• You will hear five short recordings.• For each recording, decide what the spe

No matter what kind of business situation I’m in, it’s always important to know exactly who the individual is I’m communicating with. The worst mistake you can make is to fail to find out what drives them - money, status or whatever. Once you’ve worked that out, you’ll be able to ensure you communicate what’s in it for them personally. This should essentially govern the way you respond to people, enabling you to stay in control of the situation and achieve the desired outcome.

I’ve learnt some valuable management lessons over the years, not least in how to avoid the failure of a project. No matter what your position is, you always have to be prepared for opposition. And it’s important to anticipate this by getting as many colleagues as possible on your side, so that if, in discussions, someone objects to your plans, you - and a number of others - are able to give an immediate response in order to silence your opponent.