10,000 hours of deliberate practice is required to become an expert in any particular field – this was the notion highlighted in Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, where he cites the 1993 paper by K. Anders Ericsson. However, further studies and neurological analysis reveals that real learning comes from increasing the efficiency of practice – the “right” hours, not just “more” hours. So what is it that business owners need to do in order to become masters of their industry, without having to spend 10,000 hours practicing?  Shweta Jhajharia, of The London Coaching Group …

TED Talks and the independently organised TEDx Talks are hugely popular with both viewers and speakers.  An opportunity to speak at such an event is on the bucket list for most speakers, so when Jay Surti was invited to speak she jumped at the chance – and took preparing for her talk seriously.
10 years ago Jay had a debilitating fear of speaking in front of groups. “The turning point came for me one day in a team meeting. I was so nervous I couldn’t give a short five minute update …

 Stay-at-home mum Lucy Greenlees was feeling run ragged by her three young children (one year old son and new born twins) and was desperate for some me-time that would challenge her in a different way from the day-to-day challenges of caring for three young children. Lucy was terrified of public speaking – so thought that would be a good place to start! So she joined her local Toastmasters International.  Lucy not only overcame her fear of public speaking but also found she was building her confidence and learning new skills ready …

Each year approximately 5% of school starters will not be offered a place at their first choice primary or secondary school. Those pupils who do not immediately get offered their first choice do have the option to appeal.
This year approximately one in twenty children applying for a primary or secondary school placement will not receive a place at their first chosen school. With the exception of some Grammar Schools, a placement will not be given because of a limit on infant class sizes or the school has allocated all of …

 Nine out of ten parents of disabled children say their child does not have the same opportunities to access play, compared to non-disabled children. One in two disabled children have been turned away from play settings and activities.
A report by the national deafblind charity, Sense today reveals the severe restrictions facing disabled children in accessing play. The report identifies failings at every level that result in disabled children missing out on play opportunities that are vital to their emotional, social and physical development. A lack of attention by government, insufficient …

 Which skills are most critical to success as a business leader? Nuanced leadership skills; strategic foresight; operational savvy; and team/relationship building are four of the most critical skills, according to a 2015 Harvard Business Review (HBR) of executive search consultants. However, a surprising addition to the HBR list is ‘change management’. Despite being virtually unacknowledged as a critical executive leadership skill until quite recently, change-management skills are now in demand. Increasingly, leadership roles call for people who are “capable of driving transformational change” or who can act as a “change-agent executive”.
So …

Watch our video featuring leading sommelier Gerard Basset as he chats about the latest winter dining trends and which French wines we should best enjoy with them.
During the winter months, when it’s cold and dark, there’s nothing better than meeting up with friends and family for a nice meal. With so many different fun and exciting dining trends these days, you’re never short of a unique dining experience to turn even the coldest winter day into a warming winter night. But how do you choose your perfect restaurant? …

This half term we stayed with family who live closer to London and spent two days visiting the attractions and trying out all sorts of London transport. We live in a small town where buses come once an hour, so it was fun for the boys to travel on a double decker, and we also took the overground train to Camden Road. On our first day we went straight up to London Zoo. J is 10 and K is nearly 7, and I think we’ve reached the perfect age for …

 Would you love to turn your hobby into an income-making activity? If one of your new year resulotions was to spend less on crafting, think laterally! As many people’s resolutions fall by the wayside, why not push your hobby to make some extra money too?  According to the Direct Selling Association (DSA) direct selling is now the UK’s largest provider of part-time independent earning opportunities, with sales in excess of £2 billion each year.[1]
A recent study finds that pursuing hobbies makes us happier and gives a sense of greater well-being.2 …

Did you know that Roald Dahl used to be a spy? And also a fighter pilot, inventor and historian of chocolate? Embark on a magical and interactive journey through The Wondercrump World of Roald Dahl and discover the secrets of a writer beloved by gazillions of children.
The boys love Roald Dahl books, and they have often asked if we could go and see something about him … like when we met David Walliams, or visited Rudyard Kipling’s house at Batemans. However the museum of Roald Dahl in Bucks is a …