Networking. The very thought of it is enough to fill many people with dread. The small talk; awkward questions; selling yourself; plastering a smile on your face and pretending to be something you’re not – ugh!
What do you do when you’re not happy with your meal at a restaurant (it’s cold, not what you ordered, not cooked properly), or disappointed with the service of a shop or small business?
When we get nervous, our body is flooded with adrenalin and cortisol – known as ‘stress hormones’. It’s a throwback to thousands of years ago when the fear response was wired into our nervous system to give us the energy, speed, and strength we needed to escape danger and threats: the fight or flight response. […]
We all have that little voice. For some, it’s not so little. Maybe yours is a loud shouty voice: That voice inside your head that fills you with self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and manifests in the dreaded imposter syndrome. It’s the voice that says, I’m not good enough. I’m not ready. It’s not the right […]
The problem with perfection is simple: it doesn’t exist. No matter how good you are – as an employee, business person, parent, partner, friend, child, sibling, athlete, runner, volunteer, healthy eater, whatever – you can always improve and do better. And therein lies the problem. If you strive for perfection, you set yourself up for failure.
We all know them, you may even be one of them: The people whose go-to communication style is passive-aggressive. Those who deny they’re angry; use sarcasm or a pleasant voice to disguise an aggressive overtone; give backhanded compliments; or are critical behind people’s backs, but won’t say anything to a person’s face.
There’s a reason you’re instructed to put your own oxygen mask on first in case of an emergency on an aeroplane: You can’t help other people unless you first help yourself. The same goes for life in general. When you’re busy with work, kids, commitments, and who knows what else, it’s easy to fall into […]
Tall poppy syndrome is alive and well in Australia and it’s not just celebrities and sports stars in people’s sights. Whenever someone achieves success, tries something new, or seeks to better themselves – whether in business, their career, or personal life – there will always be detractors and people who try to knock them down; […]
A couple of weeks ago I gave blood at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service Traralgon Donor Centre. As I sat back in the chair squeezing the stress ball to pump up my notoriously dodgy veins, I looked around the room and thought, ‘yep, these guys have nailed their communication’.
Emotional intelligence essentially refers to a person’s interpersonal and communication skills, and their own self-awareness. It is key to personal and career success.
