Two minute reads

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Two tips to help you do great performance appraisals this year

It's coming up for annual review season again. You and your direct reports are probably as keen as each other to get it over with, so you can get back to 'proper' work. Your team may have been with you for so long that you feel embarrassed to do their appraisal. How...

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Three reasons why your star performers will leave you

Three reasons why your star performers will leave you. Returning to work after the holidays is bad enough without having to worry about who might ask you for a ‘quiet word’ in order to hand in their notice. I don’t want to cause any paranoia, but if that resonates...

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Three questions micromanagers should ask themselves

Over-controlling managers may produce great short-term results by constantly getting involved in decision making that is way below their job title. However, this is to the ultimate detriment of their own professional development as well as that of their team’s. No one...

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Six Things Successful Job Seekers Don’t Do

Career changers and job seekers are swamped with information and advice on the ‘right’ way to go about finding a new role. Much of this is anecdotal, or based on out-of-date research more relevant to graduate entry jobs. It’s a bit of a minefield and somehow...

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Questions to ask the Interviewer

And do you have any questions for us? At this stage of an interview the temptation can be to either escape as soon as you can or ask something clichéd about the organisation's training and development plans. Instead, now is the time to ask some smart questions to show...

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The Smart Way To Run Annual Performance Appraisals

It's annual review season. You and your direct reports are probably as keen as each other to get it over and done with. When handled properly, the appraisal can inspire solid performers and reignite the poor ones. When mishandled (and I am thinking particularly of...

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Why Perfectionists Aren’t Perfect

Perfectionism is the uncompromising pursuit of exceptionally high standards. This would appear to be a great characteristic to bring to the workplace. These high achievers will use their time and energy in the pursuit of doing a first class job, they will get great...

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Why Do Some People Find Work More Quickly Than Others?

Here are some observations about clients who have successfully looked for new roles or more freelance work. These are five common factors - some intuitive, some learned - that have enabled them to get what they want within their timescales. They are sustainable ways...

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How Could a Pro-Bono Trustee Appointment Enhance Your Career?

Some of the senior executives on our outplacement and career management programmes are considering leaving conventional employment to embark on a plural or portfolio career. This is usually fuelled by a desire for more variety, freedom and control over their time. Of...

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How To Really Work Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is a critical part of your brand. An effective profile works like an interactive business card, showcasing your expertise. Like offline networking, LinkedIn is about engaging with people and sharing information to build supportive, mutually beneficial...

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How To Set Good Goals

What does research tell us about goal-setting? You may be setting 2013 goals for you and your team or reflecting on the goals you achieved this year. Most of us set goals but we don't always achieve them. Why not? It may be helpful to look at research findings on...

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