By Heather Campbell >> With the spectre of recession looming over us and a reported 7 out of 10 business leaders preparing for more tough times, employees naturally become extra sensitive about what this means for job security. Business leaders must therefore become extra sensitive about what they are communicating. If they do not, they risk building unnecessary worries that reduce motivation, morale and commitment across the workforce. Two words in particular – ‘restructuring’ and ‘efficiencies’ – bring fear. They are inevitably ...

By Heather Campbell >> I was at a networking event recently; something I rarely do, as the idea of getting together purely to meet other people – rather than to work on or explore something that is a shared interest – still makes me wary. One of the reasons for that wariness is that so many networking events are all about broadcasting to others information about ourselves – whether they want to hear it or not. This is the absolute antithesis of ...

By Heather Campbell >> Ongoing economic woes mean that many business leaders are spending yet another year giving tough messages to employees. Pay freezes or reductions, job losses and fewer opportunities for career progression are sadly still the order of the day for many businesses. But despite the depressing regularity of this type of conversation, we must ensure we do not underestimate the importance of handling them sensitively. Hearing a clear, direct message, delivered in person by another human being, continues to ...

By Heather Campbell >> A growing criticism of MBA programmes in recent years has been their focus on the logistical side of business (strategy, finance, operations) rather than the interpersonal or emotional intelligence elements. This is a criticism that can be applied to many leadership development programmes too. The focus on developing leaders’ ability to build relationships and communicate well tends to falter once they are past their first role as a team leader or their early days as a middle manager. ...

By Heather Campbell >> Too often in conversations we try to achieve too much at a time. We are not satisfied with allowing time to share views and then working through these to find a resolution the next time we meet; instead we want to open up the subject and find resolution all in one discussion. We seek to cover ten agenda items in a meeting when there is time for only three. We seek to convince people to commit to a ...

By Heather Campbell >> A couple of weekends ago I spent a few days near Dunoon in the West of Scotland. This was my first visit and I was astounded by the beauty to be found in the surrounding countryside. While it is impossible to capture this fully on camera, these photographs show some of the breathtaking scenery. It was easy to relax and just let time pass in these peaceful surroundings. To help me relax in my more hectic, everyday life ...