HR Coffee Time

Gravitas can help you make an impact throughout your HR career, but it can feel hard to define, and even harder to work out how to develop it. Antoinette Dale Henderson is on hand to help. Having made it her life’s work to decode the elements that contribute to gravitas and teach us how to improve our own personal gravitas, she shares some of her key insights and tips in this episode of HR Coffee Time, including:Antoinette’s definition of gravitas, “The ability to command respect, get taken seriously, and get your voice heard. All while retaining your own authentic self.”How gender impacts perception of gravitas.The six components of Antoinette’s model, The Gravitas Wheel.Internal components: self-awareness, expertise, authenticityExternal components: presence, connection, projectionSitting in the centre of the wheel: purposeHow to plan using OPRAHS to make sure you have maximum presence in a situation:O: objective – what’s your objective?P: people – which people will be there & what’s their objective?R: role – what role am I playing?A: attitude – what attitude do I need to have?H: hear – what am I going to hear?S: say – what am I going to say?Increasing or decreasing your presence using body language, voice, eye contact and clothingUseful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career CoachingConnect with Antoinette on LinkedInFollow Antoinette on InstagramAntoinette’s websiteBuy the Book Recommendations(Disclosure: the book links are affiliate links which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)Leading With Gravitas: Unlock the six keys to impact and influence, by Antoinette Dale HendersonPower Up: The Smart Woman’s Guide to Unleashing Her Potential, by Antoinette Dale HendersonLook Like The Leader You Are: A 7 step strategy for ambitious women, by Lizzie EdwardsCompelling People: The Hidden Qualities That Make Us Influential, by John Neffinger & Matthew Kohut Other Relevant HR Coffee Time EpisodesEpisode 91: How to be more assertive at work – a fresh approach, with Trisha LewisEpisode 73: 5 ways to feel more confident in your next interview, meeting, or presentationLooking For the Transcript?You can find transcripts for all episodes on the HR Coffee Time section of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website. Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email. Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

Contracting (taking on a role that isn’t a permanent position) can be a great option for your HR career. But how do you know whether it’s the right fit for you?This episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help you answer that question. Experienced HR contractor – Eleanor Minshall, shares her insights and explains:How she made the switch from permanent employment to contracting.The benefits of contractingThe downsides of contracting to be aware ofUseful skills to have as a contractorHow to get a contract roleHow to set yourself up for success in a contract role Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching Buy the Book Recommendations(Disclosure: book links are affiliate links which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)‘Will It Make The Boat Go Faster?: Olympic-winning Strategies for Everyday Success’ by Harriet Beveridge & Ben Hunt-Davis‘Legacy: 15 Lessons in Leadership’ by James Kerr Other HR Coffee Time Episodes MentionedEpisode 04: Finding your next HR job – key tips from an HR Recruiter, with Tansel OmerEpisode 13: How to get a senior-level role, with Craig ElvinEpisode 101: How to build confidence with networking for HR career success, with Yvonne WalshLooking For the Transcript?You can find transcripts for all episodes on the HR Coffee Time section of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website. Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk. Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

Build your confidence and knowledge about strategy with this episode of HR Coffee Time. Fay talks you through the key takeaways from Richard Rumelt’s modern business classic, “Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The difference and why it matters.”Not only will this help you create more powerful People and HR strategies, but it will also help you understand how to craft and contribute to the overarching strategy for the whole organisation you work in.This episode will be helpful for you, no matter which role you’re ultimately aiming for, but it will be especially useful if you’d like to move into a Board-level role (or are already in one).Ideas shared in the episode, include:The kernel of good strategy is made up of:A diagnosis that defines or explains the nature of the challengeA guiding policy for dealing with the challengeA set of coherent actions designed to carry out the guiding policy9 sources of power:LeverageProximate objectivesChain-link systemsUsing designFocusGrowthUsing advantageUsing dynamicsInertia and entropy Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching Buy the Book Recommendation(Disclosure: the book link is an affiliate link which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through it)Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The difference and why it matters, by Richard Rumelt Other Relevant HR Coffee Time EpisodesEpisode 26: How to be strategic in your new HR leadership roleEpisode 61: The 4 pillars that will help you be strategic in your HR roleEpisode 77: How to create an effective DEI strategy, with Metra RoweEpisode 98: HR insider insights: how to create a powerful people strategy for an SME, with Kelly VincentLooking For the Transcript?You can find transcripts for all episodes on the HR Coffee Time section of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website. Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk. Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email. Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

Yvonne Walsh, a seasoned HR professional and chartered fellow of the CIPD, shares her 35-year career journey and the pivotal role networking played in her success. She discusses how to overcome nerves about networking, particularly for those who are naturally introverted. Practical tips on engaging in both physical and virtual environments are offered, emphasizing the importance of genuine connections, following up, and utilizing platforms like LinkedIn. Yvonne also reflects on personal growth, drawing inspiration from Michelle Obama's insights.

For this special milestone episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay shares three of the lessons she has learnt from creating 100 episodes of the podcast. They’re lessons that can apply to everyone, no matter what point they are at in their career and no matter what job they do:You can make time for what matters, even if you think you can’t.Aim for progress over perfection.People are wonderful and happy to help.Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career CoachingThe Essential HR Planner Other HR Coffee Time Episodes MentionedEpisode 90: How a ‘Personal Board’ can help solve your challenges at work  Episode 29: Making a success of your promotion to a leadership role, with Jacqui JaggerEpisode 89: How to reach your HR career goals by understanding your tendencyEpisode 92: Time Management tips to stay on top of your busy day, with Louisa van VessemEpisode 67: How to get on top of email overwhelm when you’re in a busy HR roleEpisode 45: 6 ways to stop procrastinating & find time for important projects at workEpisode 07: What to do when there aren’t enough hours in the dayEpisode 80: How quarterly reviews can help you thrive in your HR careerEpisode 85: 6 questions to prioritise what matters for your HR/People careerEpisode 43: The one thing that will boost your resilience throughout your HR career, with Tom ClearyEpisode 32: How to write work emails that get results, with Kim ArnoldEpisode 37: The ‘first 100 days’ plan to succeed in your new HR leadership role, with Niamh O’KeeffeEpisode 11: Networking – the 3 most important networks for your careerEpisode 15: How networking can help your careerEpisode 16: How to become more confident about networkingLooking For the Transcript?You can find transcripts for all episodes from episodes 66 onwards on the HR Coffee Time section of the Bright Sky Career Coaching website. Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

Pete Colby, Director and lead mediator at Pragmatism, shares his expertise in resolving workplace disputes through mediation. He discusses how mediation skills can effectively address workplace conflicts, offering a powerful alternative to traditional grievance processes. Pete emphasizes the importance of active listening and open dialogue to prevent issues from escalating. He also highlights the emotional impact of effective mediation on workplace dynamics and how anyone can become a successful mediator, fostering collaboration and trust.

If you’re wrestling with the challenge of crafting an effective People Strategy, this episode of HR Coffee Time is here to help. Kelly Vincent, Head of People & Culture at a thriving edtech company, shares her insights into building a powerful People Strategy from the ground up.Kelly’s key insights, tips and learnings from the experience of creating a powerful People Strategy for an SME include:Get buy-in from the CEO and senior leadership team.Spend time getting to understand the business and the people within it.Align the People Strategy with the business strategy.Review what is already in place.Get all your ideas out of your head and onto paper, so you can focus.Prioritise because you’ll have more ideas than you can implement in one year.Identify what the outputs will be from your strategy.Assess how long it will take you to achieve the goals you’ve set in the People Strategy.Identify whether your plans need to involve other departments and find out if they have time to support you.Your strategy will be shaped by how much time your ideas will take to implement and the resources that you’ll need.Keep a record of you ‘spilled over ideas’ that didn’t make it into this year’s strategy, so you can consider them again in the future.Chose KPIs and measures that are suitable for your strategy.Carve out dedicated time to work on your strategy – giving yourself regular time slots, instead of trying to write the whole thing in one day can be helpful.Kelly chose to have 3 pillars in her People Strategy because this aligned with the overall business strategy that also used 3 pillars. Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career CoachingKelly’s Book Recommendation(Disclosure: the book link is an affiliate link which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through it)‘Take Back Your Power: 10 New Rules for Women at Work’, by Deborah Liu  Other Relevant HR Coffee Time EpisodesEpisode 58: How to feel more confident using data & analytics in your HR role, with Angela MoyleEpisode 26: How to be strategic in your new HR leadership roleEpisode 61: The 4 pillars that will help you be strategic in your HR roleEpisode 77: How to create an effective DEI strategy, with Metra Rowe Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk. Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email.Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

If you’d like to build your confidence, influence, impact and credibility at work, then the group programme, Inspiring HR, might be just what you’re looking for. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay talks through the purpose behind creating Inspiring HR and what to expect if you join.Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career CoachingInspiring HR: further information & sign-up detailsBooks Recommended in This Episode(Disclosure: the book links are affiliate links which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)Everything I Know about Life I Learned from PowerPoint, by Russell DaviesThe Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker Other HR Coffee Time Episodes Mentioned in This EpisodeEpisode 96: Finding the perfect HR role: is a standalone position right for you?Episode 94: Summer reads: 3 great books to help your HR careerEpisode 76: HR insider tips on how to create an amazing remote working culture, with Claire CathcartEpisode 3: Building relationships with difficult people at workEpisode 75: What psychometrics are, how you can use them & why they’re so helpful, with Sue ColtonEpisode 74: How to get better at presenting and feel more confident about it  Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk.Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email. How Fay & Bright Sky Career Coaching Can Help YouIf you’ve been enjoying the podcast & would like some support from Fay or her colleagues at Bright Sky, take a look at all their services detailed on the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

Standalone roles are typically found in start-ups and smaller organizations where the People team consists of only one member – you! It's a challenging yet rewarding role. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, guests Nicola Head and Georgina Wright talk through the positives and challenges they've encountered in their experience of standalone HR/People roles, along with valuable advice on how to thrive in such a position.If you're considering a standalone role for the first time this episode aims to demystify the role and help you determine if it might be the perfect fit for you.Some of the many things covered include:The autonomy and freedom a standalone role can bring.The importance of prioritisation.The challenges of the role, including a lack of peers to sense check or run ideas past.How to set yourself up for success by building a strong support network, investing in automation and systems, and keeping your employment law knowledge up to date.Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career Coaching Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk. Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email. How Fay & Bright Sky Career Coaching Can Help YouIf you’ve been enjoying the podcast & would like some support from Fay or her colleagues at Bright Sky, take a look at all their services detailed on the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR

As remote and hybrid working have become the new norm, it can be a real challenge to build trust and connections amongst our colleagues. Email has become more critical than ever before, now there aren’t the same opportunities for sharing communication in-person.In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Kim Arnold returns for her second appearance on the show. She shares invaluable on writing impactful emails, to create stronger bonds and trust throughout your organisation. And just as importantly, she explains when not to use email (and what to do instead), so people don’t feel bombarded or overwhelmed.Whether you have an internal comms team, or you handle all the People communications yourself, Kim’s brilliant email practices will empower you to make a positive impact in your role as a People Professional.Some of the many things Kim covers in the episode are:·     We’re being judged far more on the content of our email now that we have fewer physical interactions with our colleagues.·     Putting some of our personality into our emails can create much stronger bonds.·     Common email mistakes to avoid, so you don’t erode trust. ·     Leveraging copywriting tips, including Andy Maslen’s ‘KFC’ framework.·     How to overcome writer's block and tackle the blank page in front of you.·     Tackling email overwhelm for yourself and your organisation.·     The benefits of creating an ‘email playbook’. Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInFay’s website: Bright Sky Career CoachingConnect with Kim on LinkedInKim Arnold’s websiteBook Recommendations(Disclosure: the book links are affiliate links which means that Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them)Kim’s book: ‘Email Attraction: Get what you want every time you hit send’Kim’s book recommendation: ‘Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it’ by Chris VossKim’s book recommendation from when she was last on the show: ‘Can I Change Your Mind?: The Craft & Art of Persuasive Writing’ by Lindsay Camp Other Relevant HR Coffee Time EpisodesEpisode 32: How to write work emails that get results, with Kim ArnoldEpisode 67: How to get on top of email overwhelm when you’re in a busy HR roleEpisode 76: HR insider tips on how to create an amazing remote working culture Rate and Review the PodcastIf you found this episode of HR Coffee Time helpful, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're kind enough to leave a review, let Fay know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: fay@brightskycareercoaching.co.uk. Enjoyed This Episode? Don't Miss the Next One!Be notified each time a new episode of HR Coffee Time is released and get access to other free career tips, tools and resources by signing up to receive the free weekly HR Coffee Time email. How Fay & Bright Sky Career Coaching Can Help YouIf you’ve been enjoying the podcast & would like some support from Fay or her colleagues at Bright Sky, take a look at all their services detailed on the Bright Sky Career Coaching website.Mentioned in this episode:Learn More About Inspiring HRLearn more about the Inspiring HR Leadership Programme and save your place on the cohort that starts on 30th April 2025.Inspiring HR