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Projecting Authority

Regardless of your politics, few would be betting against today’s Prime Minister (with today being April 1st – fools references notwithstanding) not returning to Downing Street or even Parliament after the next general election. The smart money is on Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, taking the keys to Number 10 sometime this year. So how […]

How to be heard when everyone’s talking over each other

We’ve all been there… Stuck in a room with a group of people who seem intent on talking over each other, whilst not listening to what anyone else has to say… It’s a not uncommon observation that on these occasions the ‘adults’ in the room are seen to be ‘acting like a bunch of school […]

Look into my eyes… more effectively

So let’s start this article with a teaser! According to ‘the internet’ should you find yourself in a situation when you are facing off with a stalking tiger, an angry lion, a snarling leopard or the news presenter Kay Burley, which should you stare down and which should you look away from? I’ll give you […]

How Are Your Social Skills?

The month of January is not a month best known for its social highs certainly in the Northern Hemisphere. After the excess of the festive period it’s back to business, with a focus on health, wealth and escape from midwinter. So you may not feel in the best mood for exercising your social skills. Nevertheless, […]

Are you overthinking your conversations?

What are you thinking about? A recent study estimates that the average human being has over 6000 thoughts a day, a feat that was achieved by studying ‘thought worms’, or the points where our brains jump from one thought to another. The research inevitably makes the point that those thoughts range from the incredibly profound […]

Know your pace

The great thing about quotes is that they hang around, just waiting for the right occasion! So I’m going to lift this one which I will use to illustrate the theme of this month’s article. It comes from a certain John Martins Jr; “Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each […]

How quiet people can still be heard

Once upon a time there was a vogue for stoic and silent types, based on characters which sizzled on the screen while rarely saying a word. Typified by Clint Eastwood and Bette Davis, who could hold an audience with a simple change of expression, more recent years the likes of Tom Hardy in Mad Max […]

How to Show Credibility and be Relatable

Let me pose a hypothetical scenario for you. Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Kier Starmer walk in to a bar and grab a table (I did say hypothetical!). They are closely followed by Adele, Graham Norton and Daniel Radcliffe who take a table at the other side of the room. Which trio would you like […]

Recognising the need for speed

A recent research study has suggested that we increasingly have a need for more speed in how we consume content. Does this suggest that there are lessons to be drawn about how we communicate, particularly there is a mix of generations in the workplace? According to a study by YouGov, there is a cultural shift […]

Perfecting ‘the look’

There is much to be said for communicating one’s annoyance or disapproval with a ‘look’. Paddington Bear was an expert in such a look, in the form of his trademark hard stare, which often caused the receiver to become flushed and embarrassed. I have a look which I bring out when, mid-way through a conversation, […]