Panic buying fuel? Toilet paper? Why? Why do people do it? We know why. It is obvious why. I’m surprised it is surprising. It is in their self-interest to do so. It is — by any reasonable definition — the

There’s a moment we all know too well. Someone says something—your mother-in-law, your uncle, that colleague—and you feel an argument loading. You’re tired, they’re tired, there is pressure, everyone’s dialled up, and you’re about to say the thing you’ll regret.

A client of mine, a Senior Manager in a national corporate role, often comes away from meetings with the sense that some participants are almost deliberately undermining the outcome. You know the feeling – someone keeps raising objections, poking holes,

We get the urge to fill conversational gaps with something—anything—and often resort to asking for, or worse, offering our own facts. Facts usually kill conversations. Feelings, enquiries, and stories sustain them. The fix? Shift from facts to their experience. You

We’ve all got important projects that drift. The exercise program that starts “next week.” The business strategy that needs “just a bit more thinking.” The difficult conversation we’ll have “when the time is right.” Your brain isn’t sabotaging you—it’s doing

Want less stress? Try these on for size. Two related concepts that work together to help improve your days – even the bad ones. Both attributed to Seneca and the Stoic tradition. The First: “We suffer more often in imagination

The best leaders, colleagues, and most trusted friends tend to share one trait: they’re genuinely happy in themselves. When people are emotionally self-aware, coherent, and resilient, everything improves. Workplace engagement rises. Psychosocial safety risks drop. Leadership divisions heal. Teams solve

Courage requires fear. One of the activities I get my one-one coaching clients to do is to nudge them just a little out of their comfort zone. For example, what could happen “If I bring five percent more awareness to

I’m feeling a little brain dead after a big couple of weeks. I’m busy with my clients and having fun – just hectic. As a result, this week I’m keeping it simple and brining you a couple of my favourite

 The Biology of “Us vs. Them” or “How to become a lonely cynic.” This is part 2 of exploring the “Why should I?” mentality. [Read part 1 here.] What happens in your brain when someone frustrates you? More than you

The Hidden Trap in “Why Should I?” This is part 1 of exploring the “Why should I?” mentality. [Read part 2 here.] “Why should I be the one to reach out? Why should I carry their workload? Why should I

Many leaders I work with share the same frustration: “Just show up and get on with it!” They’re working long hours under intense pressure, hitting difficult targets and solving complex problems. They simply cannot afford to have people not showing