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In this second in our 4-part series the books that have made an impact on us, we explore The Trauma Informed Coach written by Joanna Harper.

As we learn more about what trauma is and how it can show up within the workplace, we hope this is an empowering listen.

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Welcome to the first in our new 4-part series where we review 4 of the recent books that have made an impact on us. Ideal for those who find it tricky to get the time to read but want the benefits of learning in an easy-listen way with tangible takeaways weaved in.

Mo Gawdat's Scary Smart book is as much a call to action as it is a good read for those interested in all thing Artificial Intelligence. Mo takes a creative look at AI and rather than us humans as unknowing consumers, we are unwitting creators in how AI is learning and adapting the more we use it. You can purchase the whole book here, or join us for a 30 min romp through the main bits as we mix in practical tips and ideas to bring this into everyday actions.

If the AI game was changed back in Feb 2017 with Deepmind's AlphaGo, we now have an 18-year old artificial intelligence which is not only coming of age, but we've handed it the keys to the self-driving car. But parenting doesnt stop at 18, we can still make a difference to how AI develops - and we discuss Mo's thoughts on how to do this.

Enjoy!

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In the final of our 4-part 'time to think' mini-series, we shine a light on one of the darker aspects of working relationships: coercive control. Whether this is an unhealthy manager/team member dynamic or between colleagues we explore what it means, what to watch out for and how to break the cycle. Many face the silent struggle of feeling manipulated or undervalued by their bosses or colleagues—a dilemma that is not often openly discussed but profoundly impacts workplace morale.

We dive deep into the characteristics of coercive control, exploring how it subtly manifests itself through micromanagement, gaslighting, or emotional manipulation.

A good listen for anyone feeling undervalued and controlled at work and wants practical tips for spotting these behaviours and empowering yourself.

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In the third of our 4-part 'time to think' mini-series, we focus on the importance of not just prioritising yourself, but to hold it as a core value to ensure a healthy balance in how you interact with people and the world at large. If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything (Katy Perry, song ROAR) so it boosts our confidence, purpose and energy.

We focus on the body/mind link and what a realistic approach to a good life/work balance looks like in practice. We refresh the drivers/over-drivers concept to increase self-awareness about what might get in the way of putting ourselves first and how to reverse the psychology for positive power! If you know you are a perfectionist, make a perfect self-care plan. If you are a people-pleaser at heart, book in self-care with an accountability buddy that you know you wont want to let down.

A useful listen for those wanting to remind themselves/inspire others to practice self-care.

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Handling tricky people continues to be a hot topic, particularly if you are working in a hybrid setting where misunderstandings can arise due to judgements and perceptions. So this week we dip into the brilliant bestseller 'Surrounded By Idiots' written Thomas Erikson in 2014.

It offers a simple method for assessing the personalities of people we communicate with - in and out of the office - based on four personality types (Red, Blue, Green and Yellow), and provides insights into how we can adjust the way(s) we speak and share information. As well as a quick digest of the book, we share practical tools and strategies for applying these in our everyday working life and is a useful refresher for those looking to increase tolerance and productivity with people.

This is the first in our Mindful Manager Book Club series - a skills refresher for busy people. Whether you are a formal manager or not, we all need to manage our relationships whether in our professional or personal lives. Learning keeps us fresh and open-minded, so be inspired by an amazing book per week to spark your thinking and boost your confidence.

Fancy a deeper dive? check out these relevant episodes from our library:

Ep126 Empower With Everyday Curious Conversations - examples of structure and questions

Ep111 Accountability for Communication - Who's Responsible? - enabling lean and clean conversations that get understood

Ep95 Positive Impact and Influence - core foundations for great relationships and your reputation

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In the second of our 4-part 'time to think' mini-series, we focus on the element that has a huge impact on our performance wellbeing at work: the relationship with our boss. According to Gallup, managers (more than any other factor) influence team engagement and performance. 70% of the variance in team engagement is determined solely by the manager (Gallup, 2021) but not all managers are easy to engage with!

We are thrilled to be joined by Jill Walker, author of the 2007 book Is Your Boss Mad? Jill is passionate about teaching people to deal with bosses who are bullies or who let us down. She shares tips to identify, from the interview process onwards, what sort of boss we may be letting ourselves in for.

Always practical, she shares some great tips to improve communication skills, boundary management and actions which are useful to reset an inappropriate power dynamic. Bosses are humans too, so this also has some great tips to focus on getting the best out of a challenging boss who may be under pressure themselves. A useful and uplifting listen for anyone who is finding leadership dynamics a challenge at the moment. Bringing this to the modern realities of AI, hybrid working and intergenerational differences, through understanding what might be going on beneath 'mad boss' behaviours we can reclaim our power and take steps to redress the power balance.

You can find Jill's wildly entertaining (as well as empoweringly practical) ‘Is Your Boss Mad?’ book here

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Welcome to our latest 4-part mini-series where we invite you to 'take time' to think about 4 important topics that underpin a thriving work-life in the 2020s. In this episode we explore the essential need for us to prioritise our mind health - for our own personal wellness as well as collectively as part of a thriving workplace culture. (PLEASE NOTE: This episode has references to suicide)

We are honoured to be joined by Professor Tim Marsh (author of ‘Talking Safety’, ‘Handbook of Organised Wellbeing’ and other books) who shares the stark research demonstrating the very real impact that poor mental health is having on the workplace. Tim was one of the team leaders of the original UK research into behavioural safety in the early 1990s and has played a significant role in making workplaces safer over the last 30 years.

We explore the realities, challenges and opportunities surrounding mind health in this decade and why it is so important to take time to prioritise this topic. We also discuss the impact of gender and generational differences and what this means for how we approach this topic with colleagues. A powerful listen, as Tim says 'you never know that you might have prevented' by having a kind word.

(PLEASE NOTE: This episode has references to suicide)

You can connect with Tim via his LinkedIn profile here

He is the co-founder of Anker & Marsh (providing a full series of safety, health and wellbeing training, assessment and consultancy services) alongside Jason Anker

You can purchase the book he mentions here

Details about the life-changing On Trial event that we discuss can be found in Tim's write up here and by contacting P2BS

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In the final episode of our 4-part series exploring how to reduce drama in our work lives, we explore the how to work well with people who have an opposite approach to how they work to yourself. Those who prefer detail vs big picture, who needs facts vs stories, who appreciate advanced thinking time vs enjoy brainstorming in the moment. As nature reminds us, there are huge advantages by balancing the yin to the yang, and as sure as day becomes night, being able to work across these differences is a useful skill that leads to collaboration as well as harmonious relationships.

A useful listen for anyone who knows they have an 'opposite' in their team and wants to benefit from this in the year ahead (rather than 'cope' with it!)