Elaine’s Blog

Maybe I’m a year-round grinch, but when I worked in any organisation, I hated the smiley, fakey, irritating team-building exercises that companies feel they have to put on for their staff. Especially the ice-breaking part where people would sit in a circle and the...

Who doesn’t like a hero? Someone to take charge and make things better. Someone to rely on and trust that they catch you if you fall. My dad was my hero when I was young. I thought he knew everything and everyone. It didn’t occur to me that the men he called by name...

‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass,’ Anton Chekhov. Writers are constantly told to show, not tell, aren’t they? Instead of telling the reader what happens, show them through action and dialogue. This is easier said than...

Do you neglect your dog? I’ll bet you don’t. I’ll bet my last chocolate in the box that you look after your dog. I’ll bet you worry about time when you’re out as you have to get back for the dog. You walk your dog regularly and only feed it the best food. You’ve...

‘“I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. I’ve learned that life always offers us a second chance to prove ourselves.”  Maya Angelou. People often talk about getting or wanting a second chance. But to do what? Why will a second chance...

What on earth am I talking about? Why would you collect noes? Who wants to be told no? But collecting noes is freeing; it’s your golden ticket to peace of mind. Saying no is one of the first words that children pick up. When your toddler said no for the first time,...

I’m sure you’re aware of the old chestnut that communicationLife in 93% body language and only 7% the words you use. What a pile of poo. This myth came about in 1967 when Albert Mehrabian ran an experiment with 137 college undergraduates and determined that 7% of...