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Browse published articles attributed to Gina Gardiner, with full-archive search.
Any business owner must have asked themselves that question countless times and it has never been more pertinent than now. I read some research earlier this week which focussed the top ten worries for business owners. They included some pretty weighty issues, survival being top of the list. Does worrying about survival actually make things worse?
The loss of someone you love is always very difficult but out of bereavement comes a golden opportunity to examine your priorities and to re-evaluate the way things are done. The loss of my brother made me think about many things at a personal level and also it gave me the opportunity to think about how a sudden bereavement impacts on others. As I thought about it there were a number of lessons which stood out. I started to think about the many clients I work with and how the lessons created through David’s death might be of value to others.
How heavily do you rely on one person for key activities? How much stress is your staff under because there is no one who can fulfil their function if they were to go on holiday or to be ill? What contingency plans do you have in place for dealing with the sudden disappearance of one of your key players?
Harnessing The Creative Force of Your People Embracing the Opportunities of Today’s Difficult Climate. Almost every newspaper, radio and television programme, which offer news and current affairs, are talking gloom and doom. Many experts say we are talking ourselves into a recession.
Pure love is very simple. You love the person for who they are – right now, whatever they are doing or not doing. In its simplest terms, you love them and give your love unconditionally. Many of us believe that is what we do, ye, the reality is, we love them, but we want something in return. A classic example of this is how we use attention. When someone is pleasing the horse trader, doing what they want, are present for them, spend each moment with them, give good eye contact, and listen actively to what their partners have to say.
Much is spoken about behaving professionally. Most people can actively recognise professionalism or the lack of it in others, but find it extremely difficult to define it, or model it when considering their own behaviour. So lets unpick exactly what we mean by professionalism. Think about the ...
When Does Giving Them a Hard Time Pay Off? One of the fundamental principles of modifying behaviour you don’t want is that you reward the behaviours you most want to encourage. Yet many partners of workaholics work against this principle. Picture this;- A wife or husband wants to spend more quality time with their partner. They are tired of feeling left out and on their own. They are feeling frustrated, lonely and fed up. Unde eath, the emotions are bubbling away until the spouse arrives home.
As we rush about frantically preparing for the holiday season we all have a sense of anticipation. Love Christmas or loathe it those of us who live in the Western world are affected by it. Anticipation has many guises. For little children there is the wide eyed wonder as twinkly lights and ...
Businesses world wide are facing probably the most challenging time since the Second World War. Most of those in positions of responsibility have little or no first hand experience of dealing with a recession on a global scale. In times of boom it feels easier to motivate and enthuse people ...
We all play games. No I’m not talking about football, cards or tiddlywinks. I’m talking about the games we play with ourselves and others. The “I’m not going to listen to what you have to say - even if it makes perfect sense, because if I do it will mean that you are right and I’m wrong” ...
I spoke with a client this evening who was feeling tired and under pressure. It soon became clear that the problem was being caused by one or two members of staff who she said were “dragging me down.” After further investigation, it appeared that at the heart of the matter both people were ...
Done well - delegation can free managers to lead and think strategically with a positive impact on productivity and efficiency. It offers a wonderful opportunity for professional growth and the best use of time and resources. Many managers talk about delegating to their staff but in reality ...
It is well known that the strength of people working effectively together is qualitatively stronger than that of the individuals of that team working in isolation. The success of the Corporate Leader is dependent on how well he or she can maximize the potential of those they lead. Any ...
Many managers rely on serendipity to create effective teams. At times this creates excellent teams who in turn produce amazing results. Fantastic teams which jell think creatively together and become a force to be reckoned with. They often seem to grow out of nowhere. Managers enjoy the ...
There are so many different calls upon our time; it is often difficult to fit everything in. How often have you said or heard, “I must make more time”. Sadly, it is impossible to make more time. Whatever you do there are only 24 hours in any day or 168 hours a week. We cannot manufacture more ...
So many of us find ourselves agreeing to do things even when it is detrimental to us. Having said “Yes” we find ourselves flying around, stressed and resentful. Creating a great relationship with yourself where you treat yourself as well as you treat others (no better, no worse) is vital for a ...
You work long hours; work fills your waking day. Solving problems, supporting clients and colleagues and it takes all of your conscious thought, your energy and your time. At the end of the day you fall into bed. You slip into unconsciousness or your brain is on hyper drive. You spend the ...
On May 31st at 12 noon I received a telephone call which I found hard to comprehend. My brother aged 49 had died whilst on a training session preparing for the London to Brighton Cycle race. At first, I simply couldn’t take it in. I drove to Colchester hospital but have absolutely no recollection of the jou ey. I can only apologize to any motorists I may have irritated on the way. David was my younger brother. He was a successful business man who was, so far as we all knew, extremely healthy.
We are currently living in difficult economic times. Organisations, we have all grown up with and thought of as invincible, appear to be struggling. The media constantly speculate on the next expected casualty and when a difficulty is confirmed they drive themselves into a reporting frenzy. ...
Any significant change in your life can be challenging. Leaving home, your first job, getting married, a promotion or having children, all bring the need to make adjustments to your thinking and to the routine of daily life. Yet every one of these situations brings with it excitement and a ...
Being a workaholic is a challenge. It becomes the default setting we return to when life gets tricky or you stop focusing on the life you want. The problem with only using your ability to “focus” is that it requires constant effort and it fails to get to the underlying causes which are usually ...
When you ask people about themselves they will very often answer by telling you what they do rather than who they are. Our sense of identity is coloured by what we do. We are all lots of versions of ourselves: I’m a father or mother, a sister or brother, a son or daughter, a friend or an ...
I am always struck how often we hear about the same theme in several different contexts. I have been amazed how often the theme of time has come up this week. Several clients have chosen to focus their session on their lack of time and the negative impact this has on their lives this month – ...
Are you just about to leave university? You are just setting out in the job market? You have a number of hurdles to get over before you have the job you have been dreaming of. You find the thought of an interview daunting. You want to make a good impression and succeed! Creating a good ...
It is an organizations ability to manage change effectively which will determine whether it succeeds in the long term or not. Change is ongoing and yet all too often it is dealt with in a way which leaves the organization in a difficult place and individuals feeling traumatized and ...
Successful leaders and managers have the ability to step back from the frenetic day-to-day operation or their department so that they can see the bigger picture. Military leaders of the past would seek out a vantage spot high over the field of battle. From that vantage point they plan their ...
Energy is a finite resource. How we live our lives as an individual impacts hugely on how energised we feel. (Article - Energy - Are You Making The Most Of Yours). Organizations often neglect to think about how they generate or dissipate the collective energies of their workforce. As a ...
I read a survey recently which stated that over 50% of people were dissatisfied with their job for one reason or another. That’s a significant amount of dissatisfaction. At a personal level that is a huge shame. At an organizational level it is a performance and economic disaster. The ...
We all need to feel of value. We all gain that sense of value in different ways. None of them are wrong in themselves but the meaning we give to situations can have a profound impact on how we operate with others and how we feel about ourselves. Understanding what motivates us and how ...
As we rush about frantically preparing for the holiday season we all have a sense of anticipation. Love Christmas or loathe it those of us who live in the Western world are affected by it. Anticipation has many guises. For little children there is the wide eyed wonder as twinkly lights and ...
How many times do you say to yourself, “I’ll do what I really want when…? I’ve finished the project… I’ve got that next promotion… I make Director… I have become a multi millionaire.” How often have you missed a date with your significant other, or an important milestone in your child’s ...
Effective Listening All too often we are far more enthusiastic about talking than we are listening. Yet it is so vital if we are to communicate effectively. Most breakdowns in relationships are caused because people talk at each other without really making contact. Unless someone hears what has ...
Why is it so important? The business world is facing more challenges than ever before as it manages the speed of change and competes with world markets at a time of economic down turn. Times of such challenge will see many organizations go to the wall. Those who succeed will look for the ...
Managing our time effectively is a challenge which many of us wrestle with on a daily basis. There are many strategies to doing this which I cover in other articles including creating effective boundaries, learning to say no and a wide range of techniques to save time and ensure you don’t ...
We all lead incredibly busy lives. Almost every one you speak to complains that they are short of time and have too much to do. For many of us the way in which we deal with our “To Do” list can add to our sense of overwhelm leading to high levels of stress and a diminished sense of ...
This principle is true of almost every situation but if you manage people it is vital that you learn the underlying principles of this if you want to create a team of people who respect you as their manager. Modelling good behaviour is also a great way of teaching your team to be mindful of ...
Being a workaholic is a challenge. It becomes the default setting we return to when life gets tricky or you stop focusing on the life you want. The problem with only using your ability to “focus” is that it requires constant effort and it fails to get to the underlying causes which are usually ...
Before we start to consider why it is important to focus on your perceptions, let’s clarify what I mean by perception. Throughout our waking hours we take in millions of pieces of information. We take in information through all our senses. What we see, hear, feel, smell and taste. By itself, ...
Creating success is only half the story. For those organizations who want to survive and thrive in the long term sustaining success is the name of the game. Many do not. As you walk through your high street or local shopping mall consider how many shops arrive in a great flurry of publicity ...
There is a real challenge in managing staff in an economic down turn. For many Managers the first instinct is to drive everyone harder to ensure that the maximum productivity and return is created. In the short term, this may appear to work but in the medium to long term all it does is fuel ...
The champagne corks have been popping to celebrate your promotion. You have a well paid job you love - it's really interesting. You are using your talents to the full and your boss really values your contribution! If you recognise yourself in the statement above - congratulations! If you ...
Why is it that so many of us find silence hard to deal with? As a coach I work with so many people who find their heads constantly filled with “chatter” much of which is negative or downright destructive. These inte al conversations have the power to colour our emotions and influence our ...
Are you in a dead end job? Are you fed up with low pay and long hours? Are you bored and want to do something more interesting? Do you want to be the person telling others what to do rather than being the one taking orders? You can make it happen! if you are determined enough. Consider the ...
The relationship we have with ourselves is based on a number of things, our genetic make up and hormonal and chemical balance - (nature), how we are bought up - (nurture) and on our interpretation of all our experiences both positive and negative, throughout our lives. Every experience we have ...
Every choice we make has consequences. When work takes over, it has significant consequences across the whole of your life. Some consequences will be positive and others negative. It is the balance between the activity and what it costs you which determines whether you should continue with ...
I wonder if you feel truly fulfilled? Do you look forward every day with glorious anticipation to the day ahead? Does your heart sink at the thought of what the next day will bring? Do you love bits of your life and wish that the rest of your life matched up? I believe that living a ...
Think about the corporate cost of the meetings you attend during your working week. To do that you will need to calculate the hourly rate of pay plus the on-costs (employer’s contributions) for each person attending. PLUS Calculate the cost to you in human terms. When the meeting ends you ...
Whether you are working with your partner, your teenage children or a work colleague the principle is the same. What you say and the way in which it is said, the tone of voice, the words you use and the timing of when things are said all have the capacity to widen the gap between you and the ...
Working hard and providing a great service whilst you are at work is what we expect to do. Many of us find that the working day is extended well into our personal time. There are bound to be times when a particular deadline needs to be met but all too often taking work home physically and ...
Are you just about to leave university? You are just setting out in the job market? You have a number of hurdles to get over before you have the job you have been dreaming of. You find the thought of an interview daunting. You want to make a good impression and succeed! Creating a good ...