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Ben Farrell

The Expertise Trap:  The Hidden Factors Behind Stronger Teams

Why do teams with a high-performing subject matter expert sometimes deliver worse results?   It often comes down to the approach of the team’s internal expert. Instead of viewing their role as one that lifts collective performance, they can operate from a personal performance perspective. This sometimes occurs because the organisation lacks the structure and direction to enable experts to support their teams.  In the absence of knowledge management, training pathways and documented procedures, the expert is implicitly expected to lead by role modellingRead More »The Expertise Trap:  The Hidden Factors Behind Stronger Teams

One-on-Ones – Purpose, frequency, length, agenda & template

excerpt from Bee Squared’s Operational Leadership Handbook Recurring catch ups with staff members; prepared with performance feedback & other key topics. Purpose:  Meet with individual staff members regularly to: All of the above will contribute significantly to your individual staff members and team producing higher quality work in a more efficient way. Frequency:  The frequency of the meetings is yourRead More »One-on-Ones – Purpose, frequency, length, agenda & template

Manage YOURSELF FIRST

The operational leader of front-line workers is one of the busiest roles in an organisation.  Managing your time, and the tasks you will complete and your approach to them is an essential part of your success. Investing in the ‘core’ activities (your operating rhythm): Your operating rhythm.  There are key activities that improve your effectiveness as a team manager.  ThereRead More »Manage YOURSELF FIRST

Talent management & succession planning

Talent management and succession planning create performance benefits that outweigh the investment of time and effort.  However, many leadership teams don’t know how simple and beneficial it can be.  The Performance and Potential Matrix can be a good a foundation point. The Performance and Potential Matrix (a.k.a. the nine box grid), is a commonly used HR or managerial concept forRead More »Talent management & succession planning

UNLOCKING GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE & EFFICIENCY

Spotlight on Workflow Management Effective workload management is at the heart of any organisation that aims to deliver results consistently, and it all begins with good workflow design. Workflow systems need to be tailored to specific needs, combining best practices with a clear understanding of the value versus cost for the organisation. The approach is not one-size-fits-all, as every teamRead More »UNLOCKING GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE & EFFICIENCY

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT

In 2025, Bee Squared partnered with a South Australian government agency to deliver operational management improvements, with a focus on service level performance and reducing workload in case management. The agency faced several challenges, including inefficiencies in workflow design, which limited case visibility and hindered performance tracking. Aged and unassigned cases exceeded acceptable timeframes, and the absence of effective workloadRead More »OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT