Just last week we heard a great story from a senior manager who had come to a CommsMasters programme on driving up performance in their team. A key part of driving performance was for managers to implement regular, structured, one-to-one time with each team member. One manager was sceptical. He already knew his team well, but he’d give it a go. Having now been committed to one-to-ones for six months, the manager is a convert. He says he feels that ...
When we choose to label a conversation as difficult, we are using a word which has powerful negative connotations. This sets a distinct tone for how we think about and prepare for that conversation – we are on edge, nervous and worried about it. It makes us defensive before the conversation has even begun. That’s why in her latest post, Heather Campbell breaks down the idea of difficult conversations to help leaders reframe their approach and tackle them in a ...
Long walks, country air and pubs with roaring fires. It had been a lovely weekend away, staying with an old friend and his wife in the Scottish Borders. By Sunday afternoon, my batteries were recharged. But then it all went wrong. The couple, who’d been the perfect hosts for two days, had a full-scale row. The ridiculous thing was, it was all about a houseplant. The husband had been leaving it in its wicker basket when he watered it – ...
Few leaders relish sharing difficult messages. Fears about what to say, how to deal with other people’s responses, and concern for the individuals impacted, can knock even an experienced leader’s confidence. But business is not always plain sailing, and communicating tough messages is an inevitable part of being a leader in any organisation. At CommsMasters, we’ve helped empower leaders across many types of industries to handle these conversations well, and given them the tools they need to succeed. Let’s take a look ...
No leader, business owner or HR director likes having difficult conversations with employees. But business is not always paired with ‘highs’ and growth, and unfortunately, communicating tough messages is an inevitable part of being a leader in any organisation. When tough messages need to be shared, the internal response is dependent upon how well the message is communicated. At CommsMasters, we’ve helped empower leaders across many types of industries to make these conversations easier, and given them the tools they need to ...
Do leaders in your organisation ignore poor performance for too long – or indeed completely? Chronic failure to tackle underperformance is potentially the biggest waste of resource in business today. And it’s a problem that is recognised and talked about all the way from the Executive team, frustrated at lack of results, to front-line employees, fed up at picking up the slack left by less productive colleagues. What is causing this business blight that is costing businesses millions – perhaps ...