Show Notes
This week’s episode is for those of us who are natural givers and doers but who can struggle with receiving. I explore why receiving is a skill, how self-worth and control influence our ability to receive, as well as the connection between endless giving and burnout. If you’re someone who brushes aside compliments and feels guilty when resting, you’ll find this week’s episode helpful.
More from Your Time With James Sweetman
A chance encounter with a distressed stranger on a street in Dublin got me thinking about the nature of compassion. In this week’s episode, I share what happened and explore how we can remain compassionate without being naïve, balance kindness with healthy boundaries and care for others without carrying their struggles. As I learned, compassion isn't about seeing the best in everyone, but remembering that we never see the whole of anyone.
The key to performing well at a job interview is preparation, but is it possible to over-prepare? For almost 25 years I’ve helped experienced professionals prepare for important interviews. In this episode, I explore how to move from trying to perform at an interview to being present, and why an interview isn’t an exam with correct answers. I look at the subtle but powerful shift from trying to prove you’re good enough, to helping the interviewers understand what you would bring to the role. I also share what quality preparation looks like and how, when done well, it can enhance your confidence rather than erode it.
What happens when people find themselves in leadership roles, but the culture they’ve worked in has never allowed them to develop as leaders? This week I look at how command and control environments can unintentionally create a leadership skills gap and why asking people to take more ownership and be more proactive is rarely as simple as it sounds.I look at how organisations can begin to close that gap, why leadership development has to go beyond tools and frameworks, and share some insights and reflection questions for managers caught in that ‘messy middle’ between an old culture and a new way of working.
Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the 'Up Close with Oprah Winfrey' event in Dublin. Like many people, I've admired Oprah for many years and being in the room was a special experience.This week, I explore the ideas Oprah shared that resonated most deeply with me, including the importance of ‘owning your number’, trusting ourselves, shifting from asking ‘what am I earning?’ to ‘what am I offering?’ and the power of surrender when we’ve done all we can do. It’s a personal reflection on inspiration, purpose, ageing and the ongoing journey of becoming the fullest truest expression of ourselves.
Have you ever found yourself asking the question - where did the joy go? This week I look at why we can lose our connection with the things we love. How a passion can become a pressure, how a talent creates an expectation, and how something that once energised us, can now drain us. I share my own experiences of falling out of love with my business and how I reconnected with that original spark. I also speak about how joy is not something we need to find, it’s something we need to stop abandoning.