Many of us have invested significant energy, money and time into our career. It’s normal to feel anxious and apprehensive at the thought of switching career paths. It’s crucial to keep in mind most people will work well into their late 60s and even up to 70 years of age.  In remembering this, it’s wise to reflect on your options and on an occupation you will:

Gain satisfaction
Find rewarding
See meaning in

 

 
Every once in a while you might find it difficult thinking about, and going into work. If this becomes a long-term situation, you may need to re-evaluate why you’re in your current role and what you’re looking for in your career path.
It’s crucial to take a holistic approach in why you want to change career paths, and how this may affect your work-life balance, […read more]

It’s very easy to get lost in our own worlds and become complacent of our relationships with those in our team. Behind every great organisation there are amazing teams that drive the success of the business.
 

 
I can’t hear you
Communication is one of the key factors of how well a team will function.
To play your role, be sure to:

Listen actively
Ask questions when you need clarification
Confirm with team members that tasks have been completed and then move forward

Rapport is constantly developed as each individual contributes to the conversation. This creates an enabling environment where everyone can freely share ideas and work towards innovative solutions.
It’s crucial to establish effective and clear communication. If you believe there are any confusions, be honest and let your teammates know that you don’t understand the situation or task. This will […read more]

With the Easter break coming to a close and ANZAC day approaching, we have been given a great opportunity to take a step back from our desks to unwind, unplug and recharge.
As the to-do list at work begins to spiral out of control and we lose our footing in life, we need to remember “balance is not something you find, it’s something you create”.
 

 
Prioritise: You
Balance is required for us to perform at our best, both at work and in our personal lives. Through the chaos at work we need to find ways to keep ourselves centred. This can only be achieved when you draw a line and learn how to put yourself at the top of your ‘to do list’.
If you are one of those people who say ‘Yes’ to everything, you may […read more]

You know what confidence is when you see it, but the question is how do you become confident? More importantly, not only confident in yourself, but in all aspects of your life.
To put it simply, confidence is a combination of self-efficacy and optimism.
 

 
Self-efficacy can be defined as a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific ‘situations or accomplishing a task’. This can ultimately shape how you carry out your responsibilities, goals and challenges.
Self-efficacy can be broken down to the following factors of knowledge and skills:

Mastery – sustained effort and deliberate practice to achieve goals
Peer role models – looking for someone who is ahead of you, but not someone who doesn’t remember what it’s like to be in your position
Encouragement and support – look for those who can assist you to move […read more]

In today’s fast-paced world, juggling work and your personal commitments can seem like a see-saw unequally weighted to the former. With constant online access, work isn’t just confined to the office any more. Emails at all hours, Skype conference calls in the wee hours of the morning … combine this with an increasingly demanding work culture in the office – long hours, phones ringing off the hook, unrealistic deadlines … and you’ve got a recipe for an unhealthy work-life balance.
Yes, work is meant to be a challenge. You need to work hard to succeed. You go to work to be busy, etc. but, if you don’t maintain a healthy balance, you’re going to end up with a one-way ticket to a stressed-out existence.
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for your personal health and relationships, it can also improve the efficiency of your performance at work. Work-life balance […read more]

What do Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs have in common? Besides being two of the greatest tech innovators of our time, they both shared a special relationship. The two developed a close relationship in the early days of Facebook and often met to discuss the best business and management practices for the company. Jobs was Zuckerberg’s mentor.
Whether you’re just starting out in your career, or even nearing the top, having someone in your corner that you can trust and ask for advice is invaluable. The best mentors have a wealth of experience, are great listeners, and are able to give you practical and well-thought advice tailored to your professional and personal development.
 

 
Here a few things to consider when choosing the right mentor for you.

Personality and values
It’s important to ensure your personality and values […read more]

Just because you don’t hold a certain title or have a team reporting to you, it doesn’t mean you can’t act like a leader in the workplace. Not only will you improve your own performance, you’ll start to garner the respect of those around you … who knows, you might even put yourself in line for a leadership role sooner than you think.
 

 
Accountability
Actions speak louder than words, and this tends to be a factor that separates the average from the high flyers. When you commit to something, follow through. You’ll begin to gain exposure and earn yourself a reputation as somebody who can be depended on, because others rely on leaders, right?
It is imperative to also take responsibility for your actions. In today’s dynamic business environment, things are bound to go wrong one […read more]

Chances are we’ve all experienced some form of Mondayitis before. It’s the common feeling of weariness, sadness, apathy and general distress many individuals feel when starting the Monday morning work week. It’s a pretty horrible feeling, but with a coffee, an email tidy up and the first meeting of the day, the symptoms of Mondayitis generally tend to subside.
In some cases, the symptoms don’t subside.  What happens if Mondayitis doesn’t subside? What happens when Mondayitis turns into Tuesdayitis and rolls into Wednesdayitis and beyond? Although these feelings may be a result of any number of factors, it generally stems from a lack of motivation.
 

 
Increased workloads, high stress, lack of opportunity, and poor pay are major factors for low motivation, which can create a downward […read more]

Ah, the famed New Year’s resolution – a promise of self-improvement. At the time, it seems like a great idea; the fairy of good fortune will arrive and wave its magic wand to provide the catalyst, motivation and persistence you need to reinvent yourself because you promised to turn a new page in the book of life.
 
If only it was that simple!
 

 
Hands up how many of you have made a New Year’s resolution and kept it? If you didn’t raise your hand, you’re not alone. As most of us know, it’s pretty difficult. In fact, a recent survey found an estimated 58 per cent failed to keep their New Year’s resolutions, with 15% giving up in the first three months.
 
Why do […read more]

The network event has gone smoothly. You’ve had a great time, you’ve engaged with a few new contacts and you had a lengthy and insightful conversation with one of your targets. Great! You can probably call the night a success.
Although you’ve nailed the preparation and the event itself, you can’t rest of your laurels just yet. Generally underrated as an afterthought, following-up your new contacts after the event is an imperative step of the process.
According to the New York Times, research shows that almost a third of external hires are from referrals. Additionally two-thirds of new business comes from referrals. Another Nielsen study cites clients are four times more likely to buy when being referred from someone they know and trust.
So, what do you do with your pocketful of business cards? Well, they’re no value if you don’t utilise them. A networking event is just the initial beginning of a […read more]