Who would have thought the Caps Lock button on your keyboard would cost you money. Now don’t go looking strangely at the keyboard – there is some real truth behind this finding. Consider how often when you are typing away writing an email, proposal or even some web copy and you notice there are capital letters in the wrong place. I’m not referring to my poor grammar where I have a reputation for inserting random…

Workplace relationships are crucial in the world of work. Not only do good working relationships help to build and shape your career but they also make your working day far more pleasant and less stressful. However, there is nearly always at least one person you may clash or butt heads with, it is important to try and maintain at least a good professional working relationship even if that doesn’t extend to outside of work. It…

You may have worked in your current industry for many years and know all there is to know. However, standing up in front of a group of people to give a presentation regarding your industry can be daunting no matter how much confidence you may have. Presentation and speaking skills is not something that necessarily comes naturally to everyone. If you are going to be giving any type of presentation or are going to be…

No I’m not talking about some form of scary car racing I am referring to our ability to distract ourselves from the goals that truly matter and then to drift from one idea or activity to another. Consider this – how often do you watch the TV, and how often do you flick between channels when something gets a little boring, less gripping or heaven forbid the adverts come on. This is what distraction is…

What has to happen before you actually believe the positive things that others are saying about you? When will you finally listen and take on board what they say? Why is it that so many of us spend most of our lives reinforcing the negative stories that we surround ourselves with rather than the feedback that others give to us freely. Time and time again I come across this, especially in the world of helping…

Motivational speakers have been popular in the USA for many years. However, what benefits do motivational speakers give to people and their businesses? Motivating yourself or even a team of employees can be a tough slog. It is common for employees to struggle with their motivation and as an employer if you lose your motivation then it becomes impossible for you to keep your team motivated. Still most employers have never considered using a motivational…

Believe in the objectives and be clear about the goals If you as the leader do not exude confidence in the realistic nature of your goals, the team will sense this and respond accordingly. No matter what you say, your body language and subconscious actions will portray your uncertainty. Likewise, the goals you are working towards need to be clear and explicit. If they can be quantified so that performance can be clearly measured, this…

It can be a challenge to speak your mind in some situations, but it is always the best thing to do. People are not capable of understanding your thoughts unless you vocalise them, and whilst it’s tempting to assume your opinion is obvious this is not always the case. In fact, the majority of the time, misunderstandings can be avoided if both parties are simply honest in their thoughts. Leaving someone to interpret what they…

Increasing your productivity when you are working can mean you ultimately spend less time doing so. Have a clear vision in mind and set yourself goals. If there is an urgent project, prioritise it over those smaller and easier tasks. At the end of the day, schedule the first thing that needs to be done tomorrow so that when arriving refreshed in the morning, you hit the ground running. Simply writing a ‘to do’ list…

In a world where approximately 20% of people would identify themselves as procrastinators, we are forced to ask why this problem hasn’t been tackled yet. It has huge impact on productivity, on health and wellbeing, and on finances, yet seems to be something some individuals are prepared to live with – even when it affects their quality of life. Society doesn’t seem to take procrastination seriously. We are happy to listen to people’s excuses without…