Does this sound familiar?

As knowledge workers, we are typically excellent thinkers – we know how to analyse contractual provisions and craft legal arguments. That said, how often do we stop and think about the impact our thoughts are having on our emotions and behaviours? How often do we think about how we are crafting our own careers and lives? This session will offer you an opportunity to do just that – to take a step back to then move forward on the path to self-mastery. The session will draw upon wisdom from Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius who, in Meditations, reflects on the critical act of retreating into the self to skilfully confront emergencies, which in his day included natural disasters, famine, barbarian invasions and plague. This timeless wisdom will be applied to the modern workplace for you to use in both ordinary and extraordinary times.

Content includes:

• Going inwards to become aware of our thoughts

• The circle of control

• How to focus on the positives

• Cultivating emotional intelligence to improve relationships, think clearly, reduce stress and build resilience.

• Managing painful feelings (fear, anxiety, anger) – practical strategies including mindfulness and meditation

• Deepening empathy and compassion

• Preventing emotional contagion – setting boundaries not barriers

• The Radiant Professional – how to be a positive influence

• Harnessing the power of the unconscious mind through visualisation and meditation

Most of us are aware that diversity and inclusion is good for people and good for business. The business case for diversity and inclusion is well established – diversity drives innovation and creativity, improves relevance with customers and guards against excessive risk-taking as well as groupthink. A finer point that may not be as evident is that it is not the presence of any one traditional diversity category itself that boosts an organisation’s performance, but rather it is the mix of different perspectives, attitudes and capabilities that enhances an organisation’s capacity to solve complex problems, to innovate and to manage risk. In other words, it is diversity of thought (or “cognitive diversity”) that matters most to create a competitive advantage. This session will examine what we mean by “diversity of thought”, explain how it differs from "demographic diversity” and highlight how it can be optimised at your organisation. Practical tips and tools will be offered around leadership styles, the role of the chair at meetings, and creating a culture of psychological safety to ensure that the diversity of human potential at your organisation speaks up, is listened to and empowered for the benefit of all.

As knowledge workers, we are all too familiar with feeling stressed. Whether it’s a looming deadline, an IT meltdown, job insecurity or being ambushed by urgent requests, stress triggers abound. While eliminating all stress in a professional environment is unrealistic, we can take steps to manage our stress and become happier, healthier and more fulfilled. Most of us are aware of the basics around stress-relief – that said, there is often a gap between knowledge and the application of knowledge. Despite having access to countless well-being articles and apps, many of us still find ourselves stressed out – which can come at a cost to our health. This webinar seeks to provide you with simple strategies that you can immediately apply to reduce stress and enhance well-being – the aim is to empower you to stress less so that you can thrive!

This session offers something a little different to our typical soft skills session and has been described as a “breath of fresh air” as it investigates not only practical ways to boost energy at work, but also the relationship between our energy and our intuition. As lawyers, we are adept at using our rational minds. This webinar explores the role of intuition in a lawyer’s career and seeks to clarify how to access intuition and, crucially, when to trust it. In this context, the role that heuristics and cognitive biases play in decision-making is investigated. The session will empower you to become an energetic and intuitive lawyer!

While many corporate cultures are evolving to embrace leadership models that integrate both “feminine” and “masculine” strengths, the fact remains that gender bias, whether conscious or unconscious, is not yet a thing of the past.

Research confirms that women often face a “double-bind” – where a woman is perceived as likeable or successful, but not both at the same time. If a woman acts against stereotype and negotiates for higher pay, self-promotes, or fails to constantly collaborate, she may be judged as unpleasant. While recognising that women don’t need to be fixed to fit into outmoded, command-and-control leadership models, this session investigates what the double-bind is all about and offers strategies to stop it from holding you back.

Many high performers have experienced “Impostor syndrome” – despite overwhelming evidence of their success and countless achievements, they hold a consistent belief that they will be “found out”. Impostor syndrome is not a medical condition or a psychological disorder.

The term was coined by two psychologists in 1978 and since that time, it has resonated with a lot of people, including celebrities and those of us working in the corporate world. The crux of impostor syndrome is that the people who experience it have a distorted view of what “competence” looks like. This session will unpack what impostor syndrome is, what causes it and offer practical strategies to help participants stop engaging in the protective behaviours that prevent them from fully embracing their success.

In the corporate world, excellence, and depending on the context, precision are paramount. Excellence and precision are not the same thing as perfectionism. Perfectionism is not about high standards – it’s about unrealistically high standards that are often impossible to meet.

This session will zero in on “socially prescribed perfectionism” or the assumption that others have expectations of you that are impossible to meet, but in order to gain approval from these people, you need to meet these impossible expectations. In other words, “people pleasing”. By the end of this session, you will have techniques to manage perfectionist thoughts and feelings , as well as a strategy to let go of the need to please others.

Leadership and well-being are two topics that you have heard a lot about, through your organisation, your own research, and undoubtedly on social media. Why is it that despite the countless tools on offer to support our physical, emotional and mental health, many of us still struggle to apply these tools in a consistent and meaningful way? We all know that well-being isn’t sustained by periodically logging on to a meditation app (even if that app is a useful tool). As is the case with effective leadership, well-being is cultivated over time, through a consistent practice (and not through intermittent intensity).

What if “well-being” wasn’t something that you had to “do” in addition to your job, but was an integral part of it? What if performance and well-being were viewed holistically so that the behaviours that promote well-being were considered a “core competency”?

This session seeks to answer those questions by investigating the relationship between leadership and well-being. It is a simple truth that leadership isn’t easy – and that our behaviour as a leader or manager affects the people we lead/manage. To support you in becoming a better leader, specific leadership styles will be examined. In that context, you will be encouraged to pinpoint the behaviours that will not only make you an effective leader, but will also contribute to your well-being, and crucially, to the well-being of others. By the end of the session, you will be equipped with a sustainable well-being practice - no yoga mat required!