Teryl @ Work

"Never judge a book by its cover" - well, eBooks have certainly changed this, for me, because its not about the cover, its about the content, the advertorial and the recommendations of other readers. When I was a teenager, I read a book that had a profound impact on me - A Patch of Blue, by Elizabeth Kata. The story is about a young white blind girl who meets a black man and falls in love.   The realisation of how much of our judgement of people is based on their externals, was both depressing and empowering. Depressing because if you don't fit into preconceived ideas of what success looks like, you are at a disadvanatage Empowering because that knowledge allows you to work at making the best of yourself by reading widely, practising lifelong learning, as well as looking professional (industry appropriate) and being reasonably well organised. Angela Peacock and the People Development Team, have done great work around conscious and unconscious bias, and the impact...

There is a difference between your personal and professional brand, although they are overlapping more and more, thanks to social networking. Its one thing when you damage your own brand, but there is a form of workplace bullying that can impact on you personally, and it is critical to address it quickly, should it happen to you. When your personal integrity is brought into question, the damage can be far reaching.   As a woman, it is extremely important to set personal standards and guidelines for yourself in the workplace, and ensure that the lines are not crossed eg inappropriate teasing and comments about your looks, sexuality, and personal life are not office material, so try to keep that door closed, if possible.   There is an enormous difference between a lovely compliment, and a comment about your appearance that makes you feel deeply uncomfortable.  Sometimes, it is not the words, but the way they are said, and where they are looking when they speak, that cau...