Tertiary Catalogue

Say "yes" to new career opportunities and most people will find a new injection of career rocket fuel. As Dr Judy Olian explains to Eve Ash, accepting unusual roles as they present themselves allows people to "step out of the safe zone", take calculated risks, learn from failure - all while retaining one's integrity. The idea is to broaden, not stuck in one's career past. As Judy points out, no-one but you is responsible for managing your career. Show Less

Psychologist Eve Ash asks: are you proud of what you do, or are you falling back on a mindless routine? Aim for the very highest—Personal Responsibility In Delivering Excellence. PRIDE is the fantastic feeling you get when you've gone that one extra step in striving for your best. People notice! Show Less

There are four ingredients that add up to becoming a HERO in the workplace. Psychologist Eve Ash takes us through the necessary qualities of being Honest (someone who says what they think, gives feedback and honest criticism) and Ethical (does the right thing for the team, the organization and the community). They are Respectful—polite, interested and caring, no matter what experience, culture or nationality they encounter. And they are Optimistic—not dampening others' ideas, instead looking for opportunity. Show Less

Behavioral expert, Peter Quarry, knows what unreliability in a colleague can be like. He suggests first explaining to them why their behavior causes problems. If this fails, you can try appealing to their personal brand and their desire to look good, by getting them to make promises in front of others. Praise them and thank them if they deliver; otherwise hold them to account—all in front of others. Show Less

The pressure on us all to achieve results can result in feelings of stress and being overwhelmed. Psychology expert, Peter Quarry, suggests calming your brain through a simple, effective slow breathing technique; using the "now or later" approach to prioritizing what must be done (and feeling more in control); and focusing on completing tasks, one at a time, rather than wasting time shifting gears and continuously multi-tasking. Show Less

Blowing the whistle on unethical or illegal practices is a tough decision to make. Your values and integrity may be compromised by what you've seen. You may be fearing the consequences. Psychology expert, Peter Quarry, recommends asking yourself five specific questions, ascertaining degree and frequency of behaviours, their impact and what if anything is already being done. If the answers trouble you, seek independent advice before determining a path forward. Show Less

Low self-esteem is a state of mind caused by many factors, and it can badly affect productivity and careers. Psychology expert, Peter Quarry believes triggers for low self-esteem can be avoided by identifying the things you do well each day, building a self-esteem file for collecting evidence of your accomplishments and updating the file regularly with new successes. Show Less

It is tempting when things continually go wrong to blame an incompetent manager. Peter Quarry, psychology expert, suggests first doing a reality check with someone independent (it might be a personality clash causing the problem). Try clearly communicating your needs to the manager while negotiating outcomes. Be flexible and share coping strategies with others. If you can no longer cope, it may be time to leave that team. Show Less

Being angry can become a self-destructive habit, causing anxiety and high blood pressure. Psychology expert Peter Quarry says a healthier way to manage anger is realizing that it is a form of energy. This energy is much better funneled into creative projects, planning to do something happy with colleagues or family, or accomplishing personal goals. Show Less

Being surrounded by complainers is hard, but as Peter Quarry points out, there's ways to handle them. You can acknowledge what they're saying, showing empathy and putting forward positive solutions. If they persist, and especially if you work with them, they are best ignored as what they really seek is attention. When you don't react, there's no payoff. Show Less

Behavioral expert, Peter Quarry, talks about the importance of being able to convince others when working together. This entails being able to promote your credentials so that others will listen to you; communicating no more than 3-5 key points; and preparing for objections with answers that focus on benefits. Show Less

50% of people complain they've become addicted to their mobile device. Behavioural expert, Peter Quarry, shows how to bust digital addiction through reducing screen time, switching devices off (go and walk that dog without the phone!) and setting yourself challenging goals that in essence create healthy new habits. Before you know it, you'll be digitally detoxed. Show Less

We all get stuck in career ruts from time to time. If you feel unmotivated or unconfident, Peter Quarry believes in first taking "baby steps" (e.g. updating your LinkedIn profile, networking to make new contacts, finding a mentor). Don't rush into something new—take time to research how your field is changing. Reinvent yourself by repacking your expertise and building on the opportunities available to you. Show Less

Arriving on time for interview, looking sharp and well-laundered are just a few of the many steps towards getting the job. Be familiar not only with the job, but the company and the industry it is in. Do your research. Have a clear, direct and correctly punctuated résumé; itemize your skills, education and experience without drowning people in information. The interns learn to develop their ability to talk up their strengths with simple yet powerful examples. The more they practice job interview answers the better they become. They learn to beware of being vague, adding too much information or asking the wrong questions. Show Less

Dion considers he is a hot new prospect for the company but Michael tells him he's arrogant, snarky and a know-it-all. Sam, Serena and Steve help the interns to recognize their strengths and to surprise people with their research and knowledge and show how it can be of benefit to the company. Sometimes people have skills that can be built into strengths. Tatiana concedes she is argumentative; Steve explains that seeing the other side of things is a strength when it comes to understanding a client's perspective. It is also an asset in negotiation and customer skills. The interns both acknowledge they have learned more about themselves and their attitudes to work—and self-awareness is critical for improvement. Michael is touched by Dion's genuine passion for his work and ends up telling Dion none of the staff liked him when he first arrived. Show Less

Dion hears some tough feedback from Carol who explains why she would not hire him. It's important for everyone to welcome feedback—both positive and critical feedback, but Sam gets defensive when Michael offers feedback on his latest policy document. Dion is taken aside by Marcus to discuss his behaviour and Marcus encourages to perform better. Dion deals with the setback well, an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Tammy seeks advice on how to give Sanjay feedback. Marcus leads a session on how to give and receive constructive feedback. Dion and Carlos give each other feedback and Casey gets feedback from Tammy. Everyone learns to appreciate feedback. Show Less

It's 'Blue Moon' day at Cutting Edge. Marcus tells his team it's about pulling ideas out of the blue and working on them collaboratively. Dion has trouble staying awake but learns that his body language shows he is not interested. He discovers the importance of contributing to meetings, not just giving smart remarks. When Michael and Sam argue about mess, Sam is quick to point out Michael needs to complain less and actually share the workload to resolve it. The interns are encouraged to be resourceful, solve problems and show initiative. When Serena reports a breach of office security, Dion volunteers to do something about it. His disguise to test security doesn't fool Carlos, but he is praised for his willingness to help solve the problem. Marcus is proud when Dion suggests 'Do your best every time' at the team training session on service. Show Less

Cutting Edge wants people who are enthusiastic and keen to build their skills and focus on learning. Carol and Serena are not impressed with Dion's performance to date. Steve advises intern Tatiana to be a sponge and soak up new ideas and courses in order to remain valuable to her employer. Carlos wants Steve to be his coach and Dion asks Michael if he can work alongside him. Dealing with difficult people is a major skill for anyone, as Carlos discovers when Steve teaches him to be Zen in conflict situations. Serena coaches Dion and Tatiana to present themselves positively and "talk up" their skills. And Carlos encourages Dion to apologize to Carol, which he does. Show Less

The Cutting Edge team can be messy and unorganized, something that the VP, Serena, dislikes intensely. Carol is not happy with Casey's Post-it notes. Serena stresses the importance of taking notes and looking competent and efficient, especially when one is new to the job. The best way to get organized is to determine priorities. Sherry explains how to break things down in order of what needs doing first, second and later. When it comes to planning, Marcus shows how without a plan for the emergency drill, nothing goes right, and Serena ends up injured at the bottom of the stairs. One person's lack of organization creates a ripple effect on the team. The interns learn about the importance of being on time and keeping promises, and how to best manage pressure and multi-task effectively. Show Less

It's time to get serious about goals—but not Dion! Everyone at Cutting Edge knows the importance of goals: Carol is always setting them, Steve wants to be best in sales, Tatiana would like to be an international attorney. Dion wants to be president of the United States—but he has no steps in place to achieve this, and he must be realistic. Goals must be specific, and Dion must make his goals measurable and achievable by putting viable steps in place, they must be relevant and achieved within a set timeframe (SMART goals). Persistence is needed to get through the challenges and obstacles. Show Less

Confidence is a necessary part of the workplace. Casey is marked immediately as a person lacking confidence. She needs to become aware of how she talks and comes across. As Sam points out, changing her intonation and using fewer vague indecisive words like "I think" and "maybe" will convey a more positive impression. Casey gets some helpful coaching from Sanjay who has no issues with being assertive. Carol and Michael inform Dion that assertiveness is not a matter of wearing power glasses. Good advice is given about changing negative thinking. Steve coaches Tatiana in turning situations to their best advantage and the importance of requesting help. Show Less

Dion thinks it's fine to interrupt a discussion with Serena by taking a call. Tatiana rolls her eyes, sighs and is not attentive. Carol complains that the interns speak in text talk. The interns have something in common: inadequate communication skills. They are told the importance of positive body language—good eye contact and smiling, and listening and showing respect. Alex patiently coaches Dion to deal with an anxious customer on the phone, while Tatiana is told how to productively raise questions in meetings. Show Less

The new Cutting Edge interns, Dion and Tatiana have not got off to their best start. Dion is very casual about arrival times and what he's wearing to work, while Tatiana is negative and blasé. Carol and Steve explain the importance of dressing appropriately for work, and the necessity of a firm handshake and good eye contact. Serena sets Dion straight on the importance of details (such as knowing her correct title and name) and listening politely when others speak. Show Less