Training & Development

In 2008, Michael Phelps won Olympic GOLD - completely blind. The moment he dove in, his goggles filled with water. But he kept swimming. Most swimmers would’ve fallen apart. Phelps didn’t - because he had trained for chaos, hundreds of times. His coach, Bob Bowman, would break his goggles, remove clocks, exhaust him deliberately. Why? Because when you train under stress, performance becomes instinct. Psychologists call this stress inoculation. When you expose yourself to small, manageable stress: - Your amygdala (fear centre) becomes less reactive. - Your prefrontal cortex (logic centre) stays calmer under pressure. Phelps had rehearsed swimming blind so often that it felt normal. He knew the stroke count. He hit the wall without seeing it. And won GOLD by 0.01 seconds. The same science is why: - Navy SEALs tie their hands and practice underwater survival. - Astronauts simulate system failures in zero gravity. - Emergency responders train inside burning buildings. And you can build it too. Here’s how: ✅ Expose yourself to small discomforts. Take cold showers. Wake up 30 minutes earlier. Speak up in meetings. The goal is to build confidence that you can handle hard things. ✅ Use quick stress resets. Try cyclic sighing: Inhale deeply through your nose. Take a second small inhale. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat 3-5 times to calm your system fast. ✅ Strengthen emotional endurance. Instead of avoiding difficult conversations, hard tasks, or feedback - lean into them. Facing small emotional challenges trains you for bigger ones later. ✅ Celebrate small victories. Every time you stay calm, adapt, or keep going under pressure - recognise it. These tiny wins are building your mental "muscle memory" for resilience. As a new parent, I know my son Krish will face his own "goggles-filled-with-water" moments someday. So the best I can do is model resilience myself. Because resilience isn’t gifted - it’s trained. And when you train your brain for chaos, you can survive anything. So I hope you do the same. If this made you pause, feel free to repost and share the thought. #healthandwellness #mentalhealth #stress

How do you reset at work after a break or quieter summer period? My tips are: don’t try to dive into everything at once – best to start with smaller tasks to regain momentum, and gradually work up to more complex projects. This will help to prevent feeling overwhelmed. After a break, take some time to reassess your priorities. Review your to-do list and deadlines and create a plan of action. Focus on what needs immediate attention and set realistic goals for the coming weeks. Use the return from a quieter period to reconnect with your team and wider colleagues. Catching up on what they’ve been working on can provide context for where you left off and help reintegrate you back into the work environment. Think about what you enjoyed during your holiday and how you can incorporate elements of inspiration into your work routine. This could include scheduling regular breaks or finding time for activities that give you energy. The post-summer period is a great time to set fresh goals. Whether it’s professional development or tackling a new project, this can provide motivation. A tidy workspace can help clear your mind and set a positive tone for getting back into the swing of things. Take some time to declutter and organise your desk and/or digital files. Transitioning back to work can be challenging, so be mindful of your energy levels. Practice stress-reducing techniques like deep breathing or going on a short walk to maintain your wellbeing. Recognise and celebrate small achievements as you ease back into work; this can build momentum and keep your motivation high as you transition back to a busier pace. Polly Dennison 10Eighty #HolidayMode #LinkedInNewsEurope

I don’t know who needs to hear this… but if you avoid conflict externally, you create it internally. Somehow, we’ve come to believe that our psychological processes - emotions, reactions, memories - should be kept separate from our professional lives. As if we can switch off our nervous system when we log into Zoom or swipe our keycards at the office door. But those of you who have experienced burnout, lost trust in your team, or lived through a toxic dynamic at work - you know it can't be switched off. You know how deeply personal the professional really is. Because your nervous system doesn’t read your job title. Your body remembers the meetings where you stayed quiet because it felt safer than speaking up. Your mind replays the moments when you felt dismissed or invisible. And your confidence doesn’t disappear all at once - it erodes slowly, with every conversation you avoid, every instinct you suppress, every time you smile to keep the peace while something inside you tightens. We tell ourselves that avoiding conflict is a strength. That keeping things smooth and harmonious is a form of leadership. But peace without honesty is not peace. It’s pressure. When we avoid tension in the room, we carry it in our bodies. When we silence disagreement, it doesn’t go away - it finds a home in resentment, disengagement, or burnout. 👉 That's why psychological safety is so essential to every organization and to every team because it allows everyone to be able to show up honestly, especially when it’s hard. Let’s stop pretending our inner world doesn’t come to work. It’s already there, in the tension of our shoulders, in the way we word our emails, in the silence that fills the space where truth should live. The question isn’t whether it shows up. But do we have the courage to name it? To sit with it? To make room for it, not as a threat but as a signpost toward something better? Because if we really want strong teams, we can’t build them on avoidance. We build them on honesty, on discomfort that’s met with care, and on the kind of leadership that welcomes the human, not just the professional. And maybe - just maybe - this is where real transformation begins.

How do you reset at work after a break or quieter summer period? #HolidayMode #LinkedInNewsEurope 💣 For the past 35 years, I have found that resetting at work after the holidays can be a challenge. I follow the below steps, it helps me transition back smoothly and productively. I hope you will find this helpful: 💥 Plan Your Return – you should not go on vacation without planning your first week after holidays: Do not think that coming back you will hit the ground running. Accept that the first few days back might be slower as you get back into your rhythm. I always leave with my desk clean and ready for when I come back. So before you get back into your major projects, ensure your digital workspace is ready for it. 💥 Review and Prioritize Tasks – I call it the ABC of resetting – the Always Be Coordinated tasks: If you are like me, when you come back you have hundreds (maybe thousands) of emails waiting for you. Scan through your inbox for any urgent messages, but don’t try to respond to everything at once. Focus on those that need immediate attention. I write down (or use apps) to list out tasks that need to be tackled, prioritizing them based on deadlines and importance. Regularly I use post its and delete items once they have been done (it feels very good!). 💥 Set Realistic Goals – as mentioned in the first point, do not hit the ground running, be prepared: Instead of diving into big projects, break them down into smaller, manageable tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Set Short-Term Goals: Set a few achievable goals for your first week back to build momentum, get your confidence back and your head screwed on properly. 💥 Re-establish Your Routine: Get back into your regular work routine, but be flexible as you readjust. Allow yourself short breaks to ease back into work, especially after periods of intense focus. Tell your team(s) about your vacation, feel the good it has done to you! 💥 Reconnect with Colleagues: Spend some time reconnecting with colleagues, catching up on what happened while you were away. Engage in collaborative work or meetings early on to re-establish a sense of teamwork. 💥 Focus on Well-being: I maintain good habits, such as eating well and staying hydrated, to support my energy levels. Have a read at the work I did with the Harvard Business Review: https://lnkd.in/d2Bq4PHX I take moments to breathe deeply, meditate, or simply reflect to manage any stress associated with returning to work. It would be too bad that after 2,3 or 4 weeks away you have not taken any good out of it. 💥 Reflect and Adjust: At the end of your first week back, evaluate how you’ve managed the transition & adjust your strategies as needed. This will make you feel great as you will notice that you are more productive because you have taken that time off. I hope my experience has helped. This is something that I put in place as in Europe we have longer vacation time and coming back is a challenge.

“Top performers aren't born—they're strategically developed through deep self-understanding.” In the fast-paced world of professional development, self-awareness isn't just an advantage—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. Understanding of: - your unique strengths, - communication style, - and, core values These can dramatically transform your career trajectory and personal effectiveness. Here are 4 powerful tools to unlock your career potential and get to a better workplace: 1. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 Uncover your natural talents and learn how to leverage them strategically. This assessment provides a roadmap for creating a career that aligns perfectly with your intrinsic capabilities, turning potential into measurable professional excellence. 2. 𝗠𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀-𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝘀 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 (𝗠𝗕𝗧𝗜): Gain profound insights into your personality type and its impact on professional interactions. Understanding your MBTI profile reveals critical information about your work preferences, communication style, and decision-making processes. 3. 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Dive deep into your communication and interaction patterns. This tool is instrumental for professionals looking to enhance team dynamics, leadership skills, and interpersonal effectiveness in complex workplace environments. 4. 𝗩𝗜𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆: Explore the fundamental values that drive your personal and professional behaviour. This assessment goes beyond skill sets, helping you understand the core motivations that truly define your professional identity. The real value→ transformative self-understanding. These aren't just personality tests—they're strategic tools for professional development. By gaining clarity about your strengths, tendencies, and core values, you can: → Make more confident career decisions → Find work that genuinely energizes you → Build more meaningful professional relationships → Develop targeted personal growth strategies P.S. Which assessment resonates most with your professional development goals?

How do you win when everything feels off on the court? I have an answer for you. It has been given to me by the greatest of the sport. On your worst days, the mindset makes the champion. The difference between champions and the rest lies in their ability to win even when they’re playing their worst tennis. They don’t chase the feeling of playing great—that’s a mistake most players make. Instead, they focus on what’s in their control. My number one advice: stop focusing on yourself and your struggles. Shift your attention to the strategy needed to win points with the game you have today. The moment you dwell on your own problems, you lose focus on your opponent. Winning isn't about feeling good—it's about staying tactical and precise with what you have in the moment. Second, the way you talk to yourself, your body language and attitude are everything. The way you carry yourself comes directly from your internal dialogue. Champions find ways to talk to themselves in a way that fuels positive body language, which keeps their mindset sharp and focused. By mastering these two things—strategy and inner talk—they rise above the bad days and find ways to win. Control what you can, and let go of what you can’t. That’s how champions prevail, no matter how they feel on the court. #PatrickMouratoglou #TennisMindset #tennis #sports

Long weekend is over, back to work now! Resetting at work after a long break can be challenging. On a humorous note, you might say to drink as much coffee as possible and have a good cry about life's unfairness. But if you're seriously looking for advice, here's how I manage returning from PTO: I usually allow myself some buffer time before diving back into work. For instance, if I'm starting tomorrow, I dedicate this evening to doing something I genuinely enjoy, helping me feel satisfied and ready. Once I'm back at work, I know there will be a ton of tasks demanding my attention. To handle this, I make a list of all the tasks and use a priority matrix to sort them—tackling the high-priority ones first and saving the lower-priority tasks for later in the day. In addition to managing tasks, I make a point to reconnect with my colleagues, catch up on updates, and share stories from my trip to lighten the mood. I also ensure I’m fully up to speed by reviewing all the emails I missed. While returning to the usual corporate grind after a holiday can be frustrating, I try to view it as a chance to refresh my mind and recharge after a well-deserved break. To further ease the transition, I sometimes start by setting small, achievable goals for the first few days back, which helps build momentum without feeling overwhelmed. I also like to review my calendar to identify any upcoming meetings or deadlines, so I can plan accordingly. If possible, I try to leave a little flexibility in my schedule to deal with any unexpected tasks that might arise as I settle back in. Lastly, I find that reflecting on the highlights of my break and thinking about how I can bring some of that energy into my work helps maintain a positive mindset as I readjust. #HolidayMode #LinkedInNewsEurope

Feeling a little off-focus after your holiday? Here are some simple ways to ease back into work mode. I just got back from a holiday in Europe—lazy mornings, breathtaking views, and zero deadlines. It was bliss. But stepping back into work? Let’s just say the struggle was real. If you’ve ever felt the same post-holiday brain fog, you’re not alone. Here’s what I’ve learned (and tested) to shake off the slump and get back into the groove: 1️⃣ Take it easy on Day 1: Don’t dive headfirst into the chaos. Block time to clear your inbox, prioritize tasks, and get caught up. It’s okay to ease in. 2️⃣ Brain dump your to-do list: Write everything down, then sort it into what needs attention now and what can wait. Seeing it all laid out is oddly calming. 3️⃣ Your inbox isn’t your boss: Most emails aren’t urgent. Skim, pick the top 20 that need you, and tackle them in chunks. Deep breaths—it’s manageable. 4️⃣ Bring back your routine: Holidays are all about breaking free, but getting back into habits like journaling, yoga, workouts, or a consistent sleep schedule works wonders. 5️⃣ Set tiny goals: No need to climb a mountain on Day 1. Decide on a couple of small wins—like clearing your inbox or ticking off one lingering task. Momentum builds quickly. 6️⃣ Treat yourself: Yes, you just got back from a trip, but a little reward—a fancy coffee, a walk in the park, or even a new playlist—keeps the post-holiday blues at bay. 7️⃣ Clear your desk, clear your mind: A tidy workspace = a fresh start. It’s science (or at least, it feels that way). 8️⃣ One thing at a time: Multitasking is a lie. Focus on one task, finish it, and move on. It’s less stressful and way more productive. 9️⃣ Music is magic: Try binaural beats or white noise. I’ve been loving playlists designed for focus—they really help. 🔟 Look ahead: Use that post-holiday clarity to plan what you want to achieve in the months ahead. New projects? Learning a skill? Dream big. The first week back is always the hardest, but with a little strategy (and a lot of coffee), it gets better. What’s your go-to trick for bouncing back after time off? Let me know—I’d love to hear it!

Problemeering: Engineering the Problem Before the Solution What is it? Problemeering (problem + engineering) is the art and science of identifying, defining, and framing problems so they can be solved more creatively and efficiently. Why it matters Many product launches, business strategies, and even personal projects flop because they target the wrong problem or never define one at all. Problemeering helps you: • Understand the real issue • Avoid premature “band‑aid” fixes • Uncover root causes and hidden opportunities • Frame challenges in a way that sparks breakthrough ideas Key steps Observe & Empathize – Listen to users and spot pain points. Define – State the core problem in one crisp sentence. Reframe – Challenge every assumption: “Is this really the problem?” Explore Context – Map the ecosystem, constraints, and stakeholders. Ask “How might we…?” – Turn the problem frame into innovation prompts. Quick example Late‑delivery complaints in a food‑delivery app. Instead of jumping straight to route optimization, a problemeering mindset asks: • Are customer expectations realistic? • Does the UI overpromise delivery times? • Are restaurants accepting orders they can’t fulfill? Addressing these upstream issues often fixes “late deliveries” more effectively than tweaking maps alone. Origin Not yet in the dictionary it just reminds us: engineer the problem first, then engineer the solution.

What’s the #1 thing teams borrow from their leader? Not strategy. Not intelligence. Not vision. It’s their emotional state. A client came to me last year in the middle of a high-stakes transition. He was brilliant — strategic, visionary, results-driven. But under pressure? His team felt his stress. Meetings were rushed, feedback was sharp, and people walked on eggshells. He didn’t realize that his own fight-or-flight response was setting the emotional tone for everyone else. When leaders are reactive, teams shrink. When leaders regulate, teams expand. This is the hidden superpower of great leaders: emotional regulation. It’s not about suppressing emotion. It’s about choosing your response instead of being hijacked by it. Here are 5 practical ways to start: 1️⃣ Notice your triggers. Ask: What just set me off? 2️⃣ Name the feeling. Anger, fear, frustration—naming lowers intensity. 3️⃣ Pause before acting. Breathe. Contain. Don’t fire off the email just yet. 4️⃣ Reframe the situation. Is it a crisis or just a challenge? 5️⃣ Model composure. Calm is contagious. So is chaos. Back to my client: within months of practicing these shifts, his team noticed the difference. Meetings became less tense, creativity went up, and deadlines stopped feeling like fire drills. Same team. Same pressures. Different energy. That’s the ripple effect of a regulated leader. You don’t just change yourself. You change the system. You create a holding environment for your team — a space where innovation, problem-solving, and resilience can thrive. If you’re leading through change and want to master the art of calm, contained leadership — I’d love to help you build that capacity.