Rumours, Noise and Real Growth: Learning to Keep My Eyes on the Road
Matthew is a closeted gay.” “Matthew jumps from woman to woman.” “He’s money-minded.” “I’ve heard he sees women for free if they ‘offer favours’.” . “I’ve heard he’s manipulative.” “He chose sex therapy because he must be a pervert.” “All talk, no sex.” “Matthew abuses his psychology assistants—slave-driver, really.” “He’s definitely a narcissist on TV all the time.”. This is simply an account of the rumours spread about me over the years. Some is unintentionally funny, most is hurtful, and none is true. But for a long period, I responded to every whisper as an emergency. I wrote clarifications
The Let Them Theory
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins ne Mel Robbins is a highly regarded motivational speaker and best-selling author and an ex-criminal defense attorney. She is best known for her no-nonsense and practical advice allowing people to take charge of their own lives without any need for pageantry or puffery. Mel doesn’t complicate things. She talks like someone who has suffered real-life muck, and has something valuable to say about it. Her previous books, such as The 5 Second Rule, demonstrate the same underlying style: hardheaded, no-nonsense tips people can all use to effect meaningful change.
Stress at the Top
We often imagine business leaders are confident, driven and in control. They make huge decisions, push companies forward again and again, many times with the weight of others upon them. But in reality, there are an untold number of leaders who do it all while feeling isolated. In our new study through Willingness, in partnership with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, we posed a simple, if little discussed question – Who is taking care of the boss? The answers we received were something to behold. For all the ambition, conviction and sheer stubbornness behind much of Maltese business-class thinking,
True Leadership: The Courage to Be Disliked for the Right Reasons
Leadership, actually, requires the courage to be disliked for the right reasons. It doesn’t strive for popularity, applause, or compliments. Instead, it’s responsible for your team, the mission, and the future that you want the world to see. Discomfort, disapproval, and misunderstanding often ensue, but leaders take them directly. The rulers of history remembered those who made unpopular decisions so they served the greater good. Winston Churchill stood up to criticism for being too blunt and led the free world through a war. Nelson Mandela spent decades in prison, branded a terrorist, though never surrendered his dream of a
The Lonely Boss
We tend to think about business leaders as confident, driven, in control. They make decisions, they propel companies forward, they bear the weight of others. But many of them manage it all, feeling intensely isolated. In our recent research conducted through Willingness in collaboration with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, we put this simple but seldom asked question to the board: Who is taking care of the boss? The answers showed something profound. Hidden behind the exuberance and strength of so many Maltese leaders is a silently deepening sense of disconnection and emotional fatigue. Most leaders do not get
Who’s Taking Care of the Boss?
My team at Willingness and I took on an open question for years—a question that’s stuck around the boardroom or HR office or clinic for years: Who is taking care of the boss? As therapists, psychologists, business leaders and human beings, we’ve experienced the price leadership extracts, especially in the private sector of Malta. So, we decided to dig deeper. Rather, what followed was a study that combined data collection with lived experience. The results were eye-opening. Let’s begin by investigating the type of person who generally becomes a leader. Our data and psychological profiles painted a pattern: leaders
Unleashed by Boris Johnson
Unleashed by Boris Johnson Boris Johnson (2019-2022) – British politician, journalist and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. A highly flamboyant personality and sharp wit he has spent much of his career in politics and media, having a long history serving as the Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016 and an MP in the UK. He previously worked as a journalist and editor for The Spectator which produced him with a humorously raucous (and sometimes inflammatory, even controversial) style of writing. Crucial to the Brexit campaign, Johnson is still a divisive but powerful figure in
The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh, of Vietnam (1926–2022), was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, peace activist, and pathfinder who has made mindfulness an important aspect of modern life. A Zen teacher and poet, he authored more than 100 books on mindfulness, meditation and compassion. Exiled during the Vietnam War, he dedicated his life to peace, interfaith dialogue, and practical spirituality. His teachings merge classic Buddhist wisdom with down-to-earth lessons for everyday application. He was instrumental in helping millions develop inner peace, self-awareness and mindful living through his retreats all over
Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work and What Does
Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work and What Does by Susan Fowler Susan Fowler is a life-long research-driven approach leader and motivation expert. She is a senior consulting partner at The Ken Blanchard Companies and has worked with the world’s leading organizational champions to enhance workplace motivation and engagement. Fowler draws on self-determination theory, the study on how people form intrinsic motivation. She feels that rewards, incentives and pressure are traditional means of motivation that will fail over time and that leadership requires a totally new approach in order to instigate motivation. She refutes old managers' techniques
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg Marshall Rosenberg (1934-2015) was a psychologist, mediator and educator who developed the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) method. He focused on issues of conflict resolution, empathy and compassionate dialogue. His global workshops empowered people from families to war-torn communities to converse in a more compassionate manner, more friendly and less hostile. Marshall Rosenberg, who argued that most of our conflicts stem from miscommunication and unmet needs, devoted his life to teaching people how to express themselves without becoming aggressive. With the power he has had in guiding therapists, educators, and leaders alike, his
