Practical tips. Prompts to get you thinking. The odd rant.

Recently I surprised a long-standing contact by saying “I’m not sure that training is the answer here.” Before you think I’ve completely lost my marbles, I’m still delighted to offer bespoke training to companies; I’m also committed to providing advice if it’s asked for.  There can be valid reasons why a training course is the… Read more

At time of writing, the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) reports unemployment is just over 4% and job vacancies have hit a record 1,298,400. So if you’re currently looking for a new job, the chances are in your favour. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to do your homework. So here’s an updated… Read more

For most people who get promoted, there’s more judgement than luck involved in getting that promotion. ‘I deserve it’ isn’t enough. But there’s much more you can do to improve your prospects.

Sometimes when we think of leaders who’ve inspired us, their achievements can inspire awe to such an extent we can talk ourselves into a small, dark corner of feeling inadequate. Don’t give up! Because 1: you’re not alone and 2: it doesn’t have to be like that. Try this instead. Here’s an exercise we do… Read more

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

Whenever I lead Zoomly’s ‘How to coach your people’ workshop, there are a few things we need to clear up early on. For starters, what coaching is – and isn’t (for example, mentoring, counselling, consulting to name a few). After that, a perfectly reasonable question always comes up: When on earth am I supposed to… Read more

Delegation seems simple to some; maybe too simple. You give a task to a colleague, and they get on with it – nothing to it! Hmmm…If you’re thinking, ‘really, how hard can it be?’, there may be some lessons heading your way. Are you guilty of any of these ‘sins of delegation’? 1. No context… Read more

I’ve written a lot about giving feedback, particularly in The Feedback Book. It’s an essential skill for anyone who works in a team and/or manages people in the workplace. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that that feedback isn’t just given – it’s also received. How do you feel when a colleague says, “I’d like… Read more

    One of the first things that any decent coaching course will cover is the ‘ask-tell’ continuum. Over on the far right we tell people things – from a straightforward answer through to details of what to do and how to do it. On the left we ask them. Both have their uses; each… Read more

  At this time of year I have many conversations with people about helping them to a) set their goals for the year and b) stay on track for getting them. Often I find that setting the goals is the easier bit – we’re all pretty good at coming up with a list of what… Read more