We all want to ensure that life is positive not just for us, but for those around us. As much as is humanly possible, anyway. We all have our own versions of positivity. They are closely linked to our internal narratives of who we are, how we lead our lives and what we believe in….
Living on Autopilot Stops Us from Thinking (and Feeling)
My mum is unable to drive at the moment. I had to take her somewhere the other day, and she had problems getting into my car because it is a little low to the ground. “No problem,” I thought, “I’ll just drive hers.” I got in and proceeded to reverse out of the parking space,…
Who’s to Blame for a Bad Hire?
As a rugby Dad, I am certain that I spend far too much time reading into the game. One of the most important aspects of rugby is the giving and catching of passes. For those of you that aren’t aware, the ball has to be passed backwards and the catcher is not allowed to let…
Could Candidates End Up Missing Out After GDPR?
I imagine that the past month or so has seen a deluge of “would you like to keep in touch?” emails. I know that my inbox has been jammed full, and I have to say that I ignored many of them. I know that the new regulations have certainly made me think twice about…
The Difference Between Waiting and Expecting
Many little children around the world go to bed on the 24th December in the expectation that Father Christmas will bring them presents while they are sleeping. Since they can remember, these gifts magically appear on Christmas morning, and they fall asleep with a smile on their face in the knowledge that “he” will…
A Black Book Should Be Nurtured, not Neglected
In the days before LinkedIn and social media, the key to networking was attentive listening and thoughtful consultation. Recruiters have always needed to be active at the heart of their respective industries, but when social media arrived, they felt that it was enough to share the odd industry insight on the various platforms. They…
Learn to Embrace the Ebbs and Flows
Anyone caught in a rip-tide should know that you can’t fight the current. You can swim across it until the current weakens, allowing you to swim back to shore, but the best advice is to relax, float and calmly signal to be rescued. At the time it feels like you should struggle and that you…
How Writing Helps Me Sort My Head Out
Writing a blog every two weeks or so gives you a mental goal. You have to be able to come up with something that you are happy to share with your audience of friends, colleagues, clients and total strangers. Every word that you write will be judged, and you will be making an (albeit…
Would You Go Back to an Old Employer / Girlfriend?
I should start this blog by saying that I am happily married with kids, but there is certainly an interesting comparison to make here, so I will “imagine” that I am single. Speaking as a male, there are lots of women in the world. Many of them are married and in relationships, but there…
Why Do We Focus on Targets Rather Than Behaviours?
When we have a target, we tend to adjust our behaviour to move towards it. Humans are a compliant bunch in general, but I often wonder that we are missing out on a whole load of potential if we merely adapt our behaviour in accordance with a pre-defined target rather than behaving in the very…
Are You Allergic to Making Decisions?
You let out a thunderous sneeze, and your nose starts to stream. You have known this feeling many times before and you know that there is little that you can do. An allergic reaction has kicked in, and you have to get away from the stimulus making you sneeze. A decision is looming on…
Does Being a Parent Make a Difference at Work?
I recently went on a lad’s weekend away. There was a large group of us, made up of a variety of different friendship groups, everyone knew someone but no one knew everyone. The group was split between people in their 30’s to 40’s, with the vast majority having young or teenage families. Whilst it’s not…