Articles

Balance Curve publishes articles designed to support and assist our clients. Some of our articles are found below and on LinkedIn.

All Posts

Effective Communication is Critical for High Performance

20th March 2024

I recently spent a “Development Day” with a highly engaged group of Board Directors who were all committed to improving their performance as a team. Our focus for the day was on how the Directors could become more effective communicators. Research makes it clear that effective communication is critical for high performance, so we drew…

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The problem with silence

1st March 2024

Last December I ran four of my Mastering Hard Conversations programs with a diverse group of leaders – two in a government agency and two in a not-for-profit organisation. Participants shared stories of stressful workplaces, destructive conflict, and dysfunctional, poor performing teams. A common theme was the failure of people to share their voice – to…

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Rebuilding Trust in Organisations – it doesn’t happen by magic!

22nd February 2024

Last year, I had the opportunity to work closely with several teams that were struggling to perform at their best. As I delved into the dynamics of each team, it became evident that a significant hurdle they faced was a breakdown in relationships stemming from a loss of trust. This challenge isn’t uncommon. Trust within…

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The Power of Curiosity and the Art of Asking Questions

25th October 2023

Mastering Hard Conversations The Power of Curiosity & The Art of Asking Questions Communicating with “difficult” people can be a challenge. Whether you like it or not, there will be times when you must navigate uncomfortable conversations with people who have a different perspective to you. By bringing a mindset of curiosity to the situation,…

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Anticipating and dealing with objections

14th September 2023

It’s easy to be thrown off-balance during a hard conversation. Sometimes you’ll prepare for the conversation and think you’ve got it under control and then find yourself blindsided. An unexpected question or objection completely throws you off-balance. Suddenly what seemed simple becomes complicated, and you feel completely out of control. To prepare well for a…

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Three people sit at a desk. The young woman and man are both wearing glasses and look at a male colleague whose face is in profile.There is an open laptop between them and they are smiling.

Resolving disputes – Finding Common Ground

7th August 2023

Sometimes you will find yourself involved in a dispute or conflict at work. Despite your best efforts to explain your position and be reasonable, the other person will simply refuse to budge. It can make your life, and the life of those around you miserable. What can you do in these sorts of situations?  “Find…

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Becoming a better listener

25th July 2023

Being a great listener is a powerful skill that has many benefits. It helps you build trust. When people feel heard, they will then listen to what you have to say. When people feel heard, they appreciate you. And if you are a leader, when people feel heard, they will be more likely to follow…

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Using Performance Reviews to Motivate and Engage

18th July 2023

If you aim to create a high performance culture then you need to be thinking and talking about performance all the time.  I advocate that leaders should have regular performance review meetings with their team members.   The frequency of the meetings depends on the experience of the team member but, for most, monthly or quarterly…

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A man sits between two women at a table in an office. They are wearing casual work clothes - one of the women has long orange hair. They look disengaged from each other.

When people choose silence, rather than expressing their issues, organisations lose

29th June 2023

Leaders are expected to not only have hard conversations, but also do them well. And this is the expectation in the private and public sectors. The New South Wales Government, for example, has developed a set of capabilities – the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework – used to help develop their leaders. Many of the…

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Mastering Hard Conversations – The Art of Self-Reflection

16th June 2023

Conflict in the workplace is inevitable. Whether you like it or not, there will be times when you must navigate uncomfortable conversations and make tough decisions. The first step in becoming better at this is becoming good at the art of self-reflection. That is, understanding what’s going on for you in relation to the situation…

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