“There are two things people want more than sex and money – recognition and praise.” ~ Mary Kay Ash Have you noticed how children ask for praise and recognition? “Mummy, Daddy, look at me!” Most of the time parents happily oblige and say how wonderful something is. As children we seek praise. We are taught that if we did something our parents approved of we would be rewarded or praised for...

Are you being micro-managed at work? Have you ever been? Unfortunately, a vast majority of people have had to endure this type of manager. Bosses can be tough to deal with in general and the micro-managing boss is no exception. They can be especially difficult to handle if you are a creative and innovative person, keen to make your own mark in the organisation. Some people may describe micro-managing as meddling....

In general, most people know the basic rules for conducting a good interview such as dress appropriately, be punctual, sit up straight, be confident and focus on your expertise. However, what about what not to say? You may have a brilliant interview and say one major no-no which blows your chances. Many candidates get nervous at the thought of going for a job interview. To relax the tension, remember that during...

Public speaking is becoming an increasing part of our day to day lives even outside of the work place. Inevitably, you must have attended presentations where the speaker mumbled, went over time, fidgeted or simply was not able to captivate the audience. Bad presentations are a waste of time, cost money and can damage reputations. So, if this is what you are aiming for here is the perfect guide for you. Follow...

The dictionary definition of optimism is “a tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation”. Sounds good right? Well, your answer will depend on who you are. In a general sense, people can be divided into being mainly optimistic or pessimistic. This will in turn affect other areas in your life. How you view the world is crucial for your well being. How you...

When you start a new job you sign a contract and are expected to follow a certain code of conduct. Most of us will comply to these rules and they include such things as being on work on time, calling in if you are sick, etc. Then there are some unspoken golden rules, the things that you should never do in the workplace. How many times have you “forgotten” to reply to an email? Or failed to return...

Do you spend your days wishing your week away and waiting for the weekend? You probably spend at least 40 hours a week at work. If most of this time is spent in a gloomy and solemn mood, except for that one hour before you go home on a Friday, it is time to do something about it. There are a number of factors that can contribute to a downbeat environment at work. I have written about how to handle Bad Bosses...

What makes people happy? How do you define happiness? Can you measure it? How do you know you have it? If I knew the answers to all of these I would be super happy! I think it is safe to say that happiness is something that everyone searches for yet it seems virtually impossible to define as it so personal. Science has nonetheless provided some interesting research into what makes people happy. Happiness Research Positive...

It is all too easy to get bogged down in the day to day things in our lives and we often forget to take a step back and think about what is really important to us. We are faced with challenges every day. Just remember, you are the PAINTER of your own life. You can design it however you chose to. Here are seven common items (one for each day of the week) you may wish to include in your Daily Survival Kit. Try...

Can we create a new Murphy’s Law? Most of us are familiar with the principle of Murphy’s Law or Sod’s Law as it is often referred to. It is most commonly stated as “if anything can go wrong, it will”. So what exactly are some of these famous laws? Murphy’s Laws If anything can go wrong it will If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be...