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Communicating In English With Non-Native Speakers
I recently ran an influencing skills workshop in Belgium, and my audience contained a variety of nationalities. Only three out of 15 were native English speakers. Increasing globalisation means that even small businesses now face the challenge of speaking or writing to non-native English speakers, be they customers or suppliers. read more
Don't Underestimate The Importance Of Eye Contact
You probably already "know" that eye contact is a vital part of face to face communication. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why? And have you ever asked for feedback on the quality and quantity of your own eye contact? In this article, I am going to answer three questions relating to this important subject. read more
Surf’s Up – The Surfer’s Guide To Management
Surfers come in all shapes and sizes but the really good ones are “obsessive”. Go to Cornwall and you'll see the beginners, the vulnerable and the plodders floundering on the waters' edge. The 'real surfers' are far from the beach taking the big waves. read more
Trying Harder Is Over-rated
I have known Davina for ten years. She has a lovely, solid IT business employing 45 people. Turnover is around £4.5m and grows at about 10% each year. But… she is a workaholic and beats herself up about not being the ‘entrepreneur of the year’. read more
That Four in the Morning Conversation
Anyone who has run their own business has had that ”four in the morning… couldn’t sleep so I got up to write some stuff down” moment. read more
Three Little Words That Will Change Your Life (and they’re not “I Love You”)
Sometimes I am given an hour or so to explain my point with great eloquence. I use props, slides and all manner of clever devices to make my point. And then I met a man who asked me to sum up my whole approach to business. I don’t think he really meant me to use three words. But I did. read more
Make The ‘Open For Business’ Sign Bigger, George!
George Osborne’s fourth budget aimed to demonstrate that Britain was ‘open for business’. I’m not sure if that ‘open’ sign is quite big enough just yet. The 1% cut on corporation tax is an encouraging start, but with cuts in public spending, it’s clear that it still sits with the private sector to deliver against the end-of-year deadline for Britain to finally escape the recession. read more
Nothing Ventured – Communicating VC Aspirations For The British Economy
When playing a word association game with the term ‘economy’, a few options spring to mind almost immediately – austerity, recession, triple-dip. All pretty negative I’m sure you’ll agree (sorry George).SMEs however, is one word that provides a glimmer of hope. read more
The City Centre Is Still King
According to a recent poll, almost two thirds of businesses in London are considering moving premises - with lack of space, high rents and servicing costs cited as factors. With the growth in mobile and flexible working, does this mean that there is no future for city centre offices? read more
The Real Benefits Of Controlling Your Own Company Hosting
As online business continues to expand at record levels, websites facilitating digital power players are growing ever larger, more complex and more sophisticated. These days, businesses rarely stop. Business never does. Somewhere someone is always looking for a product or service and the omnipresent nature of the online world means that there is always someone ready to supply it. read more
