In our global post-Brexit world, business professionals who work internationally have to manage a tricky balancing act. On the one hand they are advised not to discriminate, so they should treat everyone as equal and ignore differences. On the other, we all want to be appreciated for being who we… Read more
Talk to Your Team
What is more challenging for you as a manager, talking to a large audience or speaking to an individual in your team about their poor performance? Many people say it’s the public speaking gig. But a lot of managers avoid that 1:1 conversation. Do you avoid the 1:1 challenge?… Read more
Do You Hate Presenting? Part 2
How do you feel when you receive a present which is of absolutely no interest to you? Annoyed? Frustrated? Disappointed? You certainly wouldn’t think positively about the giver. You wouldn’t have much trust in the relationship. You probably would think less of them as a person. So why is… Read more
Do You Hate Presenting? Part 1
Do you hate presenting? You’re not alone if you do. One reason is that you feel you are being judged. And according to a recent YouGov survey, that’s true. The survey lists the mistakes that presenters make in the UK – as judged by their colleagues. Worst mistakes made by… Read more
Networking – is it a skill you can learn?
Some people hate networking. They are often the more reserved type of people. But I’m an extrovert type and I used to hate it too! I am a happy and successful networker these days but I went through a phase of being pretty awkward at it. I’ve come to believe that the awkwardness came as… Read more
Accent etiquette – international
Accent etiquette for international contexts In this, my third article in the recent series on accents, the focus is on the international etiquette where accents are concerned. We’ve agreed that in your own country it’s both “best practice” and good manners to reduce your own regional accent so that you are easily understood by everyone… Read more
Does my accent matter? Here’s the etiquette
I recently wrote an article about accents and whether it’s important in the UK to have a posh accent. People who speak for their living – sales people, presenters, diplomats, trainers, journalists – tend to speak a standard version of English, that is without a strong accent. They need to because they need to speak… Read more
Talking posh: do I need to lose my accent?
How you speak is important. But is it important to have a posh accent? Accents are important because they indicate something about you – where you come from and who you spend time with. They are important too because they make it easier or more difficult for you to be understood. A regional accent may… Read more
Scared of Public Speaking? Get up and do it!
Are you afraid of Public Speaking? If so, you probably avoid it. Or you do it but play safe, with downcast eyes, reading your notes, scuttling off as soon as possible. Do you play safe? Playing safe to avoid looking foolish probably makes sure that people don’t know what you care about. They don’t… Read more
Relationship building is vital to virtual teams
I’ve written several blogs over the years about the importance of deep listening. Here, guest blogger Clare MacNamara zones in on virtual teams and the importance of creating strong relationships with teammates, especially those you hardly ever meet. She gives useful tips, not only about listening. Read it here globalteamcoaches.com/how-to-build-relationships-in-global-virtual-teams/ In a virtual meeting, how… Read more
