Insight


New content on LinkedIn

16th May

Just a quick note to say that, from now on, I won’t be posting much (if at all) here on this robyeung.com website.

I’ve found that most of my clients are on LinkedIn. For me, LinkedIn is a much better way to reach the clients who hire me to assess candidates, coach individuals, run workshops, and speak at conferences.

So, if you would like to continue to read my ongoing … Read more


How to set effective goals

20th November

What are your goals at the moment? Perhaps you want to achieve something in your career. Maybe you want to change something in your personal life – to do with your fitness, health, or relationships, for example.

I’ve written before on how to set motivating goals. But in doing one-on-one coaching with a couple of clients recently, I was reminded of the need to set really specific goals.

For … Read more


3 tips for coping when you’re feeling bad

25th September

What kind of emotions do you tend to experience when you feel bad? Are you prone to anger or depression? Or are you someone who gets tense and anxious a lot? I frequently run masterclasses and webinars for client organisations on how employees as well as leaders can help to protect their mental health. Often, the individuals that I coach on a one-to-one basis benefit from advice on handling their … Read more


5 facts about the importance of curiosity in work and life

31st July

Psychological science is increasingly coming to the conclusion that curiosity is a rather powerful force in our lives. Let’s look at 5 evidence-based facts about curiosity (what I called ‘Awe’ in Chapter 1 of my book, E is for Exceptional: The New Science of Success), what it is, and why it matters.

1. Curiosity is about exploration and learning for its own sake

Many students are willing to learn … Read more


5 reasons to express gratitude towards others

3rd July

I’ve written before on the importance of gratitude in our lives. For example, reminding ourselves about the good things we have in our lives is a surprisingly powerful way to lift our psychological wellbeing.

However, it turns out that expressing gratitude – showing our appreciation and saying thanks – towards others also has some powerful effects. Let’s look at 5 reasons we should all be expressing gratitude to the people … Read more


5 ways to be more patient and less critical

5th June

I often coach people who wish they could be more assertive. However, I also sometimes coach people who are too assertive: they are good at spotting errors and quick to point them out. As a result, they may come across as impatient and overly critical about other people’s mistakes.

If you have been told (or suspect) that you are someone who is a bit impatient and overly critical, here’s some … Read more


How to change your personality

6th May

We talk about other people’s personalities in terms of the adjectives we use to describe them. So, one person might be “talkative but rude” while another person may be “quiet and inquisitive”. But in psychological terms, personality is broadly defined as a set of enduring traits and processes within the individual that influence that person’s interactions with the world.

Most psychologists agree that there are at least five (but possibly … Read more


How to pass job interviews like a STAR

13th March

Imagine an interviewer asking you questions such as “Are you a good team player?” or “How would you rate yourself as a manager?”

It’s all very well answering by saying “Yes, I’m a good team player” or “I rate myself as a very inspiring and motivating manager.” But if you really want to impress an interviewer, you should answer by providing an example – a short story – explaining whyRead more


5 ways to stay ahead in a world of AI

13th February

The use of automation, robots and artificial intelligence (AI) continues. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of human jobs are being taken over by AI. Looking forwards, it’s likely that even more of your work will be done by AI. So how can you protect your career – and perhaps even enhance your employability and chances of promotion – in a world of AI? Here are 5 ways to stay ahead.

1. Develop Read more

How to set motivating goals

13th January

I’m coaching a lot of individuals at the moment who are trying to set goals for their careers as well as their home lives. Here are a collection of tips:

1. Start with small steps that you can succeed at

People often set themselves really big goals. So, a lot of people in their personal lives decide they want to lose so much weight. Often, people decide that they want … Read more


How to reduce worry when waiting for potentially bad news

21st November

Do you ever worry when waiting for important news? Maybe when you have gone for a job interview and you’re waiting to hear whether or not you might get the job. Perhaps you had a medical test and you’re hoping that it won’t be bad news. Maybe you pitched an idea to a client, but you’re really not sure how things will turn out. Or your line manager tells you … Read more


Boost your mood in 3 weeks

24th October

I work as a psychologist. So, of course I recommend a lot of psychological techniques to clients to help them boost their productivity, skills, job prospects, and emotional wellbeing. However, there are some things that can affect the mind and our wellbeing that do not require mental methods.

A recent study set out to reduce symptoms of depression in only 3 weeks. Researchers randomly assigned young adults (aged between 17 … Read more


Are you worried about your job security?

25th September

Unsurprisingly, I’m working with a lot of job hunters who have been made redundant. But taking action after you have been made redundant isn’t the best course of action. If you are concerned that your job may be risk, consider making a plan now.

Really. If you’re worried about your job. Don’t just avoid the issue and hope things get better. I often say to clients that hope isn’t a … Read more


How to stand out as a leader

29th August

Imagine you’re working with a half-dozen colleagues on a cross-departmental project. Perhaps the project will take eight weeks and you will all need to get together once a week. But no one has been assigned as the leader of the project. You and your colleagues are all peers – you come from different departments, but you all have the same level of experience and seniority. How can you make a … Read more


5 myths about introverts

31st July

I use personality questionnaires a lot in my work. When coaching a client, it can really help a client to understand their personality and the kinds of work that best suit them – as well as their likely strengths and weaknesses. When I interview candidates on behalf of employers, I use personality questionnaires to identify the kind of organisational culture that might suit them.

Here are 5 myths about introverts:… Read more


7 ways to give a BAD presentation

4th July

I speak at a lot of conferences and often get to watch other presenters. I also train people in how to give good presentations and speeches in public. I’ve advised people ranging from managers wanting to be more impactful at work to individuals giving eulogies at funerals. Whether you are speaking in person or speaking online, here are 7 ways people inadvertently end up giving bad presentations or speeches.

1. Read more