News — Work

— Delivering negative news to someone is hard. As a leader you will spend time doing it every month. In a rough patch, you’ll do it daily. It’s uncomfortable. It messes with your brain’s emotional centers. And it’s your job. So some bright light invented the Shit Sandwich. I don’t know who. I first encountered it in the One Minute Manager. At this point it’s transcended into a management meme, like stack ranking, unlimited vacation, or funny hat Fridays. The idea is to sandwich (get it?) your negative feedback (the 💩) before and after with positive feedback (the 🍞). Like...

You sit down in a public toilet cubicle and focus on the task at hand – and then it happens. Someone walks into the bathroom and your bowels lock up. You get stage fright, pull up your pants, flush and leave.  If this is a familiar scenario – whether you’re in a work toilet, public loo or even a bathroom in a house-share – you’re not alone. In fact, anxiety around pooing in a public space, known as parcopresis, is “surprisingly common”, says Dr Ben Disney, a consultant gastroenterologist at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. While most people might not particularly like it,...

Writer's block or inbox fatigue -- whatever the cause, if you find yourself in a creative rut or productivity is at a standstill, might we suggest this very simple way out: get outside. It might be tempting to push through the task that has you feeling stuck, but according to neuroscientist, brain expert and bestselling author, Dr. Rahul Jandial, slowing things down and taking a break might make a bigger impact. Studies show that taking time to step away from your work and spend a few minutes in nature can completely shift your state of mind. Here's how a quick...