Category For people managers

Striking the right balance between productivity and workplace wellbeing

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Build sustainable productivity by redesigning work around focus, recovery and realistic capacity. Aleks Szymanski explains how leaders can reduce overload, encourage breaks, set clear expectations, use technology thoughtfully and model healthy boundaries, creating cultures where wellbeing strengthens performance, engagement, retention…

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Beyond the management ladder: Why Gen Z is redefining career success

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Rethink training, leadership and career progression to retain Gen Z talent. Tara Ceranic Salinas explains why younger workers value time, flexibility, mastery and meaningful impact over traditional management titles, and how organisations can create learning cultures that build skills, recognise…

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From mistakes to momentum: Building a company culture that learns

'Forget the mistake, remember the lesson' written under torn paper.

Organisations unlock innovation when they stop punishing mistakes and start learning from them, reasons Paul Sloane. From Post-it Notes to Slack and vacuum cleaners, failure can spark breakthroughs. Paul explores how psychological safety, intelligent experimentation and honest post-mortems help teams…

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Why leadership development doesn’t stop at a one-off workshop

Leadership Development

As AI reshapes work, Shannon Alter writes that L&D teams must stop treating leadership confidence, presence and emotional intelligence as optional. Future-ready organisations will be those that build adaptable, human-centred leaders through deliberate practice, feedback and support before the highest-stakes…

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Let Them theory: The case for trusting people to try, fail and grow

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As Let Them theory gains traction, Steve Macaulay explores what it really asks of managers. Empowerment can reduce micromanagement and build trust, but only when expectations are clear, individual development is supported and communication stays open. Letting go works best…

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From intention to action: Designing behaviour that makes change stick

Conscious choice

Don’t demand just willpower! This article draws on two Make Your Brain Work podcast episodes with Amy Brann and Dr Jessie Gulsin to explain why change snaps back to old habits. Learn how biology drives ‘resistance’, why environments beat motivation,…

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Good leaders don’t avoid office politics

Appointment of a new head from middle managers. A coup of power within a government structure or business company. Leadership transitions, and unexpected career changes in business or politics.

Leaders who want to drive effective change cannot afford to ignore office politics, much as they might want to. Far from being manipulative, political skill helps people build trust, read situations, and influence organisational outcomes constructively. Steve Macaulay and David…

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AI adoption has a people problem, not a tech problem

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Jennie Marshall argues that while organisations are investing heavily in AI, too few are turning pilots into meaningful impact. The real barrier is not technology but leadership, culture and capability. To close the gap, leaders must build confidence, embed AI…

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TJ interviews: Mark Travis Rivera about braver workplaces starting with belonging

Mark Travis Rivera

Belonging takes more than statements and symbolic support. Mark Travis Rivera shares why inclusion must be built through listening, honest conversations and everyday action. This interview explores how leaders can challenge performative allyship, create braver organisations cultures and help people…

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The real challenge of AI adoption: JPMorgan’s culture and confidence during change

Businessman touches AI transformation on a smartphone screen, perfect for illustrating the future of digital technology

JPMorgan’s AI rollout shows that successful adoption depends less on the technology itself and more on trust, transparency and ownership. Nick Petschek argues that L&D leaders must treat AI implementation as a cultural change effort, helping people feel safe to…

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