Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine who was recounting her contract negotiations with her employer. The setting was a lunch meeting at a restaurant. They chatted all through lunch and only after they had finished their main courses they started discussing her contract. Fortunately, the outcome was favourable for her but despite this she was disturbed by how incompetent she felt in the area of negotiation.  (more…)

The beginning of the New Year is a great time to reflect on the last one, and 2009 was certainly an interesting year. The huge uncertainty about the global financial crisis (GFC) ensured that conversations about money were taking place. The GFC has dominated headlines and instilled fear and caution in many of us.  Subsequently, our goals have changed from growing wealth to preserving capital. (more…)