Archive for the ‘Communication Skills’ Category

invisible man

How to Take Control of your Personal Impact: How visible are you?

Posted by Liz McKechnie

I was coaching someone recently who said he wanted to be more visible in the workplace.

He was doing really well and was considered a high flyer by his managers but was not moving as fast as he would like. His consistent feedback was about being low on personal impact. Quite simply he needed to make his presence felt a lot more and he wanted to know how to go about it.

We often hear similar stories in our management skills courses and of course there are plenty of techniques we offer to help frame conversations and raise confidence levels in particular situations.

However there is some very useful thinking that can be done that can underpin these practical tools. Read more

5 Top Tips for Negotiation

Posted by Bronia Szczygiel

I’ve spent quite a bit of time just lately negotiating with my 17 year old son around how much time he spends playing game and watching videos versus the time he spends on homework, chores and talking to us, his loving parents. You can probably guess how those negotiations have gone.

The good news is it helps me to hone my negotiating skills because believe me no business negotiation is nearly so difficult!

So I’ve come up with my top five tips for handling negotiations – whether that’s with your boss over your pay rise, a supplier on price or your teenage son on when he’s going to tidy his room.

Read more

10 Easy Ways to Play the Networking Game and Win

Posted by Liz McKechnie

When it comes to networking events do you hang round the buffet and desperately hope they provide wine?
Or do you plunge in and work the room like a pro, quickly making new friends with a firm handshake and a twinkling eye?
In my natural habitat I’d be the one seeking out the Dutch Courage because the room to me feels about as inviting as the North Atlantic on a February day in Scarborough. Read more