Blogs
Exploring people potential
This month Sue Stockdale looks at a common concern for many people – how to tackle difficult conversations with confidence One of the most frequent coaching topics that is discussed is how to handle difficult conversations. And whilst they might be tough, people should not shy away from tackling them in the workplace. One of the things that can make conversations seem difficult is the uncertainty around what might happen. People tend to second guess how another person might respond,…
Learning from life: what I learnt from submitting proposals
This month Michelle Parry-Slater reflects on what she has learnt from not always winning the work pitch July is the financial year end for my consultancy business. The business turned 9 years old on 1st July. It is a reflective time of year as I consider what went well and what I need to do to be even better in the coming year. To help with understanding what to improve, I usually contact those potential customers that I had spoken…
Exploring people potential
This month our resident adventurer, Sue Stockdale talks about learning opportunities on holiday It’s getting into holiday season when we have an opportunity to switch off from the stresses of day-to-day work, relax and have a change of scene. It gives us a chance to slow down which gives the brain a well-earned rest. And when we are relaxed, with no work problems to consider, the brain can make connections that we were not aware of before and give us…
Learning from life: What I learnt from walking and discussing
This month Michelle Parry-Slater reflects on how our attitudes to each other have become more informal since Covid and she urges us to reach out to colleagues to give and receive valuable support from fellow professionals From where do you get your inspiration? Or perhaps more telling, who do you get it from? For me in a work context inspiration is usually from working with other people. That is a paradoxical curiosity given that I work for myself. I don’t…
Exploring people potential
This month our coaching expert, Sue Stockdale looks at the value of introducing new perspectives People can get stale when they have been doing the same activities at work for a long period of time. Sometimes the familiarity means that we pay less attention to what we are doing, and go onto ‘autopilot’, which can lead to performance diminishing over time. Getting a different perspective and generating fresh ideas can help someone to maintain and improve performance. For example, coaches…
Learning from life: what I learnt from getting an electric vehicle
This month Michelle Parry-Slater tells us what she learnt from getting an electric car and the pleasure of having acquired new knowledge and skills of finally ‘going alone’ Until last autumn we were driving around in an 18-year-old Volvo XC90 with nearly 200K on the clock. Aware of the environmental impact – we needed to be the change we want to see in the world – we started looking for an EV. Are you that caring with your learners? EV…
Learning from life: what I learnt from having a straight-talking mentor
This month Michelle Parry-Slater reveals what she learnt from a bold and very exacting mentor At a recent meeting, I heard about a new venture the Charity Mentors Network. Mulling the subject over on the train home I had a few flashbacks to mentors I’ve had – their range of skills was an interesting reflection. Suddenly, I literally recoiled in my seat as I remembered that mentor! Once the people around me realised I wasn’t crazy or having a fit…
Exploring people potential
Motivating and engaging teams in challenging environments is on most leaders’ agendas right now, Sue Stockdale encourages them to break the cycle of fear and find new ways to inspire The Arctic is no place for a human to exist – let alone a team. And in that type of environment, inspiring leadership is even more critical. That’s because in conditions of heightened anxiety and uncertainty, people don’t always display normal predictable behaviour. Many expedition leaders have discovered this over…
Learning from life: what I learnt from supermarket shopping
This month Michelle Parry-Slater reflects on a poor experience and reveals the lessons learnt from the situation Recently I went to a very popular supermarket, and it was awful. The shelves were largely empty. The stock was messy and hard to find. Some areas were really cramped with hardly enough space to turn a trolley around, while other spaces were vast with little filling the shelves. It is an occupational hazard that whenever I receive bad service I am constantly…
Exploring people potential
Sue Stockdale’s focus this month is mastering the art and science of delegation It seems that the skill of delegation is becoming a lost art in the world of business. Too often managers and leaders seem to assume that defining a task for an employee and setting an end date for completion is enough to ensure that it will be done. What seems to be getting lost is the concept of the manager creating an appealing vision to accompany the…
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