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…)

I’m absolutely blessed that I can, from time to time, go along and see what my girls get up to in their after school activities.  Both of my girls study piano and watching their little fingers dance across the keys is amazing to me.  Sometimes, as you can imagine, when they are learning a new piece that requires both hands going in different directions it can get a little confusing.  I sat watching my daughter, Ciara, struggle (more…)

Imagine this scenario…you and I are out on a boat fishing in the harbour.  Not too far out, maybe 250 metres or so.  We’re not wearing life jackets but we’re having a great time laughing and joking when out of nowhere a freak wave appears and topples the boat.  We both go flying into the water and, almost at the same time, we reach the surface.  Now you’re a confident swimmer and you come up laughing and joking, “Where did that come from?” (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…)

I remember getting my very first leadership opportunity.  I was thrilled because this is what I’d been working towards for many years and boy oh boy did I suck!  I thought I understood all I needed to know because, after all, I’d read all the books and gave an awesome interview so why was I floundering so badly?  I couldn’t understand why my team wasn’t jumping on board and hanging onto my every word.  It was at this point that I was firmly pressed up against reality and I quickly realised that I didn’t have the skills that I thought I had. (more…)

I’m only a couple of weeks away from competing in Ironman NZ 2015 so please forgive me if my every waking thought is consumed by the challenge that lies ahead.  So why is Ironman such a great metaphor for life in general?  When people look at Ironman the first thing they think of is that it’s a tremendously physical challenge…and they’d be right.  But it’s more than that.  The physical, although essential, is only one component of making it to the finish line. (more…)

It must have been the winter of 2008.  It was a cold one and my wife and I decided to break up the winter and head to Fiji for a week.  So we packed up our 7 month old daughter and off we went.  My outstanding memories from Fiji were a cockerel who crowed every morning at 5am (grrrr!!!), the amazing friendliness of the people, the beautiful island itself and a tiny book stall in the lobby of a hotel…the name of which I have altogether forgotten. (more…)

This blog is the second part of “Why your staff are disengaged” and was written in response to a recent Gallup survey revealed that two-thirds of employees are disengaged.  It went on to say that “72% of New Zealanders are actively disengaged in the workforce, with 59% of employees behaving poorly with family and friends after a stressful day’s work.”  These statistics are quite unbelievable and very scary!  So what is it that is causing this lack of engagement and the general unhappiness of our New Zealand workforce? (more…)

A few weeks back I was dropping my girls off to school in the morning and I heard on the radio that a recent Gallup survey revealed that two-thirds of employees are disengaged.  It went on to say that “72% of New Zealanders are actively disengaged in the workforce, with 59% of employees behaving poorly with family and friends after a stressful day’s work.”  These statistics are quite unbelievable and very scary!  So what is it that is causing this lack of engagement and the general unhappiness of our New Zealand workforce? (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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