Freelance Writers: Tips for Contacting Editors

Tips for Contacting Editors     All freelance writers appreciate tips for contacting editors, since editors pay money for your manuscripts! Freelance writers who have been in the business for a while will naturally know more about contacting editors, but most have not yet realised the full potential of their writing careers, and still have [...]

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The Art of Constructive Feedback

Providing or receiving feedback is not always easy, since the most useful feedback is that which highlights areas for improvement. One way to make the provision of feedback easier on both the provider and reciever, whether that be a friend, family member, or colleague, is to make sure it is constructive feedback. Constructive feedback can be utilised [...]

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Active Listening through Body Language

Active listening is not just about taking information in and processing it.  It is also about our physical demeanour and body language. Egan (1986) devised five key component of active listening, known by the acronym SOLER: Sit straight (this is important in conveying the message that ‘I am here with you.’) Open posture (indicating openness [...]

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Action Learning Sets in Business

  “There is no learning without action and no action without learning” (Revans 1983) “So, what exactly are action learning sets?” I hear you ask. Action learning sets (ALS) are  an educational development tool designed to facilitate continued development among professionals. ALS promote a ‘learning culture,’ hence the growing uptake of this technique within all [...]

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The Bad Apple in the Team

Not doing their fair share of the work, being aggressive or bullying, frequent pessimism . . . we have all experienced a ‘bad apple,’ someone who causes major group disharmony. Not to be mistaken for the colleague who doesn’t follow the crowd but thinks  outside the box, the bad apple has a much more devastating [...]

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