Mindfulness - How to Focus on Success

On paper, meditation and business might seem like they are worlds apart. However, in 2014, the ancient art of meditation has made a comeback and the chances are it is here to stay.

In this article ‘Mindfulness – How to Focus on Success’ we are going to explore exactly why meditation might just be the one key ingredient your day to day business is missing to levitate to the next level.

First of all – Why do we need meditation in the first place?

Knowing that we are more switched on than ever before with smart phones, laptops, emails, conference calls, contending with rush hour traffic, it is no wonder why many of us are wired up but actually melting down.

Take some time and clear your head to function on a higher level

 

Powerful Presentations - For Business

Would you like to deliver impactful business presentations that get your message across clearly and in an inspirational way?

How about feeling a sense of inner confidence each time you walk up to the stage?

If you are saying ‘yes’ to the above questions then welcome to ‘Powerful Presentations – For Business.’

We are about to explore some simple but highly effective strategies for you to not just handle your nerves a little better, but to create an empowered state of mind for you to feel nothing less than the best you can feel when delivering a presentation in a business environment.

Handle nerves and deliver presentations with impact

Maximise your Training ROI

We humans can be lazy at times. We let projects slip and make unfulfilled promises. We get easily distracted, come up against obstacles and always manage to find more interesting things to do, rather than what we should be and have committed to doing, even though these things will take us toward our goals.

So, in order to reach one of your goals, you have recognised a need for training. You have found the right course, but how will you ensure that the learning from the course will be sustained? Many delegates will return back to the workplace, be thrown back into the routine and pressures of office life with the usual practices that they know and are comfortable with.

Train and retain: ensure you implement your knowledge

Making Success a Habit

Many books over the years have been written on the power of setting goals; perhaps you have attended a training course or motivational seminar in which ‘setting goals’ was a big part of the programme?

Even though goals are a key piece of the puzzle when creating success, many people end up setting goals of being successful as opposed to simply ‘making success a habit.’

Make your own success

How do you manage your boss?

As a manager, a huge part of your role is to be able to manage your team effectively, take responsibility for their development and wellbeing and get them onside to working towards a common goal. This of course starts with managing yourself. Effective leaders are, first of all, effective in managing themselves, their time, their focus and their emotions. But have you considered that you may also be responsible for managing your boss?

Manage your manager with confidence

Are You Communicating with your Staff?

On a scale of 1-10, how well do you communicate with your team?
Do you communicate in a directive way, i.e. do you tell them what to do, or do you communicate in a motivational way, by asking them what they think they should do? A motivational leader or manager encourages people to think for themselves. Of course, a directive style does have its place. But if the building was on fire, this is not the time to be coming to a group decision! If you need something done in a particular way and you have an urgent deadline to meet then you need to get this across. There are ways to ask to bring your team onside, making sure they understand what needs doing and why.

What is your communication style?

How to work from home and stay motivated

The number of people working from home in Britain is continually rising. According to The Office for National Statistics over 3 million people now work from home and this figure has grown from just 2 million in the last few years alone.

Although the benefits of working from home may seem obvious, the challenge can be in keeping up the inspiration and work ethic throughout each day.  This article is to share some simple tips on how you can work from home and stay motivated.

How to stay proactive whilst working from home

Improving your sales results with great customer service

Sales people have a reputation as being pushy and unlikeable.

Considering that in general ‘people buy from people they like’, it makes us question whether B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) companies are giving sales people the right skills for the current customer.

The answer: not always.

In this article, we will look at a different approach that focuses on improving your sales results with great customer service, rather than so much through sales techniques. 

Top Ways to Boost your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence can sometimes be perceived as fluffy and even a little subjective. 

Fortunately, with more research being done every day on emotional intelligence (or EQ), we are now starting to realise that boosting our EQ can be a sure way to also increase your motivation and work ethic resulting in promotions, increased revenue and a happy workforce.

This article, ‘Top Ways to Boost your Emotional Intelligence’ will share some simple ways you can boost your EQ in a short time and you need nothing other than an open mind and a decision to try each exercise.

Be more than good at what you do – be the best

We all have influences around us and different patterns of behaviour which shape us as a person, and how we control these can affect our success. Our personal development depends on our attitude and commitment to meeting our goals.  In this article we are going to explore this further, and look at what steps we can take to be the best.

What challenges do Internal Communication professionals face in 2014?

A recent study, State of the Sector, by Gatehouse asked Internal Communication professionals what their priorities were in 2014.

"The four top answers were similar to 2013: improving electronic channels (61%), leadership communication (61%), developing/refreshing an IC strategy (60%), and improving communication planning (52%). Enhancing line manager communication, building the IC team / capability and restructuring the IC function appear to have lost ground over the past 12 months."

Clearly more progress needs to be made in 2014 in areas such as improving electronic communication channels, leadership communication, developing an Internal Communication strategy, and improving communication planning.  But how do you develop your Internal Communication strategy?  Or how to you improve your electronic communication channels?

Capita Learning and Development offers a Diploma and Masters degree in Internal Communication accredited by Kingston University, designed to help Internal Communication professionals face these challenges. The Diploma and Masters programmes equip students with a depth of knowledge about communication, people and organisations, providing the knowledge and gravitas to operate at a senior level.

Click to watch video

Meet Rachel Miller, an Internal Communications Diploma attendee, and Director of All Things IC. Rachel tells us more about what she learned on the course,  the advantages of taking an Internal Communication qualification and how it helped her start her own Internal Communication consultancy.

How to face challenges at work and beyond

We have all experienced a number of challenges in our professional lives, some of which you may have handled exceptionally well, others you may have wished you ‘knew then what you know now.’ However, all in all wherever you are in the world and whichever stage you are at in your career, challenges are an everyday part of the corporate world. Today’s blog post sets out to create a sense of awareness and how you can let challenges be your biggest strength, not your worst enemy. 

The ideas in this article relate to people, circumstances, sales and even transcend to our personal lives – there is no right or wrong situation for using this advice, just take what you feel is right for you.

Face challenges at home and work

Challenges are not going away – ever

A great place to start is by understanding that challenges are not going to go away. It it true that the individual challenges we face will eventually subside, especially if you work to overcome them, but challenges as a whole are here to stay.

When we take time out to appreciate that there is no finish line and when you complete one challenge another will soon come along, only then can you choose to ask the question that very few people actually ask themselves:

“How good am I at facing and finding solutions to challenges?”

Then you can follow up by asking:

“How do I become even better at facing and overcoming challenges?”

By asking the above two questions you are actually accessing the resourceful part of your brain and empowering yourself to come up with better ways to deal with a whole host of challenges you may come across. 

The problem is not the problem, but the way you think about it

Unfortunately, many people instead of asking resourceful questions when faced with a real challenge ask; ‘why this challenge/problem is happening to them,’ and if you really dwell on this ‘why’ question it will do the opposite of accessing the resourceful part of your brain and can keep you stuck in the same problem for much longer.

It is really important to remember that ‘no challenge or problem ever has any emotion,’ it’s you who adds that part.  Should you feel bad about challenges or problems then the chances are the challenge will feel more like a major problem.  However, should you choose a feeling of inspiration and confidence, this could in fact turn the challenge into your biggest strength!

Pain is a far greater motivation than pleasure

Understandably, it is not always easy to immediately feel good about a challenge you have to face in the workplace or to switch on your resourceful state of mind.  Yet, consider that pain is a far greater motivation than pleasure, especially if we channel that motivation in the right direction.  Think about this for a moment: have you ever said to somebody that if they just focused their energy on what’s good in their life instead of putting so much into what’s bad they could in fact be very successful?  It’s exactly the same when it comes to your individual challenges too.  Next time you are faced with a challenge that makes you feel a little ‘ouch, this hurts,’ remember to ask yourself how you can turn that ‘ouch,’ into inspiration and action.

Written by Pete Scott, a learning consultant at Capita Learning & Development.

Mindset: How People React Differently

We all think differently, we all have our own unique view of the world and attach completely different meanings to different subjects, ideas and experiences. In NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) terms, ‘the map is not the territory’.  None of us think about any situation in exactly the same way.  This is because we all have our own unique values, beliefs and needs.

The iceberg, used in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, represents how our results are driven by our behaviours which are derived from our emotions which are created by our thoughts.  Therefore what we achieve is driven by what we think.

People react and internalise situations differently

In order to change someone’s results, we need to dive beneath the surface and change the way they think. Most managers tend to float on the surface and concentrate on the performance itself. This usually results in a directive or advisory approach.  When you understand how the brain works, then you will understand why these traditional approaches are ineffective long term.

When you recognise that everybody has a different view of the world, then it would follow that what is right for one person isn’t necessarily right for another.  Think about this the next time you want to offer your advice to somebody.  Yes, it may be good advice for you, and it may be what you would do in that situation, but is it right for them?

Start taking note of conversations over the next month, conversations that you have at home or work or with friends, but also other people’s conversations (honestly, you are not being nosey, you just have a genuine interest in people!)

• Note how often people are not always talking about the same thing even though they think they are.
• Listen to how people’s opinions differ. 
• Notice how people get frustrated when they can’t get their point across or the other person doesn’t quite get it.
• How often do people give, a ‘whatever’ answer and just quit trying to explain?
• How often do people give their advice only to have it shrugged off?
• How often do you receive advice that fall on deaf ears?

You will start to smile to yourself as you notice different points of view on the same subject, or different meanings assigned to the same conversation. The next time someone asks you for advice, try asking them questions to help them think it through and come up with their own answers.

Yvonne Bleakley
Learning Consultant, Capita Learning & Development

How to empower your staff

One of the most challenging skills to learn as a manager is how to empower your staff members. Some may say that it is something that comes with time and experience where others will state you have to be great with people in order to empower your team members.

All of the above are true on some level but experience does not necessarily equate to wisdom and being great with people does not necessarily mean being great at empowering people.

In order for the truth, we must dig a little deeper.

Empower your staff

What is empowerment?

Empowerment is certainly a word that is thrown around in the corporate world but when we really look at what empowerment means, it’s actually a number of things.  First of all it is knowing that your staff members are doing the work not just because they need to or have been told to, but because they want to.  Great work comes from empowered and inspired staff.  This means they have the right amount of management and freedom to feel safe but motivated in their job role.  Secondly, empowerment means the individual wants to continually improve, learn and develop.

The 80/20 philosophy

As a manager it can be a challenge to balance your time in the business, especially in today’s working world. Yet, this ‘balance’ of time is crucial if you wish to have a team who will work hard (and smart) for you day in and day out.

The 80/20 philosophy is based upon how much time you spend doing admin versus how much you are leading and motivating your workforce.

Which way round do you feel is more effective for empowering your staff?

80% leading and motivating with 20% administration or 80% administration with 20% leading and motivating.

There is no exact science behind this philosophy and it’s appreciated that many managers must spend a lot of time on the admin side of their job.  However, this can work as a simple reminder that people are inspired by people and great managers are remembered for how they lead, not how much administration work they do.

How much time are you spending hiding behind your computer?

The majority of people when interviewing for a management position state that they are great with people. Perhaps you stated it when you interviewed for your current position and it may have even been what tipped the balance for you being selected.

A simple but highly effective tip can be to put a post-it note on your computer screen that says something like the following “how many hours have you hidden behind your computer today?”  This can then act as a motivator to go and take a walk around your office to see how your team members are doing, engage in conversation or just to stretch your legs.

Important to remember, do not use this tip to micromanage your staff or be over the top with your support. Just do it because you want to do it, nothing more is required.

Train and develop

Great companies understand the importance of investing time into their most valuable resource, their people and there is no greater way of supporting your team members than continued learning and development. Bruce Lee had the perfect analogy and that was to be like water.  Water when moving stays fresh, it’s only when it stops that it becomes stale or stagnant.  The same can be said for the workplace, team members who are committed to learning and developing themselves stay fresh, however it’s down to the management to lead this process.

Learn to trust

Overall, empowering staff is a continual quest (with no finish line) of learning to trust your staff to do the best job possible because they want to do it.  Managers are always remembered for either making their staff members time at work great or tough.  Perhaps you are already that great manager but it’s always a wonderful thing to do to gently remind yourself that your success is a reflection of your team members' success and that of course takes trust, support and empowerment.

Written by Pete Scott, a learning consultant at Capita Learning & Development.

How employees ‘pulling a sickie’ are damaging your business’s health

The first Monday in February has now become ‘National Sickie Day’, the day when, traditionally, statistics have shown the largest number of workers call in sick. Reasons can be attributed to the winter cold and flu season, post-Christmas blues, bad weather or the long length of time until the next public holiday – or even these ridiculous excuses. Although this whimsical term makes it seem like a harmless event, how does it affect the industry?

National Sickie Day

Whatever reason a worker gives for not coming into work, managers must be able to distinguish between those with legitimate ill-health and those who have decided to ‘pull a sickie’. This is increasingly becoming a problem, especially in large businesses where some feel they can get away with it. According to a study conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), over a fifth of employers perceived that some of their workforce felt entitled to paid days off ‘sick’ as an additional perk to increase their annual leave.1

In 2013, after a slight dip in reported cases, the proportion of non-genuine illness as a reason for not attending work has increased to around 26% 2, so the need to be able to manage employees’ absences fairly and consistently is a key skill to master.

Left unchecked, absenteeism can cause damage to an organisation. This includes reduced team morale where they have been let down by a colleague, it costs the business money in terms of lost productivity, potentially lower quality work produced due to increased workload or a skills gap of the covering employee, and drains management time as they must reorganise work and discipline the errant worker.

Of course on the opposite side of the coin is ‘presenteeism’ where workers will soldier on even in the face of illness, so as not to lag behind in their work or there is a culture where certain individuals are afraid to be off sick. This can be just as damaging to productivity as workers are there “in body but not in spirit.3”

In order to address these issues, a manager must be confident and well-informed of the courses of action available, as well as relevant legislation in place to help them.  Absenteeism must be addressed as soon as possible, and measures should be put in place to prevent it from becoming a problem. However, this can easily be achieved with some knowledge and by following the correct guidelines. For example, by setting up an absence management policy in the workplace, managers will be able to monitor and reduce absence and let employees know what is expected of them. Steps such as conducting return to work interviews will allow for a discussion of the cause of absence (acting as a deterrent but also as a form of support), as well as creating an environment to uncover any underlying issues which can then be dealt with in the early stages. With correct procedures in place, a manager can go a long way towards maintaining a happy workforce without damage to morale or bottom lines.

Capita Learning & Development offers a training course in Absence Management, which will help you develop and manage your workforce, reducing unplanned absences and increasing productivity.

[1] CBI, ‘Fit for purpose’ Absence and workplace health survey 2013, p13
[2] CIPD and Simply Health Limited 2013, Annual Report 2013, p20
[3] http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1077290/stress-presenteeism-sapping-uk-productivity-research

Happy New Year!

What goals have you set for yourself this year?  How determined are you to achieve them?

New Year's Resolutions

It is estimated that 70% of people who set New Year’s resolutions will have abandoned them by the 3rd week of January and of the 30% that don’t, 90% of them will have given up by June.

So, what can you do now to ensure that you arrive at the end of the year, in the top 5% of those that do follow through and achieve what they set out to achieve at the beginning of the year?

Follow my top tips for setting and achieving goals and notice the difference when you see yourself still on track as the months go by.

Step One
Always write your goals down on paper.  It is proven that you are 70% more likely to achieve your goal if it is written down.

Step Two
Use my SPADE criteria when setting your goals:

S stands for specific.  Be as specific as you can.  If your goal is to earn more money, then exactly how much?  If you earned an extra £1 you would be earning more so your subconscious needs to know exactly how much more.
P is for present and positive tense.  Write your goals as if they are happening now and always in the positive so don’t write what you don’t want, write what you do.
A is for achievable. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure.
D is for date. When are you going to achieve this by?
E is for emotional evidence.  You need an end step so that you know that you have got your goal and put some feelings into it.

Step Three
Now you have your goal you need to break it down into manageable milestones and diarise them.

Step Four
Read your goals every day and visualise yourself achieving them.  Imagine that it’s happening now. Remember, you get what you focus on so focus on what you want to be happening.

Step Five
Take action.  Ask yourself everyday, “what can I do to get me closer to my goal.”  “Is what I am doing now moving me closer or further from my goal?”

Step Six
ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Yvonne Bleakley
Learning Consultant, Capita Learning & Development