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The cornerstone of every interaction lies in effective communication. Yet, mastering this art is seldom achieved.

The pace needed to respond to increased regulation, tech disruption, changing client expectations, and global competition is frenetic and, in our experience, most businesses move too slowly to keep up with the changing landscape. On the flip side, agile financial advisory businesses, that can adapt quickly to change, will thrive.

Dealing with employee absence – both frequent short-term absence and longer-term absence – is a regular feature of managing people but you may not be aware that, as an employer, you have rights as well as a variety of legal responsibilities – primarily under the Equality Act, the Employment Rights Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act.

As a Practice Manager you are typically juggling many tasks and there are many demands on your time. In order to thrive in this role a critical skill to have is the ability to say ‘no’. Yet saying ‘no’ can be one of the most difficult skills to master in business. Whether it’s declining a request from a colleague, a boss, or a client, we often feel guilty, rude, or unprofessional when we say ‘no’. However, saying ‘yes’ to everything can also have negative consequences, such a

When have you last done nothing? Truly nothing! With the main holiday season over, have you taken advantage of your time off?

While most clients we speak to don’t enjoy conflict (let’s face it who does?!) and want to avoid it at all costs, the reality is that at least at some point in their careers they will find themselves in a difficult situation. Managing conflict and difficult situations in the workplace can be messy and generally gets in the way of getting work done, leaving everyone feeling deflated and frustrated. The fallout tends to linger and affect future work and relations. So, it’s impo

“Nine Lies about Work: a Free Thinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World” by M. Buckingham and A. Goodall, which demystifies lies that are commonly-believed in the workplace, continues to inspire my thinking.

Is your organisation a spider or a starfish? In other words, does your business structure allow for continuity, flexibility and agility?

I was recently a guest speaker at a virtual event co-hosted by Women in Banking & Finance (WIBF) and Isio, where I was asked to deliver a session on the topic of effective leadership. As part of my research, I revisited “Nine Lies about Work: a Free Thinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World”, an excellent book co-written by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall.

Cyber attacks are becoming more common and sophisticated in today’s digital world. While you may be thinking that you are unlikely to become a target, unfortunately we are aware of small Financial Advisory firms that have been through this already, so don’t fall for the false sense of security and take preventative action.