Difficult conversations are a normal part of our working life, especially in management or leadership positions. We need to give feedback, say no, have performance discussions and be assertive at times. And when faced with these difficult conversations, we sometimes go softly, use gentle persuasion or even avoid the conversation altogether. However, sometimes, that is not sufficient. Sometimes we need …
One of the keys to being more influential, when you speak in public is to share your message in a way that highlights the benefits to your audience or your clients. When you are asking people to change, or to accept a new way of thinking, or to try something different, what are the benefits for them. A common mistake …
When you get asked to speak at a meeting, be a guest speaker at an AGM, or be asked to share your expertise at a conference, you may consider turning up and winging it without preparation. After all, you are an expert on the topic. This is something I often get asked about: “Is it OK to wing it?”, “Should …
Michel Grinder said, “Recovery is more important than perfection” and one of my own key learnings is “to remain calm when under fire”. Many people find it hard to stay calm and resilient when put under stress, especially when there is constant pressure, expectations, timelines and competing demands at work. But remaining calm and being resilient is a skill that …
Is public speaking a must-have skill, or a nice to have, optional skill? This is a question that I am often asked by managers and business owners. My answer is always that it depends. It depends on whether you want a high-performance team, if you want to encourage group participation and idea sharing, if you want to enhance creativity and …
“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.” ~ Tony Blair: We all know and understand that saying “no” can be difficult. Many of us avoid saying no, and consequently say yes at a time when we should say no. So why do we find it hard to say no? We …
