very least, save it some, how do you go about doing it?
In our experience, organisations built around happy people with positive attitudes and long-term goals out-perform unhappy companies. You can build up a cogent business case for re-engaging your employees by calculating the cost of doing nothing.
Organisations are thinking, living things. It is impractical to run a controlled test to compare the reaction of one group of people going through a series of 'change' interventions with another group who are not subjected to any interventions....
For the full article see below.
'Talent': Making it work for you in the downturn: The Q5 Talent Roundtable Report - September 2009:
This summer Q5 pulled together a selection of talent experts from a wide range of different clients for our Talent Roundtable. We debated and discussed the key issues facing the talent management discipline and the pressures on what to do about talent in today's environment. We addressed the challenges faced when you know that there is a need to manage your talent and are faced with a sceptical audience. "Surely in a downturn, talent sorts itself out", some might say; well our research and the views of the experts we sought out say quite the opposite. In a downturn it is just as important to focus on getting the most out of your talent. If you want to succeed, you must get the right people, with the right talents in the right roles, as simple as that. Making Talent work for you is just as important now as it always has been and as organisations try to survive and seek new ways to grow and innovate, your talent and how you help it perform, can make all the difference.
For the full article see below.
'Organomics': Shaping and sizing your organisation to thrive in the prevailing economic conditions - 13th July 2009:
At this moment in time organisations around the world are reducing their costs. We, at Q5, are specialists at helping organisations to do this. However, our approach is never 'slash and burn'. Instead we use 'organomics', a term we have crafted to describe how through careful analysis of your organisation we can help you achieve sustainable, long term cost reductions rather than just short-term fixes. This is, we believe, how organisations can get the best of all worlds; savings, a better working organisation and the ability to deliver results in the long term. In these times of tough economic challenges, using 'organomics' will help you and your organisation become more effective and more efficient, today, tomorrow and into the 5th quarter!
For the full article see below.
PSBII: the organisational challenges ahead for BBC, Channel 4, and anyone else who comes to the party - 15th June 2009:
On the 16th June, Lord Carter publishes the final version of "Digital Britain". For those not involved in the media world, this is the culmination of a year-long investigation into the future of digital information and communication in the UK. In an interim report in January, Lord Carter made some interesting proposals for universal broadband, the future of the press and the migration to digital radio. The topic that piqued most people's interest was whether..."..a long term and sustainable second public service organisation providing competition for quality to the BBC (could) be defined and designed, drawing in part on Channel 4's assets and a re-cast remit." At Q5 we ask the question, what might the proposed 'tie-in' between Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide look like and what could it deliver. For the newly installed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Bradshaw, this surely will make interesting reading. We are only 400 metres away from Parliament so if Ben wants to pop around for a chat, we'll put the kettle on!
See our full thoughts in the article below.
Challenging, but opportunistic times - 8th May 2009:
Today's business environment is more challenging than at any time anyone can remember. Certainly, most of today's leaders have never experienced anything quite so stark. Those that are highly-leveraged are having to explore ways of becoming 'cash-positive'. Those that are relatively 'cash-rich' are in survivial mode, seeking to protect existing revenue channels as vigorously as possible. Speed is the key ingredient, but hasty decisions are often poorly conceived.
These challenges are not exclusive to particular industries or organisations; everyone is under extreme cost pressure. However, now is not the time to panic. The most effective busines leaders we know are focusing on change and, in some instances, a complete organisational 'reboot'. This means looking at your operating model (what is it you do and how you are set up to do it) and making it fit for navigating the downturn but flexible to meet the opportunities when the upturn eventually comes.
It is worth remembering from the Great Depression of the '30s to the recessions of the '50s, '70s and '90', for every vanquished organisation, there were also victors. Fortune Magazine, Procter & Gamble, Burger King, Hewlett Packard, MTV, Apple...the list goes on. Each came into existance, or launched major new products in the pit of a downturn. The message being, despite the challenges, be opportunistic, be optimistic...and make the decisions that are right for your business. Your current challenges may just be the opportunity you have been looking for.
Q5 move into new offices - 1st May 2009:
Q5 have moved into their new offices at Little Tufton House, 3 Dean Trench Street, Westminster. We look forward to welcoming you to our offices in the new future.
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