Behaviour

Use obligatory language sparingly and only when necessary to convey critical information or ensure compliance with important policies. Try combining obligatory language with a clear explanation of the rationale behind the directive and the potential consequences to the organisation of non-compliance. Better still, encourage a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable giving feedback.

Authentic Leadership was first popularised by Bill George in his book of the same name. It highlights the importance of leaders being true to themselves and their values. Authenticity sounds like the approach every leader should aspire to. But it’s much rarer than you’d think. Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway is often cited as a model of authentic leadership due to his straightforwardness and humility.

Uber is a brand built on the belief that transportation should flow like water. People should be able to step in and out of the flow and reach their destination with the minimum inconvenience. Now, inside the car or the company, the experience can be very different. In short, if you are a passenger in this kind of car - or an employee of this kind of boss - the journey may turn out to be uncomfortable and unpredictable.

Steven Covey tells a story of when he was on train and a father climbed on with three kids who were misbehaving. The other passengers were getting more and more irritated, so finally he went over to the man and said, “Your kids are irritating the other passengers. Can you do something to calm them down?” The man looked up, in a daze, and said, “Sorry, I didn't realise, we’ve just come from the hospital. Their mother has just died.”

Your brain is made up of 86 billion neurons, each with the processing capacity of a laptop. Psychologists describe the mind as an iceberg with three layers. At the top is the conscious mind. What you’re aware of right now. Below lies the pre-conscious mind, accessible if you give attention - to recall your mobile number for example. Below that is the unconscious mind. Information here is deeply held and includes instinctive...

If your brain is an average adult human brain, you have more potential than you have ever dreamed of. Your brain is made up of neurons: specialised cells that process electrochemical information. These neurons connect in structures called synapses, where they pass signals to one another. The synapses form neural nets. Neuroscience has revealed that the average adult brain has 86 billion neurons...