Monthly articles on career success, leadership and productivity
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Do too many layers slow you down?
Many organisations over-collaborate in a well-meaning desire to be inclusive: to hear every voice around the table. It’s a noble cause but not every voice has something meaningful or different to add. At a time when businesses need to be at their most nimble, are...
Loss Aversion: our greatest fear
When the fear of losing outweighs the thrill of winning.
Post Holiday Blues: where do you go from here?
Post-Holiday blues are cruel payback for having a good time. Use the blues to figure out where you go from here.
Bullied into Busyness: are unreasonable demands a sign that you are being bullied?
Most of us tread a very fine line between coping with our workload and being over capacity. What happens when your manager isn't a source of support, but the cause of the problem? Do they make excessive demands on your time: such as calling you early in the morning,...
Hybrid Humans: circadian rhythms and the beating heart of real human connection
Organisations which adapt quickly to hybrid working will balance efficiency with innovation. Front and centre of their strategy will be profound, productive, happy, human relationships. Will your hybrid plan help people flourish or is just a...
Have you lost the ability to think? Why people prefer an electric shock to quiet contemplation.
What happens when you have a quiet moment to yourself, without distraction? If being left alone with just your thoughts for company sounds like hell, then you are not alone. Some people even prefer an electric shock to a spot of quiet reflection. Researchers...
Coaching the Superstar: When Confidence becomes Arrogance
What adjectives come to mind when you think of a high flier? Confident, whip-smart, ambitious, resilient, hard-working, charming? Golden alphas tick all these boxes. These are your prize-winners, your top talent; you encourage...
Return to the Office: have we all gone a bit feral?
Now we have proved we can work from home, why should anyone bother to return to the office? A new ‘hybrid’ culture is predicted – two or three days a week in the office, the rest at home. Some people will slip gratefully into this new rhythm. Others may...
Are we there yet? Why virtual working is a struggle now and what to do about it.
The end to the latest lockdown is in sight but we aren't there yet. Here's how to plough on: Give yourself a break Workers in the UK have increased their hours by more than 25% in the pandemic according to research by NordVPN Teams. You are no good to...
Do you take time or make time? Lessons from Einstein on managing anxiety.
It’s a new year and you are probably full of great intentions, or at least you were until the latest lockdown. Me too. I’m making my own kefir. Let’s see if that’s still happening by February. How can we build our reserves of positive energy so we can cope,...
Getting the most out of 2021
As Christmas is the busiest time of year for a vicar, new year is the busiest time for a coach like me. It's peak annual kick-off, objective-setting, lessons learnt, where are we going, what do we want, reboot, state of the nation (don't go...
Victims and Drama Triangles
Last week’s dramatic election shenanigans reminded me of a tool frequently used in psychological coaching to explain conflict and power plays. The Karpman Drama Triangle maps out destructive relationships using three roles: the Victim (‘one down’ on the...