Develop essential interpersonal and communication skills that are crucial for personal and professional success in any industry.
How to take Bias out of Strategic Decision Making As a leader, it is critical to make decisions. But how do you limit biases when looking for solutions? In this article, we will explore techniques to tackle bias and improve strategic decision making. What research tells us… In 2010 Dan Lovallo and Olivier Sibony, advisors […]
How to Build Rapport When you are trying to develop rapport with others, make the Oxford Dictionary definition your mantra: “a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other’s feelings or ideas and communicate well”. What does it take to accelerate “close and harmonious” communication with those you want […]
Together Everyone Achieves More! 4 Stages of Team Development What’s a team? How about ‘a group of people working together to achieve a common goal or objective’? And if you like the definition, do you have a team? If the answer is no, then how do you get one? Questions, questions! Let’s look at some […]
Let’s talk about ways to resolve conflict, real techniques that you can use in your professional life. Typically, we look at the problem of conflict being a result of miscommunication. Maybe there wasn’t a clear understanding of what is important to the other person, and this can include respect, time frames, seniority, budget constraints – […]
How To Accept The Things We Cannot Change The ability to manage our own stress levels is a wonderful thing, but we need to approach it with realistic aims. It is extremely helpful to acknowledge straight away that some sources of stress in our lives are unavoidable – for example, economic downturns or the loss […]
This blog post will share advice on not only how to CAPTURE your audience’s attention, but how to KEEP your audience engaged throughout your presentation. This is especially important in the current culture we’re living in, where audiences have so many distractions, often even multi-tasking during our presentation. Read on for some great techniques to […]
Despite the increased use of virtual reality and artificial intelligence in creative thinking, problem solving and decision making are still some of the most in-demand skills needed by professionals in the workplace to maximise efficiency, productivity and both team and individual performance. This article will explore 4 tips to help you solve problems quicker and […]
Personal Branding – Release Your Inner Superhero Do people in your organisation know what your unique skills and abilities are? You could assume that the impact made by your hard work would show others who you are and what you can do. However, unless you market yourself, people could see you in a way that […]
If you read any book or article about what’s needed to be a great Leader, effective communication skills are key, particularly the ability to have great listening skills. In these tips to improve listening skills for better leadership, we will explore how listening mastery is one of the five key essentials in communication that every […]
I Just Need Some ‘Me’ Time! Nervous energy, anxiety or stress? ‘When the demands placed upon us at work exceed our resources, and we feel we can no longer cope’ Yes, that sums it up nicely! You’ve had a stressful day – there’s too much work, deadlines are tight and you’re worrying constantly about the […]
Throughout our careers, nothing will have any greater impact on us than change. For most, we enjoy the security of routine and the known boundaries in which we operate. Let’s begin to look at the 4 steps to managing change and dealing with uncertainty in a positive way. Change can have substantial effects across so […]
There are so many complications and mistakes that can distort our modern-day communication, yet the words we use are not always the instigator of the conflict. Sometimes a simple look or the wrongly assumed tone can cause an unexpected reaction. Here are five common mistakes we make in communication – try to consider how you […]
How do some people influence us so easily? They seem to effortlessly sway us into an agreement. Those razor-sharp, crystal cut people skills that acknowledge our importance and make us feel so special. You might call it the what’s-in-it-for-me clause that all great marketing and sales gurus just to seem to find in each of […]
Memory plays a very important part of all our lives. From young to old age, it creates connections and shared experiences between people, gives us the skills to develop and improve our performance and gives us joy in long-term recollection. Memories allow us to act in the present and prepare for the future. Without it […]
Have you been asked to deliver an online or virtual training for your team or your colleagues since the start of the Coronavirus lockdown? You are not the only one! This article will give you several suggestions to help you deliver virtual training more effectively. Several of these tips also apply if you need to […]
We all love to chat. And yet being the lead in the conversation is not what makes it engaging. Having the passion to get to know someone and build a relationship is a great skill in leadership, and underlying all that natural enthusiasm is the ability to lead a conversation and discover the other person’s […]
How to Structure Your Presentations Efficiently Once you have decided on the purpose of your presentation and identified your audience, you need to prepare the structure and content in order to go from storyboard to creating a successful talk. Structuring can take time. You can get it done efficiently so you can maximise practice time […]
There has never been a time like it in history, where the explosion of corporate expansion has led to the constant need for great leaders. Where companies have grown in size to match the economies of a small country, the prize of a truly great leader has never been so important nor so highly rewarded. […]
Pressure? What pressure? We all need a little pressure in our lives, both at work and at home. The right amount motivates us to get things done. But what happens to us if the pressure becomes too great, and we can’t handle it? This is where resilience comes in. Stress is defined as ‘a situation […]
Are You Under The Influence? Wouldn’t it be great if we could easily gain the willing cooperation and buy-in of others? We approach them because we need a favour, or some form of action on their part, and they agree to comply happily under our influence, instead of resisting or claiming they’re too busy. If […]
If your job requires the regular use of the telephone to liaise with customers and colleagues, then you need to get the best from every call. How can you ensure this? The abbreviation PARSAC provides a handy framework to follow when dealing with incoming calls: Prepare Are you fully prepared when the phone rings? Make sure […]
Have you ever had to deal with challenging training delegates? When delivering a training session, it would be wonderful to think that everyone wants to be there. However, as we all know, this is not always the case. Occasionally, you may have to not only share the learning, but also handle some challenging personalities. Here […]
This blog will help you to successfully handle tough questions during your presentation. How do you respond to unexpected/challenging questions? A fearful scenario You’ve prepared fully for your presentation and it’s flowing smoothly as planned, with the audience hanging on every word. Suddenly, out of the blue, someone interrupts you with a comment or question, […]
Embracing your inner creativity can be a real morale boost during times of high stress and pressure. “The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas” – Linus Pauling (founder of quantum chemistry, molecular biology, and molecular genetics) Whether you are a fresh graduate isolating by yourself, a key worker […]
Have you ever felt awkward when delivering a virtual presentation to your colleagues, your team or to a client? In some ways a virtual presentation can be even more nerve-racking than presenting in person, where at least you can see if everyone is paying attention! Read on to learn several techniques to help you can […]
Due to COVID-19 a huge number of people are now working remotely. In this new reality, it is becoming a significant challenge to build trust and ensure remote teams work both efficiently and productively together. If you are wondering how to build trust when you can’t even see your fellow colleagues, this article will explore […]
Are you struggling to stay motivated working at home during the current lockdown? Huge numbers of people are currently working from home every day due to the extreme changes caused by Coronavirus. From pets to children, Netflix or even a good book, there are so many distractions that get in the way as we try […]
It is natural to feel a strain on your mental health under the current circumstances. Economies are suffering, people are worried about losing their jobs. Many parents have children at home and have to juggle taking care of their kids with getting work done. And on top of this, physical health is a huge concern […]
World leaders across the globe have recently demonstrated the art of chairing a meeting in fully digital environments, setting a precedent for organisations everywhere. Many Managers and employees are also leading and taking part in virtual meetings via apps such as Zoom, Teams, Skype or GoToMeeting. A number of staff might be doing this for […]
(Updated October 2022) It’s approaching 3 years since the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic and in this blog originally written back in 2020 you can find some super useful tips should you find yourself managing remote or hybrid based teams. Do you want to support your team, maintain productivity and drive business performance during […]
At time we are all faced with people who are displaying anger and aggressive behaviour. It can be, at best, uncomfortable and, at worst frightening and potentially dangerous. In Ten Tips for Managing Anger and Aggressive Behaviour, we’ll look at ten things that can be done when confronted with this type of behaviour to minimise […]
Interpersonal skills are ranked highly by managers. On a scale of 1 to 5, they come in at 4.37. The figure is very high as it comes in second on the list essential skills, beaten only by being able to work in a team. Carry on reading to find out why they are popular. Why […]
How to Handle Questions Confidently How do you top off a successful presentation? You need to ensure your audience goes away not only feeling informed but impressed and won over. The end of your presentation gives audience members a window to engage with you and ask questions. For you, this is an opportunity to restate […]
When it comes to bringing a team together and giving them the same ambition, goal setting can be a powerful tool to sketch out time frames, responsibilities, the how and why, as well as the mechanism to measure success. Yet it is more than just scrawling out notes with headings and getting it agreed and […]
Everyone talks about leaders needing to have a clear direction, a company vision, compelling goals don’t they – but what if these things were overrated and/or not the only answer? Here’s more – what if these sorts of leadership and management books were wrong, and something else was needed to get your team on board […]
Getting The Work Done Willingly And Well! Practical ways to motivate Motivation: the art of getting people to do what you want them to do, because they want to do it. Sounds good? Dwight D. Eisenhower certainly thought so – he said it! Let’s talk about motivation – what can a manager do to motivate […]
BUILDING CONFIDENCE AND ASSERTIVENESS AT WORK: Wikipedia describes confidence as “a state of being certain either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective.” The Latin word from which confidence derives (fidere) means “to trust”, either in oneself or someone in whom you […]
How to say ‘no’ assertively If you are a passive person, there is one word that strikes fear into your heart, and because of this it rarely appears in your personal dictionary. It’s a difficult but short message – the word ‘no’. If you are passive, you prefer to be a ‘yes’ person, a people […]
Introduction: One of our most precious commodities is ‘time’. We often find ourselves believing that we don’t have enough hours in the day to complete all the tasks we have. This post examines this mindset and provides three tips for better time management; how to prioritise effectively in order to achieve what’s important whilst learning […]
With so much at stake in corporate development, leadership is perhaps the single greatest key in finding the correct decision and then making it count. Here are four principles to help you develop a strong leadership presence and authority. Planning – Finding all the information required can be a challenging process however the best guide […]
What is the STAR? The STAR technique is a process that helps you to respond efficiently and effectively to those tricky interview questions that ask you to reflect on your experience. It will help you to ace every interview. These types of questions will often begin, “Tell me…?”, “Describe a situation…?” or “Give me an […]
Four Key Interpersonal Skills for Better Relationships The nicest people in our lives have interpersonal skills in abundance. They are attributes that make the toughest requests reasonable, the toughest situations bearable and the scary challenges that we face seem exciting. Below we look at four of the most powerful interpersonal skills for high performing teams […]
Counterproductive emotions can affect decision-making, performance, and profitability in an organisation. Emotional Intelligence at work means being able to build powerful and trusting relationships with colleagues whilst enjoying greater confidence and security. Using ‘Emotional Intelligence at work’ to Understand Ourselves Before we can work better with others, Emotional Intelligence requires us to look within and […]
5 Tips to “Wow” Your Audience As a presenter, your goal should be to engage your audience, keep their attention and get them to take action or agree with your point of view. You are most likely to keep the audience’s attention if you remember that you – not your props or slides – are […]
Why do we need training to talk to people? The number of people who do not have a structured approach to making and taking successful calls – their lack of basic skills required to answer the phone is surprising. This includes making sales calls or assisting someone who needs information. They forget the basics of […]
Coping with stress Stress defined? ‘When the demands placed upon us at work exceed our resources, and we feel we can no longer cope’. You’ve had a stressful day – there’s too much work, deadlines are tight and you’re worrying constantly if it’s not done. Perhaps your manager will blame you? Not a pleasant situation, […]
What is Management? As you might expect a simple Google search brings up many definitions to help answer the question, ‘What is Management?’. For the purposes of this post, we’re going to focus on the one below. It’s a good one and one of the most widely quoted. “Management is the art of getting things […]
One of our most precious commodities is ‘time’. We often find ourselves believing that we don’t have enough hours in the day to complete all the tasks we have. This post examines this mindset and provides some tips as to how to prioritise effectively in order to achieve what’s important whilst learning to identify, and […]
Introduction We all have a ‘toolkit’ to draw on as we seek to be the best we can be at work. In recent years a person’s emotional intelligence helps to increase our efficiency and productivity. It underpins the ‘how’ we do things in terms of the approach. In this post we’ll provide more detail around […]
(This blog was updated in January 2024) In our interconnected world, we often find ourselves collaborating with colleagues, clients, and suppliers from various countries and time zones. Cities and countries are becoming melting pots of diverse cultures, emphasising the need for effective communication both within organisations and with the public. Recent studies highlight the growing […]