The little word but packs a lot of power into its three letters. A small word that can divert your brain to pay attention almost exclusively to what follows it, whilst deleting or discounting whatever has been said ahead of it. ‘I hear your point, but…’ ‘You have achieved several of your targets, but…’ ‘I…
Boost productivity with the Five-Minute Coach Being more productive – and influencing others to be so – is something many of us strive to do. How can you stop procrastinating, be more effective and get things done? How might you influence others to complete projects, and to do so faster and more efficiently? The Five-Minute…
If you ever have trouble asking for what you want, saying no to others, or giving direct feedback, then you may be suffering from that most common affliction – insufficient assertiveness. Here are three simple tips to help you be more assertive. Notice what happens when you aren’t assertive: you either sacrifice your own needs…
Being more productive – and influencing others to be so – is a challenge that most of us seem to face. How can you influence others to get things done, faster and more efficiently? The Five-Minute Coach coaching framework includes a secret weapon to help get things done – a fast and easy way to create…
Have you ever had an instant, strong negative reaction to something someone has said or done? Did you stay cool, calm and rational and communicate accordingly? Or might you have said something in the moment that you later regretted? Most people can be triggered from time to time. It’s a reaction that is instant, all…
Do you ever find it difficult to get your opinion truly heard, or your ideas taken seriously? Whether one-to-one, in group meetings or even when making a presentation, would you like to have more influence? When you have an important contribution to make, pay attention not only to what you say but how you say it. Try…
Did you know that you have only seven seconds in which to engage your audience and up to 30 seconds before they decide whether to keep listening to you.* So if you want your message heard you must start strong. Have you ever started your presentation with a script that runs something like: ‘Good morning. Thanks for…
Whether giving a performance review or just letting someone know how something they are doing is affecting you, giving feedback is important. Of course, telling somebody that you think they have done something really well is usually not so hard. When it’s something that is hampering their performance, or impacting adversely on you or others, you need…