3 Important Things About Communicating Across Differences

I’ve recently facilitated a session for a large group of professional coaches with the international coach federation (ICF – UK chapter) and part of what we’ve explored in the session was participants’ identities. We’ve done an exercise where participants explored different factors of their identity and as part of that same exercise, they also got the opportunity to reflect on which of these factors are most meaningful to them and how those factors influence how they show up personally and professionally. I’ve really enjoyed this session and the engaging discussions that took place.

Read more in this blog written by Marwa Farouq.

3 Top Tips to Take Your MS Teams Meetings From 0 – 100%

I want to show you three mind-blowing MS Teams Meeting tips that are now an unconscious standard practice in my working day. It has helped me work in a better way when I use MS Teams to host meetings/training sessions, let’s hope it helps you work better too.

Why Stakeholders Matter When You’re Trying to Make a Change

When making a change it is always important to consider how it will impact others. There are those impacted that may be able to directly influence, help or hinder you along the way in making these changes – the stakeholders.

In this blog Rachael talks about the need to communicate and engage with these potential stakeholders to help ensure the changes you are making can take place smoothly and productively.

Would You Like Excel to Use AI to Write Formulas For You?

AI is big news at the moment, and it is going to change the way we use software forever. Microsoft is adding Copilot to Microsoft 365, and we’re seeing the first hints of what it can do.

Copilot will offer AI driven help to all parts of Microsoft 365, from helping you manage your email inbox, to refining a report and polishing a PowerPoint presentation and, yes, even write Excel formulas for you!

This type of AI-driven help has been turning up in Microsoft products for some time, especially in Excel. But how does it work? Darren explains more in this blog.

New Workshop: LEGO Serious Play has Arrived at Happy

At Happy, we are always looking for new ways to create more impact and value for our amazing clients.

We are therefore really excited to now offer LEGO Serious Play as part of our facilitated experiences.

If you are:

Aiming to create a high-performing team

Introducing major change

Developing your strategic direction

Heading towards a more empowered and agile organisation

Wanting to generate more diverse thinking

Needing to energise your meetings, training or other group based activities

Then LSP could help you move towards your goal.

Read more in this blog by Jo Holliday.

How The Public Sector Gives its People Trust

I have asked thousands of people when they work at their best. For over 90% of them it has been when they have been given the trust and freedom to make their own decisions.

I have also asked whether they like “complete freedom” or “freedom within guidelines”. While there are a few anarchists who like complete freedom (especially entrepreneurs) most people – again roughly 90% – choose freedom within guidelines.

People like to know what the overall framework is, but to have freedom within it.

I also ask whether people like to be told what to do. Fewer than 2% go for that option.

5 Simple Ways to Build Your Resilience and Reduce Stress

“A healthy mind in a healthy body”

We hear this so often these days. It’s become such a hackneyed phrase that we take the truth of it for granted – until something goes wrong. Maybe an injury or illness hits. Anxiety starts to take hold. You lose sleep. You lose mental clarity. You physically can’t do what you once did. Stress starts to take its toll and you start to suffer muscle injuries, headaches, unexplained illness. Suddenly, you don’t have any spare physical or mental capacity to cope with everyday knock-backs. Stress multiplies. You are, to put it bluntly, in trouble.

Managing stress is key to building resilience, and resilience is a key strength that can help you and your teammates (to quote another corny old phrase), to keep calm and carry on!

Written by Fenella Potter.

4 Things That Nonviolent Communication Improves

What I love about Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is it enables me to let go of any judgement or fear of punishment. It enables me to ground myself in a world that is beyond right and wrong, beyond good and bad. It enables a deep understanding of myself and others.

Read more in this blog written by Marwa Farouq.

4 Key Insights From “Rest” by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang is one of our speakers at the online Happy Workplaces Conference on 15th June. He is a key player in the four-day work week movement and has also written a book called Shorter about that topic.

At the conference, he will be talking about his first book,

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

“Long hours are an expression of our identity and proof of our seriousness,” Alex suggests. “They don’t necessarily make us more productive; they make us look more productive.”

How to Be a Multiplier and Why it is Important

I recently did a podcast with Liz Wiseman, the author of Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter (and Impact Players).

Her book, Multipliers, has had a transformational impact on Happy and on our programmes. All of our ‘people managers’ are Multipliers, who enable their people to do their best work, and we’ve began training others on how to be a Multiplier on our leadership programmes.