Effective communication is often thought of as speaking clearly and articulating ideas well, but one of the most critical parts of communication is actually the ability to listen. During a performance coaching course I attended in Southampton with Ric Hayden, we explored the often overlooked skill of listening. Ric emphasised how powerful listening can be in resolving conflicts, building rapport, and enhancing team dynamics.  Stephen R. Covey’s quote, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply,” perfectly captures the challenge many of us face. Too often, we’re focused on what we [...]

Being a leader is an important job. Many people will look up to you and follow you and it is your job to make sure that yourself and them are successful in what you do. This isn't easy and being unprepared as a leader can result in failure. As Benjamin Franklin said "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Pic wcablog.com Here are a few of the reasons why leaders may fail. 1. A Shift in Focus Often leaders lose sight of what is important. They become distracted by the trappings of leadership and the focus that boosted [...]

Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, yet so many people struggle to find it. Self-confident people inspire confidence in others: their audience, their peers, their bosses, their customers, and their friends. And gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self-confident person finds success. Two main things contribute to self-confidence: self-efficacy and self-esteem. We gain a sense of self-efficacy when we see ourselves mastering skills and achieving goals. This is the confidence that, if we learn and work hard in a particular area, we'll succeed; and it's this type of confidence [...]

Teamwork in a workplace is vital but not many people understand exactly why. Teamwork in the work place offers the company and the staff the ability to become more familiar with each other and learn how to work together. There are several ways in which teamwork is important and vital to the success of the company. Delegation A team that works well together understands the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and so become efficient in dividing up tasks so that they are completed by the most qualified people. Efficiency Work groups when working [...]