I’ve been on both sides of this experience. As the employee, I’ve felt the dejection when something I’ve worked hard at gets the ‘red pen treatment’, i.e. nothing but fault-finding and critical feedback, ‘must try harder’. Yet as a manager, I’ve also felt the frustration at having to explain something again – and again. And… Read more
We can all fall prey to ‘the thief of time’: putting things off, finding ways to dodge the work we should be doing (or should have finished). Get clear on what you’ll gain by completing the task, or even part of it. Visualise this in as much detail as you possibly can: how will you… Read more
Your relationship with your immediate boss is one of the most important professional relationships you’ll have. Over the course of your career you’ll pick up loads of lessons from the different people you’ll report to – yes, even when you make CEO. Your manager has a huge impact on how you feel – about… Read more
“What’s it to them?” I hear you say. Ask CFOs about ‘under-delegation’ and you’ll probably get a pithy reply at least – or a lecture on the damage that under-delegating can inflict on the bottom line. Particularly if your employer provides professional services – such as strategic consultancy, architecture, business development, marketing expertise, financial advice,… Read more
As we tiptoe towards the second half of this year, I thought it would be a good time to share some topical psychology posts… Watching the Euros? So are psychologists Watching football managers’ behaviour is something I’ve been doing for ages (didn’t have much choice in our house). There’s often a lot of ‘playing… Read more
Your colleague – maybe your best work buddy – just got promoted, and you didn’t. As well as feeling pleased for them, for some of us it’s natural to feel a pang of envy too. But don’t let this feeling get the better of you. Get jealous and it could sour an important working… Read more
Yes, it’s almost the half-way point of this year. Many of Zoomly’s clients will be conducting mid-year reviews, performance check-ins, appraisal updates – whatever the label, you get the idea. In the overwhelmed, virtual, always-on, everything-needed-now everyday rush, it’s all too easy to lose sight of the big picture; the things – and the people… Read more
Often when I’m facilitating a workshop, particularly on topics that cover leadership, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and our mental wellbeing, the subject of emotions comes up. Yet when I ask people to shout out some words for emotions, after ‘Happy’, ‘Angry’ and ‘Sad’ they can soon run out of ideas (often, but not always, the Brits… Read more
Have you ever: Thought your achievements are due to luck? Feared that your colleagues will discover you are a fraud? Responded to positive feedback with ‘oh, you’re just being nice’? Told yourself you ‘got away with it’ when you succeeded? Turned down an opportunity because you would have been exposed as inadequate? If you’ve answered… Read more
How are you doing at work? Do you really know? Maybe it’s been ages since your last appraisal, or maybe you’ve got a boss who tells you when you’ve screwed up but not much else, or maybe you’re not sure because you haven’t asked for feedback. What’s stopping you? Reasons I hear from people… Read more
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