The art of persuasion: the new top skill needed by employees?
What’s now the most desirable quality among employees? According to the latest global LinkedIn data on job opportunities and what employers are asking for from applicants, it’s the skill of persuasion. ‘Persuasion’, though, is often seen as being more like manipulation and lies. The kind of dark art used by sales people to pressurise customers into […]
Nonsense Wakes Up the Brain Cells!
I don’t know if it’s a sign of impending middle age – I’m 52 so I’m probably nearly an adult now – but I’ve grown tired of the e-reader that I initially embraced with the same boyish fervour as every other new gadget. My love of paper books and real bookshops has been re-kindled (sorry […]
Business after Brexit: four leadership lessons for uncertain times from military and sporting heroes
The tumultuous trading environment that Brexit has created means strong leadership is more important than ever before. Business leaders should look to the worlds of sport and the military for lessons on how to keep a level head in times of uncertainty. It is a difficult time to be a business leader and, as Brexit […]
Let’s welcome a new dawn of behavioural learning analytics
With the rise of learning experience platforms, L&D teams will be able to measure and assess the behaviour of employees as they progress through their learning journey, taking learning analytics to a whole new level. Like it or not, the L&D sector is not where it should be when it comes to proving its worth […]
Soft skills: is it really that hard to measure their effectiveness?
Measuring soft skills may seem like an almost impossible feat, but by asking the right questions before any training takes place you can produce measurable outcomes to assess the impact of your learning solutions. In the noughties I decided to move my career from IT training to soft skills training. In those days (as you […]
Marketing teams: getting the mix of people right
What’s the most important role of a senior marketer? To bring on board and develop a marketing team with the right mix of skills for driving forward the most valuable areas of the business. Twenty-first century marketing is suffering from a skills crisis. The sector is confused about its priorities – a well-justified focus on […]
Stories, Leadership and Trust
Amongst the brilliant sessions at our first Discovery Day in London was one from Andrew Kitton about creating compelling stories. My action point from the session was to use the approach to write this week’s blog. So, here goes. The point I wanted to make is that leadership is about letting go and trusting others. […]
Mindfulness for trainers: posture as a management tool
In part four of this content series on how to become a mindful trainer, Kay Bucky, facilitator at Facilitator at The Mindful Trainer, explains how posture can be the key to kindness and softness when faced with stressful situations at work. It is so easy to get overwhelmed by a stressful situation. Often, I facilitate […]
Learning at work: can procrastination ever be a good thing?
Procrastination is often viewed as a negative thing – an obstacle to effective working – but that’s because many people aren’t doing it right. Done properly, procrastination has the potential to actually make your work better. In our ‘always on’ world, we have super-fast internet, time-savings apps and intelligent tech that helps businesses streamline processes and cut […]
Trainers’ tips: how baseball players’ ‘deliberate practice’ can improve your training technique
Has your sales training hit a curveball? Here’s what trainers can learn from baseball’s art of ‘deliberate practice’. Learning and development organisations face the challenge of more training with less budget and, as a result, sales veterans and higher end performers are often left out of L&D plans in order to address more pressing issues like onboarding […]
Selecting training providers: why pilots don’t teach medicine to doctors
Too many organisations prioritise cost when selecting training providers, but there are many other factors to take into account when assessing suitability. Ignore them at your peril… Difficult though it may be for those around me to believe (since I have no six-pack or beach volleyball prowess like Tom Cruise in Top Gun), I was […]
Trainers’ tips: understanding these four body language signals will make you a better trainer
The difference between an engaged learner and one whose mind is elsewhere can be clearly seen in their body language. Here, we look at the signs to watch for and explain how to get everyone in the room back on track. As a trainer, you will find that no two delegates are the same. You […]
People management: four steps to avoid relationship breakdowns in teams
In high-pressured work environments, relationship breakdowns sometimes happen. Here are some ways managers can bring teams together to avoid this. Undoubtedly project delivery, especially within digital, has the potential to create stressful environments. With new groups of people working towards tight, non-negotiable deadlines, and long hours that drain and deplete energy levels, this environment is […]
It’s healthy to be scared of public speaking
Amazingly, 75% of people are scared of public speaking. And most of those people do it anyway! As the CEO of Motivii, I’ve given hundreds of presentations & I often hear people mention that I must not get worried or nervous about presenting nowadays. But here’s the the thing… I do! I still feel slightly sick […]
Why learning should be a holistic experience
Nicki Davey explains why learning should connect elements of the human condition – mind, body, heart and spirit.
Trainers’ tips: how to tell what your trainees are thinking
How do you know if your training is hitting the right mark with your trainees, or if they’re bored senseless? Here are some top tips to help trainers take the temperature of the room and keep learners engaged. Whether you are a professional trainer, or have been tasked with training up the new recruits in […]
Three ways to develop the soft skills of your existing employees
Bringing soft skills into your business doesn’t necessarily require hiring new talent. Promoting the development of these competencies among your existing workforce is a far more practical and cost-efficient approach. Having the right staff onboard in your organisation is not an easy task but it is certainly a crucial one in order to get any business running […]
Students’ Motivational Strategy for Learning
Learning strategies are the main factor in keeping the candidates on the toe. The elements need always held into account when making up the strategy program to staying fit and on trend. It is also vital ensuring that the basics experience in learning skills in constructive in approaches leading growth. Adding up knowledge always requires […]
What makes the ideal team player?
When seeking talent, how can we identify those who excel in a team? Here are some tips to help find people that can positivitely contribute to your organisation. What are the common characteristics in great teams and, more specifically, in the members of those teams that must exist in order to succeed, and succeed again? Ultimately it boils down […]
How to harness emotional intelligence in a multigenerational workplace
The modern workforce represents a cross section of multigenerational attitudes. So it’s essential to find commonality in human experience and explore the potential of emotional intelligence. We’ve all heard many ways in which the economy was, and still sees, impact from the notable population numbers of Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964. It’s been nearly a decade […]
