Blog
Here you’ll find inspiration and practical advice all focused on your communication skills development, managing public speaking anxiety, improving your confidence in the workplace, developing effective leadership skills, knowing how best to find a new role or career, learning how to get promoted and understanding your strengths, skills and values.
Getting rhythm into your writing
How does your writing sound to your reader? Does it move along nicely with variety? Or is it flat and dull?
In this article, I’ll tell you why you should be more Gloria Estefan when you write and how to do just that.
How to do peer coaching
Curious how peer coaching can help out your people? Here are 2 great peer coaching examples that create space, reflection time and build trust between people and across the organisation.
The first is called Talking Partners. Each morning two workmates get together to do 3 things:
How to be a better writer
Writing and listening makes you a better writer. We all have that voice in our head and when we read that voice speaks the words in front of us.
Before you press send on your next piece of writing, read out your writing and ask yourself these questions:
Managing your emotions
How many emotions do you experience that you can identify as you’re experiencing them? And what are these emotions?
This was the question asked to 7000 people*. And guess what they said? How many emotions could they identify?
Connecting with your team as a leader
You’re a manager and lead a team. How do you connect with individuals and create an open, healthy communication? This is quite brilliant on the topic.
“Every year when we left California he made index cards for us. He wrote down every phone number where he might possibly be reached and taped a dime next to each number…
How to match learning design with learning needs
A tale of apple strudel, interpersonal dynamics...and monkeys. And why this is important if you’re thinking of getting some training and coaching for the folk in your organisation.
At our table was coffee, apple strudel and vanilla sauce. It was perfectly appley and the vanilla sauce was mmmm-mmm, sublime. We were in downtown Frankfurt and in front of the monkey enclosure at the zoo.
Walking your way to success
Taking a break is important and time spent outdoors is good for us. It gives us back energy. But is it as simple as just heading outside for a walk? Or should we consider where we’re going?
Here are 4 things to consider before you next stretch your legs.
How to reduce anxiety
Why talking about your feelings is good for you.
Researchers at the University of California asked people to give a series of impromptu speeches in front of an audience. Which meant they felt like this 😱.
The benefits of playing games
Why do we love to play games? And is it all a bit of fun? Or are there serious things we can learn?
Research shows that when we’re playing a game we’re the best versions of ourselves.
How roleplaying develops empathy
Don’t dismiss or underestimate roleplaying in learning new communication skills.
There’s real power in ‘being’ someone else - even for 5 minutes.
Doing your best work
We all produce work and we all do that from a place. And where we work matters.
What difference would it make to you to think about where you work from and how that effects your focus, your commitment and your output?
The joy of change
A story of managing change, finding freedom in new places and spicing up Saturday afternoons
I look forward to going there and I LOVE the feeling of having been there. And once I’ve been, I feel lighter.
Why you should know your audience
What are you doing to meet your audiences’ needs? How would you rate your connection with them? And what happens when you don’t get them and they don’t get you?
The short answer is that you look a bit daft and it teaches you to laugh at yourself. Here are two occasions when I did not do my homework about who was sitting in front of me.
Ten top tips on how to get more humour into learning and development
“That was a slow shuffle through hell – let’s do this again” said no-one ever. Are you a facilitator, teacher or trainer? Here’s how to use laughter to look after people’s energy and, equally importantly, your own.
Learning doesn't always have to be so serious. Here's how to get more engagement, more focus, more fun and more oomph into learning programmes and go from yuck to yay.
What I learned from young leaders
“The best course in leadership the school offers” is how it’s often referred to at The Hotelschool The Hague: a five day outdoor programme in The Ardennes, Belgium.
Twelve young leaders are thrown together to complete a range of assignments, 2 night time hikes with overnight camps, a bunch of new leadership theory and not a lot of sleep. Having gone as a co-trainer on a retreat here’s what I learned…
How to manage change
Time to move on: Time for new learning, time to get unstuck, time for a new job. Here are some techniques to help create and manage change.
As a qualified coach when I’m working with someone there are 3 tools that have the biggest impact.
The joy of missing out
You’ve probably heard of the fear of missing out (FOMO) but what about the joy of missing out (JOMO). Do you know about the great benefits of JOMO?
“People are worried about why you’re not going out” Martin said. I was then a 22 year old student and my friend was disappointed I was yet again not joining the crowd downtown on a Thursday night.
But I had plans.
The benefits of asking for help
The steel covers from man holes got stolen making the walk home a bit dicey, “anti-trouble emulsion” was sold in chemists and mutton was on every menu. My first few days in the city had been educational but I was ready for something different.
I had an appointment to meet someone new. At an interview. The conversation was flowing, we were laughing together and it looked like a good match. Then Jayne paused. “Wow. You really don’t know what you’re doing, do you?"
I smiled and nodded “I really don’t. That’s why I placed the advert.”
How to learn new things
What kind of coffee do I want? Where are the canned tomatoes? How do I cross the street? Life is full of “big” questions that can send our brain into overdrive. Here’s how to take care of your brain when you're dealing with new stuff.
Newness is exhilarating. It’s an adventure. And it’s exhausting. But it doesn’t have to be.
Ten top tips for more confidence
I recently wrote about my recent experience at a networking event, that women were holding themselves back and that we need to talk about confidence. In this follow up blog I’m going to share 10 ways that can develop your confidence (whether you’re a woman or a man).
This means that the next time you’re given a brilliant opportunity you’ll reply with gusto “Why of course, I will be there with bells on - just try and stop me!”