Help! How do I handle questions in my presentation?

  Good question! Seriously, if you’re giving some thought to your audience’s likely questions, you’re way ahead of many other presenters. Whilst it’s essential to prepare your material and yourself, there’s much more to a successful presentation than the ‘ME show’. Failing to prepare for your audience – and their questions – is preparing to… Read more

Boost your team’s confidence with coaching

A question I sometimes hear from participants in Zoomly’s workshops is ‘How can I convince someone to step up?’ When we explore this it’s often the case that the person in question seems to lack confidence – even though their manager sees them as very capable. For example, they: Seek approval for every step of… Read more

7 Selling tips for sales-phobes

  I’ve encountered many people who cringe at the very thought of having to sell as part of their job. Once upon a time that included me too. Work on long-term clients? Fine. But actually sell as part of the interaction, or have sales conversations with prospective clients? Rather run a mile or even ten…. Read more

Presenters: what’s your most important visual aid?

Q: Is it…that funny video? Your pointer that lights up? Maybe it’s slide #1? Or your last slide? The ‘killer infographic’? Could it be the amazing way you’ve got the room all set up? Or the whizzy interactive app? A: None of the above. It’s YOU, [your name goes here]. Yes, great visuals can help…. Read more

Got a job interview? Tips to help you prepare

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

Help! My boss is a micro-manager

Being micro-managed can affect our feelings about how competent we are in our jobs, and dent our confidence – if we let it. On the other hand, there’s a lot that can be learned from working with a micro-manager, both about the job itself and about handling professional relationships. What can you do? Try these 5 strategies…

Why you’re not achieving your goals

  How are you doing? Good? And how well are you progressing towards your goals right now? Not this quarter, or even this month, but right now, here, today. If we’re not careful, all that planning (or daydreaming, or wishful thinking) we did way back when the year seemed all shiny and new will come… Read more

Reflection exercises: writing from the future

Reflection is essential to make sense of our everyday lived experiences. Without reflection, we’re doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over. Reflection helps us process our experiences, thoughts and feelings; we can spot patterns of behaviour that may be helpful or unhelpful. With methodical reflection we can begin to plan new and more… Read more