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The Professional Cost of Holding Onto Obsolete Skills
Years ago, I was sent on a two-day training course to learn how to use an overhead projector. That probably dates me a bit, but back then, it felt like a genuinely valuable skill. We were taught how to layer transparencies, adjust the light without blinding people, and how to keep eye contact with the…
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How to Regain Your Confidence in a Rapidly Changing Workplace
I remember the moment it first hit me – that feeling as though things were starting to change faster than I could keep up with. I was in a meeting at Microsoft: one of those long, back-to-back days where the agenda keeps shifting and no one seems to know what problem we’re solving anymore. A…
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What if Resilience isn’t the Answer?
Plenty of experts tell us that being resilient is vital for career success. So much so that “Resilience” (now with a capital R) has become one of those sought-after traits. “You’ve got to be able to tough it out,” they tell us, “so you can cope with the highs and lows, and whatever shiz life…
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How to attract a great speaker
When I speak to event organisers, they sometimes tell me they only book speakers from their town or city. And while supporting local talent is always a great thing, don’t let that limit your choices. I think you might be surprised who’s available when you look properly! Here are some top tips from the speaking…
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Make The Leap
People often tell me that change at work feels risky, scary, maybe even a little dangerous. But there’s a massive difference between scary and dangerous. Very little of what most of us do at work is actually dangerous. It’s just another day at work. Stressful maybe, tiring certainly, challenging too, but it’s anything but dangerous.…
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You can’t update people like they’re software
Another Monday, another “Transformation Project” destined for the corporate graveyard. You know the one. It comes with a 63-slide PowerPoint deck and the faint whiff of dread and disappointment. Here’s why a staggering 70% of change initiatives fail: Leaders try to force-feed change on people who have eaten enough already. They roll out “synergies” and…
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Creating a culture that embraces change
“Know the limitations of your comfort zone” It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we’ve got life and work licked, that we’re doing OK. But the minute we get comfy is the moment we may start to be left behind. Because everything outside of your comfort zone is changing all the time. And…
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Why horses hate change
I believe that people only change when they want to change. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it implement a 17-step change management programme and feedback cycle.” That’s part of my carefully considered response when Speakers Associates asked me “What are the key components of a comprehensive change management plan?”…
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Stop waiting, just start
Stop waiting for a “big bang” innovation to transform your working life. It’s either not coming, or if it does it won’t live up to your inflated expectations. We’ve all been through that so-called “improvement” cycle before… Here’s a truth that most busy professionals get wrong: They treat innovation as a project. A structured, off-site,…
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The Speaker’s Life
I fired up my camera on a recent trip to Birmingham to speak for a longstanding client in the construction industry. Here’s a little of my day as a speaker. It’s all very glamorous, enjoy!
