Born into a Sudanese family, my parents made a significant decision that would shape my experiences as a Black woman in ways I could never have anticipated. They chose to move our family to a small town in Oxfordshire, far away from their Sudanese community. This decision, coupled with my education at a Catholic primary […]
Once upon a time there was a vogue for stoic and silent types, based on characters which sizzled on the screen while rarely saying a word. Typified by Clint Eastwood and Bette Davis, who could hold an audience with a simple change of expression, more recent years the likes of Tom Hardy in Mad Max […]
Let me pose a hypothetical scenario for you. Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Kier Starmer walk in to a bar and grab a table (I did say hypothetical!). They are closely followed by Adele, Graham Norton and Daniel Radcliffe who take a table at the other side of the room. Which trio would you like […]
A recent research study has suggested that we increasingly have a need for more speed in how we consume content. Does this suggest that there are lessons to be drawn about how we communicate, particularly there is a mix of generations in the workplace? According to a study by YouGov, there is a cultural shift […]
There is much to be said for communicating one’s annoyance or disapproval with a ‘look’. Paddington Bear was an expert in such a look, in the form of his trademark hard stare, which often caused the receiver to become flushed and embarrassed. I have a look which I bring out when, mid-way through a conversation, […]
The virtual world looks very different depending on the generation looking at it. Millennial and Gen Z readers, with an instinctive knowledge of it, may feel an inclination to look away now. I urge you not to – at least not yet – as I ponder the topic of how to create the best virtual […]
Panels. “They are excruciating, but necessary,” one partner says. “You can get over 200 questionnaires to fill in every year for mid-panel or full panel reviews, it’s a full time job,” another exclaims. “There can be a bit of a disconnect as to what is actually expected of you, and what a company wants from […]
Partners are (for the most part) brilliant lawyers, but nobody’s perfect and questions can sometimes be raised around their competence in one particular area: communication. We get it. They are under pressure. Extremely busy. And while technically gifted when it comes to all things legal, sometimes when it comes to things like communication style, they […]
Politicians do it, footballers do it, even the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Flea does it… And if you were attracted to the title of this article, it’s highly likely that you have considered making a podcast too! And why not? The podcast has been one of the biggest break out channels of communication in recent […]
The prospect of Donald Trump appearing on the ballot for the 2024 election may come as a surprise to all but his devoted fans. After all, this is a “politician” who, most agree, pushed the boundaries too far and appeared to have been burnt by the experience. But no, The Donald seems to be rising […]
Beautiful is not an adjective one would immediately associate with Boris Johnson, but the Financial Times decided recently that this was an apt description for the voice of the former Prime Minister. The same journalist continued that Mr Johnson’s voice is “deep and textured, raspy without crossing into sibilance”. While a columnist in a rival […]
We are all familiar with the so-called ‘January Blues’. A seemingly unavoidable low mood that hangs over the first month of every year. The days are too short and the to-do lists are too long. For those of us who have to take extra steps to protect our mental health (and I don’t know many […]