In a world where instant replies and knee-jerk reactions dominate headlines (and social media feeds) it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that fast equals strong. Recent high-profile spats between Donald Trump and Elon Musk are a stark reminder of how reactive communication can overshadow reflection, erode credibility and escalate tension. But what […]
Why delaying your response can be a strategic advantage Read More »
My father was an erudite man with a love of language and a great pun. A true wordsmith, he had a vast library of books that he frequently consulted when writing speeches or presentations. When he died some 30 years ago, I inherited some of those treasured volumes. And while I may not share his
How my father introduced me to some great insults! Read More »
I was waiting for a bus the other day in London, however, there was a driverless delivery van in the way and it meant that the bus was unable to turn the corner. We all stood watching the stationary bus at an angle, waiting for the driver to return to move the van. There was
How do you manage your anger so it doesn’t affect the rest of your day? Read More »
Well, Partners With You’s birthday … we’re 24! Entering our 25th year … a quarter of a century! I set the business up with the strap line “helping companies to stop annoying their customers” and over the years that’s exactly what we’ve done. Whether we’re helping you to present your plans to others, your salesmen
According to the National Sales Executive Association, 80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact and only 10% of sales people make more than three contacts. That’s an awful lot of business left on the table for the lack of follow up! One of my clients recently spoke to me about their
Could you be using the telephone more? Read More »
Stephen Covey relays a story in his book “7 Habits of Highly effective People” about how important it is to put the big rocks in life front and centre. In his analogy the big rocks are family, friendship, health, projects that will move you forward etc and the pebbles are the minutiae of life –
Make sure you have space in life for your big rocks. Read More »
Do you tell yourself stories about what is, has or will happen? Or provide yourself with a running commentary as you go about your daily business? That’s self-talk … the voice in your head … what you say to yourself, whether positive or negative, can boost or undermine your confidence. And unless you question it
Why self-talk matters. Read More »
Have you ever been caught out on the phone? There you are mid conversation and you suddenly realise you have no idea what the other person just said. It’s not always a problem but it certainly can be … particularly if the first you notice is when they say “do you agree?” or “so what
How to stop getting distracted on the phone. Read More »
A little while ago my niece told me that someone was annoyed with her and said she knew it because they had put a full stop at the end of their text message. “But I do that – it’s just grammar” I said … “yes but they’re under 30 so they know!” she replied. Apparently,
When is a full stop not a full stop but an indication of anger? Read More »
If you had some negative feedback to impart to a colleague, we were told to dress it up with something pleasant. So, you would find a couple of positive elements and then sandwich the negative comment in between. Imagine you thought a team member’s presentation was pretty good but that the slides they had created
How not to give feedback and what to do instead Read More »
