Personal Development
Business development, motivation and self-improvement.

Your manager is not a mind reader In spite of all the talk and management speak about flatter hierarchies, self managed teams and no manager or supervisors; the hierarchical command structure is still causing vertigo. So managing upwards is an important skill in most workplaces. Full team ahead Stephanie Greasley, CCI (Coaching Consulting & Implementation Ltd) Before we go on let’s just be clear what I mean by a team... Time for change! Things have been building up for some time haven't they? The changes out there in the marketplace, those super-efficient I.T. developments, new product launches from the competition, and a host of other factors have made change in your organisation an absolute necessity - and, as you’re in charge then you’re the one to carry it through! Confidence booster Steve McDermott, European Business Speaker of the Year shares his tops tips to achieving presentation success Leadership for profit Stephanie Greasley; Coaching, Consulting & Implementation (CCI) Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but, BUSINESS IS GETTING TOUGHER! People buy from people - remembering names “Remember that a persons name is the sweetest and most important sound in any language,” Dale Carnegie. Top Ten Ways to Buy More Time You can buy more time by using some of our top ten tips to free up your time. I like the idea, but... Aspira “But” is such a small word, it seems tiny neutral and harmless. It isn’t. In the workplace it is the most popular form of issue raising and because it is so common it carries with it the baggage of abuse. No Pain No gain The following story should not be read by those a nervous disposition. Enthusiasm Sells High Achieving sales people have always understood that one of the most critical attributes to their success is enthusiasm. Overcoming the Barriers to Networking You receive an invite to a networking event, do you immediately think what a wonderful opportunity or do you go under sufferance on the basis that one ought to do it. Leaders versus managers The leaders versus managers debate rages on in the management press. Invariably people in organisations say they want more leaders and fewer managers. Perhaps the division is not as real as people think and what organisations really need are managerial leaders at all levels. Empowerment-what does it really mean? Having just read through a number of strategic plans I am surprised at the number of times the word “empower” or a derivative appears. “We are an organisation that encourages empowered people”; “Our values are empowerment, learning, accountability, integrity.” So what does this wonderful word empower mean? Blamestorming Blame is toxic to organisations. When blame is around punishment surely follows. To avoid any form of punishment we deflect blame form ourselves or allocate it to others. Balancing the work-life scales Life is a balancing act. It is a challenge each day to juggle all those things that you hold dear. Concentrating on one area of your life can lead to tensions and stress in other areas so a delicate balance is needed to keep things working in the best way for you. Creativity is for Everyone Are you of the view that only a few individuals are creative or that it is only truly artistic people who are creative? If you recognize this belief in yourself you are certainly not alone - it is held by the majority of people. Negotiating Successfully This is the alleged transcript of an actual radio conversation between a US naval ship and a Canadian maritime contact off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995. Lessons from a goose Have you ever seen a flock of geese flying in a large V formation? The goose and the way that they organize themselves can teach us a lot about leadership, teams and organisations. Feedback is the Food of Champions Do you dread that moment when your boss says that he wants to give you feedback. More often than not we immediately expect the “gotcha” approach to management rather than heaps of praise and “well dones” Are you wrkonig hrad or wkonrig sramt? “Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. amzanig huh?” Read on...... Communications across dispersed teams When geography divides a team conflicts can occur along the borders. The world can become “us” and “them” and there can be hostile feelings towards people in other parts of the organisation. Are you a high performer? Being a high performer is not just climbing the greasy pole to the top or just making lots of money, it is about people who are successful on their terms in all aspects of their life. Can your smile be heard? Telephone etiquette is critical to effective business. Make your calls count by being pleasant, sincere and focused on the person you are calling. Customer complaints are like medicine Whenever you are faced with an upset customer do not think of it as a problem, think of it rather as an opportunity to learn something new. Be like a postage stamp Do you remember the old rhyme quoted to you as a child "if at first you don't succeed try and try again". From learning to walk or riding a bicycle our childhood teaches us that failure only occurs when we stop trying. It is a lesson many of us need to revisit in adulthood.