In a previous blog talked about a few different strategies for giving feedback.  Feedback is, of course, vital to us all if we want to become better at what we do and it’s important that we communicate this in a way that it is heard and taken on board.  There are times, however, when we need to provide more than feedback.  When one of your more experienced team members stuffs up and should’ve known better it’s important that they understand this also. (more…)

Have you ever been frustrated by not being able to get your message across?  Or maybe it’s not your message that’s the problem but perhaps the way it’s delivered causes people to get the goat.  A very good friend of mine and a great coach in her own right, Emma Parker, shared with me a terrific acronym (TADAR) that she uses to help improve, not only her own communication, but that of her team.  As well as using it as a guide herself, if one of her team comes to her with a message that they (more…)

It’s not uncommon for people to feel flustered when under pressure to answer a question in an important meeting. Even if we know the answer our minds can sometimes go blank and we get tongue tied. If you’re like most people who’ve experienced this you may even chastise yourself for getting so wound up. While there’s always something lying underneath this response (often it’s the flight, fight or freeze response kicking in) there are some simple steps we can take to better remain calm under fire. (more…)

Some of us have breezed through our careers without ever missing an opportunity for advancement but for the rest us being passed up for a promotion can be a pretty tough experience. Sometimes the reason might be an obvious one but at other times it might be a little murky…

Allow me to ask you a question, have you ever had a certain feeling about someone, you’d never call their character into question (more…)

If ever you’ve found yourself struggling at 3pm in the afternoon or you need that coffee to kick-start your day then read on.   Modern life is robbing us of our natural ability to perform at our very best throughout the day and to keep going well into the evening.  Here are some super quick tips for getting the most out of your body and your day. (more…)

Attending networking events is something that most of us dread doing and, if you’ve never been to one before, your first one can be quite intimidating.  Here are some simple tips to help you be more comfortable the next time you find yourself at a networking event or even amongst a group of people you don’t know. (more…)

Have you ever noticed, either with yourself or with others, that managing up only ever becomes an issue when things aren’t going so well with the boss.  It’s only then that the hue and cry goes up and people scramble for what they should do.  In reality though, managing up should be something that you do all the time.  It’s your responsibility to understand your boss’s strengths and weaknesses, their priorities and their Working Style and to take the time to build a productive working relationship.  Here are a few tips to help you along the way… (more…)

How can you attract more luck into your life and are some people just born lucky? This was the subject of research by Dr. Richard Wiseman and his colleagues over a couple of decades. Dr Wiseman concluded that the only sure way to become more lucky in life is to kiss a leprechaun. And considering St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner you might be in luck!  I’m kidding of course.

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If I were to ask you to define ‘credibility’ you might say something along the lines of “I know it when I see it”, just like you know you ‘like’ someone.  It’s a hard one because it’s such a subjective term but don’t dismiss the importance of ‘having credibility’ in your chosen area of expertise because credibility is positively correlated to success in every area of life. (more…)

1.    Determine the objective of the meeting and the outcomes you would like to achieve

Once you know what your objective and your outcomes are, you can quite easily create an agenda.

Sometimes it is worth holding a team meeting just for the social side.  Don’t underestimate the value of giving people an opportunity to unwind during a stressful project.

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