Ever wonder where the word ‘coaching’ comes from? The etymology is hazy but one source links it to conversations that people would have in horse-drawn coaches and about being ‘in transit’. I like the idea of this as coaching is about a journey of sorts and being in transit as a person. We have developed […]
What does ‘feedback’ mean to some of the best legal minds?
“The appraisal process is (about) engaging with employees properly, being transparent and showing you value them. Not running that process properly says the opposite.” Managing Associate Situation Our client, a Magic Circle law firm, conducts an annual employee engagement survey which has consistently identified that ‘more feedback’ is sought by lawyers at Managing Associate […]
Taking the “long view” on career for better work-life quality
People today will live longer than the any other generation in history. Laura Carstensen of the Stanford Institute on Longevity states, “For the first time in human history, we’ve got more time. So we could make young adulthood longer. We could enter the workforce more gradually and exit more gradually. We could reach the peak […]
“One million dads choose to work part-time”
Professional men are rethinking their careers to spend more time with their children. This was the headline of a recent article in The Times. I know a fair number of men who have decided against the daily commute and “corporate life” because they want more control over their working hours to spend more time with […]
Can fathers have it all?
Can fathers have it all? What I mean is, can a man be successful in his job, working for an organisation, and also be an involved dad? Many men do work flexibly, often working from home on certain days and able to attend school assemblies without having to book half a day off in holiday. […]
Rebounding after a career setback
Just read an interesting article in Harvard Business Review about rebounding from career setbacks. Many will encounter career setbacks – not getting the promotion that was hoped, even expected, as an example. When this happens the emotions are raw and the person may go through the stages of loss, as the psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross defined […]
“Empty Substitution” – why earning more may not lead to more happiness.
I read an article last week about how earning more money does not necessarily equate to more happiness. I suspect that there is a threshold line with money, somewhere just above where you start to feel a bit comfortable and you don’t have to count every pound, where you maximise your life-money bell curve. After […]
What is this life . . .
This poem “Leisure” by WH Davies was written over a hundred years ago but I think that it’s so relevant to today, about how the hectic pace of modern life can take its toll on the human spirit. What is this life, if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare? No […]
Young People’s Career Choices
Just took part in a very stimulating Careers Fair at Brighton College where I presented a workshop, to 16-18 year olds, on how to handle interviews and assessment centres. It was great to see how the pupils were not only engaged in this but also had some excellent experience to handle competency based interview questions. […]