Take 1 Someone starts talking. You can already tell you are not going to agree with what they’re saying. You might notice that you already start shutting down. You start feeling irritated. You decide to say nothing. Or you’re kind of listening but only so you can respond. Or you’re already interrupting them to give […]
ARTICLES
The power of the ‘check in’
Have you checked in with those around you? As a leader or a business owner, the ‘check in’ could be a missing link in your workplace. In our recent coaching programs, we saw again and again that people felt hurt and unimportant because their boss/leader had not checked in with them. This included people in […]
Who cares about performance and development conversations? Most likely the people who work for you care.
Recently in our work with staff, teams and leaders, my business partner, Tulsi van de Graaff and I have been talking about performance conversations and we’ve seen many situations of interest. For example: A manager who invests time and effort in having great conversations with his team members and yet doesn’t get the same support […]
It wasn’t acceptable 30 years ago – it was however tolerated. It’s about time we stopped tolerating bad behaviour at work.
We are having an important national discussion about the standards we have for people who are assaulted, demeaned, harassed, bullied or psychologically harmed at work. A significant part of this current conversation is the outright lack of consequences (or lack of proportional consequences) for people who don’t meet the basic standards of acceptable behaviour and […]
Let’s talk about a tough topic – the impact of trauma on people and what actions all of us can take to be caring and trauma informed
Being trauma informed will help all workplaces. Key points: Trauma is more prevalent than most of us realise Trauma has an impact on all facets of life including work-life There are ways to work with our colleagues and team members that is supportive for people who have been affected by trauma Taking care taken when […]
Do you speak up and stand up for yourself. Are you confident to put your view forward?
A recent newspaper advice column addressing the question: I find it difficult to be assertive. How can I change to become a more confident person? caught my attention because it advises the same techniques we use in leadership and team development programs and coaching. Here is the main part of the response.[1] But you can […]
Difficult, prickly, self-centred or unpredictable? Have you worked with one?
Ever worked with one? – we want to know more. Please help by completing this very quick survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BravePeople Our definition of people who are hard to work with is those who have a significant and toxic impact on those around them. They may be team members, team leaders or senior managers. They are the […]
Does skin colour determine how much pain medication people are given?
The unfortunate reality is that the answer is yes, and it is because of a widely held unconscious bias. Black patients are systematically undertreated for pain, shown by decades of research. In a survey of 222 white medical students and residents , about half endorsed false beliefs about biological differences between black people and white […]
It’s a marathon, not a sprint! The challenge of personal change and growth.
By Robyn Mercer I learn as much from everyone I coach as they learn from me. I have spent a lifetime working on my own growth and development and assisting those I coach to do the same. And I’m still doing it. What I have seen is how hard it can be to maintain desired […]
Our survey on teams and people who are hard to work with
Will you help please? It will take about 10 minutes of your time. We are collecting information about your experience of working in teams and also about the people you have worked with who are difficult or challenging. Most people we work with are great and many become long term friends. There are times when […]
How to build a positive performance culture in 6 practical steps
Sick of hearing about corporate culture? Don’t be, there is always work to do! Here are some practical tips. What is a corporate culture? Often summarised as ‘the way we do things around here’, culture is about the norms of an organisation that are talked about and demonstrated that show over time what the organisation […]
Tough emotional times and ten steps that helped me
In our work we strive to find ways to help our clients develop their skills including in relation to communication, conflict and managing their own challenging emotions, so they can do better in their work, life and relationships. Part of this also involves us using our own life experiences and challenges to reflect on how […]