Want to get the best out of your team, but feel that you haven’t got the time to do it? Your workload may well already be stressful enough, with targets and demands from senior executives. I can certainly relate to that sentiment, as I often found myself “managing” during the day and “working” either side […]
Only joking!! We know that most people think they don’t need more stress, they need less. But do you know the level of stress that ensures you’re at your optimum performance level? Or could you be someone who believes that you have to be anxious and worried about all eventualities in order to be in […]
I was asked the other day what I would do to get more women on the board of today’s organisations. From the Women on Boards Annual Progress Report, as of March 2013, the FTSE 100 figures show: Women now account for 17.3% of all directorships, up from 10.5% in 2010. Women account for 34% of […]
The other day I was asked to provide my thoughts on what makes the best coaching workshop or 1-2-1 sessions. Interesting question, but one it didn’t take me too long to answer, as this is something I’m passionate about. Coaching is successful when I can see those who are attending really getting to grips with […]
Many organisations have now started to implement coaching programmes, whether that’s using internal or external resources. The sporting arena has thought of coaches as essential for many years (and our 2012 Olympic success brought that to the fore) but until recently the business arena has been slower to understand and appreciate the benefits. It’s now […]
During my management career, I went through many a time where I thought I couldn’t be a good manager, didn’t enjoy it, or felt that I had made too many mistakes. At one time, we had a new boss join our established team, who not only didn’t understand anyone who was different or managed differently […]
Being a manager and leader today can be a very difficult job. Surveys and reports are demonstrating that the number one impact on employee motivation and engagement is down to the abilities and skills of the leader they are reporting to. Work related stress, the main cause of sickness rates, is also often attributed to […]
Self confidence is important in all aspects of our lives, and especially in our leadership role. But it’s something that many people struggle to obtain, and without it being successful is a lot more difficult. For instance, someone who stands with their head held high, speaks clearly, answers questions with conviction and who can admit […]
Confidence doesn’t seem to be something that gets discussed a lot when it comes to leadership. But you may have noticed certain behaviours in a leader and not realised that that behaviour is actually down to a severe lack of confidence. One such leader joined an established team and rather than taking time to notice […]
Being a leader can be a very fulfilling role. Seeing employees achieve great successes, learn new skills, develop new behaviours and take on leadership roles of their own provides a very satisfying feeling to those who have been part of that development. However, at times, it can seem very overwhelming. Do you feel you have […]
Do you sometimes reflect back and wonder why your career isn’t progressing in the way you had hoped or planned, and you’re not sure how to change things? Or you may feel that you’re drowning in expectation (from your boss, team, peers, family, friends, or even yourself) – trying to do all that is required […]
Nobody likes making mistakes (I know, obvious Karen!), but there’s a big difference to your approach when you’re scared of making them. There’s the personal fear, but it could also be that your organisation has a “blame culture” where mistakes are frowned upon and people are always on the lookout for a scapegoat. This would […]
Strictly Come Dancing is one of my favourite shows on TV – not least because I love to dance myself and am lucky enough to have regularly danced with two of the professionals of the show – but that’s another story!! What is also fascinating about the show for me is the change in confidence […]
Science has proved that monetary rewards to top performers actually leads them to worse performance! And bonuses certainly don’t work if you want to encourage creativity and innovation. What works best is recognition and allowing people to learn, have individual goals and work on projects that they really care about and can focus on. Obviously […]
In the UK, organisations have recorded that only 3-25% of their staff are highly engaged, offering a huge improvement potential for those leaders who can demonstrate the link to profitability, productivity and staff tenure. The government commissioned paper written by David MacLeod and Nita Clarke, entitled Engaging For Success, provides a number of statistics […]
The economic downturn has been a significant factor in increasing stress levels in the workplace. A recent survey has found that 41% of employees are currently feeling stressed or very stressed in their jobs. Importantly, 20% think that if they mentioned stress they would be first to be made redundant and 48% are scared to […]
Whose name is the most important and thought about name that you know? It’s yours! The average person is much more interested in their name than any others in the world. By remembering someone’s name, you are paying a very subtle, but very effective compliment. Your name sets us apart as a unique individual. Forgetting […]
According to a recent Manpower global talent survey, a sixth of employers are finding it difficult to fill key roles in their organisation, even in these high levels of unemployment. And it seems that skills shortages are the main problem. The survey identified that “management/executives” are the third most difficult roles to fill. This could […]
The dip in afternoon productivity when employees don’t take a lunch break has been reported by Bupa as costing businesses nearly £50million a day. Employees believe they are doing their bosses a favour by working through lunch, with a third of those not taking a break saying this is down to management pressures or work […]
A new survey has revealed that a quarter of British employees do not respect their managers, and nearly half are not motivated by them. The main findings show that: 36% say their supervisor fails to provide clear instructions 23% dislike their managers Nearly half don’t think their manager helps them develop their career 30% […]