Things are looking up

Tea Trees, dog walking and the art of happiness

I returned from walking my dog the other day in such an uplifted, joyous state that it took me by surprise. I realised I had unconsciously been applying three techniques that build positive, relaxed mood, pretty much on demand.

Here they are, so you can use them too. Read more…

Evil will always concentrate, unless…

Organisational and political corruption gets worse over time. What can you do?

My Halloween special is about corporate evil, from bad behaviour of political groups to large scale organisational corruption and abuse.

I have a theory that evil concentrates over time due to a natural quirk in human nature. Fortunately, this also means that unhealthy institutional cultures can be prevented or cured.

Read more…

How to survive working with your family

Critical knowledge for thriving in a family business

Working with family can be hard. Dysfunctional dynamics transfer from home to the workplace, making life more stressful than it needs to be and threatening the success of the business. This post is the ultimate guide to understanding what’s up with your sibling relationships and what to do about it.

(HINT: This is really for anyone who has difficulty with their adult brothers or sisters – you don’t have to be working with them.) Read more…

Six tips for staying sane and happy as a business owner

Bank of Queensland talks to Stephanie Thompson about the Business Balance Report

The Bank of Queensland have been talking with me recently about the unique stresses of owning a small or medium business, and what to do about them.

They commissioned research into this topic, resulting in the fascinating Business Balance Report. It reveals shockingly high levels of depression, anxiety and stress among Australian business owners.

So I gave them some tips for staying sane and happy while running a business. Read more…