“One of the problems is that I internalise everything. I can’t express anger; I grow a tumour instead” (Woody Allen) The greatest test of any relationship is what happens when someone lets you down – broken promises, missed deadlines, poor behaviour, less than average performance, negligence, bad attitudes, etc. These disappointments initially may engender surprise,…
“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient” (Charles M Blow) Don’t we all love ‘position’ – a title, a promotion, status? Yes, even neuroscience affirms that status is a need that we all have, not in the sense of greedy ambition, but…
“A microscope of faith is far better than a telescope of criticism” (Anon) While helpful feedback is aimed at improving or enhancing the performance of an employee or team and accelerating business results as a whole, such manager conversations often deteriorate into criticism, which is loosely defined as “the expression of disapproval of someone or…
“It is unfortunate that for some, kindness is an unwarranted expenditure, compassion an avoidable weakness, and love an unnecessary gamble” (Wayne Gerard Trotman) An orthopaedic surgeon, Bill, finally finished his last surgery well into the evening on that Friday and just wanted to get back home to be with his family, possibly go out for…
In Northern Wales, a storm ravaged a woodland area called the Giants of Vyrnwy, lightning destroying the tallest tree in Wales. When he learned that the organisation, Natural Resources Wales, was looking for a sculptor to work on the damaged tree, Simon O’Rourke, a chainsaw artist, proposed a design for the work. His design, depicting…
Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads (Back to the Future – 1985) The world is quite different now – the very concept of “team” has been challenged, revised and reconstructed. On the one hand, globalisation has accelerated the employ of diverse and remote teams, where team members operate from many different countries in…
Being in a leadership position is not for the faint-hearted – effective leadership requires a high level of emotional intelligence and a comprehensive understanding of one’s personal value and contribution ability. Typically, leaders get to occupy their respective management positions due to one or more of the following reasons: Subject matter experts – they know…
We often make or break relationships with, and subsequent loyalty from, customers by the subtle and sometimes not so subtle messages that we convey to them. Customers want to be treated with dignity and respect, be understood, get good value from purchases and feel that there is a good connection with supplier employees. Treating customers…
2020 has been a year like no other – some are even saying: “It’s the end of the world as we know it”. People have endured hardships everywhere. The COVID-19 pandemic has been pervasive with virtually no-one left untouched. Lives and livelihoods have been lost. Economies are under huge strain. The prospects for any quick…
Not only are there but a few really good leaders that occupy political positions of power in the world, there are even less that have left legacies that lasted. Of course we can’t fully judge the legacies of some of these leaders as they still remain in power, but the worrying signs are all there…
It is true that if you are a successful leader and respected as such by colleagues and other employees alike, many will not only aspire to be like you, but may also indeed crave your position or at least your role. Managing healthy admiration by members of your team is one thing; managing obsessive craving…
During this pervasive corona pandemic, there has never been a more telling moment for those working in the human resources field to care for their colleagues, many of whom are part of essential services and find themselves on the frontline of defence against the COVID-19 virus. Those in the human resources component of the business…
