By Heather Campbell >> Sarcasm may be described as the lowest form of wit, but that doesn’t stop it being embarrassing at best and hurtful at worst when you are the butt of the sarcastic comment. We often find ourselves at a loss for words when we experience someone’s sarcasm, or biting back with an even more caustic rejoinder. Neither response tends to leave us feeling good afterwards; the latter can damage the relationship and leaves others involved feeling awkward too. Before exploring ...

By Heather Campbell >> What’s one of the most feared words in the English Language? – ‘No.’ This simple two-letter word really gets in the way of great conversations. That’s why it’s the focus of this third blog in my series on how to have truly productive conversations. Hearing ‘no’ (or fear of hearing it) stops conversations being productive because: We don’t have the conversation at all – we think “what’s the point?” if there is a risk of  getting ‘no’ as the ...

By Heather Campbell >> This is the second in my series of blogs about how to simplify the whole messy area of having conversations at work. In this one we’ll look at how to start a conversation in a way that is focussed, coherent and engaging. Starting a conversation causes a surprising amount of angst. Small talk or no small talk? If small talk, how much? How do I get to the point without causing offence, and in a way that ensures everyone involved ...

By Heather Campbell >> Boy oh boy, how did the simple interaction of conversations between leaders and the people they lead get so complicated? Coaching conversations, performance conversations, mid-year reviews, one-to-ones, feedback – each one with different paperwork to complete and different models to follow. Are these interactions communication, conversation or dialogue? And what’s the difference anyway? No wonder leaders want to busy themselves with tasks and hope the people stuff just goes away! So, let’s make this easier. Forget about all the ...

By Heather Campbell >> I am currently reading Richard Rumelt’s excellent book Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters (2011) and find it a refreshing and insightful exploration of what strategy, strategy-setting and strategic thinking are about. This is a book that was recommended to me, and in turn I recommend it to you. The book got me reflecting on the importance of engaging people at all levels in strategy, and the frustration leaders feel at the difficulty they face in doing so. In ...