“Have you got five minutes?” Only, we all know it’s never five minutes and it’s usually asked for right when we’re about to race off to a meeting, are on deadline for an important task, or focussed on an important task. For many of us (particularly the people pleasers and passive communicators) the yes response […]
“If only I had more confidence...” “When I’m confident, I’ll…” “I don’t have the confidence to have that conversation (so I won't have it).” I hear versions of these statements frequently. It seems many people believe developing confidence is the answer to their problems. I disagree.
Too often we assume a request from a colleague, or task allocated by our boss must be actioned immediately, without question. We drop whatever we were working on and get started on the new request straight away. This reactive, rather than responsive approach is a sure-fire path to stress and overwhelm. Our to-do list grows, […]
On Tuesday, while driving through Newborough on my way to a meeting, I pulled over to help an elderly man who was lying on the footpath. He was on his back, struggling to get up, with his dog on a lead beside him. Turns out the poor guy had had a fall.
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 are disappointed with the service of a shop or business?
Stand tall, speak small. This is advice I often give people who want to develop their assertiveness. It means standing strong with confident body language; communicating your point clearly and concisely; and then - crucially - zipping it, rather than going on and on.
Where's your line in the sand? What do you stand for? One of the big picture concepts I speak about in my effective communication workshop is the importance of knowing the answer to these questions. It's hard to know when to stand up, if you don't know what you stand for. The answer is different […]
Ladies! Gather round, lean in, listen up. We need to talk. You need to stop. Stop dismissing your achievements, talking yourself down, brushing off your success, and diminishing the results of your hard work as simply ‘good luck’. STOP IT! It’s hurting you. It’s hurting all of us.
