How to Master Small Talk—And Why It Matters In today’s fast-paced workplace, influencing, stakeholder engagement, and visibility are key to career success. It’s no longer just about how well you perform—it’s about how well you connect. Building strong relationships, nurturing a network, and creating trust are essential skills that set successful professionals apart. At the heart of all this? Mastering the art of conversation. But…
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Women in Leadership
Only 4% of Fortune 500 CEOs women. What’s going wrong? In 1918 Irish women got the right to vote. 1973 heralded the abolition of the marriage bar; 1977 saw the introduction of the Employment Equality Act. Girls now consistently outshine boys across the globe in exam results. Having made so much progress, why are women still underrepresented in political circles and the upper echelons of…
Speak Up, Stand Out: Five Keys to Executive Presence
I’m currently working with a client who was told that to reach the next level, she needed to strengthen her executive presence to have a greater impact in meetings. Over the past three months, we’ve built a structured feedback loop to track progress—and the results have been transformational. Here are the key strategies we used to shift the dial and reshape how others perceived her:…
How to overcome Imposter Syndrome
How to overcome Imposter Syndrome – 10 tips I frequently work with clients navigating the transition to more senior roles following a promotion. These individuals are high achievers, yet many grapple with self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Through my work, I’ve found that the following 10 steps have been instrumental in helping them access their inner power, cultivate serenity and self-belief, and step into their roles…
Struggling with your new boss?
Struggling with your new boss?: This issue comes up frequently in my coaching sessions. Just last week, I worked with a client who had recently been promoted to a Head of Marketing role. They were experiencing friction with their new boss—a relationship that was challenging due to their very different personalities. In our conversation, I reminded them that the skills and style that got them…
How to give negative feedback
How to give negative feedback Have you ever felt uncomfortable giving negative feedback? For some, delivering critical feedback triggers childhood memories when their own behaviour was harshly criticised; leading them to avoid situations where they may upset others. Other people sidestep the difficult feedback as they place a high value on being liked. Ultimately to be effective and to help your team grow, critiquing performance…
Managing upwards
Are you frustrated with the relationship with your boss? Is it holding you back from realising your true potential? This is a common theme that comes up with my clients. I’ve highlighted below a few tools that have helped them reshape relationships and get their careers back on track. Mismatched communication style Most of us have a preference for one particular communication style. This makes…
Why having fun is an important way to manage your stress
The importance of building fun into your life shouldn’t be underestimated. In the words of the Greek philosopher Herodotus “If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it”. Like many of my clients, at times I’ve struggled with Covid and its seemingly unrelenting nature. I’ve shared…
How can you manage a difficult relationship?
How can you manage a difficult relationship? On average, we don’t like one out of every five people we meet so assuming that you should get on with everyone is simply not a reality. How can you forge productive working relationships in such circumstances? The following three strategies will help you get more control of the situation, freeing you from any historical baggage and allow…
Starting a new job? Here’s 5 ways to maximise your success.
Starting a new job? Here’s 5 ways to maximise your success Starting a new job can be very stressful. Michel Watkins, author of “The First 90 Days” compares it to an organ transplant….where you’re the new organ. It’s the point in your career where you’re at your most vulnerable. The territory is unfamiliar, expectations of what you can deliver are high and you haven’t yet…