People Potential: The Monkey Puzzle Newsletter #2
Karen Meager
Organisational Psychologist, Co-Founder at Monkey Puzzle Training and Consultancy Limited, Lead Interior Designer at Copper Duck Interiors
Welcome to our second edition of People Potential. And thank you to everyone who has subscribed so far.
If you want to make a difference to the world, you can’t be afraid of getting things wrong - and that means being resilient to failure. We delve into how failure builds resilience in our latest blog.
In our experience, resilient leaders with a healthy attitude to failure are more successful, have more motivated and determined followers and more energy to keep going and achieve their goals.
In this edition we also share our team news and the best content from the web.
How to make friends with failure
What’s your perception of failure? Many see it as negative but at Monkey Puzzle, we see it in a much more positive light. We explore failure for what it really is – a learning experience that any innovative organisation or leader needs to experience. In fact, if it weren’t for failure first, we wouldn’t have landed on the moon.
You’re hiring ’90 day wonders’. Is your interview process to blame?
Are interviews the worst possible way to find out if someone is right for the job? A number of surveys have found that around 30% of new starters will leave their jobs within the first 90 days of joining - a phenomenon we've seen referred to as ’90 day wonders’. Is your interview process part of the problem? We share a number of better ways to help find the right fit.
What are we reading?
In a new feature for our newsletter, we want to share some of the books that have inspired our team. Nina Mayler has chosen ‘The Gift’ by Edith Eger.
Edith is a psychologist in California and one of a few remaining Holocaust survivors. Her book is structured into 12 life lessons covering emotions such as fear, anxiety, failure, and loss. She weaves in her experiences from the Holocaust and provides great insights which can be applied in everyday life. It’s an inspiring and empowering read, affirming that we have choices as we go through the ebb and flow of life and through improving the skill of being self-aware, we can embrace the tapestry of life as the gift that it is.
Team news
Recommended by LinkedIn
Becky Westwood: MSc in Psychology
We are delighted to see Becky complete her Masters after two years of dedication! She picks up the story of why she chose to study Psychology.
In my role at Monkey Puzzle, one of my specialist areas is working with individuals who experience anxiety. The MSc was fascinating and offered new insights into the latest research on a range of psychological topics as well as deepening my existing experience. I’m most grateful for the opportunity I had during my studies to complete research into the relationship between anxiety and feedback in organisations. The findings of this research are already providing new insights to leaders and individuals I work with and are being further developed into a book. I am also currently considering my 2nd masters in Applied Neuroscience.
The Best of the Web
How to read a business book
Having written several business books, and with another planned for later this year, this naturally caught our eye. There is an art to getting the most from your book and your time. As one of our books is Time Mastery, we’re all for the ideas in this article from HBR. We hope these tips help you get the most from your latest book or return to one you’ve been meaning to read.
Action oriented or reflective - which leadership style is best?
What is the best style of leadership for you - and more widely in your organisation? In this new article for HR Director, John looks at the differences between being action-oriented or more reflective. There is no single ‘best style’, each has its benefits and drawbacks. In fact, effective leaders tend to blend the two styles and the key is to understand what is motivating your behaviour.
Thanks for reading
We’ll be back in September after what promises to be a long hot summer. Whatever you have planned, we hope you find some time to relax.
If you have any questions about our work in coaching, training and personal development - for leaders and teams, please get in touch.
Karen, John and the Monkey Puzzle team.