In the 1960s, psychologist Marty Seligman inadvertently stumbled upon a finding that can have a profound impact on our happiness and success. Seligman found that if you subject animals to a painful or adverse experience, then they may fail to avoid that experience in future – even when it’s quite… Read More »How we learn helplessness – and how to overcome it
Even great leaders have very human failings. In Darkest Hour, Gary Oldman’s Winston Churchill is irascible, insensitive and stubborn. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. In the early months of World War Two, the British Army faced annihilation as it was driven back to the beaches of Dunkirk in France. England stood… Read More »How Churchill led Britain through its Darkest Hour
What makes us who we are? What personalities are we born with? How much of our personality is fixed, and how much can we change? These are some of the questions addressed by the fascinating Star Wars Identities Exhibition, which will soon open in Sydney, Australia, as part of its global… Read More »How the Star Wars saga illustrates personality traits
You don’t have to be in a position of authority to show leadership. And one movie that makes this point better than most is The Intern. After a successful career, 70-year-old widower Ben Richards (Robert De Niro) comes out of retirement to become a senior intern at an internet fashion site… Read More »Leading without authority: The Intern
Recruiting an outstanding team is a challenge for any leader. So imagine that challenge comes with intense time pressure, national media coverage and expectant fans and owners into the bargain. That’s the challenge facing Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) in Draft Day. Even if you’re not an American… Read More »Character over talent, and other lessons from Draft Day
It’s hard to imagine two groups less likely to unite in the UK in the mid-1980s. On one hand the miners of South Wales, locked in a bitter, violent, year-long strike against pit closures. On the other: London’s lesbian and gay community, engaged in its own battle against discrimination. Yet this unlikely union is what… Read More »Great movie leaders: Mark Ashton in Pride
Books on happiness have proliferated in recent years as we confront a discomforting fact. Though more of us are richer and have more opportunities than ever before, surveys show our overall happiness levels are decreasing. There are many different aspects of happiness, but most psychologists agree it’s made up of a… Read More »Five movie tips to make you happier
We all have people in our organisations who don’t receive the recognition they may deserve. The ones who work away in the background, not getting the limelight – yet just as important in determining whether a project or organisation succeeds or fails. The movie Hidden Figures is a great example. It spotlights… Read More »Uncovering the leadership lessons in Hidden Figures