I’ve been wondering if life might be a little easier if we had no expectations of each other. It seems that almost all disagreements and divides come down to a sense that expectations are not met. But what is the cost of having no expectations? And how do can we gain benefit from shared expectations?
Category: Team Development
Managing Conflict (When You Are Both Right!)
As workplace psychologists, we are often called upon to assist with conflicts in the workplace. Many times, we see disagreements that arise on the basis of a difference in interpretation and opinion. In this article, Miriam Yates (Psychologist at Within Consulting) provides some practical advice on managing this situation – in all areas of our lives! (Image Source: www.shannonspaulding.com)
Learning: Why it’s easier said than done
How can you learn and grow, when you feel you need to know it all to begin with? We are habituated to measure our success by external validation. For children, this may take the form of stickers, praise or grades at school. For us adults, it includes promotions, pay rises and positive feedback. Unfortunately, this external validation can undermine our capacity to learn and grow. (Image source: www.holidayssun.com; Puerto Banus at night)
GRIT
An inspiring review of Angela Duckworth’s book Grit, by Miriam Yates, Consulting Psychologist at Within Consulting.
Why do you need Grit? How do you get it? And why talent isn’t everything!
Receiving Performance Feedback: A Development Approach
Our Consulting Psychologist Miriam Yates shares insights into receiving feedback on our work, including why it can be a painful process and how we can make the most of the ‘gems’ hidden in almost all workplace feedback.
Working with Teams in Conflict
If you have ever worked within a team that was in conflict, then you know how bad it can get. Many teams go through periods of conflict, and some teams go through periods where the whole working environment can feel absolutely toxic. A team in this situation needs assistance to work effectively together. The worst thing a manager can do is ‘let them be’ and hope they will work it out themselves. However, even the best managers find these situations very difficult to navigate.
How do you inspire confidence and competence in others?
One of our greatest challenges is standing back and allowing others to learn from their own actions, triumphs and mistakes. It can be too easy to step in and ‘save the day’ at the first ‘wobble of the wheels’. However, when you give others the space to apply new learnings, you provide invaluable opportunities to develop confidence and competence.
Building a Sustainable Workforce
How do you build a sustainable workforce? Quite simply, you look after your people so that they look after you. Easy said (I know!) but how do you do this in practice? Here’s some simple and effective strategies for creating a sustainable workforce.
Who Needs a Coach?
Elite athletes have them, as do many successful CEOs. So you might think that coaching is only for those who have made it to the top in their chosen field. But many of these highly successful individuals worked with a coach to get to where they are today and they recognise the important contribution of coaching in their transformation and growth.
Strengths at Work
Do you know what your greatest strengths are? Are you using your strengths at work?
If you answer yes to both of these questions, chances are you are likely to be more engaged in your work (Lewis, 2011). In fact, research suggests that knowing your strengths and being able to apply them is the path to a happier and more fulfilling life in general (Seligman, 2006).