From Busy to Productive: How A lesson from Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger
Part of the Business Growth Studio
A practical, 90 minute workshop with Orange and Blue UK.
Running a business often means juggling competing priorities, constant interruptions and an ever-growing to-do list. But being busy is not the same as being productive. This practical and interactive workshop will help business leaders and professionals re-set their intentions, rethink what they do, and refine how they do it. The focus will be on being effective before efficient.
Led by Mark Tonks, Director of Orange and Blue UK, this session will explore how to move beyond firefighting and create more productive ways of working. Attendees will gain practical tools and techniques to improve time management, prioritise effectively, handle interruptions, reduce distractions and focus on the activities that add the greatest value to their organisation.
Designed specifically for SME leaders, managers and decision-makers, the session will combine expert insight with practical takeaways that can be applied immediately. Whether you are looking to improve your own productivity, create stronger habits across your team, or free up time to focus on growth, this workshop will provide actionable strategies to help you work smarter, not harder.
What we'll cover:
✔️ Productivity is a mindset over a skill set
✔️ Why being busy doesn't always mean being productive
✔️ Practical techniques for prioritising tasks and focusing on high-value activities
✔️ Time management strategies to help you regain control of your day and reduce overwhelm
✔️ How to minimise distractions, interruptions and other common productivity barriers
✔️ Tools and approaches for improving personal effectiveness and team performance
✔️ Creating sustainable ways of working that free up time to focus on business growth
Who should attend?
- Business owners and entrepreneurs looking to maximise their time and impact
- SME leaders wanting to focus less on day-to-day firefighting and more on strategic growth
- Managers and team leaders seeking to improve productivity across their teams
- Professionals balancing multiple priorities and looking for practical ways to work more effectively
- Anyone interested in developing smarter working habits, improving effectiveness and achieving better results with the resources they already have
Agenda:
- 9:00am – Registration, Refreshments & Networking
- 9:30am – Welcome from the Chamber
- 9:40am – Workshop delivery
- 10:50am – Closing comments from the Chamber
Speaker
Picture and bio at be added
Venue
📍GBCC, 7th Floor West Wing, 54 Hagley Road, Birmingham, B16 8PE
Why this matters!
This workshop event is part of the Business Growth Studio, a new GBCC programme designed to equip Greater Birmingham SMEs with the essential tools, knowledge, and connections to grow confidently in today’s economy. Through digital resources, expert insights, practical workshops, peer support, learning & sharing, and networking opportunities, the Business Growth Studio supports SMEs through the different stages of their journey.
