Research tells us that 80% of our discretionary effort is down to the relationship with our line manager, yet somehow they don’t always get the best from us. Why is that? We could just blame them – or we can take some responsibility and actively work towards a better understanding. Is managing your boss even [...]
I recently had the honour of speaking at the graduation ceremony for Oxford Business College. I talked about DNA – no, not that DNA, this one… Decision making It occurred to me that for many of us, choosing a college is the last big decision we make that is heavily influenced by adults – parents [...]
“Should you write that book?” was the topic at Trainers Network Northamptonshire recently. Publishing has changed beyond recognition in the last decade and is now accessible to all. Apparently 25% of us made a New Year’s resolution to write a book! […]
Widely praised in the UK, Face to Face in the Workplace is now available in the USA through Amazon.com. We’re delighted to be able to give Face to Face in the Workplace a wider audience and look forward to some feedback from colleagues in America. […]
Decisions, teamies and inspiration were the themes from this episode of the Knowing Your business Show. Three seemingly diverse businesses turned out to have much in common. I really enjoyed co-hosting, giving me the opportunity to quiz business owners. […]
I had no idea what to expect on an improv course , but as a trainer I am always open to learning new ideas, especially those that might translate into useful activities in the training room. I was delighted to be invited by Paul Z Jackson, a colleague from [...]
The ‘Love Your Job’ Awards ceremony was a lovely event, filled with positivity and news of great achievements. I was honoured to be asked to give the National Careers Service Award for Innovation and Improvement […]
A collection of articles written by a wide variety of HR professionals on topics they feel passionately about, has been released on Kindle today, bringing a real insight into today's business issues. "This Time its Personnel" is a follow up to the hugely popular "Humane, Resourced", has been published on Kindle and gone to the top of [...]
Podcasts from the Knowing Your Business Show are now available here. I had the pleasure of interviewing the lovely Matt Bird, the one and only Relationologist, who was filled with wisdom about how we can improve our people skills – and why it is important. Matt’s site is http://www.relationology.co.uk/ […]
Brad Burton, MD of 4Networking, visited Banbury recently to deliver a powerful talk which inspired everyone in the room. Brad pulls no punches and spoke passionately about work/life balance. […]
I was pleased to have the opportunity to take a stand at Banbury in Business, which is an annual event featuring a wide range of exhibitors, as well as a full programme of speakers. Its aim is to support an increase in local trade, and make advice available from a range of experts. […]
To celebrate the first anniversary of the publication of Face to Face in the Workplace, we gave away the Kindle edition for five days. Over 400 people took the opportunity to download it for free. […]
Emma Sue Prince, Director of Unimenta spoke at a CIMA event about the themes in her book,The Advantage:The 7 soft skills you need to stay one step ahead (which I reviewed a while back, here). Emma Sue is passionate about the need for a new skill set in today’s world, and [...]
“This years Must have Book” HR Director The price of the Kindle version of Face to Face in the Workplace has been reduced, meaning you can now buy it for £2.99 (or borrow it for free if you belong to Amazon Prime). […]
‘How to have Effective Discussions’ was the topic at Warwick CIPD recently – and there was certainly a lot of discussion in the room! We looked at what goes wrong and strategies for getting better outcomes. […]
I'm delighted to have been asked to Join Unimenta's team of experts. My specialism is Workplace Training. Also on the team we have Martin Haworth - his specialism is coaching, and Paul Z Jackson, who has plenty to teach us about using Applied Improv, Unimenta is a membership support site for teachers, practitioners & [...]
This week I was interviewed (I use the term loosely!) by the Knowing Your Business Show. The result was two hapless DJ's roleplaying how to deal with a colleague with a personal hygiene issue after asking me for advice on dealing with sticky situations - so if you like some comedy with your business [...]
Face to Face in the Workplace is becoming recognised as a very useful text for international students. its clear layout and simple structure make it easy to navigate, even if English is not your mother tongue. “I teach international students on HND and university access courses. They need just the right information to succeed, and [...]
I'm delighted to be speaking for Oxford Yes Group this month, on 21st May 2013 at 7.30pm. If you have never been to a Yes group before, do check them out. They describe themselves as: "A local movement of vibrant people who meet every third Tuesday of the month to celebrate each other’s successes [...]
Let me tell you about my holiday reading. I had two books vying for my attention during Easter, they were very different in style, and I found myself reading them both at once, (no, not at the same time. You know what I mean) which turned out to be a [...]
This month Business Executive magazine have published my article on mentoring skills, which talks about the importance of the first meeting. Mentoring is growing rapidly in popularity as an effective method of developing talent, and has been taken on board by many successful organisations. Mentoring Skills If you would are interested in developing mentoring skills, [...]
I have been asked to write a new monthly blog for Unimenta, a great organisation that supports trainers . It"provides materials, tailored advice and consultancy for any practitioner delivering training in soft skills and effective behaviour for the workplace" If you know any trainers or coaches working with soft skills, do make sure they [...]
Manager magazine, which is the magazine of The Institute of Administrative Management, have reviewed Face to Face in the Workplace. They say: “Very reader friendly..very practical… overall a comprehensive handbook that is instructive and well structured. Well worth the read for even the most experienced manager.” The full review is here: […]
The current issue of Midlands in Business includes an "Fifty Shades of Meaning: Clearing the grey from people management". It features some of the techniques from Face to Face in the Workplace. You can find it on page 12: http://www.midlandsinbusiness.com/e-magazine/ By Julie Cooper Author of Face to Face in the Workplace "If you deal with [...]
HR Zone have given Face to Face in the Workplace a four star review, saying “There is good, solid theory gleaned from reputable sources, alongside simply stated, practically-focused advice… they’re all there and beautifully summarised” . The full review is below: […]
The Art of Delegation: A How To Guide was published in Guardian Careers today. You can read the full article here Make no mistake, you can make or break your success on the management path by the way you delegate. The best managers are surrounded by willing staff who are not only able to [...]
Business Executive magazine have today reviewed Face to Face in the Workplace and given it three stars - their highest rating. They say "Valuable tips and guidance...The style of the book is easy to read and manageable, as much of it is set out in short paragraphs, with plenty of bullet points and questions. [...]
How do you get busy managers to deal more effectively with their people? To always know the right thing to say? To turn around difficult conversations? Give them the toolbox and show them how to use it. Interpersonal Skills Training A one day lively, engaging workshop that will introduce the [...]
HR Director have just published a review of Face to Face in the Workplace by Lynda Holt. Lynda says: “This year’s must have book for managers… There are many books for managers, and you can be excused for being a little cynical about the value of one more, until you [...]
People keep asking questions about writing a book, how I found time, how I got to print etc, so I thought I’d share a few of the answers. I’m always happy to answer questions if you have any more! Writing a book Face to Face in the Workplace started like [...]
