Blogs by John McLachlan

It’s a common habit to eat lunch at our desks, but this seemingly efficient practice can actually harm your health and productivity. Sitting at your desk for extended periods, especially while consuming food, can expose you to germs and create an unhealthy environment. Moreover, studies indicate that ‘working through’ lunch…

In their latest book, ‘Rest. Practise. Perform.’ Monkey Puzzle Co-founders Karen Meager and John McLachlan explore how elite sportspeople and their teams manifest sustainable performance – and what leaders and organisations can learn from their strategies. As they discovered, the answer isn’t to work harder or faster. The secret is…

While a lot of us have issues with how others impact our time, it’s often ourselves who can be an even bigger block to getting things done. So, rather than pointing the finger elsewhere, this article is all about taking a look at our own habits when it comes to…

What’s your perception of failure? The chances are it’s negative and that’s often down to how failure has been positioned from childhood. You either pass an exam, or you fail. Perhaps you were told off for getting things wrong by an impatient teacher. It’s no surprise then that for some,…

While advances in technology grab the headlines, our workplaces are still overwhelmingly human. And as leaders, colleagues and co-workers, we all come with that most human of traits – our emotions. Our emotions can inspire, motivate and engage – but they can also have a downside. In organisations and in…

Despite the optimism that comes with a new year, we can’t escape the fact that 2023 is going to be another time of uncertainty with a recession looming. Post-pandemic there are new challenges for our organisations and their leaders to contend with. With all the effort that’s gone into just…

Our previous article looked at how to get the most from Leadership Development. We covered the reasons for investing in leadership development, the scenarios where it’s needed and ultimately, how to make sure it works for both leaders and their organisations. This month we are getting into the detail as we explore…

Being a leader or technical expert might carry a leadership title, but that doesn’t mean the team will align. So how do you actually lead and take your people with you? By becoming the confident and engaging leader that others choose to follow. In this article we look at the…

It’s one thing to know you want change to take place, it’s another to see that change become reality. Awareness is only the start, you need to be able to take action – congruent, consistent and real action. And if you are a leader, you’ll only see the change you…

Despite the pressures of the pandemic on home and work-life, especially impacting on mental health, new research finds that actual take up of wellbeing programmes is running at 23%. (HBR/Gartner 2021). This is despite much higher numbers of employees admitting to mental health issues. It’s clearly in everyone’s interest to…