Many managers have a dread of having to tell one of their team members that they’re under-performing. It’s understandable; nobody wants to upset the under-performing team member. Often matters are just left, to the long-term detriment of the team and the team’s productivity. It’s very common.

Most of us complain that we don’t have enough time to do all the things we want and need to do. Time away from work is very precious, but holidays pass very quickly, and some organisations now offer extra, extended periods of time allowing employees to undertake a greater range of experiences and activities in their personal time.

Having a healthy and lively curiosity has been linked with psychological, emotional, social, and even health benefits. People who are curious tend to have active rather than passive minds. They ask questions and search for answers. They notice and are stimulated by new ideas. Life is far more exciting when you’re curious!

The conundrum exists that while many of us see ourselves as working long hours and being busy-busy-busy, findings from research suggest that most of us have more discretionary time than we have ever had before.

After the awful weather of the last couple of weeks it feels more like Noye’s Fludde (about the biblical flood and which I vaguely remember doing at school) than Keats’ season of mellow mists and fruitfulness. It won’t be long before the winter flu bugs are back in full force, so this week there’s a reminder of how to reduce your risk of picking up a nasty little lurgy at work.