Jenny Handley Performance
Feb 22
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO BE EXCEPTIONAL

One of my favourite lines to write when giving someone a copy of one of my books is ‘be anything but average.’ Others are ‘make it happen’, ‘be your best’ or my old school motto, ‘aim high’. I have always had a fear of being average. To me the word average has strong connotations of mediocrity. If you have been described as below average you have been given something to work on. If you are deemed above average, then you are on your way to success. It came to my attention that those who shine brightly at the top of the class are noticed, and those who battle at the bottom, hopefully also get special attention. Somehow those in the middle may not be spotted and may therefore fall through the cracks with their potential going unnoticed. It was with this in mind that I drew up criteria for a learner in Grade 8 four years ago. I wanted to create a bursary for a girl (I am a mother of sons!) who was diligent and hard-working, who displayed leadership qualities, participated in sport, was involved in and supportive of her community, and was scholastically sound. She did not have […]
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Feb 15
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

SET OUT TO ALWAYS COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

If an army marches on their stomachs, then surely an organisation marches on good communication. Communication is fun, yet it is also the area where most problems are experienced in a business. An organisation requires a communication plan, and an individual should have a communication component of his or her brand plan. The principles of communication lie in: A for accuracy, B for brevity and C for clarity – it is essential that information is accurate, brief and clearly understood. So often we say one thing and our audience hears and understands another. Problems in an organisation can often be traced back to poor communication. It is vital that optimum internal communication is cemented before communicating with a public audience. The stakeholders of your business include all employees and members of the public who come into contact with them. They all need to work together to ensure good communication and an exemplary reputation. We need to acknowledge that of all the vast changes in the workplace, communication in particular has evolved drastically. It is not only due to technological advances, but because the next wave of leaders and followers think differently and therefore communicate differently from the old guard. It […]
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Feb 01
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND OTHERS WILL AS WELL

There is a currency to confidence. In many cases where candidates are applying for a job, it is the one who is more confident who manages to secure the interview. They have accomplished the task of personal selling well, able to communicate their worth and point of distinction in their CV or written application. Once they have secured the interview, the confident candidate is more likely to cinch the position. So how does one become more confident? Sometimes it is as simple as seeing yourself as others see you. We are naturally hard on ourselves, often focusing on our liabilities rather than our assets. How do you see yourself as others see you? You ask them what they see. Sit with someone you know well in your school, university or workplace and ask them to describe you, warts and all! Listen to what they see and say. Take the negatives as an opportunity to work on these factors. Take the compliments and use them well. If you are preparing for an interview, then write down a list of your attributes – your qualities and your competencies. You may be asked what your liabilities are. Be able to mention them but […]
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Jan 25
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

VITAL TO LOOK AT YOUR YEAR THROUGH A THEME

At the start of a year I always consider having a theme. It could be learning, fun or balance. After every experience, especially the more challenging ones, my reflection includes looking back on the incident or project and asking myself, did I learn, did I have fun, did I keep the scales balanced? It is quite easy at the beginning of a year to learn when your mind is clear and the pace is only picking up. There are still a lot of social things happening, and if you allow yourself to be caught up in the last few weeks of student holidays, you too can retain that relaxed feeling. Fun happens naturally, and balance does not require too much effort. The challenge lies in the change of the seasons.  January is easy, there is still the rosy residue of holidays and people are smiling and happy to re-connect. In February the glow may start to subside and by March you will notice when you get up early that you may have to put the lights on. The sun sets earlier and the days start to shorten (and hopefully that dreadful southeaster disappears!). That’s when you are firmly in routine […]
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Jan 18
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

CLEAR YOUR HEAD – AND OFFICE – THIS MONTH

One of the great advantages of a holiday is that you have the opportunity of de-cluttering your mind. Not everyone makes use of the chance, but those who do arrive back at work energised and inspired. One of the best ways of ensuring that this clear head space stays is to de-clutter your working space. January is a great time for operation clean-up. Whilst we are working in a digital age, it is surprising to see how people keep the paper craze going. Some of us (guilty as charged) like to keep things ‘in case’ we will need it, or simply because we don’t like letting go. Take a day to clear your space. Try to motivate your team to do it with you. Someone has to take charge of the common space like the office kitchen, boardroom, bathroom and stationery cupboard – put names into a draw and ensure that whoever gets these also gets a gift…it could be a half-day off to reward them for their efforts! Here are some practical tips to get you going: Work out what you would like the overall area to look like, and try to match storage facilities, be they cupboards, shelving […]
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Jan 11
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

HERE’S TO A YEAR OF PLANTING GOOD SEEDS

One of the most upbeat songs that makes me sing when driving is Black Eyed Peas’ “Tonight’s gonna be a good night”! Funny how if you are told something is good, it is more likely to feel good? Let’s take that attitude with 2016. May it be a good year. May it see the fruits of your labours and may it be the result of good, strategic planning. I am a firm believer in having five-year plans, broken down into one year chunks. Any task or goal or plan when broken into smaller bite-size pieces, feels more achievable and less daunting. In addition I like to compartmentalise my life into different areas – work, play, family, friends, finances, fitness and health, personal development etc. A great way of starting a great year is to sit with pen and paper (or do it electronically) and put your categories of life into a column. On the right hand side then have three columns – short term, medium term and long term goals.  It is impossible to separate work and personal life completely, and if you write family or friends in your first block, do not feel guilty about it. The investments we […]
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Dec 14
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

MENTOR SOMEONE WHO PUSHES BOUNDARIES

How do you choose a mentor? A good starting point is for the mentee to make a list of their qualities and competencies, to see where they need to develop their potential. Our natural inclination is to request mentoring from someone we admire and feel comfortable with. That is often the first mistake – we do not grow in comfort; we grow more in situations where people push our boundaries and our buttons. The ideal coaching partnership is for two people of opposite profiles to work together, as the learning then becomes symbiotic. So often someone may also ask someone to mentor them because they are senior or in the position that they would like to eventually be in. That too does not necessarily make them their best mentor. The mentor needs to look at the potential and the progress plan of the mentee. Are you really the right person to assist? Sometimes you may be able to impart sufficient wisdom in one conversation and be brave enough to suggest professional guidance. The first conversation should start with the mentor asking, “What do you want?” and then, “What do you actually need?” Do not allow mentoring to be simply a […]
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Nov 30
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

DEVELOPING POTENTIAL IN OUR WORKFORCE

There are many similarities between coaching and mentorship, the most important being that they both concentrate on developing potential. Both involve support, questioning, development, commitment and encouragement. Mentoring, often provided from within an organisation, provides the opportunity for the junior of being able to follow in the footprints of someone more experienced, traditionally older and wiser. If you struggle with grasping the differentiation, then consider a sports coach – they could be outsiders who are secured for their ability to bring out the best in a sports team. They arrive twice a week for the team practices, and are present on the day when the going gets tough, at the matches, shouting direction from the sidelines and providing motivation at half-time. After the game they congratulate the team or if there is a loss, they identify the weak spots. Executive coaching requires the same principle. A coach is a facilitator, a supporter and not a friend. It is preferable, but not essential, to have someone who has knowledge of your industry. They should listen, guide, inspire, motivate, direct and challenge you to ensure personal growth. Coaching happens through a series of goal-directing conversations that are outcomes-based, with the coach responsible […]
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Nov 23
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

NEED TO MOVE YOUR TEAM TO MOTIVATE

In addition to the leader harnessing the support of his team, he needs to ensure that team members support one another, and have a good understanding of one another’s roles and responsibilities (plus challenges and frustrations!) Fractal behaviour is the term given to the repetition of a simple act at frequent intervals. One sees it in nature in the petals of a flower, and in how bricks are laid in a wall. We also see it exhibited in a team – when they are consistent and predictable. This can only be achieved through genuine understanding. Everyone needs someone with whom they can share their war stories and dilemmas – confidentially. It is not a weakness, but a strength to be able to accept wise counsel. A leader needs another leader to listen. It is important that you have someone who you can implicitly trust to listen, sometimes guide, but to always keep the conversation confidential. This person needs to be someone who tells you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear (those lower down the organisation may be inhibited about saying openly what they think and limiting their career options). Discretion is vital, so test […]
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Nov 16
by jennyhand in Cape Times – Career Times 0 comments

FINDING VALUE IN A PERSONAL ASSISTANT

The role of the personal assistant is often an undervalued one. It offers the ideal platform for someone to really learn the ropes of a business, and for a leader, the ideal support. . The well trained PA can learn to anticipate your every move, and when not doing that, act as a sweeper behind you, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. They can move from taking minutes to making every minute count. It all starts with preparation. Clearly define the job description and reinforce the need for the utmost confidentiality. A personal assistant needs to have a clear definition of the word ‘personal’. What defines personal for you may push the boundaries for the PA, so discuss it in detail in an interview. Look for initiative and someone who can go the extra mile. . Take the time to save time. If you have trained your PA and trust them, they will save you time in screening calls and emails, making appointments, preparing documents before meetings, travel arrangements and research. I leave my office before a business trip with a folder that my PA has prepared. In it, in chronological order, will be details and directions of every […]
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