Article as it appeared in Vroukeur magazine. By Carien Grobler (Translated into English)
The word "criticism" sounds negative and unacceptable in a world where everyone says you should focus on the positive. It can however be positive, writes Carien Grobler.
I was interviewed for Umhlanga Life Blog, in my capacity as President of the Durban Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA) and convenor of the convention. To read it click here.
Article as it appeared in Wellness magazine. By Natasha Liviero
Discovering what you really want in life, or how indeed to achive it, is not always easy. It may even evade you.
The Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA) has launched its first book, Secrets To Success In The Corporate World. It comprises 10 chapters, written by 10 members of the PSASA, and is aimed at equipping leaders who want to hone their skills and succeed in the corporate world, and in life.
My chapter is called Stop Sabotaging Your Dreams, in which I explore the reasons why we unconsciously, but effectively, sabotage our desire to live our dream life - and what we can do to change our faulty belief systems, and ultimately live the life we really want to.
If you would like to order copies of this book, please contact me.
Price: R140.00 (Excludes postage)
Understanding that you have the right to ask for what you want is the key to becoming a more assertive person. Assertiveness helps you feel better about yourself and your self-control in everyday situations, and increases your chances of having honest relationships. But, how can we be assertive without being selfish – and what is the difference between the two?
Conflict occurs when the goals, needs or opinions of one person clash with those of another. Unchecked, this conflict can escalate into full-blown hostility and even violence. When viewed constructively, however, conflict can actually become a valuable and productive growth experience. What skills can we develop to help us handle conflict situations correctly, ensuring a positive outcome for both parties?
Learning to identify the different communication styles - and recognising which one we use most often in our daily interactions with friends, family and colleagues - is essential if we want to develop effective, assertive communication skills. But how can we tell the difference between the styles, and is there a time and place for each one in certain situations?
Even with the ever-growing dominance of computers and social networking sites, and the popularity of e-mail and text messaging, the telephone continues to be the tool of choice for most business communication. It is very important, therefore, to establish good telephone manners in order to convey a polished professional image. Poor telephone technique, sloppy cell phone savvy and missing mobile manners all detract from the impression you make when you make a call.
Here are some practical guidelines to help you foster fabulous phone finesse, ensuring you are heard even when you’re not seen!
Criticism is often seen as a negative thing – look it up in any Thesaurus and you'll find it right there alongside such choice words as condemnation, disapproval, nit-picking and fault-finding. This is solely down to the fact that most people only ever criticise in a negative way. And we only ever refer to criticism as criticism when it's negative – positive criticism becomes 'approval' or 'praise'.
The truth is, criticism, when given in an appropriate way at an appropriate time, can have many positive effects – both for the giver and the recipient. The trick is to learn how to criticise in a positive and constructive manner, and to watch out for the pitfalls of negative criticism.
We all make plans we don't stick to and make resolutions we don't keep. It's easy to think big - but even easier to act small. Why do we do this? Why do we sabotage our dreams and fail to reach our goals? And what can we do to ensure we end up living the life of our dreams?
