In 1959, a German-born psychologist with a repetitive sounding name, Erik Erikson, developed an eight-stage theory of development through life. According to Erik(son), people address specific challenges at each life stage. Five of the stages in this theory take place during childhood, while the other three occur in adulthood. The 3 adult stages in Erikson’s […]
What I’ve Learnt From My Dog
It’s fair to say that my dog, a black miniature schnauzer named Bessie (pictured), is no rocket scientist. She has no understanding of algebra, she’s terrible at measurement and conversion, and her proficiency with statistics is downright poor. She is, however, the source of endless amusement and joy for our family. More unexpectedly, she’s […]
Giving Before Getting
A few days ago I dropped in to a bakery and asked for half a dozen breadrolls. I was a little embarrassed to find myself a couple of dollars short of the $3.60 I needed. The lady who was serving (and who didn’t know me) said to just give her what I had and give her the […]
The Benefits of a Tech Free Holiday
I read recently that most of us check our mobile phones and other technology devices an astonishing 150 times per day! I’m as guilty as the next person of being on my phone and laptop more often than I should be. Not only is it easy to check these devices way too often but it’s also way […]
Variety is the Spice of Learning
The better we learn the better we live. Successful learners are better able to cope with the demands of life, they usually experience carer success, they grow into their best selves, and they live more enjoyable, more fulfilling lives. One of the secrets to successful learning is mixing things up by incorporating variety into our […]
How to Really Enjoy Mondays
Ever noticed how musicians give Mondays a bad wrap? The Boomtown Rats sing that they hate Mondays so much they want to “shoot the whole day down”. Not quite as extreme, but hardly positive, the Bangles describe Mondays as “manic” and lament that Sunday is over. The Easybeats are more forward thinking but admit […]
Small Gestures of Appreciation
Last week I facilitated a workshop to help a management team examine its functioning and consider some ways to improve. It was a real pleasure to work with this team. The conversation was rich, all participants contributed actively, and the session set a useful platform for the team to grow together. The next day, […]
Is “Gut Feel” an Endangered Species?
In the great Australian movie “The Castle” there’s a scene where the lawyer for the Kerrigan family is asked what section of the constitution has been breached. He replies nervously that there is no one section – rather, he says, “it’s just the vibe of the thing”. I’m an unashamed fan of making decisions on […]
A Less Obvious Form of Diversity
Over the past few months I’ve been having a slow binge watch of “Mad Men” on Netflix. With the show’s clever scripts, enigmatic lead characters and fastidiously detailed depiction of the 1960’s I’m really enjoying it. There’s one thing that makes “Mad Men” hard to watch though, and that’s the way the male advertising executives […]
Life Lessons From Leicester City FC
In 2016 Leicester City Football Club won the English Premier League. The Foxes, as the team is known, started the season at 5000 to 1 odds. They narrowly avoided relegation just one year earlier, and had a player list that was just a fraction of the value of teams like Manchester United. This was one […]
