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Category: Workplace Wellbeing

  • Employee Engagement Stagnates while Mental Health Escalates

    With the advent of the still recent fallout from the pandemic and the impact on society we are seeing an acute escalation in mental ill-health disorders including anxiety, depression, ADHD in children especially, and fatigue. Could there be a link between employee engagement and the need for “social belonging as well as the need for individual autonomy and achievement?” Bruce Alexander the author of “The Globalisation of Addiction: A study of Poverty and the Spirit,” professor emeritus of psychology at Simon Fraser University thinks this is so, naming it “psychosocial integration”.

    Organisations are dealing with a tidal wave of mental ill-health amongst employees and in efforts to support those employees and combat this wave provide aspects of education around the topic, train mental health first-aiders and provide help lines via dial in phone services to those who might need help when feeling desperate. Whilst honourable and necessary, are these actions:  

    1. Correct? 

    2. Enough?

    3. Dealing with the real cause?

    In this blog I am going to try to answer these questions, if not fully answering them to at least put some meat on the bones and give further food for thought.

    Without this integration of social belonging, autonomy and achievement, an individual has conflict between belonging and being oneself which in turn undermines authenticity and the need to belong which might manifest as some form of mental ill- health, lack of confidence and self-esteem and consequently lead to withdrawal, ultimately affecting productivity whether at work or in one’s personal life. In other words, a “dislocation” to oneself, to others and a sense of meaning and purpose, consequently likely asking questions such as, What am I here for both in an organisation and life in general? What is my role and how is my contribution valued? 

    Bruce Alexander likens this state to a dislocated shoulder. “It is a shoulder out of joint, disarticulated. This is not treated by cutting the arm off, so the arm continues to just hang there, unable to work, while at the same time being very painful. This is how “dislocated” individuals feel – useless and in pain.”

    Dislocation does not only happen to individuals but can also happen to groups working in organisations when they are cut off from autonomy, trust and meaning, more often than not through poor leadership. Leaders who choose to micromanage, not allowing individuals and the team as a whole to take autonomy and grow through working within broader parameters, but at the same time with clear goals. The scary thing about social dislocation is that it is now our normal. Prior to the pandemic it was already growing in western societies, but now has fully ballooned in our cultures and most noticeably in work cultures within organisations, leading to the acute escalation in mental ill-health. 

    A recent Gallup poll, January 2014 of US employees identified that only 33% of employees feel engaged at work! Specifically noting that “Employees still feel more detached from — and less satisfied with — their organizations and are less likely to connect to the companies’ mission and purpose or to feel someone cares about them as a person.”

    Part of this is caused by misidentification through material gains and status. When these gains disappear our identity and security goes with it. How many people do you know or perhaps you experienced it yourself who lost their job and consequently their house, car and the lifestyle to find themselves without any so-called friends and perhaps even their partner? This loss is being experienced more and more by individuals questioning their worth both in jobs that carry a professional image in society, such as doctor, lawyer and accountant as well as those whose roles have less apparent status, but never-the-less require long hours in toxic environments ruled by KPI’s and other productivity markers, or bonus schemes connected to individual and group output, but with little attention to the importance of sharing feedback that shows their performance really matters and makes a valuable contribution. This is further exacerbated since the advent of the internet when everyone is expected always to be “on”. It is a bit like chasing a never-ending result that when achieving there is hunger and further drive for more from those in charge within the organisation, leaving those charged with delivery questioning the cost to them due to an inflated view of personal identity, self-importance, material rewards or ambition and the pay back and whether that pay-back is in balance with their effort and the rewards.

    How does all this link to mental and physical health? It is well known that those who lead a meaningful life are more likely to be mentally, physically and emotionally healthy. Having this knowledge, how are organisations tapping into this foundation of helping individuals and teams be their best which not only serves the employee interests, but the organisation interests as well?  It is clear how many organisations use the importance of belonging to promote their products through selling meaning and identification and a sense of belonging through the brand. Take Apple for example. It now has almost a cult following to share in the belonging giving the impression that a particular iPhone is tailored to your exact needs with the question and chosen imagery of “Which iPhone is right for you? Of course, Apple is not the only one, this is a well-known marketing approach amongst all in business whether large or small organisations.

    While such marketing messages have been in our societies for many years, the question is at what cost? Encouraging individuals to lose their self-identity in pursuit of a product that helps them feel they belong. It is very sad that individuals might be building their identify, self-confidence and self-esteem on a product. Surely there is something wrong here?  Does each organisation provide that much needed belonging, sound self-confidence and esteem to fill that gap by encouraging employees to belong in a way that has a strong foundation and breeds good health and wellbeing, or is this simply a marketing ploy, that is all about driving productivity and goal achievement for the benefit of an increased bottom line? 

    Forgetting that employees are human and they give of their best when they are given autonomy, clear direction as well as being treated in a way that fosters a feeling of belonging, care, gratitude for the value they deliver within an open, honest environment that listens, shows empathy and concern when needed, and above all creates social belonging might just be fuelling the pandemic in mental ill-health.

    References 

    https://www.gallup.com/workplace/608675/new-workplace-employee-engagement-stagnates.aspx?version=print

    The Myth of Normal, Gabor Mate & Daniel Mate

  • Are Your Company Values Laminated or Lived?

    Recently I attended the Health and Wellbeing @Work Expo at the NEC in Birmingham. Among the many good speakers was Dr Gian Power OBE who asked the question: “Are your company values laminated or lived?”

    This question resonated strongly. Sadly, I can reel off a list of companies who proudly display their values for all to see—beautifully designed posters in reception, polished statements on their website—yet forget to roll them down through the organisation to those who deliver to your customers, every day. Even more importantly, they fail to use them to shape how colleagues support one another and the message your company consistently gives out, causing a disconnect in the minds and actions of employees and customers.

    Why do We have Values?

    At their best, organisational values are not marketing slogans; they are decision-making tools. They guide how leaders lead, how managers manage, and how teams collaborate. They define how things are done when policies or procedures don’t provide the full answer.

    For leadership teams, values are designed to act as a strategic compass. They help determine priorities, shape behaviours during periods of change, and create consistency across departments, locations and leadership styles.

    For managers, they offer a framework for everyday choices—how to deal with a difficult situation, how to balance performance and wellbeing, how to respond when pressures increase.

    For employees, they provide clarity and psychological safety. When not clear and genuinely practised, people understand what is expected of them and how they will be treated. They are the bedrock.

    Without this alignment, values remain decorative or as Gian Power said “laminated” and left on a shelf somewhere, never to see the light of day. With it, they become operational, providing consistency for everyone to work with and by and to build connection with customers creating an understanding of what can be expected and delivered.

    Who do Values Serve?

    Values should serve three critical audiences simultaneously.

    1.    Your people.

    Employees want to know what kind of organisation they work for. Values signal what behaviours are encouraged, what is rewarded, and what is unacceptable. When people see leaders modelling values consistently, trust grows.

    2.    Your customers.

    Customers experience your values through every interaction with your organisation. Whether it is responsiveness, integrity, innovation or care, values influence how your people show up when representing your brand.

    3.    Your leadership team.

    For directors and senior leaders, values act as a shared reference point. They align leadership behaviour, help maintain consistency across functions, and support culture during periods of growth, restructuring or uncertainty.

    When values serve all three audiences, they become a cultural operating system, not just a communications exercise.

    What Benefit do Values Bring to your Company, Individuals and Teams?

    When values move from laminated statements to lived behaviours, the impact can be significant.

    For the organisation, values strengthen culture and brand credibility. They help attract and retain talent, particularly in a labour market where people increasingly choose employers whose values align with their own. They also support clearer decision-making during challenging moments—when commercial pressure might otherwise override long-term principles.

    For leaders and managers, values provide a practical leadership framework. They help guide performance conversations, shape recognition and reward, and provide a consistent lens for managing difficult situations.

    For teams, shared values create cohesion. They reduce ambiguity about expectations, support respectful collaboration, and strengthen accountability. When teams understand not just what they are expected to deliver but how they are expected to behave, performance and wellbeing does not compete, but reinforces one another other.

    The Real Question for Leaders

    Many organisations already have well-written values. The challenge is rarely the wording—it is the translation into behaviour. Ask yourself:

    •    Do leaders visibly model the values in everyday decisions?

    •    Are they embedded in recruitment, onboarding and performance discussions?

    •    Do managers feel confident using them to guide conversations and decision-making?

    •    Are values recognised and rewarded in practice, not just in principle?

    If the answer to any of these questions is uncertain, then values may still be closer to laminated than lived.

    For HR and L&D leaders in particular, this presents an opportunity. Culture does not change through posters or presentations; it changes through consistent leadership behaviour, aligned systems training programmes and daily conversations. Ultimately, employees rarely remember the values written on a wall. They remember the values demonstrated in the moments that mattered.

    Bringing Values to Life 

    Let’s consider the values of a well-known British company, no names – Safety and Security, Excellence, Caring and Open-Mindedness, supported by commitments to sustainability and diversity.

    Safety and Security

    Safety and security is demonstrated when employees actively protect the wellbeing of colleagues, customers and the organisation. Examples of day-to-day behaviours include:

    •    Following safety procedures consistently, even when under pressure or working to tight deadlines.

    •    Speaking up when something doesn’t feel safe, whether it’s a faulty piece of equipment, a potential risk to a colleague, or a process that could cause harm.

    •    Protecting sensitive information, ensuring customer data, company systems and confidential discussions are handled appropriately.

    When employees feel confident to prioritise safety and raise concerns early, organisations reduce risk and strengthen trust across teams.

    Excellence

    Excellence is not only about outstanding results; it is about the consistent pursuit of high standards and continuous improvement. Employees demonstrate excellence when they:

    •    Take pride in the quality of their work, checking accuracy and completeness before handing work over to others.

    •    Look for ways to improve processes, suggesting more efficient ways of working or better ways to serve customers.

    •    Prepare thoroughly for meetings, projects or customer interactions, ensuring they bring worth rather than simply attending.

    •    Learn from feedback, seeing mistakes or challenges as opportunities to improve rather than something to avoid.

    Excellence becomes part of the culture when people feel responsible not just for completing tasks, but for continually raising the standard of how work is done.

    Caring 

    A caring culture is visible in how employees treat colleagues, customers and partners. In practice this might look like:

    •    Supporting colleagues during busy periods, offering help rather than focusing only on individual workloads.

    •    Listening with empathy, particularly when someone is facing personal challenges or workplace pressures.

    •    Recognising the contributions of others, celebrating achievements and acknowledging effort across teams.

    •    Considering the impact of decisions on people, not just processes or results.

    When caring becomes embedded in everyday behaviour, organisations create environments where people feel respected, empowered and more willing to contribute their best work.

    Open-Mindedness

    Open-minded organisations encourage curiosity, new ideas and different perspectives. Employees demonstrate this value by:

    •    Welcoming new ideas from colleagues, regardless of seniority or department.

    •    Being willing to adapt, especially when processes change or new technologies are introduced.

    •    Listening to different viewpoints, even when they challenge existing assumptions.

    •    Learning from other teams, backgrounds or experiences to improve how work is approached.

    Open-mindedness helps organisations remain agile and innovative, particularly in rapidly changing markets.

    For leaders, HR and L&D professionals, the key question is not simply “Do we have values?” but “Can our people recognise what those values look like in action?”

    When employees understand how values translate into daily behaviours — in conversations, decisions and teamwork — they stop being statements on a wall and become the way the organisation works everyday building trust not only in the workforce, but also in customer loyalty. 

    Interested in a conversation with Green Key  Contact rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com or book a call https://calendly.com/greenkey/pd-consultation-meeting?month=2026-03

    #leadershipdevelopment, #leadershipmindset #empoweredemployees #customercommunication 

  • Being Grateful for 2020

    I was listening to a concert last night on Radio 2 with Rick Astley and the BBC concert orchestra. Rick led a rocking concert that was further enhanced by the wonderful orchestra.  Why do I refer to this concert?  In 2018 I wrote a blog around singer/songwriter Rick Astley and the release of his back then, new album entitled “A Beautiful Life”.

    At that time, Rick said something very pertinent in answer to the question “Why a Beautiful Life?  In his answer he explained that in fact he has had a beautiful life, with the exception of a few curveballs.  Most importantly, he continued with words to the effect that it is all about how you look at life and how you regard things that are thrown at you and things that happen to you, and I might add things you do to yourself.

    This comment has led me once again to think about life and the beauty of each day.  This year has been an extremely challenging year for most people irrelevant of position, age or gender.  Perhaps if you are Bill Gates your year has been rather exciting with the promise of producing a vaccine that is claiming to save the world from Covid19. That aside, with the difficulties of this year, it is easy to focus on how bad this year has been and to miss the small things that each and every one of us has access to. 

    WHAT DO WE HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN 2020?

    What do we have to be grateful for in 2020?NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE LIVE

    Living in the Vale of the White Horse I have magnificent rolling countryside all around that is there for me to enjoy.  The power of nature calms the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing the feelings of anxiety, low mood and frustration. Taking advantage of this gift is a daily occurrence for me and each time, irrelevant of weather, never ceases to be a beautiful experience.  Living in England, most of us have access to a park, waterway or open space to enjoy.

    HEALTH

    Sadly this may not be true for everyone. However, I am personally grateful for my energy, health and overall wellbeing.  2020 has and still is challenging everyone’s health through lack of social contact, breathing in our own toxins expelled from the body through the requirement to wear a face mask in public.  Living in an environment of fear which constantly keeps the immune system on alert, giving it no rest.  The importance of being compassionate and kind to oneself and others is critical and will continue to be critical to supporting good health, likely well into the new year.

    WONDERFUL, SUPPORTIVE CLIENTS

    When things are tough, there is no better time to celebrate clients who are there for you and support you despite the constant changing circumstances.  This makes being in business worthwhile and to each and every one of my clients I am extremely grateful and thank you for your continued support.

    UNDERSTANDING TEAM MEMBERS

    The stress and pressure on team members to make the move to work from home, and make a good job of it, overcoming external barriers, such as noise, fluctuating internet connection whilst balancing work and family demands and stabilising a boss who is trying hard to work with government decisions that impact the business climate as well as provide security. For your understanding, I am very grateful.

    GOOD FRIENDS

    Those who check in from time to time to touch base and take the temperature of how I am adapting to the new working requirements, lending an ear to vent thoughts and frustrations as and when needed. To each and everyone of you, I send heart felt thanks.

    This year has been a year that has opened up many doors that perhaps we did not want to go through, such as how we interact and care for others in our communities, especially those we do not know.  How truthful we are and how truthful are those around us, especially those in leadership positions?  Are we protecting our comfort zones, lifestyles and image in sacrifice for having the courage to speak the truth, supposedly fooling all those we lead, or have we withdrawn to a safe place to see out the battle?

    This year Covid has forced us to choose how we resonate and look at “setbacks”, one that is common to our global population.  Are you a person who has reacted emotionally in some way and festered on the consequences, or have you taken the opportunity to understand the message, learn, grow and develop, thus moving yourself forward from under the Covid cloud? In the first place, your choice has probably been based on a combination of how you perceive this situation, your intuition and the facts.

    One of the most important aspects of working through perceived negative situations is the emotional aspect of the situation.  Currently “it” just happens to represent the impact of Covid on each one of us personally, combined with the impact of government decisions, whether you agree with them or you do not. Emotions experienced might be anger, frustration, bitterness, disbelief, shame and guilt amongst others.

    Harbouring emotions is both unproductive and damaging mentally and ultimately physically.  To be an effective leader we need to be able to rise above any situation and look at the cause of why something happened, rectify it with those involved through helping them understand why this particular approach was not constructive, giving necessary guidance on a more constructive way to approach the situation, agreeing on a way forward.  Always avoiding the desire or need to blame someone or something, allowing those involved to take responsibility for their actions, change behaviour, and therefore grow and develop from the experience.

    As Rick Astely so carefully and clearly put it – “Life is beautiful”.  It’s all about how you see it?  Leadership, whilst it can be challenging, is beautiful for all concerned, those being led and those doing the leading.  It all depends firstly on how we see each situation and each person, secondly how we react to it and thirdly how grateful we are for all the little things that when added up are considerable, attracting more of the same.

     

    Wishing you all a healthy, happy and beautiful 2021.

     

    To find out more about how Green Key can help you and your leadership journey, contact Rachel directly.

  • Brain Health – Natural Agility

    Mental health issues have been escalating dramatically over the last two years, mostly due to the pandemic and to restrictive measures put in place during this time. Data in the Samaritans report, June 2021 is based on over 4 million contacts and highlights the growth trend in mental health issues:

    “Young people have struggled with family tensions, a lack of peer contact and negativity about their future prospects, as the pandemic has affected both their social and economic opportunities, and some people who self-harm have struggled to resist hurting themselves without their usual coping mechanisms.”

    “Middle aged men have found themselves feeling they need to be strong in the face of immense financial and workplace changes, creating a situation that feels both out of their control and one they must cope with alone.”

    “Healthcare workers have struggled with feelings of anxiety, trauma and mental fatigue from their work during the pandemic, alongside the impact of being surrounded by serious illness and death at unprecedented levels, while often struggling for support and resources.”

    Every day almost 600 people in the UK are diagnosed with cognitive impairment and/or dementia. (Alzheimersresearch.co.uk). Mental ill-health covers a vast range of named conditions including attention deficit disorder (ADHD), autism, eating disorders, anxiety and generalized depression which in some cases leads to self-harm and/or suicide, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Turning to the government or even an employer to ask them “What are they doing about this?” is a reasonable question, but it is also a question that can be reflected backwards to each one of us. What responsibility are we taking for maintaining our personal mental wellbeing and even broader, our health and wellbeing as a whole?

    In the UK alone we drink 1.5 billion caffeinated drinks a week, including tea, coffee and colas. We eat six million kilos of sugar and two million kilos of chocolate as well as 120 million alcoholic drinks every week and smoke 1.5 billion cigarettes. The reasons for doing this are many – satisfying cravings, handling stress, boosting low energy, insomnia, lack of time, personal enjoyment and so on. As far as pharmaceutical drugs go that are prescribed by the doctor to help with sleep disorders, anxiety and depression, a staggering 532 million tranquillizers, 463 million sleeping pills and 823 million antidepressants every year! With the escalation in poor mental health since the start of the pandemic, it is likely that the consumption of pharmaceutical products is increasing exponentially. 

     

    Typical Symptoms of Mental Ill-Health

    Each mental ill-health condition has its own symptoms, but some of the most common signs in adults include:

      Rather than turning to a doctor when the symptoms have become intensified and you are feeling desperate for help so that you can return to “normal” life, what are some of the things each one of us can do to manage and take responsibility for our mental health and overall wellbeing? 

      • Memory loss
      • Poor focus and attention
      • Slow processing of information due to confused thinking
      • Regular headaches
      • Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
      • Excessive worrying or fear
      • Feeling excessively sad or low
      • Extreme mood changes
      • Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
      • Avoiding friends and social activities
      • Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
      • Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired with low energy
      • Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
      • Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
      • Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)

      Sustaining Optimum Mental Health

      As with all serious illness, it doesn’t simply arrive one day, it has been coming for a while, and your body has been giving you the messages necessary to get you to change something, a long time before it becomes a full-blown illness.  

      Optimum brain health and preventing cognitive decline is made up of a combination of things, each of which requires consideration and inclusion into your daily and weekly routine:

      • Maintaining an overall healthy digestive system and gut health. The gut has a direct link to the brain via the gut-brain axis, therefore an unhealthy gut will affect brain health overall.
      • Managing stress levels so that the fight and flight response of the nervous system are switched on only when you are under threat of some kind.
      • Keeping blood glucose balanced avoiding excessive highs and lows
      • Feeding the brain with the right foods including essential fats and amino acids that make up the brain’s messengers as well as the correct balance of vitamins and minerals.
      • Keeping the brain active.
      • Adequate quality, uninterrupted sleep of between 6-8 hours nightly.
      • Keeping hydrated.
      • Plenty of fresh air daily – minimum 30 minutes per day, twice per day.

      I will not be covering each of these points in this blog, but you can find more information about optimising brain and mental health in our course “Brain Health Mental Agility.” 

      Foods Essential for Good Mental Health

      Dr Dale Bredesen in his book “The End of Alzheimer’s Programme” refers to essential foods as the “Brain Food Pyramid” and essentially is the reverse of what the “recommended food pyramid” has been. Cognition enhancing foods and practices, such as fasting, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables are at the base of the pyramid going upwards to protein and fruit with indulgences such as chocolate, alcohol and the odd dessert at the top. As the brain has potential to consume 40% of all carbohydrate in your diet to generate necessary energy needed to do things and for an agile brain, it is necessary to ensure an adequate supply of complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and non-starchy vegetables

      When there is inadequate glucose in the body or extreme highs and lows caused by a “sugar or caffeine fix”, it will directly affect mental and brain health leading to fatigue, insomnia, irritability, poor concentration, forgetfulness, depression, digestive disturbances and several other symptoms.  In order for the body and brain to receive enough glucose and to avoid the need for energy boosts, eating slow releasing carbohydrates, such as whole grains, beans and lentils is beneficial to a consistent energy flow, whereas refined carbohydrates overload the system with a fast release of sugar, triggering a rapid increase in blood sugar of which any excess is stored in the liver and muscles until the stores are full and then it is converted to fat.

      The brain also has a massive demand for essential fats. Cutting out fat from your diet is the equivalent of dehydrating the brain! Alzheimer’s, fatigue, ADHD, depression and memory problems have all been linked to a deficiency of essential fats – Omega 3’s and 6’s. Termed essential fats because the body cannot manufacture them and therefore have to be supplied through what we eat. Rich sources of essential fats include oily fish, such as herring, mackerel and sardine, eggs, flax seed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, olive oil, green leafy vegetables and avocados.

      Good brain and mental health is reliant on the effective functioning of neurotransmitters in the brain which are made from amino acids – protein.  Essential amino acids, those that cannot be made by the body can be obtained from grains and pulses, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, eggs and some vegetables such as peas, beans, broccoli and spinach. Eating a balanced diet will almost certainly provide enough protein for most health needs.

      Brain health is also reliant upon B vitamins, especially B12. These vitamins if deficient will negatively affect how you think and feel. A regular intake on a daily basis through diet essentially and only if under stress or recovering from illness, through supplements or herbs, is vital to supply the brain with the energy and food it needs. Food sources of B vitamins include green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, meat, yeast extract, cheese and avocados. In addition to B vitamins, Vitamin C and zinc are also very important to maintain a healthy brain. When under stress, suffering some kind of infection, or with premenstrual syndrome, demand for zinc to support physical and mental health increases. The contraceptive pill and drinking alcohol regularly also depletes levels of zinc in the body.   

      Good brain health is dependent on a healthy body, especially healthy gut and that means a diet of fresh, organic food if possible as well as foods free from additives. In other words, foods that you prepare yourself from base ingredients.

      Useful Herbs

      There are several well-known herbs that can be used to support diet and lifestyle choices to maintain healthy brain function and good mental health, including:

      Gingko biloba, this prehistoric tree has been around a long time!  Main actions include

      • Increasing blood circulation
      • Gingko and gingko extracts are used for its anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, cerebral glucose utilization, neurotransmitter regulation, and vasomotor effects.

      Bacopa monnieri, better known as Brahmi. This herb has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance cognitive function for centuries. Main actions include:

      • Enhancing nerve impulse transmission by repairing damaged neurons, and stimulating neuronal synthesis in the brain.
      • Increasing antioxidant activity in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and striatum, decreasing loss of cholinergic activity. The cholinergic system of the brain is involved in the regulation of attention and higher-order cognitive processing. Down-regulation of the cholinergic system has been observed in aging as well as in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

      Enhancing cholinergic neurotransmission = improvement of cognitive properties: memory stability and attention sharpness.

      Centella asiatica, more commonly known as Gotu kola is also traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat memory loss and can be found listed in the Ancient Indian Ayurvedic herbal text “Caraka Susmita” for dementia treatment.  Main actions include:

      • Neuro-protective effects against oxidative damage
      • Rejuvenates nerve brain cells increasing longevity and memory
      • Protects cholinergic neurons from toxic side effects of aluminium (well known for its negative affect on brain health). On this topic in order to limit the build-up of aluminium toxicity in the brain, avoid cooking with aluminium foil and cookware – the “convenient” non-stick cookware.

       Note: It is best to take herbal remedies under the supervision of a specialist practitioner to ensure there are no contraindications when taking pharmaceutical medication or when pregnant.

       

      Hydration

      Of course, simply taking herbs is not the complete solution. Good quality and adequate sleep, fresh air on a daily basis and hydration in combination with a diet mentioned are also very important. As the brain is made up of approximately 85% water to keep it functioning women need to drink 2 to 2.5 litres (8-11 cups daily and men 2.5-3.7 litres (10-15 cups) though individual needs may vary depending on activity levels. When your brain depletes 1% of water, you’re likely to have a 5% decrease in cognitive/brain function. Without adequate hydration the brain becomes sluggish, you might experience brain fog or suffer headaches, both of which are often the first sign of poor hydration in the body. Before reaching for that Panadol, try drinking a glass of water first.

       

      Tips for reaching your water quota each day:

      • Use a litre bottle to help keep track of how much you are drinking. Make a note the number of refills you are doing during the day.
      • If you don’t like plain water, add some lemon or some herbs such as mint or cucumber to flavour the water. Avoid sugar based squashes.
      • Avoid sugary foods that are high in sodium as this causes dehydration.
      • Eating watery fruits, kiwi, watermelon and other varieties of melon as well as cucumber and tomatoes can be another way to keep hydrated.
      • Drink herbal teas.

      As Alzheimer’s is now the third leading cause of death in the USA and continues to rise and the UK is not far behind, it is not someone else’s responsibility to manage your mental health and prevent cognitive decline. Maintaining good mental and physical health is complex, includes more than what is written in this blog, but not difficult once you understand what is required. As President Truman once said, “The buck stops here.” Getting the right help from a professional practitioner before symptoms before acute, to support steps to preventing cognitive decline and re-balancing mental and physical health will provide the joy, energy, health and wellbeing each and everyone of us deserves.

      Brain Health Mental agility course subscription options

       

       

      References:

       The End to Alzheimer’s Programme, Dr Dale Bredesen.

       https://neurogrow.com/water-your-brain/f

       https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/quick-guide-dementia/

       https://media.samaritans.org/documents/Samaritans_Covid_1YearOn_Report_2021_BJCM8rI.pdf

       https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms

    • Building Empathy Centric Leadership

      Empathy, one of the characteristics or we might say building blocks of emotional intelligence, is an essential skill of any leader. When lacking empathy employees feel unheard, undervalued and often frustrated about an apparent lack of understanding of the challenges in any job role or for any difficulties they might be experiencing outside of their working lives, and customers less inclined to entrusting loyalty with your enterprise.

      Having a developed sense of empathy enables you to sense what is happening and how someone is feeling without them having to actually tell you. In groups a leader is able to use the same sense to feel potential areas of struggle, conflict and "holding back" of information, opinions, thoughts and ideas to maximise on the moment and open discussion. Empathy enables responses that take into consideration non-verbal cues whilst sharing openly without contradicting your own thoughts and feelings. Fostering rapport through being empathetic and showing empathy to others are key characteristics of building effective relationships, which is the very foundation to effective leadership and perhaps even business success.

      What is empathy? Empathy is not sympathy it is the ability to experience the moment in response to a customer, colleague, employee, or family member in a manner that “connects” directly to that person, sharing briefly the emotions that the person might be feeling without taking them on yourself. It has an impact on those involved in that moment as well as a longer lasting impact through building a relationship of trust. A positive customer experience makes the difference between a customer becoming loyal or choosing to go elsewhere. In most cases there are plenty of “elsewhere” companies ready to serve customers who have had a poor or even bad experience with any particular service offering. In the current labour market, it is not just the external customer who might choose to go elsewhere, but employees, also.

      The 2020 NTT Global Customer Experience Benchmarking Report stated that, “Companies who focus on a customer/employee centricity see a 92% increase in customer loyalty with an 84% uplift in revenue and a 79% margin in costs saved. 

      More recent data (March 2024 in an article by Cheyenna Eversoll Duggan “The empathy advantage: Using customer data to personalise marketing,” stated:

      • 68% of customers expect brands to demonstrate empathy, but only 37% of customers say brands generally demonstrate empathy.
      • 68% of customers will spend more money with a brand that understands them and treats them like an individual.
      • 66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, but only 34% of companies generally treat customers as unique individuals.

      Empathy is the linchpin to delivering excellence in customer service both for customers and service providers. Equipping leaders through the development of emotional intelligence and the skills of showing empathy is no longer questionable in terms of importance to business performance, or even optional, but essential. 

      Empathy is an essential aspect of emotional intelligence (Daniel Goldman). Being empathetic and showing empathy has two steps, firstly picking up on others' feelings and secondly responding to those feelings and emotions while interacting with them. Not everyone tells you how they are feeling, even if you ask, but with heightened sensitivity you are able to pick up on emotions and respond if needed, with empathy. Becoming more in tune with the non-verbal and verbal cues that others' are sending increases abilities to respond empathetically. The key competencies within empathy according to Daniel Goleman (Working with Emotional Intelligence) are:

      • Sense others' feelings and perspectives 
      • Take an active interest in others' concerns
      • Sense others' development needs and support their development
      • Anticipate, recognise and meet customers' needs 
      • Read emotional undercurrents and power relationships
      • Cultivate and build opportunities through different kinds of people.

      Judith Orloff once said, “Empathy is the medicine the world needs.” This statement sums up the reason why we need this important skill to foster the growing need for businesses to encourage empathy centricity in their organisation and work culture both internally and externally. 

      AI is a major part of providing service to customers, often helping filter and channel callers in the right direction to get them the appropriate help speedily, however the ability to sense and understand feelings, concerns and perspectives of others through intuition is not yet something that AI can do, in fact it is the biggest challenge for  further development of AI. Palming off your customers to an AI assistant may not build the customer loyalty you are seeking for your business, therefore investing in employee development in this area and equipping leaders with the skill of understanding sensitive situations and responding with empathy are still for now essential to the success of any business.

       

      References

      Working with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman (1999)

      The Language of Emotional Intelligence, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D, Jaelline Jaffee, Ph.D

      https://services.global.ntt/en-us/insights/2020-global-cx-benchmarking-report#

       

       

    • Challenge or stress – it’s a fine line!

      The dictionary defines stress as “a pressure or tension exerted on another object; a demand on physical or mental energy; or forcibly exerted influence usually causing distress or strain.”    In short stress is any factor, positive or negative that requires a response or change.  In medical research it is widely recognized that chronic ongoing stress can lead to illness, aggravate existing disease conditions and accelerate aging.

      There is a need to be in constant interchange with our surroundings and it is this interchange that creates stress.  If looking at reality this is simply a fact of life.  There is no way to avoid stresses in life.  Every organism, including man must be able to adapt to changing environmental and social conditions in order to survive.  However, over time the continual need to adapt to change can disrupt the metabolic balance of the human organism.

      Common stressors for people today include most aspects of life – family, financial, emotional and environmental, nutritional factors, as well as personal and work-related stresses and relationships.    According to research nearly half a million people in the UK have work-related stress that is making them ill, leading to the need to take sick leave.  It is estimated that 12 million working days are lost each year in the UK due to stress-related illness and in some cases even injury. (HSE.gov.co.uk)

      Stress in the work place can be a result of different factors, in general there is a mismatch between the requirements of the job, the employee’s capabilities, the resources available and the needs of the worker.

      The concept of job stress is often confused with challenge.  Clearly these concepts are not the same.  Challenge, if at the appropriate level, energizes us psychologically and physically.  It motivates us to learn new skills and master our jobs. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied, proud and perhaps even excited about what we have achieved Thus, challenge is an important ingredient for healthy and productive work. The importance of challenge in our work lives keeps us learning, growing and developing.

      A challenge becomes stressful when there is either rejection that the goal cannot be achieved because it looks and feels overwhelming or when job demands cannot be met, due to employee capability and or lack of necessary resources.  Very quickly the situation can change from focused and motivated to achieve, to exhaustion from trying and the sense of ability to accomplish has  turned into feelings of stress.

      We know that what is stressful for one person is not necessarily stressful for another because of individual characteristics, including coping mechanisms, previous experience, level of maturity and possibly personality. The questions therefore are how can we as managers and leaders:

      • challenge team members, use this challenge to motivate, but not stress them to a point of no return?
      • identify when the line between challenge and stress has been crossed?

      Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory helps to answer these questions.  His theory is ensuring that there is a sound relationship for the employee between effort and performance.  These feelings of motivation and satisfaction are further increased if the individual and or team can see the relationship between good performance or outcomes and reward, especially if it is a reward that is valued.  Feedback cannot be underestimated when challenging team members, as well as working with Vroom’s model.  Both gaining feedback and giving feedback, help us as managers and leaders to understand whether the challenge is about to become stress.

    • Conflict Management

      What is Conflict Management?

      I was looking at the term  “conflict management” the other day and realized that it is often used interchangeably with “conflict resolution”.  The difference, however is that the concept of conflict management is based on a premise that not all disputes end in resolution.  Additionally, conflict management is the practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible, fair and efficient manner.  Therefore, in summary “conflict management” is any collection of actions, responses, processes, and/or systems that help manage, improve, or prevent the deterioration of relationship dynamics.

      A part of effective leadership is conflict management.  When parties involved cannot resolve the dispute, leaders use strategies to manage the dispute and acknowledge the differences.  Conflict management brings awareness to the parties in a dispute of their options.  It allows examination of their own assessments, to communicate their feelings and to choose options that avoid defensive or aggressive reactions.

      Words to the Wise

      We often think that other people see the world in the same way as we do, and overestimate the degree to which they understand our approach and actions.  As leaders of ourselves and of others, it is important that rather than making assumptions, we ask for clarification.

      Be willing to take the first step in opening up the conversation.  The fear of rejection may lead to closed body language and lack of eye contact, which may be perceived by the other person inaccurately.  Go out of your way to make eye contact, and open up the conversation constructively.

      Skills for Managing Conflict

      Various skills are utilized in managing conflict:

      1. Open Communication (questioning openly, active listening, reflecting, feedback and focus)
      2. Establish Ground Rules to ensure the discussion is constructive and productive
      3. Confront Current Issues – not the people and not the past
      4. Use Listening Skills – for both logic (content) and feelings (emotions).  Listen to understand – paraphrase, repeat, summarize to check understanding.
      5. Keep Emotions in Check and be aware of the emotions of the other party.
      6. Use humour to relieve tension (when appropriate)

       

      Linda Tropp, Ph.D Director of Psychology of peace and violence concentration at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

    • Could your leadership be causing mental ill health

      This blog takes the form of a case study that encompasses both my professional roles as a healthcare practitioner and corporate wellbeing training provider. The aim of the case study is to encourage you to decide, for yourself, what could have been done differently.

      The client in question, is a lady late 50’s who was employed by a high school as the assistant director of the school, a job she has been doing for some years already while also continuing to teach the pupils an academic subject. An active person who was working long hours every day, five days a week in school and some part of her personal time to catch up, mark papers and do other administrative tasks, she seldom did less than a 10-hour day. Her husband also works, and her children are also of working age.

      About 3 years ago, as a part of some kind of change in status and re-organisation of the school, all teachers were asked to re-apply for their jobs to continue employment at that school. Each teacher would be hired based on the new requirements. My client was not re-hired, nor was she given an explanation as to why, she was simply told that her job was no longer needed as of tomorrow. No redundancy payment was offered. That would be a dramatic shock for most of us. Lack of appreciation, feedback and thanks would make anyone angry, likely followed by sadness at having the job and career you love crudely removed with no further contact. From May to September of that year she did not feel well, she lost interest and enthusiasm for life, but tried to regain this by taking up a role as a volunteer in a local charity shop.

      At a similar time, her father died during Covid and this seemed to tip her over the edge into mental illness, specifically severe depression combined with anxiety. Her father also suffered from depression and anxiety. She stated that she remembers shaking uncontrollably at the loss of her father, and perhaps to this day has not yet come to terms with this loss through the normal grieving process.

      Certainly, we can debate if how she lost her job was according to the law? That is not the purpose of this blog and therefore we will avoid going down that route. The client is now on four medications for anxiety and depression, some of which are also negatively affecting hair growth, leading to an increase in hair loss. In addition, she is putting on weight, both of which negatively impact how she feels about herself. Her quality of sleep is poor due to twitching caused by one of the medications she is taking. To aid sleep she has been subscribed Zopiclone, a common sleep medication which can cause drowsiness during the day. In her own words, she “has no reason to get out of bed and most of the time feels blank and tense,” therefore can spend the whole day in bed sleeping with no desire to get out of bed. In order to end this cycle, she tried to commit suicide. Luckily, she was not successful.

      She had her gall bladder removed approximately 10 years ago and despite this has no  difficulty in digesting most foods. However, looking at this energetically, the gall bladder – “How can you have the gall to……?” is a representation of rage, extreme anger that has been suppressed within the body, ultimately damaging the functioning of the gall bladder until such time as it has to be surgically removed. This is an example of how suppressed negative emotions manifest on the physical level to show us what it is we need to deal with. Does removal of the gall bladder mean we have dealt with these negative emotions, or do they still remain in the body as the person’s behavioural pattern remains the same?

      She is under the guidance of the mental health team in her area, but at best is staying numb to life, at worst is not living. After several years of guidance from this team, she and her husband, whose life has also been tipped upside down, decided to try something different and on recommendation from one of their friends who was treated successfully for similar conditions, have sought a health consultation with me. The main goals for treatment are:

      • To get better from severe depression and anxiety to live her life as before.
      • To improve her quality of life and reduce medications.

      This gives you the background of this client. Now look at this situation from a leadership perspective and answer the following questions:

      1. How did this person end up with severe depression and anxiety when previously she was a capable, active woman who up until losing her job we can assume was able to take responsibility and get things done?

      2.  What role did the school management team/leadership play in what this lady is today?

      3. What could have been done differently from those responsible to lessen the emotional impact on this individual anticipating that redundancy for anyone is often a shock?

      4. Why is thoughtful, nurturing leadership of others so very important?

      5. How can leaders balance a nurturing style of leadership with accomplishment of organisation goals? (A school is also an organisation)

      6. What are the key things for the leadership team to learn from this case?

      7. What have you learned from this case about how you address difficult, possibly life changing situations from this case. 

      If you feel affected by this case study then you maybe interested in this new course on how to lead compassionate conversations. 

    • Do Bonus Schemes for Executives Drive Company Performance

      End of the year is the time not only for Christmas parties, but it is also when many companies pay out bonuses based on performance for the year for senior management and either 6 or 3-monthly bonus pay outs for middle management and team members. I have often heard the comment, “I am waiting for the year end to get my bonus payout before I put in my notice.” Hand on heart, I would do the same. Working hard all year to earn a lovely Christmas bonus to spend on the family, a holiday or something that needs doing around the house makes complete sense. Does this work for the company? While it might leave a bad taste in your mouth, the person has done the work and therefore the payout was budgeted. The only gap is the vacancy the person leaving creates. The reason why they have decided to leave can be many and varied and is not the topic of this blog.

      It was a couple of years ago I read an article in the Sunday Times (Business section) “Bosses:  Is the Party Over?” by Ben Laurance. The article was about Neil Woodford of The Woodford Patient Capital Trust, who after many years of paying bonuses to his fund managers had decided to scrap them altogether and compensate his team members with a rise in base pay instead. The question this begs is “Will these actions enhance or discourage performance”?

      Woodford believes there is very little correlation between bonus and performance, which in his opinion, can lead to short term decision-making and wrong behaviours. I would suggest the terms of the scheme and method of measuring performance impacts decision making and incorrect behaviours. Without knowing the content of the Woodford Patient Capital Trust particular scheme, it is difficult to validate his comment either way.

      A very recent article by Esa Employment Law Solicitors – Weighing the pros and cons of Big CEO Bonuses clearly outlines the dilemma. “These big CEO bonuses are controversial because excessive executive pay often comes at the expense of workforce pay, exacerbating income inequality and potentially harming employee morale and trust in institutions. Critics argue that these high payouts are not always linked to improved company performance and that the incentives within the pay packages don't always encourage long-term stakeholder interests.”

      In the banking and larger finance industry, bonuses are commonplace. One could argue they are expected, particularly by senior members of management. In recent years we have seen massive bonuses paid out to senior executives despite doing a poor job. Channel 4 (2024) is a case in point: “Bosses took hundreds of thousands in bonuses despite the broadcaster suffering its steepest revenue fall in 41 years, leading to significant job cuts,” reported Mark Sweney in the Guardian (October 2024). 

      Thames Water (2023): “The CEO and CFO initially agreed to forgo bonuses due to poor service to their customers, but the former CEO had received a £496,000 performance-related payout the previous year.” (Ref BBC)

      Advantages and Disadvantages of Bonus Schemes

      Benefits to the organisation for paying such rewards, apart from the supposed incentivisation is to focus team members to the goals and if the incentive is well thought through and set within achievable limits, financial targets will be achieved and perhaps even overachieved.   Thus, driving company growth and market share. Other benefits include:

      •    Attracting and retaining top talent

      •    Aligning interests with shareholders 

      •    Driving company performance – which as mentioned earlier might not always be the case on senior level.

      •    For senior executives rewarding risk and responsibility for overall company performance.

      What are the down sides of paying these rewards?  Large bonuses as seen in the banking and financial sectors experienced reckless behaviour by individuals who were taking huge risk chasing their reward with little regard for the stability of the bank or institution. This is when the EU stepped in to limit bonuses for bankers to no more than double the base pay. Research on the impact of this move by Irem Tuna of London Business School and Anya Kleymenova of the Booth School of Business in Chicago, suggest that this move did indeed reduce risk-taking. However, at the same time turnover of executives in financial firms increased. It is not clear if this is the only factor for this apparent negative spin off. Other apparent disadvantages include:

      • Weak link between bonus payout and company performance. Perhaps because the scheme guidelines are unclear, force majeure circumstances where the top executives have no control. For example, being reliant on imports from a country that has been sanctioned for whatever reason.

      •   Overly focused to short-termism and financial targets that drive their personal reward.

      •  Short-termism in making decisions for investments that will benefit the company and employees within the company in the medium to long term.

      •   Negative impact on employee morale and company culture due to the massive divide between executive pay and bonus payout and that of their teams.

      •    Short-sighted priorities by focusing on executive reward when these funds could be used for training and development or other investments within the company.

      The question around senior executive bonuses is reflective of broader questions about the purpose of leadership, fairness around reward systems, motivation and morale. Well-designed bonus schemes can be powerful tools: they attract forward-thinking leaders, align executives with shareholder goals, and motivate outstanding performance. When structured effectively, these incentives recognise the scale of responsibility and risk leaders carry, while projecting confidence and ambition to the wider market.

      The downsides are just as significant. Inflated CEO bonuses can damage employee morale, deepen income inequality, and at times reward leaders even when true business performance falls short. When these incentives are poorly linked to long-term objectives or robust performance measures, they can encourage short-termism and weaken trust both inside organisations and in the wider society.

      The question I will leave you with is “Can we solely attribute performance or non performance to a bonus scheme?” Surely leadership plays a part in creating the right environment for effective performance in meeting department and company goals whether financial or otherwise?  

      References 

      https://www.theemploymentlawsolicitors.co.uk/news/2025/08/28/ceo-bonuses/

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crg33l5rpp3o#:~:text=Water%20firm%20bosses%20forgo%20bonuses%20over%20poor,progress%20over%20customer%20service%20and%20sewage%20discharges

      Want to discuss your training needs for 2026. Contact: https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/contact

    • Active Leadership – The Benefits of Combining Movement & Leadership

      When I was a young manager, my first General Manager at the time was a very special man, sadly no longer with us. He was general manager of the Elangeni Hotel in Durban, South Africa and he taught me many things about managing and leading people in what is a demanding, but rewarding industry. He was inquisitive, asked questions not only to satisfy his own interest, but also to check your understanding of what you might have been doing at that point in time, as well as the bigger picture of why I was doing whatever it is I was doing. He was always immaculately dressed, irrelevant of time of day or night in full suit with waistcoat and a red rose in his buttonhole. I don’t think I ever saw him in any other clothing during the 4 years I worked with him. He was respectful of everyone, no matter your position, male or female, senior or younger. I never heard him raise his voice in all that time, even when annoyed. He was a fair man, I suppose strict in some ways. He gave out autonomy to his team members expecting performance as agreed, and these characteristics shone through his leadership approach. On top of this, he led by walking about. He is what I would call an “active” leader. Of course, there were times when he was in his office, but in general once the paperwork, meetings and discussions had been completed, he was out and about. His “finger was totally on the pulse”. Nothing passed him by.

      Much of my leadership approach is based on my learning from this person as well as the variety of people working in the hotel with their vast array of backgrounds, experiences, cultures and education, all doing an honest day’s work in the hotel industry while providing me a fantastic foundation on which to learn. Perhaps they did not feel the same way!

      We often read posts on LinkedIn, X or the like on how important it is to move, to be active whether a manager or not. Personally, I’m a great advocate for this. Managers and leaders generally spend too much time at the computer or other electronic device and not enough time moving, talking to employees and clients. At the same time many managers have ideal job roles that allow them to be active not only before or after work, but also during by combining movement with going around the operations and different departments. Being visible in this way enables managers to see how things are running and to check in with team members, giving individual employees an opportunity to talk, share information, difficulties and so on while also understanding if they have any challenges, what is going well, how they are etc. Being active also provides opportunities to listen to and talk to guests and customers addressing their concerns, hearing their comments and receiving feedback. All while being active and moving around. 

      What is so important about moving? It is not necessary to run a marathon, climb the tallest mountain, or cycle 10 kilometres a day to be active to enjoy the benefits, such as:

      •    Consistent focus, clarity and balanced mental health 

      •    Consistent energy levels throughout the day

      •    Positive outlook 

      •    Reduction in stress, anxiety and mood swings 

      •    Good cardiovascular health 

      •    Easier weight management 

      •    Stronger immune system to combat seasonal bugs and viruses

      •    Better sleep

      If that’s not enough, to this list can also be added building stable and healthy relationships with others, providing the social aspects of life that are so important. Humans are herd animals and to be healthy we need social connections and relationships. A perfect link to the essence of good leadership. Leadership is only possible if followers choose to follow. This requires building relations and consequently trust, understanding employees, strong skills of emotional intelligence and the ability to listen. Showing personal vulnerability, courage, integrity and honesty. A leader cannot demonstrate these characteristics from an office by email or other internal communication system. These tools support face to face communication, but do not replace them. The lessons I learned over 30 years ago from my first general manager are still the same today!

      £340 billion was lost in the UK economy due to employees’ disengagement and 0.8 million workers in 2023/24 were suffering from work-related stress, anxiety and depression according to Perkbox and Vivup. According to HSE Safety, £14.5 billion annual costs in new cases of work-related ill health in 2022/23. How much of this is due to losing contact with employees, just expecting them to perform in accordance with the job description? A recent blog on “Engage Employee” website listed the top five reasons employees go to work and which can be summarised by saying the majority of our employees come to work for the social contact and that sense of belonging. “Engage Employee” survey results with 2,000 employees ranked reasons for coming to work as:

      1.    The People 

      2.    Feeling like I am good at it 

      3.    The hours 

      4.    It’s fulfilling 

      5.    Working as a team 

      Salary was ranked in 6th place.   

      Quite clearly social connection and interaction is rated as extremely important with 3 out of the top 5 reflecting this fact. How can you encourage your managers and leaders to be more active in the workplace, not only to get their “steps in”, and improve their overall well-being and that of their employees, but also to build trust through regular and open communication, stronger teamwork, improve problem solving, and build and manage relations with customers and guests? Being an active leader, costs nothing, but there is much to gain.

      References 

      https://www.engageemployee.com/blog/top-20-reasons-we-go-to-work

      https://hcssafety.co.uk/news/hse-statistics-2024/#:~:text=The%20annual%20cost%20of%20new,22%20to%20%C2%A37.1%20billion.