Paul Walsh interviewed me about disappointment recently on Open Democracy and we wandered into all kinds of interesting corners including Brexit, Corbyn and politics. The full interview can be seen here and you can find Paul here.
Navigating Negativity
June 7, 2018
If your workplace is being held hostage to a toxic atmosphere, it is time to tackle the issue head on. They notice every minor fault. They dampen a productive conversation with a mean-spirited put-down. They find no pleasure in success and their greatest joy is nit-picking every management decision.…
Research, anxiety and fantasy
April 24, 2018
I’ve recently co-authored a paper on the emotional aspects of doing research. Research, like all work, is emotional and emotion generating and in this paper I focussed on my experience of using Grounded Theory which is a particular methodology for gathering and analysing data. The point of the paper is…
How to disappoint
April 13, 2018
I begin many of my lectures by telling students that I hope to disappoint them. I look forward to the moment they realise I have failed to live up to their expectations of me. They are not happy at the prospect. What do I mean I will disappoint? They haven’t…
How to manage resistance to change
February 7, 2018
Open any organisational change textbook, pick up any research article, listen to organisational change consultants and one common theme arises. Change is going to be painful because change evokes resistance. The aforementioned books, articles and consultants offer neat models of change from Lewin’s famous Freeze, Unfreeze, Refreeze to more contemporary…
Coping with narcissists
December 1, 2017
Narcissism is a word we have come to know very well, particularly since the election of Donald Trump. The term itself derives from Greek mythology. A young man named Narcissus saw his reflection in a pool of water. He became enamoured by the beautiful image in the pool but died…
Plus ca change
November 13, 2017
‘We are living in a climate where to be accused is now enough to be deemed guilty’. In one sentence Michael Colgan erases all pretence of ‘apology’ to those he has ‘hurt’. It may not be worth the paper it was written on but, we were all played in waiting…
Help Introverts Excel
October 3, 2017
Introverts can be an organisation’s hidden weapon but to realise their true value, we need to re-think our work spaces. What do JK Rowling, Barack Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein have in common? (1) They are all introverts and (2) they would each have a tough time working…
Strategies for holding successful meetings
October 1, 2017
Meetings are an essential part of organisational life, yet research suggests that just 40% of CEOs’ meetings achieve their objectives. Try the following tips for a more successful outcome next time. The objective: Clarify the purpose of the meeting. Is it decision-making? Information sharing? Brainstorming? Planning? You should be…
Difficult Meetings
September 19, 2017
Meetings aren’t going away. Their length and frequency has increased over the past 50 years and executives now spend an average of 23 hours per week in them. In the 1960s it was 10 hours a week. Meetings are a necessary part of organisational life but they feel endless when…