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SharpMinds founder Tracy Sharp's latest thoughts on supporting women in STEM, overcoming self doubt and navigating life setbacks.


Human Centred Leadership: Effective Communication
Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash I once was interviewing a candidate for a design engineer role and I was really struggling. The candidate was trying to explain their final year project thesis and, from words alone, I couldn't follow. Without thinking, they picked up a pencil and started drawing on a nearby notepad, and their dialogue immediately stopped. They needed to communicate visually in order to explain more clearly. Words for them was not enough. A visual c
3 min read


Career advice for running a team for the first time - Stress Languages
Photo by Andrey Larionov on Unsplash A friend of mine, dipping her toe into people management for the first time, was having a hard time. She’d been working with a virtual assistant, and despite good intentions on both sides, it just hadn’t worked. Tempers had flared. Assumptions were made. It was exasperation at dawn! When she talked it through, she wasn’t asking how to be a better manager in a textbook sense. She was asking something much simpler: " What do I need to look
4 min read


Setting Up Women In STEM For Success: Managing Up
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash In the last few months, I’ve had a handful of women approach me for coaching and mentoring support —...
3 min read


How to Have Difficult Conversations at Work (Without the Stress)
Photo by Maxime Gilbert on Unsplash Difficult conversations are inevitable in any career. Whether it’s pushing back on unrealistic deadlines, addressing a conflict with a colleague, or negotiating a raise, knowing how to navigate these discussions effectively is a crucial skill and is something I am asked often. It really is a challenge for everyone and so often, training is not given and cultures can become spoiled and difficult and people leave. There are lots of great res
3 min read
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