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Cath Little

cath little

Cardiff

Cardiff Storyteller and Singer Cath Little has “rough magic” in her voice, and in her words “the gift of the story comes through.” She has a strong belief in the power of stories to connect us to one another, to the land, and to the people who once lived here. She tells traditional stories from her Irish English heritage and her Welsh homeland. Cath enjoys re-imagining and retelling stories from The Mabinogion. Cath helps run the Cardiff Storytelling Circle and curates their seasonal concerts, Tales for the Turning Year. She tells and listens to stories at Oasis, a Cardiff Charity which offers a warm Welsh welcome to refugees and asylum seekers. Cath keeps busy sharing stories in schools, libraries, museums, castles, cafes and fields. She has performed at festivals across Britain and Ireland and is the author of Glamorgan Folk Tales for Children. My father told me stories and my mother read me them. The family was, and is, full of wonderful storytellers. When I started teaching English in London Secondary Schools it came naturally to me to tell stories: I told stories to help the children into poetry, into Shakespeare, into their own creative imaginations. When I taught English in Italy and in Egypt I found that stories take away the stress of learning another language and give a real reason for listening. When I became a Steiner Waldorf Early Years Teacher I learnt more about the power of stories to nurture and to heal. And then one day I met a professional storyteller! Then I knew that’s what I had to be. Since then I’ve been on the path, following my bliss, and have worked as a professional storyteller since 2006.

Motivation Matters

motivation matters

Transformational leadership is a leadership style that inspires and motivates followers to achieve extraordinary results. It is based on the idea that leaders can change the way their followers think and feel, which in turn can lead to changes in behaviour and performance. Transformational leaders are able to do this by providing a clear vision, inspiring their followers to share that vision, and providing the support and resources necessary to achieve it. They also create a positive and motivating work environment, where employees feel valued and respected. There are many benefits to transformational leadership. For businesses, it can lead to improved performance, higher productivity, and increased profits. It can also create a better place to work, where employees are more engaged and satisfied. One study* found that transformational leadership was associated with a 14% increase in employee productivity. Another study found that transformational leadership was associated with a 27% increase in employee satisfaction. My own experience is that increased productivity is not a once only event, but rather an annual increase. This comes from a Co-Creative leadership style. Transformational leadership is not without its challenges, however. It requires a high level of emotional intelligence and self-awareness on the part of the leader. It also requires a willingness to delegate and empower followers. Overall, transformational leadership is a powerful tool that can be used to improve the performance of businesses and the lives of employees. If you are looking to improve your business, consider adopting a transformational leadership style. Here are some tips for implementing transformational leadership in your business: CREATE A CLEAR VISION. The first step in transformational leadership is to create a clear vision for your business. This vision should be something that your employees can believe in and that they are willing to work towards. INSPIRE YOUR FOLLOWERS. Once you have a clear vision, you need to inspire your followers to share that vision. This can be done by communicating your vision in a clear and concise way, and by providing evidence that your vision is achievable. PROVIDE THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE YOUR VISION. Once you have inspired your followers, you need to provide them with the support and resources they need to achieve your vision. This includes providing training, development opportunities, and the necessary tools and equipment. CREATE A POSITIVE AND MOTIVATING WORK ENVIRONMENT. A positive and motivating work environment is essential for transformational leadership. This means creating a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration. It also means providing employees with opportunities for growth and development. BE A ROLE MODEL. AS A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER, YOU NEED TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES. This means setting a good example and demonstrating the behaviours that you want to see in your followers. Transformational leadership is a powerful tool that can be used to improve the performance of businesses and the lives of employees. If you are looking to improve your business, consider adopting a transformational leadership style. *Citation: Transformational and charismatic leadership: Assessing the convergent, divergent and criterion validity of the MLQ and the CKS The Leadership Quarterly [https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/the-leadership-quarterly], Volume 18, Issue 2 [https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/the-leadership-quarterly/vol/18/issue/2], April 2007, Pages 121-133 Jens Rowold, Kathrin Heinitz,