Author: admin

Somewhere, out in the galaxy, there are 6 books, written by me and based on 30 years of experience. Online, in good bookshops, in second hand bookshops, on people’s shelves and so on. They are…

1. My Boss is a Bastard …about how to survive a miserable time at work. It’s pithy, it’s fun and it’s useful.

2. Leave the Bastards Behind …about how to set ourselves up in business. Overcome sales and marketing scares with this easy guide. It also makes finance more understandable too.

3. Job Hunting 3.0 …everything we need to know to get a job (including a handy chapter about how to thrive in an assessment centre, which is something people often forget to learn about).

4. How to Keep Your Job …tips and insights to thrive at work. Find out how good your organisational effectiveness is and what you can do to enhance your performance.

5. Bouncing Back …how to keep your chin up, find energy and be resilient in the face of career adversity.

6. Riding the Rocket …the thinking person’s guide to their modern career. Great for people who are a bit stuck, or need guidance and won’t listen to mum and dad!

The books are great and I’m proud of the ideas and practical tips I’ve put into them. It’s amazing to see how they all travel through the outer reaches of the universe and land in front of people who need them.

And in case you’re thinking, oh Richard that’s a sneaky self book plug you’re doing here, well you’d be right. Except it’s blatant, rather than sneaky!

The reason is simple. We all forget what we have achieved. Our busy lives push us forwards and we can overlook our successes and what we have put into the world.

We can all celebrate ourselves from time to time, we can all toot a tune on our own trumpet of success.

I was reminded of my own success through LinkedIn last week, when a contact wrote to say thank you. She was so pleased that three of the books had crossed her path, helped her to get back on track and sort out her career. She was a happy Romanian!

I reposted her comments, with grateful thanks, and this was picked up by another 180 people. A lovely thank you, from her to me, that was shared widely. Perhaps encouraging other people to take care of themselves.

Such is the joy of the social media world, promoting good things and reaching people who need support.

I don’t mind if people don’t buy my books, I always say that, because I hope that people buy at least one book (any book) that speaks to them. There are millions out there and all books can have value to at least one person.

It’s also great to acknowledge thanks when we get it. Modesty has a place in the world and yet if we are too self-effacing then we can miss an opportunity to support other people.

Books are great and we can all find one or two to help us become a happy Romanian! (As we say on the radio, other nationalities are available).

Have fun this week and enjoy all the hearty thanks that land in your direction!

Next week: Measure Me Stupid!

So here we are in early January, the decorations have been taken down, the house tidied up and the last of the mince pies eaten. The festive season is done and dusted and our thoughts turn to the year ahead.

Of course our thoughts also turn to the New Year diet, dry January and all of those resolutions we made a few days ago and now have to decide whether to keep, or not.

Do we lose weight? Ease back on the wine intake? Go jogging in fetching stretchy lycra? Or take up a new hobby perhaps?

What did we say we’d do, under the influence of strong drink, and are now pondering our commitment to in the sober light of reflection?

I’ve only ever made one resolution (some years ago) and I kept it. It’s personal and I’m happy to share it here. It was simply to tell my father that I loved him.

I decided that as an adult it’s easy to drift through life and forget to say meaningful things to special people in our lives. We can so easily take them for granted and stop appreciating them.

My father is a good person and yet not big on hearty emotions and we passed a few years without deeper contact. It’s great to share the kids with him and chat about work and the small things of life. And in doing so is easy to sit on the social surface and not take a dip beneath the waves and swim down to the emotional depths.

So, I planned a visit, made sure he was alone with me over breakfast one day and, without fanfare, told him I loved him.

He looked startled for a moment and then said ‘I love you too.’

A moment to cherish.

As we age into adulthood our mission in life is to grow up again. We have to learn to be thinking, feeling, responsible adults and not be slaves to the negative beliefs we decided upon as children.

We can take personal responsibility for our actions and can be mature grown ups. Takes a while to work it out and we all have our own journey to step through.

I was pleased with my resolution and my resolve to enact it. It’s so easy to make a decision over New Year and then let it lapse, as a busy life gives us a big bag of excuses to fall back on.

I often share my Dad story with clients, when appropriate, as I believe it’s healthy to acknowledge that people can’t read minds. If we don’t tell them, how do they know what we are thinking and feeling?

If we tell them, then we grow up a bit as adults. We access all of our emotional range and use it to our advantage.

I took personal responsibility for myself in terms of being a son to my father. I’m an adult and a son and the two things exist at the same time and are not mutually exclusive at an emotional level.

So, whatever you decide you need to do for your own well-being in 2020, remember that it’s down to you. Making excuses is not a grown up way to go. Making a sensible plan and sticking to it is much more healthy.

We can all take personal responsibility for what is important to us. And perhaps we all have someone special to us who would benefit from some love, or acknowledgement of love.

Maybe not so much in the office perhaps, but we can swap love for appreciation and share that with colleagues who need to hear it.

What are you taking personal responsibility for this year?

Who needs some care and attention from you?

Next week: The Happy Romanian