Mind wandering is usually viewed negatively. We typically view mind wandering as a failure to maintain focus, taking us away from something to which we should be paying attention. However, mind wandering may not be quite as bad as we thought. It's often in those mind wandering states that we come...

We know that diversity in organisations produces lots of benefits when it is well managed. A well-managed diverse team will out perform a more uniform team every time. But actively promoting the diversity of an organisation also appears to help its attractiveness to job seekers. Find out about th...

Have you ever thought about why we demonstrate stress? Surely showing signs of stress to others puts us at a disadvantage. Why would we want to show weakness? And why do even the most accomplished professionals still show signs of stress? Find out about the benefits of showing our emotions includ...

You may have heard the expression that variety is the spice of life, but variety also turns out to be important for development and learning. Research shows us that learning in a broader and more variable setting provides a range of benefits to our development.

People often share they've received feedback that they need to be more strategic. They're typically no more clear about it than that - just that they've been told to be more strategic. In this video we explore the four main areas where we can all be more strategic.

The last few years have placed enormous pressures on teams. What leads some teams to collapse under the pressure while others thrive? Research by Ron Friedman and colleagues has uncovered five things high-performing teams do differently to other teams. Learn more in this "how to" video.

All of us have biases that shape our behaviour. In this video we explore three ways to reduce bias and minimise the impact of bias.

Creating customer value is central for any successful organisation. If we aren’t creating value for our customers, we are bound to fail. Learn more about ways to identify your customers and ensure you're meeting their true needs.

We’ve all heard the expression, pride comes before a fall. Being proud of our achievements is fine. The issue is when we elevate ourselves above others or think we are infallible. So whenever there is a track record of success, pride can become a problem. Learn five ways to avoid this risk.

Sometimes we can become overly focused on a change or decision, with our thinking looping back repeatedly. This can sap our energy and reduce our focus. Scheduling a time in advance to make a decision can improve this dramatically.

Starting a new role can be really challenging. There is so much to get your head around. Researchers Cross, Pryor and Sylvester found those who are most successful in new roles build broad, mutually beneficial connections right from the start. This helps these so-called "fast movers" to be more e...

Deadlines can be really helpful if we use them well. Deadlines attract our attention and energy. So if we set deadlines for things that aren't important, they will draw out attention and energy away from the things that really matter. Learn how to set effective deadlines in this "how to" video.

If you needed help, who would you turn to? Most of us have a few friends or work colleagues that we can turn to for help. But how supportive do you think these people would be? It turns out that how much these colleagues and friends know and like each other has an impact on the level of support w...

Options are powerful. One characteristic of those with high levels of hope is a focus on multiple pathways. When they're faced with a challenge or obstacle, those with hope quickly determine options to still reach their goals. But what about you? When you're faced with a challenge or problem, how...

When working in teams, there are two main roles we can take to improve performance and build cohesion. Learn more about challenging and supportive roles in this video.

Attention is a limited resource. It can be hard to maintain your attention on one task over an extended period of time. You can think of attention like a tank that is gradually depleted over time. Even when people report that they are engaged with a task, the research demonstrates that their atte...

When people complain about meetings, it's usually about how they are run rather than the meeting itself. Ineffective meetings often end up leading to even more meetings. Being able to plan and run an effective meeting is a core skill for any leader. Recognising the three key stages in any meeting...

We face change every day of our lives. In leadership roles it can be hard to know how to handle ongoing change and uncertainty. When change occurs one of the criticisms leaders might face is that they're constantly moving the goal posts. In this video we explore the differences between plans and ...

How are those New Years’ resolutions going? If you’re like most people the goals you set are probably starting to slip. Given we know so much about goal setting, why is it that we just can’t seem to follow through with our goals? One of the key issues we face is the language we use when setting g...

Feedback and coaching are two core skills that all leaders need. However, we can often confuse the goals of feedback and coaching. As a result, we may be unclear about the type of conversation we’re having, confusing those we are speaking with. In this video we explore when to use feedback and co...

No doubt you’ve watched a video or listened to a podcast or audio book at double speed. Our ability to still absorb information when it is coming at us twice as fast is quite amazing. But surely there’s a drop off in how much we’re actually taking in. Well, according to a recent study published i...

Leadership habits are important. We all have routines and disciplines that either help or hinder our leadership impact. The good news is that leadership is a set of skills and behaviours that we can all learn and develop. Leadership is what we do every day that helps us to achieve results through...

“Practice makes perfect”, at least that’s how the old saying goes. In fact, you’ve probably also heard that 10,000 hours of practice makes you an expert. While the general principle is right, that practice is an essential part of becoming an expert, the exact number of hours is at best arbitrary....

We’ve all had moments when we feel like we’ve let others down. They can really play havoc on our well-being and productivity. So how do we best respond in those moments? Research demonstrates that a little self-compassion goes a long way. In this video we explore the three components of self-comp...