When you are facing up to dealing with difficult people, many thoughts and emotions crowd in. These tend to be negative - about them and the situation. “How could they behave in such a way? They are so blinkered! So frustrating - they just ignore me. They shouldn’t...

Amazing, what an incredible performance you’ve put in. You rose to the challenge, moved heaven and earth, and delivered. Everyone is pleased and you’re confident they will honour their promise to you. You took them at their word when they promised that hitting your...

The Broken Promises political dilemma is commonplace. Due to the power balance, it could almost be inevitable, especially if the senior has this as part of their motivation Modus Operandi. There are many variations on the theme, but a typical scenario plays out like...

Here’s a contemporary workplace challenge. You need to get someone bought in to your vision, project plan or endorsing a decision you need made. They may report to you, either dotted or solid line. Perhaps they are a member of your virtual project team, or you may...

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to mention to you that we’ve decided to reorganise a little. We’ve not really been getting consistent standards with local reporting, so would you be okay to take solid-line responsibility globally for your function? They’ll still report into...

I’ll take a bold stance here – read this to the end. At junior levels, feedback is vital as you learn, and asking is encouraged. But at higher levels, where expertise is expected, requesting it can signal doubt. You still need feedback to grow, yet asking directly...