Dwan & Associates

Cat collar and dog-hair trim not a great accessory, management trainer suggests

Call me picky, but I do have a thing about people looking professional in their work attire. I was in an organisation recently where the person attending to me looked less than professional – wearing a dark jersey covered in either cat fur, dog hair or their own hair, dark walk shorts, white sports socks and black trainer shoes. At a glance, the overall image was casual in comparison with the other staff and with the person’s collection of fur or hair accessories,

Use-by dates a tricky issue, management coach suggests

I’ve been reflecting on a breakout session I attended at a conference a while ago. The topic under discussion was the need to get "new blood" into an organisation that was long established and by and large, lead by people who had been there since its inception. The conversations around this topic identified the difficulties that arose when new people did enter an organisation, only to find they couldn't get "heard" or accepted in any real way,

Passion is missing, professional coach believes

Just recently I was at a function to celebrate the beginning of an organisation's training and development initiative and the CEO spoke of passion and how important it is in the workplace. The passion he spoke of concerned managers and their everyday decisions and asked if the business was their own, would they be so casual about budget blowouts and writing off bad debts? Would they be so casual about tolerating poor performers? Would they be so reluctant to show initiative and lead the way?

Thinking about happiness a change from doom and gloom, management trainer believes

A website that's well worth a visit is http://www.authentichappiness.com/ It is the work of Dr.Martin Seligman, a director at the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Centre. Seligman's studies have been around positive emotions, strengths-based character and healthy institutions. The site has a huge range of questionnaires that can be taken, on such things as gratitude; general happiness; depression scale; optimism. Seligman is of the view that most people want to lead meaningful, fulfilling,

Mental and physical leavings different, Sue Dwan believes

Have you ever noticed how people mentally leave a job sometimes years or months and months before they physically do? And have you ever noticed the small tell tale signs that signal this is happening? The signs I've recognised in myself (in the days when I used to be an employee) and seen in others, over time include a lessening in overall energy; a growing lack of enthusiasm over work; an increasing slowness to make decisions or to do the work in hand;

Middle Ages best time of all, management trainer believes

I'm always a bit amused when I hear people speak about turning 50 or being in their 50's, and describe themselves as aging, ancient beings on a slippery slope to ill health and the grave. I'm always shocked when I hear the same people lament that life is passing them by and it is too late to do anything different career wise because time is short; and it's not appropriate to dream anymore of what might be possible,

Credentialed coaches increasing, ICF reports

According to the International Coach Federation (http://www.coachfederation.org/ICF/) April 2008 newsletter, coaching credentials are now in their second decade of existence, due to the foresight of ICF's early pioneers and leaders. In 2005 there were less than 1000 credentialed coaches worldwide and now, in 2008, there are over 3600. This number doesn't include those coaches whose applications are in process; those who are awaiting their exams; those waiting for their results; or those who are currently working through the pre-application processes.

Information overload causes drowning, management trainer believes

Although I read daily newspapers, watch the television news, read business journals, subscribe to a number of business related e-newsletters and read a range of educational books to learn from and be aware of things, there is a huge, growing part of me that doesn't want to do this any more. Some days I feel completely overwhelmed with information coming at me and I drown in information overload. I know my head is completely under the water line when I feel my stomach sink in opening up the email box;

What’s the value of motivational speakers, personal management trainer asks

It's probably not the thing to say, but I've never quite understood why businesses and conferences bring in motivational speakers. Their intentions are good, no question – give the troops some inspirational stories about success through perseverance; triumph over adversity; or 100 guaranteed ways to achieve your goals – with the hope that some of the people will hear a gem they feel inspired by or be encouraged enough to do something different in their working or personal worlds.

Who monitors the milk monitors, management trainer asks?

I never cease to be amazed when I hear staff speak of working under managers who are tyrants and bullies. I've heard staff describe their manager as speaking the corporate speak in public (or in earshot of their own manager) and trot out the usual thing – valuing their staff, importance of good management and leadership etc – yet outside of the peer-watched forum, do the exact opposite. Staff have described being hounded with unreasonable demands;