What is the best advice you've been given?
A piece of advice can be a gem that you return to time and time again. We've included some of our favorites below:
- When public speaking, slow your normal speech rate by 50%
- If you’ve been asked to give a 10-minute presentation prepare for 7-minutes, most people include too much content and end up rushing through their presentation
- If you need to explain a problem to a colleague try starting at the conclusion. When you start at the beginning you risk bogging other people down in detail they don’t necessarily need. If you start at the conclusion, the issue is clear and they can always ask for more information or clarification if they need it
- If you’ve got an important email to send, to senior colleagues or a client, make sure the last thing you add is the email addresses. Only add the address once you’ve read it, saved it and re-read it
- When you receive a stroppy email or an email criticising you copied to half the office, don’t respond in kind. Instead, ‘phone the person and say, “I received your email. Let’s talk …” and tackle the issue face to face to understand the intention of the person sending it
- If you need to change someone’s mind don’t start off trying to prove you’re right. Persuasion lies in emotion, not logic. Find out what really matters to the person you are trying to convince first and listen to the language they use. If you can demonstrate you've understood them you'll have a much better chance of persuading them to adopt your ideas
- If you are worried before a meeting take a moment to pull your shoulders back, stand tall with your hands on hips or in the air, feet wide apart and breathe deeply to lift your confidence or if you are feeling low try a boogie somewhere private. Our mood and behaviour naturally try to synchronize so when we change our behaviour our mood will follow
- Even if rushed and unprepared for a meeting, slow down and collect your thoughts. Take a note pad, start a fresh page with the date and name of the meeting and write 3 bullet points of items you would like to cover. It will make you look and feel more in control.
We hope you've enjoyed our tips and would love to hear your own.
