Features
The power of imperfection: Transforming challenges into opportunities for growth
Steve Macaulay and Sarah Cook explore resilience through Kintsugi – and finding gold after a setback In everyday work situations, it is unrealistic to expect that everything goes to plan. More and more managers acknowledge the need to build the capability of resilience to better manage stress and pressure and bounce back after setbacks. Setbacks are growth opportunities. By learning from mistakes, we become more resilient and adaptable The Japanese art of Kintsugi, which involves repairing broken pottery with gold…
The future of expertise is synthesis in a world of abundant information
Now that information is so easily accessible, the rules of expertise at work have changed – Colin Smith is your guide As organisational psychologist and author Adam Grant aptly observes: “The hallmark of expertise is no longer how much you know. It’s how well you synthesise. Information scarcity rewarded knowledge acquisition. Information abundance requires pattern recognition. It’s not enough to collect facts. The future belongs to those who connect dots.” This quote was shared by the Ministry of Justice’s Zoe Sweet at the CIPD…
First aid training: Combatting men’s fear to ask important questions and act in emergency situations
Inclusive first aid training can break down barriers and build confidence, as Ricci Masero explains First aid training is important for keeping everyone safe at work, but something interesting came up when a good friend of mine went to a first aid class recently. She noticed that some men seemed worried about asking certain questions or physically helping women in emergencies. They were afraid people might think they were doing something wrong, even when they’re just trying to help. Emergencies…
Hire local or widen your search? How to tell when a position should be remote
Daniel Parker outlines six factors to decide if a role suits in-house or remote work A business’s growth potential is typically closely aligned with its availability of resources. One of these critical resources is staffing, which can be made up of both in-house employees and remote workers. Create temporary positions that allow you to see how the employee and business adapt to this new structure and if it seems like a viable option But for businesses getting ready to…
A week in the life of: A founder of a small business
Phil Willcox from Emotion at Work reflects on the three choices he makes each week to balance his business needs, personal boundaries and emotions It sometimes feels like you’re constantly choosing between one thing or another. Both options are useful and productive, and both deliver valuable outcomes. But they are still a choice. In or on? Working in the business means collaborating with our (IMHO) fantastic clients. This often involves sticky notes, large flip chart pads, Sharpies, scented pens, tangle toys and…
Negative sentiment, positive impact: AI in the digital workplace
Despite AI’s potential to combat digital noise, streamline workflows and transform workplaces, employees remain uneasy – Chris Ciauri examines how leaders can address these concerns Enterprise leaders need no convincing of AI’s potential to maximise the performance of their organisations. Yet the prospect of widespread AI in the workplace is a source of unease for many employees. When tools designed to make work easier start having the opposite effect, our approach must evolve Much of that concern stems from anxiety…
A week in the life of: A champion of women’s professional growth
Discover how Gaëlle Delmas-Watson balances business, family and wellbeing, building a company that drives change It’s Monday,10 September, 6am. The alarm goes off – it’s time to get moving! I’m Gaëlle Watson: champion of gender equality, founder of SyncSkills Performance (a company specialising in digital learning design and facilitation), mother of two boys, and recreational jogger. In just over a month, it will be 10 years since I launched SyncSkills and, last week, my eldest son started secondary school.…
A week in the life of: The CEO of a learning provider
Step inside the world of CLO100 where Cathy Hoyexperiences innovation, collaboration, and strategic vision Picture juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle through treacle. This is a glimpse into the exhilarating, and somewhat chaotic, life of a CEO leading training start-up. At CLO100 my role as Co-founder and CEO never ceases to challenge and inspire me, demanding resilience, creativity, and a relentless drive to lead our industry forward. Strategic beginnings Each week kicks off with a substantial cup of tea…
A week in the life of: The Editor of Learning News
Working in L&D media, Rob Clarke shares his view on modern learning and business performance The reason I do this is because I want to see our working lives improve. I’d like to see the culture improve across our workplaces: less stress, less rat race, less wasted energy, better productivity, better leadership, compassionate workplaces and better mental health at work. So, we need to unlock learning. While we might well ask if Learning and Development has the right key, one…
A week in the life of: A Learning Community Manager
Being a Community Manager is a full-time role, with technical and topic talent needed – as Sheridan Webb explains Learning socially, as part of a community is not only an enjoyable way to learn, it’s also pretty effective! But unless it’s very small, every community needs managing. Many people totally underestimate what goes into running a learning community; it’s not really something that can be done as a side hustle. Many people tried that during the pandemic and soon had…
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