What was your least favourite subject at school: English? Physics? Music? Chances are that many of you will have said Maths which is a pity since not only is this a fascinating subject, it also lies at the heart of much of what we need to do in day-to-day living, e.g. paying bills, budgeting etc. Since many people naturally shy away from mathematics these things are often avoided but in business, it is essential to ‘know your numbers’ if you are going to make your business a success.

Have you heard the term ‘The Great Resignation’? The phrase refers to the well above average number of American workers that left their current roles around March 2021 and continued to do so into the latter part of 2021. In fact, in August 2021 a staggering 4.3 million US workers left their jobs across all types of roles, and research at Microsoft indicated that around 40% of workers globally are thinking about quitting as well.

While the economic recovery in Australia was disrupted by the Delta variant of the Coronavirus in 2021 and the impact of Omicron is hitting hard now, there is still reason for business optimism in 2022.

We saw employment drop 2.5% in the second half of 2021 however job creation is strong at present with Indeed seeing job postings and vacancies at a record high.

Hiring the right staff is the most important decision a business can make, bar none. If you are a business leader or manager that has managed staff, you will know exactly why this is - great staff make your life easier and enjoyable and toxic staff can cost a huge amount of time and effort, not to mention possible damage to teamwork and customer relations alike.

It was the Scottish poet Robbie Burns (1759 – 1796) that once said:

“O, wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!”

which in modern English simply states ‘if only we could see ourselves as others see us’…..

I remember being told at a management training session held many years ago that ‘In business as in life, you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate’. It turns out that this is the title of a book by Chester L Karrass …..

As someone who runs both a business advisory company as well as a recruitment business, I have found personality profiling to be an invaluable instrument for better understanding the people with whom I work.

Hopefully this is a rhetorical question for everyone reading this as it is essential in every sort of relationship…

A recurring theme in many of the business articles and presentations that I do is the importance of adopting the right mindset in order to achieve…

Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist? If so, do you see this as a strength or weakness? 

If I were faced with the situation of being able to provide just one business support session to a client, I would choose to do this on company culture. Why?…

Take a minute to think about your business’ greatest successes and learning experiences to date. Chances are that these will be very much related to great (or poor) staff…

There are a seemingly infinite number of ways for us to improve our personal skills and acquire new knowledge but what really determines whether we succeed or not?

If you have been struggling to cope with the self-isolation that the Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions have imposed, then there are understandable reasons for this and you are certainly not alone.

How to manage the heartbreaking news when a candidate is serving out their notice period and the job offer is rescinded.

There is no question that COVID-19 will have a deep and lasting effect on the way business is conducted worldwide, but what might be different in this new era and how might we adjust?…

The impact of COVID-19 has been deep and wide and whilst some businesses are benefiting from the current situation, many are not…

We are facing unprecedented times as many businesses face an uncertain future, new challenges and ways to protect their staff and customers whilst maintaining viable business activity.

Whether a business comprises a team of two or a team of two hundred, making the right decisions about who is hired into the business is critical to building a culture that aligns with its vision and mission.

Interviewers often focus almost exclusively on the technical skills required for a role, but it is typically the case that companies “hire on skills and fire on fit”.