Break for Growth

30/05/2022

This is a very helpful article on the importance of routines for our mental and physical health. Having routines reduces decision fatigue, as key parts of the day are mapped out. We can also make sure activities that are good for us, such as exercise or drinking enough water, are built in.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/22/why-having-routines-is-so-important-for-your-mental-health-16686972/

It might not sound super exciting, but simple routines can change your life for the better.

17/05/2022

This is a lovely clip on the power of servant leadership to encourage growth. Beautiful images and music accompany these inspirational ideas. We are all leaders, able to encourage and support people to fulfil their potential:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVMBJ9kvl2g

thoughts on the servant leadership mindset

23/04/2022

This powerful video celebrates the power of introversion, often overlooked and underestimated in our noisy, overblown world. Take the trouble to listen to us – and together we could change the world 🌍

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Y4Z0oh1GE

Are you an introvert? If so, that's great! Animator Sofja Umarik (who is an introvert) looks at how it can be a real strength.Want to watch more? This might ...

26/03/2022

A great clip explaining why we focus on the negative and some simple yet powerful tips on how we can regain a more healthy perspective. Well worth carving out 6 minutes to view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LfteZ9k8YU

The Pocket Mentor: https://www.pocketmentorapp.com/Your daily mental wellbeing workout, to thrive in the challenges of life. For every 10 days complete we pl...

15/03/2022

This is a fabulous aid to motivation from Nataly Kogan – keep it with you and refer to it whenever you feel you have lost your oomph 😁

https://mcusercontent.com/84e3f31604427b39bfc5536c2/images/542bb5e2-305c-b489-acd2-78b9bf583e70.jpeg?mc_cid=5bc73b8368&mc_eid=3611ddcd9f

07/03/2022

This is a useful 2-minute clip on taking your thoughts to court. Your brain likes to catastrophise – it creates a worst-case scenario out of uncertainty, so it has something it can work on. This skill helps you to regain balance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeARAcFvIb0

Taking your thoughts to court is a technique used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help readdress negative thoughts. Here we take a look at an examp...

18/02/2022

This is a fantastic short clip by Nataly Kogan on the power of practicing gratitude. A habit rich in reward:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9y0vhSKLYA

Hi there, I'm Nataly and in this video I teach you an essential Gratitude to help you be more resilient when life is challenging.This practice is from my boo...

01/02/2022

This short video is the first of five with powerful tips for feeding your emotional wellbeing. Nataly is one of our favourite teachers – and her first theme, banishing the “should” is one of our favourite subjects:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzxMPkQ5RsU

Hi there, I'm Nataly and in this video I teach you a really powerful Acceptance practice to help you reduce stress and get unstuck.This practice is from my b...

29/12/2021

This is a timely short video by Nataly Kogan on how to avoid over-committing. We are human beings, not machines, and have a limited store of energy. We need to be mindful as to how we expend it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-PK34EsGRk

Hello, Awesome Humans! I'm Nataly Kogan and in this video I'm sharing some of my favorite tips to help you set boundaries and not get exhausted from overcomm...

28/11/2021

This is a thought-provoking article on the power of empathy. We love this quote:

“Nothing is more important than empathy for another human being’s suffering. Nothing. Not a career, not wealth, not intelligence, certainly not status. We have to feel for one another if we’re going to survive with dignity.”
- Audrey Hepburn

https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2021/08/02/4-ways-to-tap-into-the-transformational-power-of-empathy-to-find-common-humanity

Empathy is the one way a person can step into another person’s shoes and see from their perspective. It gives us hope and meaning. It helps us solve problems. It makes our world happier and healthier.

20/11/2021

Our thanks to Nataly Kogan for sharing these sage words.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natalykogan_leadershipskills-entrepreneurship-emotionalfitness-activity-6867503899255877632-wGyX

I wrote down a list of 5 things I would have loved to learn earlier in my career -- as a leader, entrepreneur, human. I hope you or someone in your circle...

17/11/2021

This is our kind of advent calendar – sign up to make the world a better place:

https://traidcraftexchange.org/injustice-advent-calendar

24 days to change the world. Forget chocolate, cheese or perfume... this is the alternative advent calendar that makes the world a better place.

08/11/2021

A fascinating delve into the unconscious biases driving our decision-making:

https://neuroleadership.com/your-brain-at-work/five-biases-holding-workers-back

So many decisions these days happen faster: people deciding, after years in a job or mere months, to leave. Organizations stopping and starting their return-to-office plans. Leaders pivoting business priorities based on everything from data to the latest conversation they had with an advisor. The on...

03/11/2021

This is a fabulous clip, discussing the power of quiet leadership in our turbulent world. The antithesis to the soundbite-driven, ego-centric approach so common in those in positions of power. We would love to hear your thoughts on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdvjGh4S9DA

Leaders don’t need to be loud and confident to be effective. The Open University’s Dr Jacqueline Baxter makes the case for a quieter approach to leadership.I...

29/10/2021

This is a thought-provoking video on the importance of cognitive diversity – and the folly of surrounding yourself with people just like you. We would love to hear what you think:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvhsiQGy_zcNCiSbeXEjhLg

We are RSA. The royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce. We unite people and ideas to resolve the challenges of our time. We are committed to a fut...

24/10/2021

This is a fabulous article, calling for everyone to drive towards a happier and more authentic working culture. We allow our gremlins and masks to subconsciously drive inauthentic behaviour. COVID obliged us all to reflect - and caused many to question how fulfilling their work is. We must all play our part to be authentic and create happy healthy and fulfilling workplaces.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/happiness-workits-us-all-change-we-want-see-happen-rae-kyriazis/?trackingId=o1egCuAdHWwaFzhQB9mD3w%3D%3D

20/10/2021

This is one of our favourite clips - Brene Brown discussing the power of empathy. It creates such a powerful connection between us:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuin...

10/10/2021

This is a great article on why we find it hard to say no at work. It stresses the importance of saying no - to both you and those you work with - and provides food for thought on how to get better at it!

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dbjv5/experts-explain-why-you-feel-you-cant-say-no-at-work

Saying yes to everything is often seen as the key to success, but no job is worth losing your sense of self over.

03/10/2021

Very wise words from Nataly Kogan. Running on empty is unsustainable - we must take care of ourselves if we are to be what we wish to be in the world.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natalykogan_resilience-success-mentalhealth-activity-6847564149904486400-yx09

If you want to achieve a lot, you’re going to learn to do this one thing: Rest. I say this as someone who, for a while, achieved a lot without resting...

29/09/2021

This is a fantastic Ted Talk by Simon Sinek, discussing the power of safety in great leadership. Well worth carving out 12 minutes of your day to listen.

“Leadership is a choice. It is not a rank.” Amen to that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmyZMtPVodo

What makes a great leader? Management theorist Simon Sinek suggests, it's someone who makes their employees feel secure, who draws staffers into a circle of ...

15/09/2021

A great talk this morning by David Rogers on wellbeing, engagement and commercial success. Well worth carving out 45 minutes to watch:

https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6841471238712410112/

500 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

13/09/2021

We love this fabulous post by Nataly Kogan on turning a mistake into a triumph. A simple process of reframing – and behold the result!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natalykogan_inspiration-art-artist-activity-6839971124831428608-HFbu

What if you looked at mistakes as the beginning of something vs the end? This shirt I’m wearing used to be a regular white shirt. One day I wore it and...

11/09/2021

A powerful article sudden bereavement and drawing on profound insights to build resilience:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2017/05/27/5-ways-to-build-resilience-from-sheryl-sandberg-and-adam-grants-new-book-option-b/?sh=12ea7eb44115

Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant share anecdotes and research illustrating how to build and to strengthen resilience in their new book "Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy."

02/09/2021

A great short piece by Simon Sinek on the power of being the idiot in the room. We feel vindicated 🤓

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLzo_oNVho

It's likely that if you're having trouble understanding something, then somebody else in the room is as well. Asking questions doesn't mean you're the stupid...

29/08/2021

This upbeat article discusses the raft of benefits of being kind – and how kindness begets kindness in others. Further, studies have shown a range of health benefits too, such as slowing ageing and reducing stress:

https://www.happiness.com/magazine/science-psychology/benefits-of-kindness/

The power of kindness is proven by science. From a 'helper's high' to lowering stress, when you give, you also receive – the benefits of kindness are many.

27/08/2021

Thanks to David Rogers for sharing this fascinating article on the power of virtual reality in personal development and growth. From transitioning out of the armed forces through to employee wellbeing and brain productivity, VR offers an engaging and immersive experience you can engage in any time:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57805093

VR headsets are making a leap from fun gimmick to serious tool for firms' workforce management.

22/08/2021

This is a really meaty article on developing our skills in empathy. The author shares a wealth of science- and research-backed activities to engage in to really build some muscle in this powerful skill:

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-be-more-empathetic

More and more, we live in bubbles. But there are steps people can take to acknowledge their biases and move beyond their own worldviews to try to understand those of other people.

18/08/2021

A discussion on the power of empathy with one of our students yesterday reminded us of this great short by Brené Brown. It explains beautifully what we mean by empathy and how it differs from sympathy. Take a look!

https://brenebrown.com/videos/rsa-short-empathy/

15/08/2021

This is a great article discussing the disconnect between many employers’ desire to return to the office and their employees’ willingness to do so. Importantly, it identifies steps that savvy employers can take to embrace the opportunity the pandemic offers to reinvent the way we work.

I love this quote from it:

“At best, the rosy messaging of a grand return to the office is falling flat. At worst, the tone deafness of the messaging may also be accelerating what’s already shaping up to be the “great attrition” of 2021.”

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/its-time-for-leaders-to-get-real-about-hybrid

Overcoming the employee-employer disconnect and getting real about hybrid

08/08/2021

This is an excellent article on the power of leadership development for mid-sized companies. Design the programme to address urgent issues to generate a rapid and substantial return on investment. Create opportunities for progression, by teaching those skills the business needs most urgently. And use the power of storytelling to pass on culture, as well and skills.

https://hbr.org/2021/07/leadership-training-can-pay-huge-dividends-for-midsize-companies

Here’s how to design a development program that works.