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Why we avoid dealing with stuff

scared child trying to avoid the eyes glowing under their bed
What do you put off at work? For some of us, there are jobs we’d rather kick into next week but we grit our teeth and get on with them. For others, avoidance is a habit of a lifetime that really gets in the way. Of the ten unhelpful patterns of behaviour that sabotage us, procrastination...

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How to respond sensitively to loss and grief

tulips and a thinking of you message in times of loss or grief
I imagine we’ve all had times when life events take over and work is pushed aside: a cancer diagnosis, a flood at home, a phone call from school. How do you respond and what can you say or do for others going through an experience of loss or grief? For many of us, the death of HM Queen...

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How belief unlocks potential

Molly Caudery realising her potential winning silver for England in the pole vault at Birmingham 2022
Are you sporty? Or maybe I should ask do you like sport? because they’re not the same thing. I don’t excel at sport, not being keen on activities that make your lungs hurt. I was an enthusiastic joiner-inner, but resigned to being one of the last picked for school teams....

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How to adapt goals so they work for you

York Minster: the goal for our 50 mile walk
Who thinks about goals in July? Holidays yes, but goals? Goals are typically things you think about at the start (January, full of good intentions) and at the end (hmm, appraisal next week, now what were my objectives?) and very little in between, which is just one reason so many go unmet....

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Not feeling the love? How to feel more appreciated at work

Hands holding mobile phones depicting face emojis with different emotions including love
How much love do you encounter at work? I don’t mean romantic love (although I did actually marry Neil ‘the guy from finance’ šŸ˜) but the sort of loving behaviour that enables people to flourish. I’m talking about listening with full attention, seeing things from...

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The skills you need to handle life’s transitions

Turning 18: an important milestone and life transition for child and parent.
I reached a milestone this week: I’m now the mother of an adult child. Each stage of parenting has brought its joys but these later ones have been my favourite.  If I’m honest, bits of the early days were pretty tedious (shh, don’t tell the kids) but I’ve found...

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What we want most from a manager

Close up of the word Trust in a dictionary.
At the end of last month’s blog, I promised to tell you the top spot in my recent survey about what people want most from a manager. Any guesses? It was Trust to get on with my job. Would that have been your answer? Maybe, if you’ve ever experienced micro-management. It can...

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Who’s looking after your wellbeing?

A dog who's wellbeing is being well looked after, tucked up under blankets with a thermometer in its mouth.
Thank you if you answered my survey last month to tell me what you want from a manager. The Positive Intelligence book is on its way to the lucky winner.  I’ve only just got around to having a proper look at the results for good reason.  I had a heavy cold that wiped...

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How to love the job you’ve got

Ways to love the job you've got so you don't have to pack up your desk and move on.
Have you heard of #TheGreatResignation? It’s the phenomenon that describes record numbers of people leaving their jobs as the pandemic progresses. I’m starting to hear people refer to it when thinking about their career choices; last week someone told me with a wry face that they...

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Adopting the right mindset when making career decisions

Child looking at the words Believe in yourself painted on a yellow wall as a reminder of a good mindset to hold.
How has 2022 started for you? I find January a bit mercurial. The excitement of a fresh start jostles with a slight deflation that the year has changed but life resumes just as it was before Christmas.  Now that’s fine if you’re content with things as they are (and I...

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