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Performance

Sorry seems to be the hardest word…

Complaints are a reality of working life.  Whether they come from a customer, a colleague, a supporter or any other key contact, we are never going to get it right every time.  If the thought of a less than delighted email, a stroppy phone call or a furrowed brow face to face meeting leaves you worried, it’s worth remembering that…
Sharpstone Skinner
March 10, 2025
Performance

You never call, you never write…

In today's hyper-connected world, we're drowning in communication options. But is constant contact actually helping us? While technology offers endless ways to connect, a "communication rebellion" is brewing. Some are deliberately slowing down responses, leading to frustration and confusion. So, how long is too long to wait for a reply? This article explores the delicate balance between instant replies and…
Sharpstone Skinner
January 31, 2025
Performance

Not a newsletter about new year’s resolutions

Instead of making resolutions, let’s look at growth. We may not know yet what the next 12 months has in store for us but we know there will be change. There always is. In times of great change, it can be useful to look for constants, especially if they are ones that take us to a better place.
Sharpstone Skinner
January 3, 2025
Leadership

I don’t mean to be negative but…

Do you consider yourself a negative thinker and do you sometimes feel undervalued for it? This month’s blog looks at how to get best value from the ability to look on the dark side and how to do it well so you aren’t misunderstood or your contributions overlooked.
Sharpstone Skinner
November 15, 2024
Performance

Clocking Off – How to end the work day with purpose

Picture the scene. You’re strolling down a sandy beach, walking hand in hand with someone hand-holding worthy. Gentle waves are rolling in and out of the shore, the water is nibbling at your toes. The sunset is glorious and the warmth peaceful. Then you walk headlong into something sharp. It’s a Teams Chat. With a start you realise you’ve forgotten…
Sharpstone Skinner
July 23, 2024
Performance

Time for a new room?

When was the last time you shook things up a bit in your working life?  Took on a new project, learned a new skill, put yourself out there and did something weren’t particularly confident about? 
Sharpstone Skinner
June 21, 2024
Leadership

Peaks Need Troughs

When you first go into consulting, everyone tells you it’s famine or feast.  So you learn to make the most of any feasting and prepare for the lean times.  Even the famines have their value: a chance to catch your breath, rest and renew and slow the pace before the next period of abundance.
Performance

Self-care and the 9 to 5

We first wrote this blog in 2020, but it still resonates, even more so in 2024. We all seem to be struggling with increasing workloads, doing more with less and little in the way of troughs to balance out the peaks.
Sharpstone Skinner
March 25, 2024