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When a Topic Really Matters: Understanding the Crucial Art of Effective Communication
In the world of corporate leadership, understanding your audience is paramount. Discover how to prepare, what you need to know, why it's vital, and the risks of miscommunication when discussing critical topics like a new role, projects, salary, promotions, feedback sessions, or essential concepts.
Speaking Up with Confidence: Empowering Women in Meetings
Discover effective strategies to empower women to confidently voice their ideas and opinions in meetings, especially in mixed virtual and in-person settings. Join me, a 50-year-old working mother and career and leadership coach with 25 years of working experience, as we unlock the power of non-violent communication and create a space for women to be heard.
Communication - Get out of the female trap!
Female communication can become a success factor - if thought patterns from childhood are broken down and you have found your own expression. Unfortunately, many women have already heard beliefs like "girls don't do that" at a very young age. It is worthwhile to work with coaches here to clear your own way out of the girl trap because anyone who communicates is constantly sending signals. And it would be a shame if they are the wrong ones. A 4-week e-mail series and these four tips will give you quick help.
10 tips how ambitious women have fun at work despite having a micromanaging boss
Coping with a micromanaging boss can be tough, but ambitious women have a variety of tools at their disposal to overcome this challenge. By utilizing effective communication, anticipating expectations, and managing upwards, ambitious women can maintain control of their projects and achieve their career goals. Seeking feedback, finding allies, focusing on the positive, and practicing self-care are also essential to remaining productive and creative in the face of micromanagement.
Delegation _ The Keys of Communication
At some point, it's quite likely life will put you into a position where you will have to delegate something to someone and tell them how to do it. If you are like most people, you might feel like you're not up to the task initially.
This blog starts with the keys to communication. It will also explore different delegation styles.
How to delegate is part of my 90-day program MOVE UP! the first 90 days for leaders (first-time leaders and when changing roles). This program is as well beneficial when you want to prepare yourself for your next leadership transition.
TOP25 books for female leaders part 2
Career inspiration comes in different forms. Here I am sharing my selection of the best reads for first-time managers, seasoned leaders, or even management hopefuls. Learn from the best leaders and advance in your career. The links are leading to one big source, however, please visit your local bookshop.
The books are my personal recommendation only, this is not paid advertisement and no affiliate links.
13 benefits and 8 barriers to successful delegation_ Delegation part 1
The ability to delegate tasks is a very important skill for a manager to have. However, delegating is not always easy and, if the delegation process is not carried out effectively, it can cause more harm than good to the team’s morale.
Delegation plays an important role in 3 critical areas: Efficiency, Development and Flexibility.
The article explains 13 Benefits of Delegating looking at the ecosystem and identifies 8 Barriers to Delegation.
Getting over these human barriers requires some emotional intelligence and personal development. It requires taking a good look at ourselves and evaluating how we are doing.
How to delegate is part of my 90-day program MOVE UP! the first 90 days for leaders (first-time leaders and when changing roles). This program is as well beneficial when you want to prepare yourself for your next leadership transition.
If you don't prioritize, someone else will 9 TIPS TO SET BOUNDARIES AT WORK
With technology, flexible work, and ever-changing workplaces, setting healthy boundaries at work is more difficult than ever before.
Setting boundaries at work allows you to navigate your workplace, avoid potential toxic environments, and create a clear path for you to do your best work without being taken advantage of or burning out. No two people have the exact same work style.
It’s important to keep that in mind and to set your own boundaries. This blog offers 9 tips to set boundaries at work, encourages you to stop feeling guilty about setting boundaries.
At the end Katharina shares 4 more reasons why you should prioritize yourself.
The 25 most inspiring books for female careers and women in leadership
Career inspiration comes in different forms. Here I am sharing my selection of the best reads for first-time managers, seasoned leaders, or even management hopefuls. Learn from the best leaders and advance in your career. The links are leading to one big source, however, please visit your local bookshop.
The books are my personal recommendation only, this is not paid advertisement and no affiliate links.
The importance of effective feedback - part 2 - barriers and benefits
In my blog article the importance of effective feedback part 1
I did focus on describing what Effective Feedback is. Feedback is not a simple matter, both to give and to take feedback. It can sometimes be painful, embarrassing, defensive or create new difficulties. And this is why people shy away. In this blog I focus on barriers to Effective Feedback and
The Benefits of Feedback in the Workplace. Hand on heart: When was the last time you asked colleagues or your manager for feedback? Has it been a while? Then you are like many other employees. Yet most people are well aware of the importance of feedback: Without feedback, there is no targeted development.
The importance of effective feedback - part 1
Feedback is a conversational way of telling others how you see them or learning how others see you. Feedback, therefore, consists of two components, namely giving feedback and receiving feedback.
This article looks at the three objectives to give feedback. Deep dives into the questions: What Is Effective Feedback?
Effective feedback has the desired effect, that is, the outcome that we want (for example, a behavior change). At the same time, it is given in such a way as to maintain the respect and dignity of all the parties involved. Katharina offers 3 approaches Balancing Positive and Constructive Feedback. At the end we need to understand that giving effective feedback is a powerful management tool. Giving & Receiving Feedback in the Workplace is part of her course SPEAK UP!
How to deal with difficult people at work
Difficult people do exist at work. They come in every variety and no workplace is without them. How difficult a person is for you to deal with depends on your self-esteem, your self-confidence and your professional courage at work.
They all have one thing in common. You must address them. No matter the type of difficult situation in which you find yourself, dealing with difficult people or situations is a must.
Handling difficult people is more about you and your reaction.
My blog article offers 15+1 Smart Techniques to Deal with Difficult People at Work.
11 Signs when it is time to reconsider or even quit your job
Deciding to reconsider or even quit a job is a significant moment in your professional career. While it’s normal to have challenges at work, feeling a deep and lasting dissatisfaction towards your job is worth exploring. It's important to recognize the difference between when you should work through a challenge and when it's time to reconsider or even leave a position.
There are many valid personal and professional reasons to reconsider or even leave a job. In this article, I’ll walk through eleven powerful signs it may be time to reconsider and three actionable steps you can take right away to explore the situation.
If you now get the feeling that quitting your job is the best decision for you do one extra step. Think about TAKE IT – CHANGE IT or LEAVE IT.
You are the pilot of your life. Take your time.
The Influence of inner communication on your career _ take ownership!
For many professionals, limiting thoughts or even negative beliefs haunt their minds. These have a limiting effect on self-confidence and success at work. I have observed this especially in women.
Our life experiences - essentially, our successes and failures - are shaped by two types of communication: Our inner communication, which includes our ideas, our thoughts and our feelings.
And external communication, which includes words, tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and physical actions. Every communication we are "involved" in is an action, a cause. Every communication therefore has an effect on ourselves and others. In this blog I will look at our inner communication and offer a process to dissolve limiting beliefs.
Assertive Communication: Challenges for Women in Business
Women in business may find day-to-day communications challenging. How do I express my thoughts, needs, and goals with assertion? Will I be perceived as aggressive or pushy? How do I drive the conversation in a way that leads to my desired outcome while maintaining a positive relationship with the person I’m interacting with?
Many women want to develop the assertive communication skills needed to express themselves, deliver a message effectively, and be heard without second-guessing themselves. Finding the right balance between confidence and an impactful expression of your position is key.
Assertiveness is a skill that means demonstrating healthy confidence where you state your rights and stand up for yourself in a respectful manner. You are taking care of yourself by looking out for yourself.
9 Ways To Make Yourself Heard In Meetings
Even at the highest levels of organizations, many otherwise dynamic women struggle in meetings. Some say their voices are drowned out; others can’t find a way into the conversation at all. Their male counterparts perceive a problem, but they tend to dismiss it as resulting from timidity, defensiveness, lack of focus or excessive emotion.
After some investigation, I suggest 9 steps women can take to feel more comfortable and become more effective. It is a combination of activities women can contribute and what organizations can also implement to ensure that women’s voices are heard, e.g. by providing direct feedback about meeting behavior, inviting more women to the table and proactively pulling women into the conversation.
These changes can have profound results, enabling all team members, male and female, to contribute to their full potential.
7 Tips to improve communication with your Boss – starting today
Good communication allows to manage many situations in life smoothly. Getting the message through to your boss isn’t always easy. For one thing, there’s an imbalance of power there that can make it difficult to be candid. For another, it’s often hard to get the timing right — you’re busy and so are they. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to improve your communication with your boss, no matter what kinds of challenges you face. But great relationships are based on having great communication, so what is the best way to improve your communication with your boss? Try these 7 effective ways. The goal of this framework is to optimize outcomes and ultimately to save time, not only for yourself but also your boss. This topic is part of my course SPEAK UP! The masterclass for women in body language and communication.
The Art of Listening: A Critical Skill for career success
Active listening is one of the most critical skills in effective communication. Most of us were taught how to speak, how to present clearly, how to make a good argument, defend a position, ask questions, make a point, but few of us have been taught how to listen. We may have been told to listen or scolded for not listening but seldom taught how to do a better job of it. So, we grow up thinking that listening is “not” doing something. That it is passive. We are either good at it or not. But that is not really true. Listening is a skill that can be learned and developed like any other skill. The article features some techniques you can use to become an active listener. The author offers an easy exercise How to Become an Effective Listener on request.
Body Language: Speak Volumes Without Saying a Word
Believe it or not, most communication is nonverbal. Are you really saying what you think you’re saying? If you often find that people misunderstand you, perhaps your body language is communicating different thoughts than what your voice is saying!
Adjusting your body language can strengthen your communication and help you make a better impression in all kinds of social and professional settings. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and posture all communicate certain meanings. When your body language agrees with your words, what you say is much more powerful.
Whether you wonder what messages you're sending with your body language or you just want some tips to brush up on your communication skills, here are some techniques you can try. Katharina Engelhardt shares general principles, head and body adjustments.
Body language is an important interpersonal skill. By taking conscious control of your nonverbal communication, you help yourself to feel more confident and you put others at ease.
Body language and career confidence are the center of her course SPEAK UP!
Why Are People So Anxious About Public Speaking?
Why Are People So Anxious About Public Speaking?
Public Speaking Fear can be paralyzing... You probably know the feeling. You can work for weeks, learn the materials, prepare the presentation. You try to ignore the anxiety. And then it's the moment... You go to the stand... Your throat is dry, you begin to stutter... Your brain feels empty. The good news is that this phobia can be reversed and that there are lots of help to overcome this problem.
In my course SPEAK UP! We tackle exactly this topic.