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Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Find your best way of learning

Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Find your best way of learning

As human beings we have so much in common, but we should not let that distract us from the fact that we are also very different from one another in various ways. One of those ways in which people differ is in terms of how best we learn. What works well for you may not work for me, while what works for me may likewise not work for you. This is partly because there are different types of intelligence – practical intelligence, mathematical intelligence, artistic intelligence and so on. Someone who is very capable in one type of activity may struggle in another type of activity because of the different types of intelligence involved... Click here to read more  …
Dr Neil Thompson
December 14, 2017
Embracing grief

Embracing grief

"NO ONE ever told me that grief felt so like fear," C S Lewis once wrote, and he was right. Stepping into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward, I tried to remain calm. But what was waiting behind those tinted-glass panels, I wasn't prepared for. Lying lifelessly on a bed with tubes attached to her body was my beloved aunt, unconscious and quite possibly, brain dead. Having to pace the hallways of a hospital is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. But grief comes to us all, in one way or another... Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
December 14, 2017
Can poo power solve India’s toilet problem?

Can poo power solve India’s toilet problem?

India is in the midst of a toilet-building frenzy, the government has set aside $20bn (£15bn) for the health initiative and aims to stop people having to defecate in the open by 2019. One social enterprise in one of India's poorest areas is taking on the challenge of building public toilets.It is using the waste from the toilets to help pay for their upkeep. More than half a billion people in rural India do not use toilets. It's a situation which leads to a host of health and social problems, including children not going to school and women being assaulted or fearing assault when they go to secluded areas to relieve themselves... Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
December 14, 2017
Dealing with conflict

Dealing with conflict

The word conflict carries a lot of negative baggage, and most people seek to avoid it. However, as any businessperson will tell you, conflict will eventually happen. Conflict is a natural and necessary part of doing business, so managers who seek to eliminate all forms of conflict in their workplace are not doing themselves, their employees, or their businesses any favors. Just because no one mentions any conflict to their manager does not mean that none exist, or that these unacknowledged conflicts have no negative impacts. Properly handled, functional conflict challenges the status quo and spurs the company forward to improvement. Dysfunctional conflict is a drag on the company and a waste of time and other valuable resources. A manager…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 14, 2017
Seth Godin’s blog – Best practices

Seth Godin’s blog – Best practices

If you need an appendectomy, it's unlikely you'll die during the operation. That's because the surgeon has been trained in hundreds of years of best practices. From Semmelweis to the latest in antibiotics, she knows what's come before. Not only that, but the scalpel she uses is the result of 1,000 iterations over the centuries. Every device has been sanitized based on trial and error from the millions of patients who came before you. Surgery is an engineering project, and it's based on best practices. Learn from the past, don't ignore it ... Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
December 14, 2017
Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Live to fight another day

Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Live to fight another day

‘Strategic capitulation’ is a term used in behaviour management programmes to refer to the technique of giving in to whatever is being demanded by someone who is being aggressive and potentially violent. It is intended as a last resort. The way it works is this: if you have someone (child or adult) who is behaving in a hostile, aggressive or threatening way, there are various methods that can be used to handle the situation (distraction, for example). But, if those techniques don’t work (no technique is guaranteed to work), then it can be safer and wiser to give in and give them what they want than to risk being assaulted. Unless you work in a setting where aggression and violence…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2017
Social services are broken. How we can fix them

Social services are broken. How we can fix them

When a family falls into crisis -- and it sometimes happens, thanks to unemployment, drugs, bad relationships and bad luck -- the social services system is supposed to step in and help them get back on track. As Hilary Cottam shows, in the UK a typical family in crisis can be eligible for services from more than 70 different agencies, but it's unlikely that any one of them can really make a difference. Cottam, a social entrepreneur herself, asks us to think about the ways we solve deep and complex social problems. How can we build supportive, enthusiastic relationships between those in need and those that provide help? Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2017
Charter for Trees, Woods and People

Charter for Trees, Woods and People

On 6 November 2017, on the 800th anniversary of the 1217 Charter of the Forest, the new Charter for Trees, Woods and People was launched at Lincoln Castle – home to one of the two remaining 1217 Charters of the Forest. It now rests in the Lincolnshire Archives. During 2017 we reached out to all sections of UK society to define this new charter, and to build a people-powered movement for trees. More than 70 organisations and 300 local community groups answered the call and helped to collect over 60,000 tree stories from people across the UK, demonstrating the important role that trees play in their lives. These stories were read and shared, and helped to define the 10 Principles…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 30, 2017