7 ways to build self-awareness

  Why self-awareness? When it comes to being Emotionally Intelligent, self-awareness is often described as the ‘cornerstone’ of our EQ. I’ve shared this post from the vault, as I think our self-awareness has been a bit bruised in these uncertain times. The good news is that we can take small, steady steps. Here’s a few… Read more

Can strengths be a performance risk?

Regular readers of this blog will know I’m a big fan of the strengths-based approach. I’ve seen teams and individuals light up with a new sense of purpose and a boost to their energy once strengths are identified. But this isn’t la-la land; there is actually a potential downside to our strengths. Used in the… Read more

Play to your strengths to promote your personal brand

When I facilitate workshops, the subject of strengths often comes up – particularly if the topic is leadership development, working in teams and feedback.  In ‘How to build your personal brand’ we take some time to reflect on our strengths, and it never ceases to surprise me how tough some people find it to name… Read more

Develop your team’s strengths

    Q: ‘Why strengths?’ A: Because when we identify and apply our strengths, we’re energised, engaged, more effective  – and more likely to do better work. When all team members are aware of their own and their team-mates strengths, they are more likely to apply these assets to the team’s performance. Q: ‘Doesn’t that… Read more

Stepping up with your strengths – or stuck in your comfort zone?

Sometimes we can hold ourselves back without even realising it. We’re working hard, taking focused time to get stuff done, doing what we’re good at – playing to our strengths. But there’s the potential rub: we may be staying stuck in our comfort zone when we could be stepping up. Questions about this often come… Read more

Why should you bother identifying your strengths? (And how?)

There are heaps of self-assessments, ability tests and personality assessment tools out there (I should know, having trained in a fair few). For the most part, they can be useful; particularly when it comes to raising self-awareness – the first step to becoming more emotionally intelligent. (By the way, if you want to check out… Read more