EDITION 770
17 JUNE 2019

As another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. This newsletter is sent to 50,000+ subscribers each Monday. Please share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can subscribe, learn and engage. I'd be very grateful if you did.

1. How to react when a conversation heats up. Conversation is challenging enough at times. When it gets heated, conversation can seem impossible. When a conversation turns negative, it’s helpful to have a repertoire of replies at your fingertips. Consider these options: [READ MORE]
    
2. Are you a hard worker or a workaholic? People work overtime to make sure they’re succeeding in their careers, but those who bite off more than they can chew risk burnout, a condition now recognised by the World Health Organization. Avoiding getting to that point is possible by knowing the symptoms, such as insomnia or feeling generally unwell. Setting boundaries is also important and opens the door to more valuable opportunities. New York Times
    
3. UK wage growth faster than expected. Britain’s wages picked up more than previously expected between February and April, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Pay rose by 3.4% compared with a year earlier, or 1.4% after accounting for inflation. The biggest pickup in earnings came in construction and financial services. Meanwhile, women’s employment rate hit a record high of 72% as changes to the state pension age took effect. BBC
    
4. How the best leaders handle their emotions: In the face of negative news, leaders may feel the urge to put on a false, happy face. But suppressing those emotions increases stress levels for managers and employees, and it can weaken relationships your frustration doesn’t help either. What works best? Reappraising the situation altogether. When leaders frame problems as challenges, rather than threats, they can build trust and motivation for everyone involved. Get more insights with 10/10. [READ MORE]
    
5. UK commits to net-zero emissions by 2050. The UK is committing to the most ambitious target on greenhouse gas emissions of any major nation. Under new government proposals, Britain will pledge to reduce emissions to “net-zero” by 2050, overturning a previous target of an 80% reduction by that date. Net-zero means gas emissions must stop or be offset through measures to capture carbon such as planting trees. Daily Mail
    
6. When you realise you messed up, big time. Step one? Be honest, you went down a less than ideal path (career or otherwise). Up next? Stop beating yourself up about it. And then, perhaps most important of all, make changes to avoid future pain. This requires us to let go of our commitment bias, when we give our past choices too much control over our present and future behaviour. The best way to begin? Small moves, so we can inch our way to a brighter, less painful future. Would you like similar leadership insights? [READ MORE]
    
7. Number of second-home owners has doubled since 2001. The number of British people who own a second home, buy-to-let or overseas property has doubled since 2001, according to a new report. The Resolution Foundation says one in 10 people now own an additional property. Meanwhile, wealth from owning a second home has risen since 2001 to almost £1 trillion. However, the number of millennials who own a home has continued to fall. BBC
    
8. Did you play any football at university? If you did, the chances are that your memories probably involve initiation ceremonies, mad scrambles to get a team out during exam season and rowdy nights out at the student union. Not so for the team at Cardiff Metropolitan University - the so-called "brainiest team in Britain” have just qualified for the Europa League. The Times
    
9. What employees want most this summer. It’s probably okay to cancel that company picnic or ice cream party. A meager 10% of workers told us that work-related social events are an important summer perk. What do they truly want? Time. Some 52% of employees said the perk they want most during summer is flexible scheduling. Only 27% said they desired the option to leave early on Fridays, and 11% said they wanted a more casual dress code. Editor
    
10. The bottom line. The UK government has spent £97m on consultancy fees in preparing for Brexit, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). The NAO also criticised the government for its lack of transparency in failing to publish the details of contracts early enough. Huffington Post