Autism is a broadly misunderstood condition. While severe Autism may be disabling, it’s a mistake to think of all people on the Autism spectrum as disadvantaged. In reality, many autistic people have significant advantages over neurotypical people in general. They are better able to absorb and process large amounts of information, more focused and often […]
Mentoring and Menopause in the Workplace
Menopause in the Workplace: The Missing Life Stage in our Conversations. “I feel ripped off that no one talked to me about it.” [1] “I’m 46 and I felt so unprepared and shocked when it happened.” “The silence – it’s the worst thing, especially when you get to the top of organisations where the percentage […]
When a Mentee is Unhappy at Work
Unhappy at work? Everyone has times, when their job just doesn’t seem to give them the same satisfaction. These feelings of being unhappy at work don’t always last – simple shifts in role or responsibility can make a radical difference, for example – but when ennui sets in, the potential for disengagement and quitting rise. […]
Negotiating the Balance of Power Between the Team Leader and the Team
Power struggles in team performance One of the biggest impediments to team performance occurs when there is a mismatch between the leadership style and behaviours the team needs and those that the leader and the team default to. The word “default” is appropriate because there is usually an unconscious process of adaptation, which may be […]
Does the Advance of Technology Mean we are Forgetting how to be Human at Work?
How to be human at work… what the? A recent trip afforded me the rare luxury of time to read and catch up on recent TED Talks. It struck me that there was a consistent message underlying many of these – that as technology gradually infiltrates more and more of what we do, we are […]
Millennial Mentoring
Millennial Mentoring. Rewarding relationships = retention. Growing the next generation of talented workers and business leaders is always a challenge, now perhaps more so than ever. What has become clear over the past few years is that the millennial generation (those people born between 1984 and 2012) has a markedly different outlook on work than […]
Career Advice: What to do when the Mentee has No Clear Career Goals?
The “sweet spot” on career advice When it comes to career advice, it makes mentoring a lot easier, when the mentee knows exactly where they want to go in their career. The trouble is, many mentees – particularly those in the early stages of their careers – have only a general sense of direction (if […]
Procrastinating and How to Stop It!
Procrastinating or procrastination, is typically a repeating cycle with four stages: Putting off something we aren’t positively motivated (energised) to do Feeling guilty Reduced self-esteem and self-efficacy Reduced energy, which makes us more likely to put things off Coaches and mentors can help clients break the vicious cycle of procrastinating by firstly helping them to […]
How Mentoring Can Facilitate Acquisition
The immediate aftermath of an acquisition poses a number of major challenges. While many of these challenges relate to integration of systems and structures, the people challenges are often the most difficult and long lasting. In particular: Ensuring that senior level talent does not leave. Headhunters target merger situations, because the uncertainty causes people to […]
Coaching: How Much Should Line Managers Give Direct Reports?
Coaching: it’s a natural assumption that the more coaching and mentoring a line manager gives his or her direct reports, the greater the positive impact on performance and engagement. In reality, however, according to a study by Gartner[1], there is very little correlation. The study suggests instead that quantity of coaching is much less important than […]