Sharon Halliday

Get into networking!

2012-02-14T19:40:00.000Z

If you run your own business, you’llalready know that networking is more than a ‘nice to do’ – it’s anessential. Networking can be one of themost effective ways of developing new contacts, sharing ideas and promotingyour business. But it’s not an exact science and because of this, it’s oftenleft more to chance.

So what are the obstacles? Why do we put off networking? Well, lack of timeis usually one of the main reasons cited, along with the knowledge thatsometimes it can feel a little uncomfortable and at worst, appear self-indulgent.

So how can we make networking aneasier and more acceptable use of our time and ensure we benefit from this essentialtool for business or career development?

Here are three ideas to get started–

1. Make networking a habit. Develop anetworking plan to increase your networking activity and stick with it! Go forsmall, achievable steps. For example - updatingyour social networks weekly; attending a networking event every quarter; writinga monthly blog; or contacting clients you haven’t worked with for 6 months. What you do and when you do it should bedesigned to give you realistic and regular actions. Having routine habitual commitmentsto networking will make it more of a process rather than an ad-hoc activity.

2. See what you can do for others. Actually, this is one of the most rewardingaspects of networking. Can you use yourcontacts to help and connect others? Maybe it is as simple as introducing oneof your clients to a supplier you use or vice versa. How can you supportsomeone in your network by praising their work or just by listening to an issuethey are working on? Whatever the outcome, always think about how you can helpothers. Once you get into this way of thinking,it may surprise you that others are only too pleased to return the gesture.

3. Be yourself. Peoplecan tell when you are genuinely interested or whether you are giving them the ‘coldsales patter’! Whether it’s writingblogs, sending emails or meeting people face to face, just be yourself andreflect in all these forms of networking, your own unique personality. Avoidselling and telling! Remember to be a goodlistener, ask open questions. A positiveand genuine communication style will help develop trust and interest; keyingredients for business relationships to grow.

Happynetworking!

Sharon

Sharon Halliday: Employers! There’s so much youth talent out ther...

2012-01-21T17:57:00.000Z

Sharon Halliday:
Employers! There’s so much youth talent out ther...: Employers! There’s so much youth talent out there! With unemployment rising above 1.2 million for 16 to 24-year-olds, this gloomy st...

2012-01-20T19:03:00.000Z

Employers! There’s so much youth talent out there!

Withunemployment rising above 1.2 million for 16 to24-year-olds, this gloomy statistic presents a depressing picture for today’steenagers. Whether they leave college with a skill, or university with adegree; realistically what kind of future can they expect?

Sowith this in mind, I just wish that everyone could have witnessed theenthusiasm and talent that a group of 16-17 yr olds recently demonstrated attheir Academy’s ‘Challenge of Management’ event.

Working alongside local employers,the students discussed best practice management techniques; looked at theskills of entrepreneurs and delivered articulate and professional presentationson their experiences of shadowing managers in the work place.

The confidence and abilities of thestudents impressed the employers – many of whom expressed their concerns aboutthe current employment prospects affecting youth in the UK.

It’s hoped thatEmployers everywhere will proactively consider opportunities they haveavailable for 16-24 yr olds. Real jobs with real challenges will not onlyenable our youth to independently contribute to society but will add fresh newskills and ideas to the workplace and ensure innovation and creativity for thefuture.

(The ‘Challenge of Management’ event was designed and deliveredby Sharon Halliday of People & Design)

New Year Start!

2012-01-08T01:20:00.000Z

Lots of plans and exciting possibilities for for 2012 so New Year's resolution is to keep the blogs coming ....Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2012 x

Some thoughts on leadership ........

2011-08-26T21:58:00.000+01:00

"The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority"    (K Blanchard)

" A sense of humour is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done"   (D Eisenhower)

" A good leader inspires other men and women with confidence. A great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves"   (R Markham)

"A leader is a dealer in hope"   (N Bonaparte)

"Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them"
(J Maxwell)

BBC's TV's - 'The Apprentice' - not to be taken seriously .....

2011-07-18T17:57:00.000+01:00

According to today's news, over 10 million viewers watched last night's episode of the BBC TV reality show 'The Apprentice'. Why? To marvel at aspiring businessmen and women as they demonstrate their entrepreneurial and business skills? No, more likely just to revel in Lord Sugar's chastising of the finalists as they continued to reinforce the viewer's opinion of 'how on earth did this lot get to the final?!'

The programme certainly draws you in and leaves you convinced that you could do so much better! However, the downside of a programme like this is the negative impression it gives about a whole range of topics; such as the value of feedback, team work and supportive management techniques.

In the real world, people want to work for leaders who have a clear vision on what needs to be done combined with being inspirational and motivational to work with. There is no place in today's workplace for a managment style based on 'failure focus'.

All four of last night's finalists produced weak Business Plans and were duly berated. It appeared they were set up for failure. Would it not have been more constructive to allow them to have guidance from an expert first, and then have a go at submitting their own plan? This would have been a far more positive approach, reflecting, how in the real world, most of us learn......but I guess that's not what makes hit TV shows!!
Sharon H.

Carl Jung ...... still keeping us thinking .... and working!

2011-06-07T17:41:00.000+01:00

What would Carl Jung make of 2011? See BBC article ............
http://bbc.in/j84TjF

If you haven't read it yet, it's worth a look .......... www.thegooglestory.com

2011-06-06T00:21:00.000+01:00

Leadership Workshop

2011-05-31T19:56:00.001+01:00

Extract from Gulf Daily News 'A leadership workshop was delivered by UK based People & Design in association with Human-Ex at the Movenpick Hotel Bahrain. 11 women from different organisations took part in the 2 day event which included tips on influencing senior management colleagues to get the best from their team'

Website News

2011-05-04T16:35:00.001+01:00

We are currently updating our website check it out here: http://www.peopleanddesign.com/

International Women’s Day

2011-04-13T15:32:00.001+01:00

Celebrating International Women’s Day is becoming more and more popular, with organisations all over the World, considering how they can celebrate the rise of women’s contribution to business. One organisation in the Middle East asked us to design an enterprise event, enabling all 80 of their women executives to pool their ideas and creativity to participate in a workshop reinforcing the values of team work.