At Understood, we champion the power of a growth mindset. Our training programmes are grounded in the belief that growth and development are essential to success. One of the most compelling ideas that supports this belief comes from psychologist Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset. Dweck explains that how we view…
Do you want to get better at managing your emotions? You can! Emotional regulation is a skill anyone can develop with practice. Drawing on insights from Leonard Mlodinow’s Emotional: How Feelings Shape Our Thinking, this approach starts with three core actions: accept, reframe, and express. These steps form a…
How much thought do you give to the five senses when designing a great customer experience? Do you consider sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste? Each sense offers countless opportunities to engage and delight customers. In a previous blog post, we shared ten top tips for creating outstanding customer…
Smartphones have become part of the fabric of modern life, but what toll do they take on younger generations’ mental health, focus, and ability to connect? Do they make them more anxious? Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, explores how smartphone use and social media reshape childhood development and…
We all battle distraction, and lack focus, even the most driven among us. You might zone out mid-conversation or sit down to complete an important task, only to end up scrolling endlessly through social media. In Stolen Focus, author Johann Hari calls this an “attention crisis.” He highlights a…
Effective communication drives strong relationships, sets clear expectations, and resolves conflict. Mastering communication unlocks success at every level of the workplace, including as a motivator. Drawing insights from Mastering Communication at Work: How to Lead, Manage, and Influence by Ethan F. Becker and Jon Wortmann, we’ve captured key lessons…
‘The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. If you live to be 80, you’ll have had about 4,000 weeks. But that’s no reason for despair.’ So says Oliver Burkeman in his phenomenal book, Four Thousand Weeks – all about time management ‘for mortals’. Burkeman explains that it’s only…
Where do your suppliers rank in your customer experience pecking order? Do they receive the same level of TLC as you shower upon those who purchase your products/services? Do you respond to their emails as promptly and politely as you would to an email sent to you by your…
How can you create impactful learning and training experiences for adults? When you design new training content, your goals are probably clear: Create material that genuinely helps learners Successfully share knowledge and skills Ensure learners retain and apply that knowledge to positive effect But even with hours of hard…
Did you know that communication barriers can harm your relationships with friends, family and work colleagues? Relationship building relies heavily on communication, so you risk missing out on some significant chances to connect if you’re unaware of the dynamics at play. In fact, over 50 per cent of people…
