Category Archives for Blogs

Watch your language!

Oh ***** away, *** off – you know the sort of thing.

My brain pinged the other day during a conversation as to what and when certain language is or isn’t acceptable.  In the group were legal and HR people who explained how they had problems receiving perfectly legitimate emails, but because the topic was about inappropriate language their IT team had to make security allowances to enable the emails to go through.

Some time ago I attended a conference workshop where the trainer’s language was more than liberally littered with 4-letter words.  At my table a couple of us found this inappropriate, others hadn’t even noticed.  However, it did result in the conference organisers updating their Terms & Conditions for speakers addressing inappropriate language.

I guess it could be said that I’m sensitive to what I term to be bad language.  As a child I recall being in a car showroom with my Dad and the cut-glass accented salesman using the word blo**y very frequently – bit of a no-no to an 8 year-old then!  That said, I do have a go now and then and the family note it in their diaries!

So what is acceptable / unacceptable in business?  Are there special circumstances?  For me, it’s ok in recounting a story, without expanding the words used in full.  It’s not ok to direct that phrase to someone else.  Are there situations in business / public speaking where it is acceptable / unacceptable.

What do you think?  What is  / is not acceptable to you and when?

I’d love to know your thoughts on this – please let me know  just email me 

Synergies and Collaboration – why would you?

Definition of collaboration = the action of working with someone to produce something (Oxford Dictionaries)

Do you always see the synergies, the possibilities to collaborate when speaking to others, or when you are networking, more particularly, when you’re listening to others’ 1 minutes?  Maybe you don’t see the synergies straight away, but you do when you revisit your notes later…  Why would you want to collaborate with others?  Let’s take a look at some possibilities.

You are an expert in your own field, your own business.  But are you an expert in all subjects required for successful business, for something new and different?  Let’s consider your area of expertise is weight loss.  Amongst those around you at a networking meeting is an image consultant, a beautician, a venue Manager and a multi-disciplined practitioner in alternative therapies.  Getting the picture?  Let’s further consider that during the subsequent meeting you have together you decide to “do something” together.

To set it up and manage the finances, this needs the help and advice of an accountant.  This project also needs marketing, using traditional methods and social media.  Guess what? You have also met those people.  You may have a little knowledge in these fields, but you are by no means an expert.  With another or others your business offering is stronger, more successful, different.

Eagerly, I saw part of this scenario happen at a recent 1230 TWC Bromley meeting.  Where will it go?  I don’t know, but the prospect is more than exciting – I can’t wait to learn more.

Can you think of any synergies and reasons to collaborate, now?  Thought you would!

Beckenham Businesswoman Star Award of the year

Poised with finger on camera button last night at the Beckenham Business Association meeting last night waiting for the announcement of the winner of the inaugural Beckenham Businesswoman Star Award of the year, I was bowled over when my name was announced! Impossible to take a photograph of myself, I believe Saj Maharaj of Big App Bromley will be sending through a couple of pix with evidence of this very special occasion.

With a head banging with cold I don’t think I said anything coherent, but I’m extremely honoured to have even been nominated and to have won in what I understand was a very strong list of well-deserving nominations is such an awesome privilege!

Thank you so much to everyone who nominated me – at the moment the Award is sitting on the mantelpiece of my living room, but I’ll move it into the office as a constant reminder of how lucky I am to have your support – again, thank you so much.

Thank you so much to everyone who attended last night’s BBA meeting http://goo.gl/kHJmQ – to Lakis of Big Breakfast for sponsoring and hosting the event, to our brilliant speakers Jackie Barrie and Saj Maharaj and to the Beckenham Business Community for your continuing support – BBA is yours!

Update on my The Glades Fairy Shop Mother prize

Very humbly, I’d like to share with you Heather Bond’s winning nomination:-

‘I would like to nominate Jackie Groundsell of 1230 The Women’s Company because she works tirelessly all hours of the day and night to provide networking opportunities for local women in business. She so deserves a surprise and gift after a very tough year holding things together through rough economic times.  She amazes me with her energy to keep moving forward and working to provide opportunities that help women in local businesses.’

I was delighted to win, but more particularly to be nominated – thank you so much Heather.

Employment legislation 2012/2013

In May 2011, the government published plans to amend the Working Time Regulations 1998 in order to resolve uncertainty following a series of problematic European and UK judgements on the rights of workers who are unable to take holiday due to sickness. In essence, the government is proposing that annual leave can be carried over to the next leave year in circumstances where leave cannot be taken at the scheduled time due to sickness or where the employee is sick during scheduled annual leave.

However, since the Government made this announcement, there has been a European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision, KHS AG v Schulte, which said that the EU working time directive does not require unlimited accumulation of holiday when a worker has been on sickness absence for several years. The ECJ said that a 15-month ‘carry over period’ was lawful.
The Government’s firm proposals are expected during the first half of 2012.

The government has commissioned Mr Justice Underhill to conduct a thorough review of the rules of procedure governing employment tribunal proceedings. The review, to be completed by the end of April 2012, will consider whether the rules have become over complex.
Fundamental review of ERT rules – terms of reference

Pre-tribunal conciliation by Acas
The government has said it will be seeking views on a proposal to introduce compensated ‘no-fault’ dismissals for micro- firms with fewer than 10 employees and on ways to slim down existing dismissal procedures for all employers. No further details of these proposals have yet been published.

The government is intending to introduce a discretionary power for employment tribunals to impose financial penalties on employers who lose cases. The level of penalty that the government has suggested is half of the total award made by the tribunal, with a minimum threshold of £100 and a maximum of £5,000. The penalty would be reduced by 50% if paid within 21 days.

The government proposes to consult during 2012 about whether to have a quicker and cheaper ‘rapid resolution’ scheme as an alternative to employment tribunals for simple, low value claims. This would involve a determination by someone other than a judge, relying on paper evidence rather than full hearings.
Posted by on 26/03/2012 13:04:35

How to take stunning photos in the Snow

Keep equipment warm and dry
A friend of mine went on an organised tour up Mount Everest and was the only one to come back with any photos. Why? Because she kept her camera battery in her bra! In really cold conditions, your camera battery will ‘die’, thinking it’s run out. It will ‘come back to life’ again when it’s warm. My top tip is to take two sets of batteries, keeping one set close to your body heat and swapping them around as necessary. I also recommend you use well-insulated camera bags. Remember, you need to keep warm too, so wear many layers of clothing to avoid camera shake due to shivering.
Get the exposure right A lot of snow in the scene can lead to under-exposed images with murky grey instead of crisp white, and loss of detail in dark areas. If you have a manual camera, you need to over-expose by one or two stops. If you use an automatic camera, fi rst point it at a shadier scene, a nearby face or even your own hand. Press the shutter halfway down and hold it while you turn to recompose the original scene. Press the button fully down for a perfectly exposed snowy image.
Speed up for action shots If you take a standard snapshot of your beloved shushing down a black run, they will probably come out blurred. For manual cameras, you need to use a fast shutter speed such as 1,000th second. You don’t have to worry about F-stops as there will be plenty of light. On a digital camera, the ‘sport’ setting should give you a sharp result.

Would you like to learn to be more confident?

I’m really excited to present the Wisewolf “Learn to be Confident” Program to 1230 TWC. It is specially tailored to meet your needs. It consists of 5 one-to-one coaching sessions by Skype or telephone together with interesting exercises and worksheets. Below you will find additional information on what is included in each session.

Part 1 – Understanding Confidence
• Have you ever really thought about how confident you are?
• In which areas of your life are you lacking in confidence? What has made you this way? How do you come across to others?
• With Understanding Confidence, I will give you the tools to help you identify the answers to these questions.
• I will also show you how to understand body language (crucial to developing confident relationships) as well as how to talk to anyone, anywhere.
• This is an essential ‘first-step’ for anyone wishing to embark on a more confident journey.

Part 2 – The Skills of Confident Thinking
• Have you ever convinced yourself that you are bad at something? How did it affect your performance?
• The fact is, when you want to become more confident it is important to have a confident thinking style – to be optimistic.
• With The Skills of Confident Thinking, I will help you to identify and challenge some of the most common thinking errors that drain confidence. You will consider the way in which your thinking affects your feelings and, in turn, how your feelings dictate the way you behave.
• Life is as good as you make it and this begins with the way you think, so The Skills of Confident Thinking is an invaluable stage in the process of becoming confident.

Part 3 – The Skills of Confident Feeling
• Do you know how to get the most from your own and other peoples’ emotions?
• In The Skills of Confident Feelings I will show you a range of emotional skills that you can use in many different situations to increase your confidence.
• You will consider the importance of learning to praise yourself and others and you will also discover how to manage confidence-draining emotions such as depression, guilt, anger, shame, humiliation and anxiety.
• This information packed session will give you a fundamental head start in influencing not only how you feel, but also other people’s attitudes towards you.

Part 4 – The Skills of Confident Behaviour
• How do you cope with difficult situations? Do you have the ability to deal with challenges competently? Do you find it difficult to be assertive?
• The fact is, the more skills you have to sort out the challenges that life brings, the more quickly and effectively you can deal with the situations presented.
• With The Skills of Confident Behaviour, I will equip you with the necessary tools you need to handle difficult situations effectively and with confidence. I will guide you through the process of how to develop problem solving skills.
• You will also learn the skills you will need to become more assertive and, in turn, more confident.
• This content filled session will be an invaluable resource for any number of circumstances. It will provide you with the necessary skills to help you keep in control and handle situations more confidently.

Part 5 – The Skills of Confident Living
• How often do you catch yourself saying, “I would love to but I don’t have the time”? Do you find yourself wishing things were different but unable to find the time to make the changes you want?
• There are many conflicting demands on your time such as balancing work, day-to-day activities, home and social life. The Skills of Confident Living will help you to develop the time management skills you need to live your life effectively.
• You will be able to develop the skills required to identify and manage the kinds of stresses that you may be facing that could be undermining your confidence.
• I will also help you to consider whether your diet is supportive of your confidence or whether it hinders your abilities.
• These skills of confident living provide your core support to achieving the confidence you desire
• I hope you find this information useful.

This is a new program and for a short period it is available at the special price of £200 UK. This includes five personal coaching sessions and all materials. But for 1230TWC members I am offering a further 10% discount.

To join the program, to find out more or to take advantage of this special offer price please email wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com quoting Offer1230TWC
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE PROGRAM OR YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE RING ME (WENDY MASON) ON ++44 (0)2084610114 OR ++44 (0)7867681439
Posted by on 26/01/2012 13:25:42

RedShift Radio Interview 25th January

Just wanted to let you know that I will be on the radio next week talking about my book, BIRTH MADE EASY.

http://www.redshifthub.co.uk/programmes/health-and-healing

It will be a telephone interview of about 10 minutes. The radio is a web based radio station called RedShift Radio. You can listen in live by clicking the link on the web page.

I will be interviewed by Mumtaz Hussain.
Her show is on Wednesday 25th January from 12.00 – 2.00pm.

My interview will be at 12.20 or 1.20 if any of you are able to listen in.

An important question for 2012

How do you prevent your fingers, keyboard and mouse from being sticky as you snack on Twiglets as you work? Particularly when burning the midnight oil.

This was a topic touched on at a 1230 TWC meeting recently – amazing the number of suggestions which evolved – virtually a new business developed out of our thoughts! I think the champagne generously shared by a certain 1230 TWC Member could have added to the seriousness of the topic – not!

So what are your thoughts on this?

The wackiest, most innovative answer gets the prize of a FREE 1230 TWC meeting.

Answers please to meetings@1230 co.uk by Tuesday 10 January.

I’m back

Hi everyone it’s been a while , my last blog was about juggling life, well it got worse I have since had and am being treated for Breast Cancer, but this has not kept me down as over the last year

I have been studying Nutrition and weight management and have passed successfully. Nutrition has always been a keen interest of mine so now I have packed up the Jewellery and finished at Friction and am doing My nutrition full time. You can find me on facebook S.M.A.R.T nutrition and weight management. I am hoping to get to some more meetings now but Wednesdays are our as I work out of Haywards Heath at a gym.
Hope to see some of you on the circuit soon. x