I’ve said in the past that I am a totally different person from the one I was 15 years ago. Others have noticed this too. Those who met me back then came across an extremely quiet individual. Someone who hardly ever spoke up in meetings. A person unsure how she could contribute to a team. […]
Feedback is one of the most valuable resources we have in developing. Learning how to use it wisely is a skill in itself. Feedback is after all only one person’s opinion and one person’s opinion may not be representative. Accepting that you’ll never please everyone is an important lesson in not driving yourself crazy with […]
Quiet is the name of Susan Cain’s seminal book on introverts. Anyone who identifies as an introvert has inevitably been asked “why are you so quiet?” at some (in reality probably many) points in their life. Introverts think before speaking, so don’t just say whatever is in their head, often hesitating to say anything at […]
I often hear from friends and colleagues of pointless meetings, uninspiring leaders and frustrating relationships (something I’ve blogged about before). I believe they tell me about these things because they know of my love of governance and especially Roberts Rules of Order in running an effective meeting. Plus public speaking is a passion and now […]
I’ve had many roles in not-for-profit organisations, including national president (chair); leading a board of volunteers from across the county. Although I’m not exactly reticent about my love for these organisations, I don’t shout about the achievement of being National President of JCI as much as I probably should. The more I come into contact […]
In my time as a member of voluntary organisations, I’ve learnt a lot. Some of those things are more tangible than others. Public speaking, debating, chairing meetings, facilitating workshops and writing blogs are amongst those skills which I can readily identify and have put into practice in my career in various ways. But there are […]
I have no problem when connections ask me for help. I enjoy helping people and am generally happy to help others. It’s a big part of leadership. This is something I recognise and embrace when I have formal roles. Humility is an essential trait in good leaders – realising that just because you’re the leader […]
As a child, I really struggled with confidence. I was incredibly shy and quiet – the person in school who actually got told off for not talking. As such I’m fascinated with confidence – is there such a thing as being “naturally” confident, how does someone go about gaining confidence, what makes you appear confident? […]
