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Why self-awareness is the real driver of lasting habits

We often think building better habits comes down to willpower. But research suggests something more powerful: self-awareness. Despite 95% of people believing they’re self-aware, only about 12% truly are. The gap matters—because without awareness, many of our daily behaviours run on autopilot, making change difficult. [greatergoo...rkeley.edu] The article highlights a few key insights:

1. You can’t change what you don’t notice Much of our behaviour is automatic. Self-awareness helps us identify triggers and patterns—like stress eating or procrastination—so we can actually intervene.
2. Awareness fuels motivation When we clearly see the gap between where we are and where we want to be, we’re more motivated to act—especially when change aligns with our personal values.
3. It’s not about overthinking True self-awareness isn’t rumination or self-criticism. It’s a non-judgmental observation of what you’re doing, feeling, and thinking in the moment.
4. Small practices make a big difference Simple habits like tracking behaviours, asking “what” instead of “why,” seeking feedback, and practicing self-compassion can significantly improve self-awareness—and make habits stick.

Layoffs: a tool of last resort

  A thought-provoking article challenging the common assumption: that layoffs improve performance. The reality? Research shows layoffs rarely deliver sustained financial gains—and often create deeper problems. Leading organisational psychology researchers like Wayne Casio conclude - restructures should be the last tool we reach for, not the first. What’s the real impact?

• Short-term cost savings can be misleading or temporary - only 46% achieve the financial objectives.
• Long-term effects include lower morale, reduced innovation, and weakened performance
• Layoffs often spread through “copycat” behaviour—companies doing it because others are
• The human toll is significant, affecting wellbeing, trust, and future earning potential

• Rethink strategy rather than cutting people
• Explore cost-saving alternatives (redeployment, reduced hours, leadership pay cuts)
• Prioritise transparency and long-term health over short-term optics

Focus if more important now than ever!

  In the late 1800's Max Weber coined the term 'the Iron Cage of Bureaucracy' for the human tendency to focus on the process or activity - not what we are trying to achieve or why we are doing it. Despite the knowledge of the problem being around for a long time most organisations unintentionally reward activity instead of impact. And the cost is enormous. If your workplace feels like a constant race …inboxes buzzing, Slack threads multiplying, everyone sprinting from one “urgent” thing to the next, you’re not imagining it.  And when urgency becomes the default, the cost is enormous: Scattered attention, shallow work, and teams who feel busy but rarely feel effective. Business strategist David Finkel names the problem clearly.  We’ve built cultures that celebrate motion, not progress. But there’s one shift that changes everything: Focus is not a personal trait …it’s a cultural choice. Leaders set the tone. Teams follow the signals.  And organizations either protect deep work… or they drown it in noise. When you build a focus‑based culture, you create an environment where people can actually think, solve, and contribute at their highest level.  That’s where innovation lives.  That’s where meaningful work happens.

Finkel Outlines Five Principles That Make The Difference:

• Busyness isn’t productivity. Activity without intention is just churn.
• Not everything urgent is actually important. The prioritisation matrix is still a great tool. Pin it to your wall and actively use it when tasks come in.
• Leaders shape the culture. What you reward becomes the norm. Are you encouraging your people to look after themselves, take breaks, focus on the priority activities, and have focused time. I coached a 'non-performer' once, we quickly established the things he was working on weren't the managers priorities which is why he seen as a non-performer. All he did each morning was take five minutes with his manager to agree the priorities for the day and the 'problem' was fixed.
• Deep work must be protected. Focus is a strategic asset, not a luxury. Create some distraction free good thinking time each day for your people to tackle the most important work - and do it for yourself!
• Clear priorities reduce noise and keep everyone on track. If you are working on more than five things your brain is spinning and you are feeling overwhelmed. Narrow it down to what your brain can hold (three - four things), people feel focused, they are not overwhelmed and they get a sense of accomplishment when they make progress on important work.

How to build trust

  This is a great article taping into some of the key things leaders do to burn trust and what they can do to build it. Building trust can be achieved by:

1. Measuring trust and acting on the measure
2. Taking the time to explain why a decision was made results in 4.3x more trust. We consistently find this when we are helping organisations through change processes - the purpose of the change is crucial to acceptance.
3. Confronting the issues that employees care about results in 6.5x more trust. I recently delivered a talk on leadership in an AI environment. I concluded with John Galbraith's observation "All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership." If we talk about these issues, we show we are aware of concerns and are prepared to address them even if it is hard. Thats the leader people want to follow.
4. Developing trust building behaviours in leaders.