Gavin was frustrated. The project team had been going around in circles on a crucial decision for more than 40 minutes without getting anywhere. “Righto,” said Gavin, cutting off his colleague who was speaking about her concerns for at least the third time. “It’s time to put this to a vote: Are we going ahead […]

What happens in your head when you hear the word BUT? For many of us, ‘but’ cancels everything that was said before it. When someone says ‘Yes, but…’ after we’ve made a suggestion, we hear ‘no’ or feel like the other person is ignoring or diminishing what we said. If your boss intends to be […]

“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 […]

James was anxious. Jenny hadn’t said anything about the report he’d submitted two days earlier until the meeting that morning when she’d described it as a ‘good starting point’ in front of the team. What did that even mean? James assumed the worst. Obviously, Jenny didn’t like it. Actually, she probably thought it was terrible. And that he’s […]

“Great books on effective communication are rare! But Soft is the New Hard by Leah Mether does the genre justice… Detailed and practical – it has the right balance between theory and application. This book is a masterclass and a coach rolled into one.” Thank you Suman Kher for your wonderful and comprehensive review, and […]

Communication at Christmas can be fraught at the best of times. But this year, after the cluster-f…storm that has been 2020, the potential for conflict is higher than usual, with many people stumbling towards the finish line exhausted, traumatised, and polarised in their opinions. Tolerance levels are low, tempers short, stress levels high, and patience […]

Are you heading towards burnout in what has been a crazy, high-stress year? If so, you’re not alone. Many people are skating dangerously close to the edge and barely hanging on as they limp towards Christmas. But while a lot has been totally outside our control in 2020, have you stopped to think about the […]

The culture and performance results of a team are driven by the focus and communication of its people. That culture can range from thriving to diving. Below, I unpack each level of my ‘People Drive Performance’ model.  I encourage you to reflect honestly on where you, your team and organisation sit now, and where you […]

The words we tell ourselves have the power to influence how we feel. I was reminded of this last week when, in a morning of frustration, I caught myself muttering over and over, “I hate remote learning.” You see, I have three primary school-aged boys at home at the moment and although my husband is […]

For yourself, your team, your organisation, your family? Not drop but consciously and deliberately put down. This is a question for everyone but particularly leaders. I have had conversations with people from a wide range of organisations over the last couple of weeks as the situation in Victoria has grown direr. The feedback has been […]