What Makes The Perfect Professional Headshot?
The business headshot has evolved. And the psychology behind it has become far more interesting. What once felt like a purely cosmetic exercise is now part of what organisational psychologists increasingly describe as digital first-impression management. Your headshot is no longer just a photograph. It is your opening sentence.
The Best of BookShelf 2025
Our shortlist for 2025 includes building a successful career through gig economy work with Anne Keegan, getting to grips with practical sustainability transition with Nicolas Chevrollier, and embracing the concept of innovationship with Federico Frattini.
10 Of The Best And A Few Of The Rest – Our Wrap Up Of The Articles That Mattered To You In 2025
Whether you're planning for what comes next, or simply want to revisit the themes that have guided you through the year, we hope this reflection offers both perspective and inspiration for the year ahead.
The Influencers: Brigette Hyacinth on Leadership, AI and Amplifying Human Potential
BlueSky Thinking's The Influencers explores Brigette Hyacinth’s core ideas, from the shifting role of HR and leadership in the digital era to the way AI is reshaping work. It offers guidance on how to integrate her insights into your own professional life and organisational culture.
Can Mobile Banking Save Lives?
Enhanced access to digital tech services doesn't only provide convenience. To remote rural communities it can be a vital route to opportunity and economic growth. But is it really such a quick fix?
Why Working Through The Holiday Season Can Backfire For Everybody
It usually starts with a short email. “Just checking in over the break…” Sometimes it’s framed as helpful. Sometimes as dedication. Occasionally as reassurance that nothing is falling through the cracks. But over the holiday season, that message carries more meaning than its sender often realises. Not dedication, but dysfunction.
Why Year-End Gratitude Emails Often Backfire
Most year-end “thank you” emails don’t motivate. They reveal something else entirely. Business school research shows that generic gratitude often backfires because people don’t feel appreciated unless they feel noticed. Why saying “thank you” is easy, and why doing it well is much harder:
Fear In The Corner Office: How Insecure Managers Silence Talent And Sabotage Progress
Many organisations have encountered their own version of Steve Carell’s Michael Scott in The Office: managers whose authority depends less on enabling others and more on making sure no one outshines them. The result is a culture where people learn to hold back, where speaking up feels risky, and where initiative is carefully rationed.