By Heather Campbell >> Despite all the conversations and communications that take place in today’s over-noisy business world, senior leaders regularly forget five things that really matter if they are to engage, empower and inspire those they lead. 1. The Unvarnished Truth While senior leaders want to hear what’s really going on in their business they don’t set a good example by sharing the truth with those further down the organisation. Out of a misplaced desire to protect the individuals or the organisation, ...

By Heather Campbell >> We all have them – those irritating things that other people do or say during conversations that really ‘get our goat’. And once our goat gets got, we quickly find we’re less-than-effective communicators ourselves. We’re too busy fuming at the goat-getters! Over the last few months we’ve been finding out which communication habits people find most irritating. And we’re pleased to announce the results are in. So here they are – the prize-winning goat-getters… The Professional Moaners – ...

By Heather Campbell >> How many conversations have you had today? What range of people have you spoken to? And what variety of topics have formed the content of these interactions? I’m not talking here just about the formal business conversations that mattered to you. I’m referring to all those ‘pass-timing’ moments as well – the water cooler conversations; the brief exchange as you purchased train tickets, your morning coffee or a refill of petrol. While some of those interactions will have ...

By Heather Campbell >> Messages about the benefits of positive thinking are so prevalent nowadays that people end up believing this is the healthy way to operate.  Thinking negatively in the privacy of one’s own head is bad enough, but heaven forbid that anyone would be foolish enough to express negative views openly. Optimism is good, pessimism is bad. Full stop. Except, this just isn’t true.  There’s plenty of evidence to show that repressing negative thinking is bad for our health and ...

By Heather Campbell >> When a message gets communicated often enough and across multiple platforms, it can eventually become accepted as fact. And, of course, the more people believe it to be fact, the more they repeat it as such – and the more it becomes embedded in the general consciousness as being ‘right’ or ‘the truth’. Here are three of the most common beliefs often treated as ‘facts’ in relation to communication: 1. Only 7% of people’s understanding of your message ...