Resources

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
'Fear of tackling an issue with your boss, fear of getting to grips with a problem in your home. Fear of change. Fear of taking control... Everyone has these fears and they run throughout our lives. Susan Jeffers book shows how to break this Catch 22 cycle and work through fear to resolution.'

The Self Esteem Workbook by Lynda Field
'The Self Esteem Workbook is packed with practical and effective techniques and exercises which will help to bring a new sense of creativity and vision to your life. The book shows you how to develop and put into practice a self-esteem action plan to meet your own specific needs.'

Assertiveness at Work by Ken Back and Kate Back
'A practical guide to handling awkward situations. This book tackles all the awkward situations that arise with flatter structures, tough workloads and the need to exert influence across traditional boundaries'

Mind Tools

Ezine Articles

Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing

10 Steps to Positive Living by Windy Dryden
'The concept of personal responsibility is a major feature of positive living. My view is that you are responsible for matters which are within your sphere of influence. These prime areas belong to you as an individual - your thoughts, your feelings, the decisions that you make and the way that you act. You als have some influence over the likely consequences of your actions. Taking responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and actions is the first step towards discovering the exhilaration of positive living.' Windy Dryden

The Happiness Plan by Carmel McConnell

Simple steps to a happier life
'With Carmel McConnell's 'ABC' of a happier life, you can learn how to:

• Understand what can really make us happy (and it might not be what you think)
• Recognise the big sources of happiness in your life (and make more room for them)
• Use some simple, powerful techniques to achieve some lasting changes to your life.

So if you think you could be happier, now you can do something about it'

Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing

Story from BBC NEWS

Authentic Happiness

The Happiness project

Difficult Conversations by Anne Dickson
'Everyone one of us faces the need to speak up in difficult situations at some time. We may not like doing it, but not speaking up usually makes matters worse. So how do you communicate to your partner that something they do drives you mad, without it ending in a row? How do you correct or criticise a colleague without generating repercussions that you'll regret? How do you tell someone clearly of a decision that you know will cause disappointment or provoke strong disagreement? How do you handle conflict more confidently? In this book Anne Dickson describes a range of difficult conversations that frequently occur in intimate, social and work situations, and reveals simple but powerful techniques that will help you to transform the situation.'

Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
'Fierce Conversations shows you how to:

• Overcome barriers to meaningful conversations
• Express who you are and what you believe in
• Encourage others to reveal their true opinions
• Bring about real change through talking
• Confront tough issues with confidence and sensitivity
• Inspire followers, attract believers and build visions that become reality
• Build strong relationships with colleagues, clients, friends and family'

E Manager Magazine - Courageous conversations

Harvard Business Review