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
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
Diversity and tolerance are hot topics in world politics currently, and a TV company in Denmark recently made its entry into the debate. “All That We Share”, which you can see below, is an ad that quickly went viral, notching up over three million views on YouTube in less than two weeks.… Read More »Diversity: highlighting similarity, not difference
Why are performance reviews often so ineffective? And why can simply omitting someone from your email distribution list generate a strong emotional response? Recent developments in neuroscience can throw light on these questions. The invention of fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) machines now allows scientists to see which parts of… Read More »Five ways to understand the brain: the SCARF model
In Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, a panic-stricken Ron Weasley is approaching his first match as the Gryffindor Quidditch team keeper. Ron is paralysed by nerves until he discovers that Harry has slyly spiked his drink with ‘liquid luck’ – a magical potion that bestows good fortune on anyone… Read More »How to create your own ‘liquid luck’
Managing performance is often a leader’s least favourite part of their role. Having difficult conversations requires what the military call ‘moral courage’. Some choose to put up with negative behaviour instead. But people want to know how they’re performing, and honest, constructive feedback is critical to creating an engaged and healthy… Read More »Six movie tips for managing performance
Leading a new team can be an exciting but sometimes difficult time. Each team is a unique challenge – what’s worked for you before may not work as well again. So what should you consider when approaching your role? The Situational Leadership model helps leaders consider the skills and motivations of… Read More »How situational leadership can help your new team
Identifying and nurturing talent is integral to great leadership. I’m not talking about the McKinsey ‘war on talent’ approach which suggests that talent is restricted to a select group of individuals for whom all companies must fight tooth and nail to be successful. I’m talking about the latent talent that lies within… Read More »The Blind Side guide to nurturing talent