switching on

September 9, 2012 Darren Caveney

Switching back on can be as hard as switching off was. But be careful with that switch...

So, hands up, how many of you took Mr Slee's advice and switched off during your summer hols?

Well done, you at the back.

Hard isn't it. It never used to be. But now it is.

But what can be just as hard is switching back on when you return to work. There are many reasons for this not least worrying what you are walking back into or what the future holds for you. And the urge to hunt out a new job following a summer holiday is possibly second only to the desire for a new challenge each January. The whole return thing can be unsettling for some.

birds in the nest

March 19, 2012 Darren Caveney

by Darren Caveney

My dear old Dad used to say he was always happiest when “all of his birds were in the nest”.

His birds were, of course, his kids. He’d have done – and did – anything for those little birds. Right or wrong, he’d protect, support, help and nurture them and he’d flap and flutter whenever one of those birds left his well-kept nest.

I used to think that this was really funny, especially given he was a pretty tough cookie, unnervingly street-wise and the youngest of six kids from one of Birmingham’s harsher neighbourhoods.

surviving uncertain times - 7 top tips

January 15, 2012 Darren Caveney

by Carol Grant

One of the most prized leadership attributes at the moment is resilience. In uncertain times, it can be the key survival skill. Some people assume that they just need to develop the hide of a rhinoceros and they’ll be fine.

However, a thick skin can make you insensitive to subtle changes taking place around you. To avoid extinction, it pays to know what true resilience looks like.

If you can keep your head…

As Kipling said, keep your head while all around are losing theirs. This doesn’t mean having all the answers. It does mean keeping calm in the face of uncertainty. If you can, you’re better placed to evaluate choices and options.