Willingness to listen

c/o New York Times

Effective communication serves as the foundation of strong leadership, requiring not only the ability to articulate ideas clearly but also the willingness to actively listen to others. True communication goes beyond simply exchanging words; it involves paying attention to verbal expressions, non-verbal cues, and underlying emotions, ensuring that messages are received and understood as intended. Providing constructive feedback and fostering an atmosphere where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts can significantly enhance collaboration and trust. When leaders prioritise communication, they create alignment within their teams, reduce misunderstandings, and ultimately drive organisational success.

If you're ready to enhance your leadership skills and create a more engaged, motivated, and high-performing team, let's connect. Contact me via email to schedule a 1:1 discovery meeting and take the next step in your leadership journey.

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Style never goes out of fashion

Have you mastered the art of non-verbal leadership?

Your personal style is more than just a reflection of your brand, it's also a powerful leadership tool. When your appearance aligns with the values you uphold, it amplifies your leadership message and strengthens both your personal and professional identity.

Here are a few ways you can harness the power of style as a form of non-verbal leadership:

•      Just like a well-thought-out strategy, a perfectly curated outfit commands attention and respect. It signals precision, intentionality, and a commitment to high standards—projecting leadership without needing to speak.

•      A consistent personal style communicates trustworthiness, and it conveys reliability and stability, which are critical qualities in leadership. When others can predict how you present yourself, it fosters a sense of dependability in your leadership.

•      Your wardrobe can skillfully balance authority with approachability. Choosing relaxed attire in the right context can make you more relatable, encouraging open dialogue and collaboration within your team.

•      Incorporating modern trends while staying true to your personal style shows flexibility and a forward-thinking mindset, which are both vital leadership attributes.

Before you speak, your appearance sets the tone, shaping perceptions and reinforcing your leadership presence. Style, when used effectively, is a silent yet impactful leadership trait. I think ultimately, personal style is a form of influence.

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Taking risks

Effective communication is crucial for leaders as it enables them to convey their vision, goals, and expectations clearly while also actively listening to their team. Leaders who consistently champion creativity foster innovative thinking and problem-solving among their team members, thereby nurturing trust and reliability within the group. In addition to this, a crucial leadership skill involves the adept management and resolution of conflicts within the team. I think understanding and respecting diverse cultures and perspectives is also important, especially in diverse teams or global organisations.

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All good leaders can communicate

c/o Forbes magazine

I think leadership and communication are intertwined, as effective leaders are skilled at expressing their beliefs and vision. And by doing so, they build trust and foster a sense of community among their followers. Leaders can also articulate shared values and aspirations. Acknowledging one’s mistakes and vulnerabilities is another key aspect of good leadership. The aim of leadership is not to attract people who need what you have, but to attract those who share your beliefs. Leaders can stand on a street corner and articulate their convictions, drawing others to their cause, as our unwavering belief in an unseen future and our ability to articulate it is our greatest asset.

Don't take it personally

I think sales is a challenging profession, and not everyone who attempts it will succeed. It's important to remember that rejection is a natural part of the sales process, and it's not always a reflection on the salesperson's abilities or performance. That being said, there are certainly things that salespeople can do to improve their chances of success, such as improving their appearance, communication skills, and presentation style.

It's also true that some clients may pick up on a salesperson's nervousness or lack of confidence, and this can be a turnoff. However, there are ways to overcome this, such as practicing sales techniques and developing a deep understanding of the product or service being sold. In addition, salespeople can seek feedback from clients or colleagues to identify areas for improvement. Ultimately, it's up to the salesperson to take responsibility for their performance and strive to improve. By doing so, they can increase their chances of success and minimise missed opportunities. Contact me via e-mail for sales coaching and training sessions.

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Spice of life

If you love someone you don't have to prove yourself or change for them. Giving and receiving gifts is a legitimate love language, however, material items should never be the main source of stability and communication in a relationship. I think the most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling, and what’s even more beautiful, is knowing that you are the reason behind their smile. If you appreciate this message, please share it. You may touch someone's heart today and forever. Enjoy your day with a heart of gratitude.

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Don't hold back

Most people crave simplicity, and beyond simplicity is complexity. I’m interested in the simplicity on the other side of complexity. There’s an inextricable link between leadership and communication because those who lead are those who clearly speak about what they believe. I think communication is the most important skill in the world, and simple communication skills should be taught in schools. Communication is both words and emotions but what’s really powerful, are words loaded with emotion. Words filled with emotion can move nations, they can help people change directions and establish good or bad ideology. The stronger and wiser you become, the more caring you become shows up in your language and manner of communication. Would you like some help with that? Contact me via e-mail and we can arrange a meeting in person or online.

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Making change with marketing

The sole purpose of marketing is to make a change is a big statement. Marketing is the generous act of leading people to get them to make things better. Marketing is also when we want things to be different, for example, what we do when we want to change culture and behaviour. I think marketing is the work of telling a story that’s true to someone specific to help them see the world differently and take a different action. And in my opinion, this is a fact because if change doesn’t happen then there is no marketing.

“Our job as marketers is not to do what we did yesterday, just faster and cheaper. Our job is to figure out how to change the people in the market who want to be changed.”

— Seth Godin

To begin the marketing journey, we have to be specific and ask ourselves two questions:
1)    Who is it for? For example, target audience, and
2)    What changes are we seeking to make? For example, how would they like to receive this content?

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We still have to do it

It still fascinates me when I see and hear salespersons fall into the pricing trap, and nowadays even more salespersons are falling into the features and functions trap. Sales is a performance-based profession and how well you do it in the eyes of your clients is all what matters, as your clients are the receivers of all your communication – written, oral and visual. It’s all a performance, not just the words, it’s the tonality, inflections, the timing, it’s the whole sequence of things and at this could seem overwhelming at the beginning of the process.
How well do you do it?

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Show me what could have been better

What is the key to a performance-based profession?
I think that in sales it’s all about how well you perform in the eyes of the customers. The customers are the audience, and they are the only thing which matters in the big scheme of things. The customers are the receivers of our communication, and all communication is performance regardless of whether it is written, oral or visual, it’s all a performance. 

How well do you perform?
It’s not just the words, it’s the tonality and inflection, it’s the timing, it’s a whole sequence of things and it may seem overwhelming at the beginning, but we still must do it. The repetitions, the feedback, that learning cycle which we all must go through if we want to move from good to great. Contact me via e-mail if you are ready to speak to someone who has no emotional attachment in your deals.

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The 4 C's

Why are these skills important?

1. Communication
I think communication is all about sharing thoughts, ideas, and questions. Communication can come in many it’s not just speaking verbally as non-verbal cues such as hand gestures and facial expressions are just as important. And nowadays, as we live in a digital world, it is also important to learn how to responsibly navigate digital spaces.

2. Collaboration
I think the ability to collaborate and work together to reach a common goal is a skill worth practicing. Problem solving and tackling issues in which are bigger is essential if you want a career in any field. 

3. Critical Thinking
I think by looking at problems in a new way and simply asking “Why?” in today’s world where we can get information at the click of a button, a large part of critical thinking is being able to look at information and decide if it is credible or not.

4. Creativity
I think being creative is trying new approaches to solve problems by simply thinking outside the box in any area. Creativity can be taught and fostered by encouraging your team to try new things and by creating a safe space for them to express themselves.

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Pick your own truth

I think that there are two ways to create new economical value. You can either find out what people want and work out a clever way of how to deliver it to them. Alternatively, you can work out what you can deliver and find a clever way of how to make people want it. And the economic value created by these two things is just as great either way, even though they may be opposites of the same coin. 


Marketing and advertising are two different things, and a simple way to test it - Would they miss you if you were gone? Most advertising does not pass this test! With marketing we communicate to people in ways they want to be communicated to and this is more valuable than “stuff”. A good example would be Amazon, as Amazon’s value is not based on their inventory, there value is based on the millions of people around the world who want to hear from them.


Marketing is fuelled by adrenaline, it’s fuelled by urgency and emergency, in the majority of cases we are not given the time to do it correctly but we have time to repeat it. We usually overcome our fear by creating an emergency and this endless emergency is caused by the fact that we are not patient in working our way to a place of relevance. I think that patiently building an asset is probably the single most overlooked thing that marketeers fail to do. I don’t think this requires a method, you just need to care.

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Guidance from a mentor

I have been an educated mentor since 2011 and unofficially, I have been guiding individuals to gain clarity in their message for the whole of my adult life. With the mission to identify how they can grow their influence with the right people and build trust in the workplace.


We all want a sense of purpose, a feeling of being connected to the mission for the company that we work for but what is more important is feeling a connection with our colleagues. Collaborating and supporting each other and when we speak up we are heard in a non judgemental way. Many people are lacking a connection to their purpose, they do not know how to create fulfilment in their lives. Many people are lacking internal clarity. Just imagine what it would be like to become better at public speaking, giving presentations or being a better communicator.


In order to help people to become better communicators in everyday life, here’s some example questions I ask mentees:
What do you expect to gain from our sessions?
Who are you as a person?
Where are you struggling?
What is your current mission?
How are you connecting with people in a way that influences and moves them?


Contact me via e-mail and let’s arrange a virtual meeting. I will be thinking about whether I can make a difference for this mentee and in which areas of their careers or business would I be most helpful?

Dig the well before you get thirsty

Personal
We don’t question assumptions until the universe forces us to move out of the status quo. The people who get ahead are usually the people who do that questioning before they are forced out of the status quo, before a crisis strikes. Think out your outdated assumptions before the universe does it for you. Look at the decisions you are taking in your life right now and reflect. Question what you are doing and why you are doing them. And if you do not have a good enough answer for yourself then it’s probably not as strong as you believe it is.


Professional
I think that it’s in the hard times are when you grow and learn. To build top teams you will need to have real openness, to be honest without getting personal. Encouraging team members to express views without the fear of being ridiculed. Modern life is very technology-based, with people on their phones, therefore, the art of communication and speaking to people is nowhere as much part of life as when I was growing up.

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Are you aware?

I think that one has to remain open-minded to the fact that there are 6 billion people around the world who are not European or North American, and they buy an awful lot of stuff.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to start asking some questions about these consumers, for example:

-       Why do they buy it?

-       How do they buy it?

-       What are they using to buy it?

-       Who’s serving them?

-       How do they serve?

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Service

What are the fundamental capabilities of a human system that are crucial to its capacity to execute flawlessly and innovate consistently?

““We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the secret sits in the middle and knows.” - Robert Frost”

The words you use to frame your current situation will change your mindset and elevate your mood. A positive mindset allows you to stay open to new possibilities where others see barriers, and a positive mood will lift your spirits and attract people in your life who will help, support or hire you.

Successful individuals in any field used positive words to frame an outcome. It's an imperfect world and despite hours of practice and years of experience, the ball won't always bounce your way. Now and again you will be dealt a bad hand or an unprecedented pandemic, and by default this will change your plans. 

I think the important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination to which it takes you.

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