Articles
Dive into a collection of white papers and articles curated by Dulcie Swanston…from nurturing emerging talent to refining established leadership skills.
Whether you’re navigating the complexities of senior management or fostering the growth of early-career professionals, explore invaluable insights to elevate your team’s performance and drive organizational success.

Rebranding Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome isn’t a sign of failure—it’s proof that you’re growing. Discover the neuroscience behind imposter thinking and how to reframe it as a sign of success. Learn practical strategies to manage self-doubt, shift your mindset, and embrace new opportunities with confidence.
The Sphere of Influence Explained
Struggling with distractions and overthinking? The Sphere of Influence is a simple yet powerful tool to help you refocus your energy where it truly matters. By categorising your concerns into three key areas—Control, Influence, and Concern—you can stop wasting mental effort on things beyond your reach and channel it into what truly makes a differenc
GROW to Embed Learning: A Simple Technique for Lasting Impact
Have you ever sent someone on a leadership development programme, a team-building workshop, or even recommended a great book—only to find that a few weeks later, nothing has changed?
RACI: The Framework Every Team Needs
Have you ever been part of a team where tasks overlap, decisions drag on, or roles are unclear? It’s exhausting, frustrating, and a huge drain on time and energy. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The Magic of 66 Days: How Long Does It Really Take to Form a Habit?
This article dives into why forming habits takes time, the science behind sticking with them, and practical tips to help you stay on track. Plus, explore a free activity designed to help you reach the magic 66-day milestone and learn how Tea Break Training uses creative tools like postcards to make learning and new habits stick.
70:20:10: Make Your Development Plan Stick
Ever left a training course excited, only to find nothing’s changed months later? The 70:20:10 model helps learning stick by combining real-life practice, feedback, and formal training. Discover three steps to turn good intentions into lasting results.
Over Thinking
Ever found yourself spiralling into overthinking? Join me as I recount my zero-to-dance-floor journey, battling self-doubt and catastrophising thoughts.
Embracing Conundrums: When Two Things Can Be True at Once
Do we learn more from success or failure? Science offers conflicting answers: one study highlights the 15% failure sweet spot for optimal learning, while another shows we persist better with success. Instead of picking a side, what if we embraced both truths? By navigating the grey area, we unlock deeper growth and creativity.
Why the Right Amount of Failure is Key to Growth
Failure can be a powerful growth tool—when balanced. Research suggests a 15% failure rate is just right: challenging but not overwhelming. Think of it like baking bread; with the right amount of yeast, it rises perfectly. This “15% rule” builds resilience, improves problem-solving, and encourages a growth mindset.
Increase your IQ by up to 15 points
This week's edition of NIAN is all about the best way to increase your IQ by up to 15 points in only a few seconds using one simple hack.
Autumn Morning Self Talk
When gloomy days roll in, it's tempting to hit snooze and skip the morning routine. But science shows that sticking to those healthy habits—like getting some sunlight, even on rainy days—can make a world of difference to your mood and motivation. Learn how small, intentional actions can shift your mindset and keep those unhealthy cravings at bay.
Productivity in the Office
Amazon’s shift back to five office days sparked a debate on fairness and productivity. When employees feel things are unfair, their decision-making capacity reduces, affecting both current and future performance.
Learning By Thinking
My Tea Break Coach video last week shared a powerful study proving that just 15 minutes of daily reflection can boost productivity by over 23% in 10 weeks. It's simple, free, and requires no special skills—just a bit of time to think.
Walk & Talk
Beat Zoom fatigue by switching to Walk and Talk meetings. Enjoy the benefits of fresh air, moderate exercise, and enhanced creativity. Discover how this simple habit can improve your workday with Tea Break Training.
The Importance of Giving Feedback
In-the-moment feedback is key to personal and professional growth. Learn how to give timely feedback that prevents bad habits, boosts performance, and fosters learning with insights from Tea Break Training.
5 Tweaks For Being Better at 1-2-1 Meetings
Discover five small but impactful tweaks that can transform how you give and receive feedback as a leader. Learn practical strategies to encourage accountability, reduce defensiveness, and create more productive 1-2-1 conversations. Elevate your coaching and leadership skills with these actionable tips.
Never mind giving great feedback, GETTING it can be just as hard…
Great feedback is essential for personal and professional growth, but asking for it can be challenging. Discover practical techniques to encourage meaningful and constructive feedback, even from those who may hesitate to speak up. Learn how small insights can lead to big improvements.
Free Writing
Discover how free writing can help unblock your thinking and reveal deeper insights. Learn how this simple, yet powerful coaching tool encourages spontaneous, unfiltered expression to unlock new perspectives and solve complex problems.
Ever wondered why you get your best ideas in the shower?
It’s not your imagination—your best ideas often don’t come at your desk! Studies show that natural environments and light activity, like walking or working out, boost creativity and problem-solving. Our brains function differently when we step away from tasks, activating the Default Mode Network (DMN), which fosters innovative ideas.
Failure
A 2019 study found that “learning is optimised when we fail 15% of the time.” Conducted by top universities, the research showed that both AI and animals learn best when they experience a 15% failure rate, striking a balance between challenge and success. While failure is key to learning, many of us struggle to embrace it, even though it can make us smarter and better over time.
Don’t Give Up On Giving Up!
By understanding the science behind habits and using practical strategies, it’s possible to create meaningful, lasting change—even if you stumble along the way. Don’t give up on giving up—success is within reach!
International Women’s Day Part 2
Doing something different is hard (imagine folding your arms the wrong way if we have done that activity together over the years…) …
International Women’s Day
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #InspireInclusion. It’s a great tag line. We have come a long way – …
Mental Health at Work
There might be a good reason why £1000s is spent every year on training that people don’t remember and don’t use when …
Different Ways to Use GROW
Unlock your potential with the GROW model! Explore diverse applications, from individual goal setting to team performance improvement.
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