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Lead a Ship or Jump Ship?!

There are huge challenges facing many firms and enormous pressure on leaders. I think our old models and ways of leading no longer adequately serve 21^st century firms. However, there is a jungle of advice out there, the good, the bad and the ugly.

I‘m really interested in learning about the latest thinking and ways in which we can unlock the talent and potential in firms. But I appreciate that this is a massive task and there are no magic solutions. However, there are a lot of great people out there doing amazing things. I wanted to share this latest thinking and learning with anyone who is frustrated with the old methods and wants to learn how situations can be transformed.

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Has the Judicial Appointments Commission Created a Level Playing Field for Solicitors?

Depending on the actual judicial post, competition is increasing with the applications to posts ratios ranging from 8:1 to 21:1. So for some competitions you have to be in the top 5% of candidates. No recruitment process is perfect and with the talent applying for both the salaried and fee paid positions the reality is that many very good candidates won’t even make it to the selection day. With HMCTS in the process of cutting 37.8% from their budget and various policies seeking to reduce the work that reaches the courts and tribunals, it seems realistic that the number of sitting opportunities will be reduced. Add this to concerns in both professions and we can expect to see more candidates seeking fewer jobs.

So you have a choice:

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5- A- Side Charity Football Quiz – The Biggest Event in Leeds Since Le Grand Depart?!!

A couple of years ago we ran a 5 a side football quiz for The Stephen Switalski Trust it was a roaring success. So we have decided to run another quiz this autumn to raise much needed funds for two charities Kids & Simon on the Streets. We’re delighted to confirm that the quiz master will again be Richard Clews who set and ran a fantastic quiz last time.

It will take place in Trinity Arts, the wonderful venue adjacent to Trinity, in Leeds city centre on Thursday 18 September with a prompt kick off at 6pm and full time due for 7.45pm.

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Blog, Staple Stories

A Truly Liberating 5 Letter Word

I had a painful divorce 19 years ago after my wife left me and subsequently I moved away from Sheffield. Sadly I’ve seen her at a few funerals since and it has smarted. I could see we had both been invited to a mutual friend’s 50^th weekend party and mini-festival. I wanted to see my other friends but not her nor the guy she left me for.

My wife has been encouraging me to let go and forgive my ex for years but I couldn’t, as I believed I needed her to say sorry.

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Interviews: The Answer Lies Within

“You are hugely resourceful and inspiring and I do believe you add value. Also I love that you are personable and grounded and tell it “just as it is”. –  Client May 2014

Sometimes you learn things from unexpected places. Last summer I was in New York and, having been persuaded by my son, I reluctantly ended up going to a Lego exhibition! But it was no ordinary Lego exhibition it was brilliant, challenging and thought provoking art by a former corporate lawyer Nathan Sawaya.

I’ve been running a number of workshops recently and one to one interview coaching sessions.

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Becoming A Judge – Judicial Workshops

 I will be donating 10% of the proceeds from my workshop to the CLSA/LCCSA Fund for the Judicial Review of the Ministry of Justice.

However, please also contribute: http://www.lccsa.org.uk/donate-towards-the-cost-of-judicial-review/

Where, when & why should you attend?

Leeds Wednesday 30 April 2014 – please do come and join us and you will:

– gain insights and advice about competency based recruitment;

– learn how to make your application forms standout;

– discover how you can prepare to succeed at interviews.

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The Sound of Silence – Learning to Enjoy Interviews

Good interviewers will use a pause or silence to see how candidates respond. In my experience it is one of the most powerful interview techniques. In some situations silence is golden yet in others it can make you feel very uncomfortable. Interviews can be highly stressful situations and time either seems to fly, or grinds towards a halt at the worst possible moment.

So how do you manage silences in interviews?

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The Next Tango in Halifax – Luxury Skimming Stones

Artist, inventor and designer Dominic Wilcox came to Creative Calderdale and presented some of his unique work. He gave us an insight into how he develops his ideas and his creative work. He opened with the classic truism from Leonard Cohen “If I knew where ideas came from I’d go there more often”.

At the bottom I’ll share a link to his website as it is simply brilliant.

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