Broadly Speaking

27/06/2019

Changing your company’s culture is hard, but with a transformative CEO it doesn’t have to be. Ruth Curran’s job is to travel the world in search of the best CEOs, CIOs and CFOs for a wide-range of high-level organisations.

In our latest podcast, Ruth, managing partner at MERC, shares key insights into how to hire, who to hire, what to look for and how to lead if you are or want to be a CEO.

Ruth Curran knows the answer to both of those questions. Ruth travels the world to find the best CEOs, CFOs and CIOs for a whole range of high-level organisations. She’s managing partner at MERC, Ireland’s leading executive search firm – a role she balances with being a mother to four children...

26/04/2019

Feargal Quinn lived by a personal philosophy that was singular and simple, and it paved the way for success in business and in his personal life. He shares his lifelong learnings with Margaret E Ward in one of his final ever interviews.

He revolutionised Irish retail, held five honorary doctorates, was father to five children and grandfather to 19 and, when he ‘retired’, he became a Senator and a broadcaster, but Feargal Quinn had one regret. It was a regret he hoped would provide inspiration for other entrepreneurs. “I didn....

24/04/2019

Have you ever had to deal with a colleague who didn’t dress appropriately for work? Or have you had a tricky chat with a team member about personal hygiene? Personal appearance and appropriate dress are difficult issues to discuss and implementing rules or dress codes can be a potential minefield for employers.

Instead of implementing a prescriptive dress code, are you better off trusting your staff to dress appropriately? As a growing number of employers drop the dress code, is the work suit becoming consigned to the past?

Take a look at our latest blog post for tips for leaders on office dress codes. We examine changing work culture, offer practical advice if you do decide to implement a dress code and look at the importance of sensitivity when broaching concerns about inappropriate clothing with your team.

When getting dressed for the office, we’re beginning to take style tips from Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, rather than Mad Men’s Don Draper.

16/04/2019

"Avoid groupthink, improve decision-making"

https://broadlyspeaking.ie/diversity-needs-boards-risk-register/

13/04/2019

Make networking work to your advantage.

If you groan when you hear the phrase networking, you’re not alone. Many women can’t stand it and actively avoid going to industry events and conferences...

12/04/2019

Have you ever had a colleague who doesn’t seem to pull their weight? It’s a tricky issue that can really cause problems within a team.

Leaders need to make it clear to every member of their team what is expected of them. Clear communication on goals and objectives will make it easier for everyone to pull in the same direction. But what do you do if someone on your team is struggling to cope, falling behind on tasks or not putting the work in?

Take a look at our latest blog post for tips for leaders on effective performance management. We look at changing approaches to performance management, offer practical tips on how to deal with an employee that’s underperforming and look at the importance of clear communication in tricky situations.

http://ow.ly/rgCW50pYLE7

10/04/2019

Fear of public speaking holds many professionals backs. Start to overcome it with these top tips:

https://broadlyspeaking.ie/top-public-speaking-tips/

29/03/2019

Do you feel you have to put in the hours at your desk, even if you’ve already achieved your work goals for the day?

For Nikki Evans, founder and chief executive of fintech company Perfect Card, this culture of presenteeism doesn’t make sense. “We’ve worked very hard to build a culture where people are responsible for their outputs,” she explains. How they get there is less important, she says, with staff allowed unlimited holidays, full flexibility to work from home and flexi-time options.

In our latest podcast, Nikki talks about her experiences as an entrepreneur and what her time spent working abroad has taught her.

Listen now to hear why Nikki thinks Irish founders need to be more direct and not get too distracted by funding rounds.

Nikki Evans, founder and chief executive of Perfect Card, a fintech company that focuses on the pre-paid card sector

19/03/2019

Have you ever wished there were more hours in the week? We certainly have!

Today’s work culture means we are constantly bombarded with interruptions and distractions, making it harder to focus on key tasks. Hands up if you’ve found yourself in a meeting that was a total waste of your time or have silently cursed a colleague who interrupted you just as you were getting stuck into a key task.

We often end up working longer as a result, but without any obvious uptick in productivity for the extra hours we put in.

Take a look at our latest blog post for tips on creating a more productive work environment that allows greater flexibility for your team. We explore some of the ideas that companies are using to give their employees the gift of time and we look at some practical ways that managers can help their teams to work smarter, not longer.

What would you do if you won the lottery? Between the pressures of work, family, commuting, hobbies, life, there never seems to be enough time for everything we want to do.

08/03/2019

Have you ever been part of a team that just didn’t gel? Or a team that was dragged down by one person who simply didn’t pull their weight?

Getting the balance right when building a great team can be tricky. You need the right people, the right environment, clear direction, support, recognition, a collaborative culture and lots more besides.

For business leaders, building, growing, motivating and managing teams is a top priority. Because without a team that functions effectively, you are swimming against the tide.

Take a look at our latest blog post for tips on creating the kind of work culture that fosters great teamwork, supports collaboration, and ultimately allows you to get the most from your team. We look at what makes a great team, plus share insights on how to develop one.

https://broadlyspeaking.ie/getting-the-most-from-your-team/

What makes a good team? Building, motivating and leading teams is an integral part of the challenge faced by business leaders.

11/02/2019

Are poorly run meetings making you suffer?

Making meetings make sense The dreaded meeting. For many people, meetings come high on the list of things that waste their time. After a work day filled with meetings, it can be easy to feel like you haven’t really achieved all that much.

10/02/2019

Follow these top tips and you’ll be more confident speaking in public.

https://broadlyspeaking.ie/top-public-speaking-tips/