ARTICLES

Wondering ‘what if’ isn’t a bad thing. In fact, using analysis of factors and outcomes helps us play through different aspects of a situation, find novel/better options and generate new insights. Asking ‘what if’ opens a door to possibilities. What’s the worst that can happen? What if you did make the wrong choice? It could happen, but you would deal with it because we are also hardwired to survive. And you’d have learned something you could use to make better future decision

Connect with and articulate your passion in a way that is authentic to you so you can be happy and productive in your career.

Do you warm up before you run? Stretch as you start a yoga session? Ever thought of doing that before an interview? If not, why not? It could give you the edge. Even with the most diligent preparations for content, about 80% of the time, clients hit their stride after 20-30 minutes, which is too late on the day to make a good impression. Warm up and be ready to GO with my top tips and practical actions.

How do you know if you really want to leave your job? How deeply have you thought about this - and the practicalities? To truly understand what is fuelling your desire to leave and to stand a chance of making the right decision, there are steps you can take to put yourself in the best possible position - before you take the leap!

You don't have to be an expert. You can be a highly successful generalist. And it's perfectly normal to be interested in - and good at - lots of different things.

Make networking easier by knowing how to ask great questions and make someone feel interested in what you have to say.

Decisions can be hard because they are full of unknowns and risks. Often, we don’t know what we don’t know, and that can be nerve-wracking and hard to accept. But we can’t know everything. Sometimes we have to take a leap of faith or, to put it another way, jump and accept that we might fall…or land gracefully. We can choose to think positively.

How many of us are good at faking active listening whilst our brains rush to devise solutions we can offer as advice? Two hard but vital lessons for me in my career have been to stop my brain racing and listen and think about the best solution, not the first solution.

Why questions create space to explore our motivation, assumptions, reasons and purpose - and challenge accepted thinking.

There is a powerful correlation between mindfulness and building confidence, especially so in an ever-busier world where change is hitting us with terminal velocity and being heard is increasingly difficult. Slowing down and being more aware of your brain and emotions boosts your confidence.

How do you discover what motivates you? And how do you make that work to your advantage? I used to think I lacked discipline because I only got motivated when deadlines loomed. But I learned I’m not lazy, I’m externally motivated. Some people thrive on routine, others on novelty or achievement. Once you understand your own style, you can build systems that work with your rhythm instead of against it.

Are you an early bird or a night owl? Dancing at dawn or alive in the afternoon? Do you know why you hate morning meetings or prefer to...

Whilst we can be our own greatest critic, we can also be our greatest fan. Focusing on your strengths and recounting your successes boosts confidence and a stronger sense of self.

How do you stand out at interview when you don’t know the competition, but you do know that they have similar skills and experience to you?

When you’re trying to be involved in everything, working excessively to try and clear that (unending) to-do list or be all things to all people, you will inevitably miss something. It can be hard to let go. But if you don't focus, you are diluting your impact, attention and energy.

Stress is a fact of life and being stressed, feeling stressed, is a choice. How we react, how we manage our mental health and how we choose our perspective are our choice - even if we feel like we have no control.

In the previous tips we have covered identifying purpose, preparing and practising content and physical delivery but in this final post,...

In this series of five articles, I cover top tips for delivering a professional, impactful presentation. Let's look at the steps to follow to secure success with 'Perfect Presentations Tip 4 – Let's get physical' and think about your body and voice. Question – What’s the best way to get the audience to listen to you and pay attention to what you are saying? Answer – you. Before you even start sharing any information, how you greet your audience and engage with them in the fi

Perfect Presentations Tip 3 – The 4Ps covers the steps you need to take to develop your skills, build competence and confidence and deliver impactful presentations.

Perfect presentations #1 – the pen. By holding a pen with a hand at either end, your focus stays centred when you’re talking, and you aren’t flinging your energy - or your point - around the room.