Make listening your organisation's superpower

Make listening your organisation’s superpower

What do meetings look like in your organisation? Is it just a few people speaking while most stay silent? Do people interrupt, talk over each other, pinch ideas, or mansplain?
Perhaps the culture is that the leaders or the most experienced have all the best ideas, and it’s everyone else’s job just to shut up and listen.
Create a thinking environment in your meetings
I’ve got some great tips and advice about listening for you to share with your colleagues. It’s all about consistently putting listening into practice to create more sustainably successful and productive meetings, where:
You tap into genuine creativity and fantastic ideas by making listening a priority.
People feel heard and positive about themselves because they’ve made genuine contributions and solved problems together.
As a leader, you’re seen as more coach-like, empathetic, and approachable.
So, as ever in the Workplace Confidence newsletter, it’s about the HOW. How do you create a culture of meetings where listening is a priority? I suggest these three ground rules, which you should explain to everyone at the beginning of each meeting.

Workplace Confidence Podcast

Coming up on the Workplace Confidence Podcast

Coming up on the Workplace Confidence PodcastBonus episodeComing up on the Workplace Confidence Podcast. In this special bonus episode, I’m giving you a sneak peek at the incredible conversations we’ve lined up. Think of it as your first taste of the engaging and insightful discussions that are coming your way.Listen nowWorkplace Confidence PodcastListen to all episodesComing up on the Workplace …

Can you just say a few words?

Could you just say a few words please?
Ever been asked that, or had to ask it of someone else?
It’s for that moment in an office, when there’s a ‘leaving do’ – a team member is retiring, going on maternity leave, moving on to another department or a new job somewhere else – and it’s someone senior’s job to mark the occasion with a small speech-ette.
But it can fall a bit flat, can’t it? We’ve all witnessed it. The departing person feels unappreciated, the team are embarrassed. And you’ve missed an opportunity to communicate culture and to show how valuable your people actually are.
So let’s get on top of these moments as leaders, make the most of the chance to be visible and ultimately make them more meaningful.

Visible leadership: The coffee strategy

Being visible as a leader is hugely important. Visible leaders can engage others, share key messages, values, and behaviours – making your job a bit easier, perhaps?
It’s a huge topic, so today I’m giving you just one thing that you and your colleagues can adopt to be more visible and more confident. The challenge of networking
I regularly hear frustrations from my clients about leaders and emerging talent sticking to their silos, not sharing their worth, and failing to build a network.
I wasn’t proactive in making connections when I was an employee, which slowed down my career progress and made me feel cut off from the ‘big picture’ at work.
Most people aren’t strategic network builders, which is a shame because nothing beats getting support, know-how, and a chance to be visible in front of a wider group.
When we hear ‘network’, we often think of ‘networking’ – not instantly appealing, I have to say.

be yourself at work

Being yourself at work, how hard can it be?

This time, I’m delving into a topic close to my heart: feeling like you can’t be your authentic self at work.
It’s a common issue, and thinking back to my career at the BBC, I certainly had times when I played small and held back on sharing ideas.
A former boss once told me to “intellectualise more!” Ironically, I had no clue what he meant. The effort of trying to be something I wasn’t left me stressed, tired and grappling with bouts of burnout.
I often felt misunderstood by colleagues and unable to contribute fully. A square peg in a round hole, with plenty of good old imposter syndrome thrown in for good measure!
All of these feelings come at a cost, with broader implications for you, your colleagues and your organisation:
Mental health: Anxiety, stress, depression and burnout.
Productivity: When people aren’t themselves, they’re short on ideas, less innovative and unable to solve problems.
Succession planning: When people play small their performance suffers. Talent may hold back on showcasing their genuine strengths and talents, making it hard to spot future leaders.
Relationships and communication: Inauthenticity can lead to mistrust and weakened professional relationships, poor communication and grievances.

How to interrupt like a pro

How to interrupt like a pro

How to interrupt like a pro. This time, I’m sharing insights on a slightly less celebrated but incredibly useful skill – interrupting!
Far from being a breach of etiquette, having colleagues who know how to interrupt appropriately is essential.
Confidently interrupting (and accepting interruptions) without causing offence saves time and enhances collaboration and productivity.
The art of interrupting
Interrupting isn’t about cutting people off – it’s about steering a conversation constructively. Instead of the awkward ‘um’ or ‘excuse me,’ opt for confident and clear interjections.
A well-timed “Thank you for that insight, let’s hold on to that thought and move on,” can seamlessly shift the discussion without dampening the speaker’s spirit.

The phrase that kills workplace ideas, innovation and collaboration

The phrase that kills workplace ideas, innovation and collaboration

You may have noticed in your meetings when ideas are introduced they often don’t progress – this could be because people are mentally shutting them down by answering an idea with the words, “No, but…” 

It’s amazing how just changing a word when we respond can make a huge difference.

Instead, if colleagues reply, “Yes, and…” It can be more productive and help people expand their thinking.

This approach is useful for everyone, particularly if you’re leading a session aimed at developing ideas.

Watch my video for an example of this in action.

Workplace mastermind groups - Solving problems and building networks from Penny Haslam on Vimeo.

Workplace mastermind groups

Introduction: What is a workplace mastermind group?

I want to share an idea with you that’s commonly associated with business owners. Actually, I think it’s something that should be more regularly used in the workplace. That is, mastermind groups at work so your people can solve their problems confidently and build wider networks across the organisation. 

There are loads of reasons why they’re brilliant, and often their outcomes are phenomenal in a way that you’d never expect. I’ll go into those in a little more detail in a minute, but a mastermind group is sometimes also known as an action learning set or peer-to-peer mentoring. 

Women in professional services

Women in professional services: 10 key strategies for career progress

Women in professional services: 10 key strategies for career progress. When you want to progress at work, it’s not simply a case of just being good at your job. Let’s assume you’ve got that covered.

Advancing your career requires a shift in the way you get seen by the people who matter to you and your career.

You could call that developing your ‘personal brand’. But don’t stop there. Get the cut through you need, to be highly thought of for opportunities by adding the word ‘profile’.

Ask yourself, what am I doing to progress my personal brand profile? Where am I being seen? And am I just hoping for the best? And if that made you a little uncomfortable then you probably need to take action or remain a best-kept secret.

The following list gives you 10 tried and tested, highly effective ways to showcase your expertise and the value you bring.

And remember, it’s not what you know, or who you know. It’s who knows you…

Shh… The silent workplace confidence crisis

The silent workplace confidence crisis. In my experience, workplace issues around self-doubt are rarely discussed. They’re seen as a private, personal burden to bear.
But I would say confidence is a people problem we can all work to resolve. And it’s a bonus to do so, because confident individuals can build confident organisations, that can fulfil their purpose.
So, the solution is to actively support colleagues to re-establish their confidence and thrive in the workplace.

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How does coaching work

How does coaching work?

Coaching is a versatile tool that can help you achieve your goals, whether you’re looking to improve your career, tackle a business challenge, or develop new skills.

It’s an effective way to address complex challenges in your work or business that require guidance and expertise beyond your current level.

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