Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Thanks for taking the time to interview me. “How to be a Great Manager – Now” published by Pearson is my first mainstream book. I’m a Training Consultant and Speaker with a love of theatre which I still entertain from time to time. My academic background is Psychology and my Doctorate is from Brunel University Business School (focusing on the training and emotional support of customer-facing professionals – particularly teachers and nurses). I trained as an Organisational Coach, using my skills within the public sector. I am currently one of the resident guest experts on The Chrissy B Show discussing positive psychology and wellbeing (Sky203). I also host “Lifestyle:MK” on Secklow Sounds, and present at National and International conferences.
I am the founder of CLICK Consultancy and CLICK ARTS:
CLICK Consultancy specialises in personal and professional development using experiential learning techniques. All my programmes are UK CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Standards Accredited, and my clients include local and International community groups, universities and public sector organisations. I am also a member of the BPsS, the IPPA, the IFL, HEA and British Actors Equity.
CLICK ARTS is a voluntary community theatre group (supported by CLICK Consultancy), producing plays and musicals to support and raise awareness of local charities. We have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as locally and abroad.
I am also a director of “A Great Escape” (a live escape game company) offering an unusual team activity for corporate and friend & family groups where I also offer organisational training for teams.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is “How to be a Great Manager – Now” and it is the flagship of the Pearson “Speed Read 2-in-1 Series”. It was Book of the Month in WH Smith Travel in July and was also put forward to the CMI Book of the Year Awards. The Speed Read series is a set of practical books for busy managers focusing on the key skills for high performance at work. It is unique in design as the early chapter pages (printed on grey) offer tips that can be put into practice at once, and the later pages cover the theory and promote reflection when you are able to sit down and digest everything. It’s a double learning experience.
My inspiration is my firm belief that managers don’t choose to be “bad”. Their faults may be a product of the fast-paced environment and lack of support which is sadly common. However, they do lack one thing that good managers do – and that is self reflection. If you are always fire fighting, when do you have time to sit and think?
My book offers immediate ideas for common managerial issues, but also explains why those techniques are successful, and encourages you to think about how they worked in practice. If I can empower you by getting you to know what works for you – you’ll be able to repeat that positive action in future.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Ha ha – no, I don’t have any “unusual” writing habits. I do try and make myself write even when I don’t feel like it, as refining is always easier than staring at a blank piece of paper. I do still use paper and pen a lot of the time – maybe in this digital world that’s a little unusual? I also don’t throw anything away even if I don’t use it as it may come in handy in a different project.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I prefer reading non-fiction books and have a number of textbooks from my academic studies (I have a degree in Psychology, a graduate diploma in Law (PgDL and Teaching (PGCE) as well as a Masters in History along with my PhD in Business.) However, I really enjoy Jeffrey Deaver’s work not just because of his writing style, but he researches the fields his characters work in and I learn a lot from his novels – which then inspire me to find out more about that field. For example, his book “The Blue Nowhere” got me very interested in Cybersecurity.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently teaching my Personal Development and Practical Business programmes at Brunel University. The academic year has started and I am part of their “Business Life Programme” for Employability and Student Enrichment. I’m going to be one of the keynote speakers in December at a Business, Social Sciences and Education conference in Dubai – so I have half an eye on that, and I’m still blogging. I have some ideas for another textbook, but at the moment, I’m keen to promote this one as it’s still early in its shelf life.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a personal website: www.draudreyt.com, and I find LinkedIn is helpful. I tweet elements from my book and I’m starting a YouTube channel – I’m going to be recording a trailer for my book today in fact!!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you are sending unsolicited enquiries to publishers make sure you structure your proposal professionally. Publishers don’t want pages and pages, just a summary and sometimes a timeline – they can see how you write just from your enquiry. If you get lucky and a publisher wants you to write, be open to new ideas – while you may not be writing exactly the book you planned – you will be writing a book that people with knowledge and experience know will sell.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I use Inner Child Therapy/Self Parenting Techniques, and one of the best things I’ve read is a variation on the “love yourself” approach – if you feel unappreciated or unloved because you give “all this love to other people” – imagine if you gave all that wonderful love and appreciation that you have to offer to yourself too. As adults we may still look for others to fulfil our needs when – especially if we give so much to others – have an abundance to offer to ourselves.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading “Quality of Life Therapy” by Michael Frisch as I’m looking for ways of bringing in more positive psychology techniques to my teaching.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue to keep blogging, and develop ideas for a new text. I would like to write about starting a new business – not the “how to”, but a bit of a “warts and all” approach to the emotional and psychological expenditure and commitment involved, along with ideas to build resilience that I’ve learned. I heard something on the news a couple of days ago about how people start businesses and then sell them whereas if they stuck with them longer term they could be worth ten times the amount. I just don’t always think business owners (unless they are very lucky financially and have the right support around them to do the donkey work…not just the “fun part”…a lot of people like the “fun part”) have the strength to continue sometimes!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would bring 3 or 4 books I haven’t read. I tend to enjoy certain writers unless something takes my fancy in a bookshop. (I’ve done so much performing that I pretty much know the Complete Works of Shakespeare already *laughs*). So, I would probably choose the next Jeffrey Deaver, the next of the “Babylon” series written by Imogen Edward Jones, and in all honesty I might bring the Bible too. A cliche perhaps, but I’ve not read it…or else some sort of puzzle book!
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