BLACKPOOL HEALTH LIBRARY: At the Heart of Quality Information on the Fylde Coast! Management Update from your Library: a collection of interesting articles focusing on leadership and management.
Supporting a Friend or Co-Worker Suffering From Stress: Lending a Helping Hand When Things Get Tough
In this article, you can learn how to identify stress in others, and explore a five-step strategy for tactfully offering your support, without becoming overburdened yourself.
Using Affirmations: Harnessing Positive Thinking
“Why does my boss want me to present at the trade show? I’m a terrible public speaker, and I’ll just embarrass the company.”
“I wish I could stick up for myself at work. In every meeting, I let the others walk over my ideas. I’m never going to get ahead.”
Many of us have negative thoughts like these, sometimes frequently. When we think like this, our confidence, mood and outlook can become negative, too.
The problem with negative thoughts is that they can become self-fulfilling prophecies. We talk ourselves into believing that we’re not good enough. And, as a result, these thoughts drag down our personal lives, our relationships, and our careers.
But, if we deliberately do the opposite and use positive thoughts about ourselves, the effect can be just as powerful but far more helpful.
In this article, we’ll explore how you can use affirmations to drive positive change in your career, and in your life in general.
Five Steps to Beat Your Self-Destructive Demons!
There are many hurdles to overcome to be successful – but have you considered that the biggest obstacle is yourself?
Sometimes, it’s your subconscious thoughts and actions that hold you back. Find out how to identify and tackle these inner demons with our article and video on Self-Sabotage.
Overcoming Impostor Syndrome: Facing Fears of Inadequacy and Self-Doubt
When you think of your greatest achievements to date, do you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished? Or do you feel like a fraud?
Does each raise, promotion or accolade bring joy? Or is it accompanied by the dread that, one day, your cover will be blown, and everyone will find out that you just got lucky, and arrived where you are by mistake?
If you experience feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, you may be surprised to learn that you are in great company. Impostor Syndrome is typically associated with high achievers. The more specialized you become in a particular subject, the more aware you will be of the gaps in your knowledge. Likewise, the more successful you are, the more impressive your peers are likely to be.
So, if you feel like a fraud, the chances are that you’re actually very capable. Real frauds don’t worry about this!
In this article, we’ll examine Impostor Syndrome: what it is, how it can limit your possibilities in life, and what strategies you can use to overcome it.
Managing Presentation Nerves: How to Calm Your Stage Fright
Your stomach is queasy, your palms are sweaty, and your mind has gone blank about your opening lines. What will you be like when you’ve been introduced and the room goes quiet?
Are you doomed to presentation panic or paralysis, or can you overcome that debilitating nervousness and deliver a speech that wows the audience? (Or at least leaves them feeling satisfied?)
If you are like most people, then public speaking or presenting is one of your major fears (it’s known as “glossophobia”). Yet these skills are often called upon. It might not be to an audience of hundreds, but giving presentations to staff or even team members is a common enough occurrence. You owe it to yourself to develop some strategies and techniques to manage your nerves so you can concentrate on delivering an effective and engaging presentation.
How to Get Your Voice Heard in Meetings: Finding the Best Way to Contribute and Get Noticed
Maybe it’s the oversized table and the closed doors. Maybe it’s the colleague who talks too much and too loudly. Or maybe you’re painfully aware that your manager’s sitting opposite you.
Whatever the reason, you can find yourself lost for words in meetings and filled with a sense of shame and self-consciousness as your nerves overwhelm you. On the other hand, you may have succeeded in sharing your thoughts, but have been ignored or “shot down” by bigger voices in the room.
Although it can feel like you’re the only one struggling with these issues during meetings, there are undoubtedly others who feel the same – and just as they have overcome their self-consciousness and can speak up, so will you…
Helping Your Team Feel the Purpose in Their Work
No one wants to be a nine-to-five robot. People want to feel inspired, find meaning, and see the impact their work has on others. And when they do, they’re more engaged, innovative, and productive. That isn’t a secret or a revelation. It’s common sense.
If you’re a leader, helping others feel a sense of purpose can be a powerful tool. So, why then do so many leaders have trouble lighting up their employees?
The simple answer is it’s extremely difficult to instill purpose in others. It takes more than motivational talks, lofty speeches, or mission statements to spread purpose. In fact, if overblown or insincere, those methods can backfire, triggering cynical reactions.
Purpose is a grand word, but in the end, it’s about helping people see their impact on others and helping them develop a story about why they love what they do. If you keep that in mind, and take a personal, authentic, and perpetual approach, you’re likely to find success.
How to Deal with Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed
Our work lives have become increasingly demanding, presenting us with ever more complex challenges at a near-relentless pace. Add in personal or family needs, and it’s easy to feel constantly overwhelmed. This has nothing to do with how smart we are, but with how we make sense of the world and how we operate in it.
The cognitive impact of feeling perpetually overwhelmed can range from mental slowness, forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty concentrating or thinking logically, to a racing mind or an impaired ability to problem solve. When we have too many demands on our thinking over an extended period of time, cognitive fatigue can also happen, making us more prone to distractions and our thinking less agile. Any of these effects, alone, can make us less effective and leave us feeling even more overwhelmed. If you are feeling constantly overwhelmed, here are some key strategies to try…
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Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Victoria Hospital
Blackpool, LancsFY3 8NR
United Kingdom