From ignorance and distress to altruism and influence Empathy has been touted as a key leadership skill for many years. When mastered, it is the path to effective influence. Low empathy is a risk for failed leadership. Empathic distress can derail our leadership and can compromise our own wellbeing. The purpose of this article is […]
Resilience under the Threat of War
Name it, Tame it, Reframe it The invasion of Ukraine by Russia triggers a feeling of ominous threat. This conflict follows a global pandemic, mass migration and a financial crisis. The four horsemen of war, disease, migration, and state failure ride again – this time under the clouds of climate change. In fact, regional conflict […]
How to secure your end of year break in 2021
Preparing Leaders and People for 2022 With Covid’s fourth wave of infections and a new variant, we are deep in a prolonged adversity. Patience and resilience are wearing thin. To retain your best people and prepare them for the opportunities of 2022, we recommend you communicate the importance of an intelligent break at the end […]
Rhythm: how to dance through Life
Rhythm marks wellbeing – physical, emotional, and mental. Without rhythm, we become sick. Could rhythm be the key to mental fitness, health, happiness, and performance? Can you feel your rhythm today? Our global data shows a world in pain. Some work so hard – without breaks – that their lives are a manic, mindless sprint […]
How to increase your experience of peace, love and joy
Focus on what really matters We are a pushy species. We make a huge ding in the planet. In a cosmic blink, we have dominated our living and physical world. Capable of brilliance and altruism, yet also prone to numbing stupidity and destruction. Every one of us wants more peace, more love, and more joy. […]
Mindfulness Dismissed
The Challenge of Promoting Wellbeing A study in Nature Human Behaviour published this week shows promise for mindfulness and positive psychology to improve mental states of wellbeing. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01093-w). I was invited to discuss the findings on the Morning Show today with TV3 in New Zealand. We asked viewers if they practiced mindfulness. While 30% answered […]
Suffer, Bounce or Grow?
Data behind the human experience In New Zealand, we have been lucky. Enjoying summer with total freedom to travel locally, we watched the world suffer through winter with second and third peaks. Perhaps we were even a little smug. We were ranked as the country with the best Covid response by Lowy Institute[1]. In February, […]
Presence: Stand and Deliver
I love tennis. The Australian Open is one of my favourites. Despite the late nights, watching these gladiators confront the boundaries of their skill under sustained pressure is thrilling and inspiring. It also highlights the important role of presence. Whether a fan or not, to watch these women and men master their on-court presence is […]
Bounce Forward Faster
Lockdown for the third time. Calls cancel work booked. Rain pelts down. Businesses are pummelled. We lifted ourselves up, reinvented work and again, we face adversity. No-one has escaped. Many have worked from home for months, some through long, dark winters. Millions of jobs have disappeared. Families are bereaved and separated. Governments wallow in debt. […]