Do you have the tools you need to succeed?
12th April 2007Ever tried to undo a crosshead screw with a flat head driver... ever rounded a nut by using the wrong sized spanner... sometimes grabbing the nearest (or most familiar) tool seems like the quickest option. What inevitably happens is that 'quick job' gets harder or more complicated and the quick fix you were seeking becomes a more serious or time consuming problem.
People behave as the culture dictates
22 March 2007When working in teams people develop habitual reactions to the way others behave towards them. The culmination of these actions/reactions creates the culture.
I don't do small talk!
12th March 2007We often hear people say ‘I don’t do small talk!’ The implication is either -
- I am far too busy or important to get involved in passing the time of day with colleagues and friends or ...
- Actually I am petrified of you and I don’t know how to talk to you so I’ll just keep myself busy instead
Get a job you like – or become grit in the machine
5th March 2007
I have heard some people say it’s not important to enjoy your work – as work is merely a means to an end – the salary; but this view fails to recognise a number of negative consequences on people and the business.
Bad managers turn off young talent
15th February 2007A survey conducted by the
The Brilliance of NLP
12 February 2007We are often asked ‘what has NLP done for you?’ And perhaps more intriguingly, ‘what does NLP enable you to do?’ These are not questions to which answers trip off the tongue easily. Discussing these questions in the context of our recent book Brilliant NLP we came to the conclusion that answering the first one in particular will depend at which stage of life the question is posed.
Purpose and Passion in Leadership
10 February 2007I was intrigued to learn that European Union leaders, gathering in
Is it time to activate your banana?
8th January 2007A current BBC news video tells of civil service bosses in Tyneside who have introduced a 'clean desk' policy. The purpose behind it is to improve service to the public, but it has infuriated unions and demotivated staff. One employee was asked if the banana on his desk was active or inactive.
When you treat employees like children don't be surprised when they begin to behave like children. Employees learn what they live.
Group Coaching has the edge
3rd January 2007To an outside observer the REALSUCCESS Programme may look like a communication skills or motivational training course - but look closely and you will see that it is very, very, different. Yes, the participants learn the most advanced influencing skills available today, and they leave highly motivated, but the similarities stop there.
Sheep dip anyone?
2nd January 2007There is a belief that attitudes and skills can be developed overnight almost like upgrading the operating system on a computer. What often happens is that the speed at which managers expect to see change in processes and systems is also applied to people. Attempts to get employees to think and behave differently by sheep-dipping often have the opposite effect. This is because people are unlike processes and systems.
Are you listening to me?
8 November 2006
Why managers are turning to NLP for leadership skills
I was recently with a group of managers from a fast-moving international organisation. They were learning NLP skills to give them more of an influence in the business. During a conversation at coffee break one of the managers said she recently met their CEO, who asked her how things were in her part of the company. She told him what she was excited about, and also described some of her frustrations.
Do you think or feel your way through the day?
1st November 2006How do you weigh up situations and make decisions? Would you call yourself a thinker or a feeler? Well, it really doesn't matter whether you are one or the other - and of course everyone has the capacity to both think and feel. What is important is how you think and how you feel.
It’s getting tougher at the top!
12th September 2006
If you’re a CEO or CFO of a publicly quoted company you probably know what pressure is. A recent study by Booz Allen Hamilton at 2500 largest publicly quoted companies has found that in the period between 1995-2004 CEO dismissals increased by 300%, underperformance being the primary reason. Being a CEO is an increasingly risky business.
Is stress getting to you?
18th September 2006
As an engineer my brother knows all about stress. He used to test metal
components for the level of physical stress at which they would
fracture, shatter or break in half. Some metals can take more stress
than others, but they all have a point at which they will be overcome
by the pressure being exerted. People are pretty much the same, except
that stress begins as mental pressure before it becomes physical. There
is a level of stress at which some part of you will snap.Creating your personal mission
Have you ever been on the receiving end of poor customer service where no one seemed to be listening to your needs? I have a friend who hates being in that position so much it becomes a personal mission.How do you define yourself?
I recently asked a client to describe his multi-faceted role, to which he replied, ‘I don’t really define myself in any particular way’.Keeping you stress free
An extract from our e-book 'Keeping You Stress Free and Effective'Influencing the organisation
An extract from our e-book 'Influencing the Organisation'Leadership today requires an ability to influence the thinking of many different groups within the organisation – not just your own team.
