Sandy Lien

Ian Dunt’s book is very well-structured. It starts with a clear introduction to how the British political system fails, and it ends by offering real solutions.

The author explains the whole system step-by-step: the vote, the members of parliament, the power, the ministers, the treasury, and the civil service, all the way to the press, the commons, the law, and the lords.

For me, the most interesting part was learning about the law and how legislation starts. Dunt describes the legislative process as a maze without a centre, where you cannot find the core because it doesn’t actually exist. There is so little actual examination of a bill in the Commons that it often might as well not happen at all. It was eye-opening to see the grit of how a bill actually struggles to pass its Third Reading, and how the party "whip" forces MPs to fall in line.

I also learned a lot about "SpAds" (Special Advisers) and how they add to the tension. A standout part of the book was seeing how Conservative ministers take out their frustrations on the neutral civil service when things go wrong.

Dunt shows how the Treasury uses the power of money to control everything, even deciding the movement of civil service personnel across departments.

It was fascinating to read about how past prime ministers tried to break the Treasury's power but failed. Tony Blair considered splitting it in two—moving departmental spending to the Cabinet Office and keeping macroeconomics separate—but it came to nothing. Later, Theresa May tried to create the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to handle economic strategy, but the Treasury just clawed its functions straight back.

Dunt does not leave the reader feeling hopeless. My absolute favourite part of the solutions section is his suggestion to change the First-Past-the-Post voting system to Proportional Representation. This system is used in other European countries like the Netherlands, and it would force politicians to cooperate instead of just fighting.

Ultimately, this book shows that fixing Britain isn’t just about electing better people. We need to fix the broken plumbing of Westminster itself.

Review: Cathy Newman's new book The Ladder is full of powerful life lessons shared by some of the most influential women the author has interviewed during her journalistic career. Newman captures the essence of resilience, determination, and leadership through stories of remarkable women who have made it to the top of their fields.

The book is structured around a series of interviews, each offering a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs experienced by women in the workplace. These stories are inspiring and show the many ways women have overcome obstacles and pushed through the glass ceiling.

Chapter Highlights: One of the most impactful chapters for me was Chapter 2, which talks about imposter syndrome. Sometimes I feel this term is overused in today's professional world.

My favourite part of the chapter was a quote from Oxford University biologist Catherine Green, who offers a refreshing take on the idea. Green says, "I think we all sometimes feel out of our depth. But if you don't ever feel that, then you're probably not pushing yourself hard enough. If you're going to be successful, you sometimes do have to be out of your depth and take on something that you're not entirely sure is going to succeed."

Her words really resonated with me. It’s a good reminder that feeling like an imposter can simply mean we're growing and challenging ourselves.

Another powerful story is in Chapter 4, titled "Dodging the Snakes", which features an interview with former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. In Women and Leadership, Gillard reflects on the gendered criticism she faced during her time in office. She originally thought any reaction to her gender would happen early on and then settle down. But instead, she found that, "the longer I served as prime minister, the more shrill the sexism became."

Opposition leader Tony Abbott even ran a campaign against her called "ditch the witch". This shows just how tough it can be for women in leadership roles. Climbing the ladder isn’t just about doing the work — it’s also about being aware of sexism, bias, and even subtle forms of aggression. You have to be alert to things that might not seem serious at first but actually are.

Chapter 5 covers "The Adverse Effect", exploring how personal loss and hardship shape our outlook on life and work. One part that stayed with me was from Marina Litvinenko, who encourages embracing magical thinking: "The person you lost will always be with you... maybe in a parallel life, but always with you."

It’s a comforting idea — that those we love remain part of our journey. Joan Bakewell adds that sitting with someone at the end of their life reminds us that, "death is a very extraordinary experience and a very important part of life. Death gives life its perspective." These reflections highlight how loss can change us and strengthen our resilience.

Conclusion: The final part of The Ladder talks about embracing change — a reminder that change is constant, and it can lead to good things as often as bad. Newman encourages us to remember that we’ve already made it through so many changes in life, even when we didn’t notice. By recognising the skills we’ve used before, we can face new challenges with confidence.

Favourite Quote: Another standout quote for me was: "Women have to learn resilience because they are so often relied upon to demonstrate it in the face of male negligence or incapacity." This hits hard — it really sums up what many women experience every day.

Recommendation: This book is a great read. I'm not a feminist, but as a mother and working professional, I found it a real booster.

Navigating the Threshold: A Reflective Approach to AI Leadership with Humanity

In the midst of the artificial intelligence (AI), leadership is changing. Traditional ways of guiding teams are now enhanced by technology, yet there's a renewed emphasis on the human spirit that drives progress and inspiration. Nick Chatrath's book introduces the concept of the "threshold," an open crossing place,a process of human discovery and growth that's soulful, creative, embodied, and mature. This threshold serves as a guide for leaders, encouraging us to blend AI with our human depth and richness.

Exploring the principles of "threshold leadership" in Chatrath's book has transformed my view of leading my organisation. Here's how these pathways have reshaped my approach:

Cultivate Stillness: In a world where AI speeds up decision-making, finding moments of stillness has become crucial. The meditative exercises suggested by Chatrath aren't just breaks in the chaos; they bring clarity and vision, helping me lead in a more informed and intentional way.

Encourage Independent Thinking: While AI's analytical power is unmatched, it can't replicate human creativity. Inspired by Chatrath, I've worked to foster a workplace that values independent thought and deep thinking to improve my decision-making skills. This aligns with my organization's embrace of diverse thinking and our effort to challenge homogeneity and derivative ideas.

This commitment to nurturing independent thinking helps our team unlock novel solutions and push boundaries.

Strive to Embody Intelligence: Leadership isn't just about cognitive skills; it's also about emotional and physical intelligence. Chatrath's advice has helped me embrace a fuller range of these abilities, improving my connections with others and enhancing my leadership impact. Unlike AI, humans have the unique ability to value the intelligence inherent in their bodies. To embody this intelligence, focus on two levels: foundational and advanced. At the foundational level, develop mental clarity and physical well-being. At the advanced level, explore poetic and kinesthetic intelligence. I'm happy to share that my passion for reading poetry, practicing meditation and yoga, and engaging in Pilates, along with balance activities like Zumba and indoor cycling, aligns perfectly with this approach.

Develop a Mature Consciousness: The ethical challenges of AI demand that leaders cultivate a mature awareness. The practices outlined in each chapter have been vital in helping me develop a deeper understanding, essential for navigating these complex issues with thoughtfulness and integrity. In our organization, we embrace this mindset by continually refining our awareness to stay ahead of rapid technological advancements. We focus on developing advanced thinking processes to spark innovation and remain humble, acknowledging that learning is a lifelong journey. We also nurture a culture of collaboration and mutual support to drive collective growth and success.

Preparing for the Life in the UK test can be a stressful experience, given the multitude of free mock exam apps and websites available. In this article, I will share my personal experience in preparing for the test. Moreover, some of the materials I have learned have proven to be beneficial in my daily life in the UK. Discovering Phase: There are various handbooks, practice questions, and study guides available for purchase on the official governance site, online bookshops, or at the library. This is the book set I have used which is available from Amazon. I initially visited the Westminster Council local library and obtained a copy of the 'Life in the UK Test Handbook' to read through. I decided to enjoy my reading and take it at a slow pace, going through each chapter during my early morning coffee breaks for 4-6 weeks. I Googled the names and places I was not familiar with to register them in my brain. I also reflected on the places, museums, and galleries I had visited in the UK and northern France to connect the dots in my mind.

Deep Dive Phase in Autumn: I registered for the free online practice tests offered by lifeintheuk.net. This was the most crucial part of my study, and I even contacted the redsquirrelbook online support team to help me with the account link below:  https://learn.redsquirrelbooks.com/users/sign_in I then went through the practice questions in each chapter, which were divided into multiple sessions with practice questions. For the parts where I got an overall lower score, I re-practiced again, and I also took notes for each question I didn't answer correctly, colouring the text for easy identification.  Pre-Test Phase in Winter: This is the time to get really into the mock practice. I obtained the practice questions and study guides from the library and even attended online clarification sessions to understand some additional information I had Googled and some information in the handbook. The advantage of using these physical books is that for questions I didn't answer correctly, I could see which book page the question referred to and come back to it. This is also the time I polished my notes with some shorter memory formats. For example:

Henry VIII -> son Edward VI (P) -> sister Bloody Mary (C) -> sister Elizabeth I (P) & Queen Mary of Scots (C) -> son James VI (Authorized Version Bible)

24 Hours Before the Test: I went through the practical questions I answered wrong and recapped them. I revisited the notes I had and also parts I had bookmarked in the handbook. Then, just relax and enjoy the real test experience.

After Thoughts: Some people might say this exam is completely meaningless; even local British may not know the answers. For me, it's a bit of a mix. I still have my CD 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' composition for orchestra by British composer Benjamin Britten. which I listen endless time at 17 years old as part of music study exercise. Recently, there was an art exhibition about 'David Hockney' that caught my eye. I attended a work event and met some politicians from the Channel Islands; I was able to make a conversation and ask more relevant questions about the parliament structure in comparison to the parliament in England, for example. So, it's probably the first discovery phase in my study that would help me more to live in the UK.

My mentor recommended me this book through our CU Head. I love the 7 principles the book introduced in part 1 with tool kits and second part to have more practical examples. So what is Gravitas: Gravitas n. figuratively of persons, ‘ dignity, presence, influences’. Gravitas is about roots and wings. Roots, because gravitas gives you a solid foundation to express yourself with confidence  and authority.  It’s a trait and allows you to rise to great heights professionally while keeping your feet firmly on the ground. The formula introduced in the book is: Knowledge+purpose+passion (-anxiety)=Gravitas The trinity of Knowledge (Logos), purpose (Ethos) and passion (Pathos) is key. They are the pillars on which gravitas rests. Knowledge is in the your zone of expertise. Your purpose  is about your values which gives you momentum and gravitas shines most when you serve a greater good. Your passion is the spark that sets your ideas and knowledge alight. It fuels you and it inspires and engages others. Practice is the key to overcome anxiety. The 7 principles  essential part of well-rounded gravitas: Principle 1: Know Yourself- Your Inner Compass,.  Roman orator Cicero’s quote “If you wish to persuade me, you must think my thoughts, feel my feelings and speak my words.” Let's deconstruct this. Cicero is taking a position as the customer, speaking to the seller (or marketeer). If you wish… in other words, if you really want to do this. One of the tools keeps coming up is FOFBOC= Feet On Floor and Body On Chair Principle 2: Teach People How to treat You- Your status (King/Queen/warrior) and connections (Carer/Creator) are in balance-  great foundation for gravitas. Preview Your Style Principle 3: Find Your Voice. – Try the news reporter structure: Headlines/ Point 1,,2,3,/ Wrap. Short is good.   How to be a Natural Speaker, by Peter Everett, BBC 4

Distil- write down bullet     points of ideas-> condense them-> List of around six words give you     30 mins of a presentations.

Find the links

Learn by Heart

Principle 4: Speak So Others Listen- Gravitas Boosters: Tone, Pause and Pace, Speak Clearly, Be conversational Principle 5: Win Hearts and Minds- Find the why, tell stories, step into the emotion Principle 6: Keep an Open Mind and  a Level Head- The Golden Rule by Marcus Aurelius: Everything we hear is an option not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.-> Lighten up and don't take things personally. Recognise the gremlins- the blamer (fault-finders, think they are right,  want others to obey them), placatory (fears being rejected, disliked and disagreed with), computer ( uber-correct, super-reasonable, lives in the world of the mind, approach everything with ice-old logic, often fail to understand the feelings others ) and distractor ( unfocused and dont's keep to the point, bouncy and uncontrolled, ted to talk quickly, change subjects, rarely stopping for breaths) show up in life. Be a Leveller Not a Gremlin. Levellers distinguish between that they are feeling and the thoughts they express with words. They take into account their and others feelings, thoughts, realities and words. Principle 7: Get Results Intention +Attention =Results Set You Intention ->chronos, set a clear outcome Focus Your Attention -> Kairos, be presence and focused When you come UnderFire, Breathe I would also highly recommend to watch the YouTube on Executive Presence by James Scouller

Joe Biden has been called both the luckiest man and the unluckiest—fortunate to have sustained a fifty-year political career that reached the White House, but also marked by deep personal losses and disappointments that he has suffered.

Joe Biden: American Dreamer' (Bloomsbury) is adapted from an occasional series of articles published by The New Yorker between 2011 and 2020. The author Evan Osnos had conducted four interviews with Biden and more than a hundred people in his political orbits.

The book is a concise and highlighted of Biden’s political road to presidency.  Many of the quotes I like. Some of them are listed below:

“Failure at some point in your life is inevitable, but giving up in unforgivable.”

My favour from Biden’s wife when he asked her “How am I going to handle this?” as the No2.  to support Obama for vice presidential consideration in 2007. She said’ Grow Up”.

His comment to the author “Listen, buddy, you call me a nice old man and one more time and I will personally come down there and kick your ass’.

In the presidential race 2020, Biden commented about Trump, “the more he talked, the better off I am”. When people say to him, “Well, what are you going to do if you get elected?” Biden said, ‘ It depends on what the hell I’m left with. Not a joke. I’m not being a wise guy. Thing could get a lot worse.’.

Book review-A Woman's Framework for a Successful Career and LifeBy james e Hamerstone and Lindsay Musser Hough

Even this book is written to target at women readers who are just entering or re-entering the workforce, I found its helpful to read through as a working mother and also use this book as a guideline to reflect my own communication, professional brand image, leadership style and negotiation skills. It is also useful for me as a mentor to help women at work as a coach and a mentor.

The book is light to carry and I would recommend even if you are just stepping into a new role in your existing organisation as an experienced career woman to read.

Some key notes for myself which I would love to share below:

Build your board- personal board of advisors comprises a variety of individuals who are wiling to support you in the achievement of your career goals-current/past mentor, sponsor, peer mentor/buddies, advisor outside o your organisation.

Sponsor- A sponsor takes on responsibility for a persons career and as a result, overtly or quietly takes action on his or her behalf. 

A sponsor is someone who actively promotes you in your organisation and is willing to do  more than just give advice and teach you the ropes. 

A Powerful champions willing to take a bet on a young talent, go out on a limb for him/her and advocate for the next promotion. Sponsors are the people that propel and protect high performing employees through the treacherous shoals of upper management.

Phases of mentoring.-Kram’s phase of mentoring describe the four stages through which most mentoring relationship progress: initiation, cultivation, separation, redefinition (e.g  turn into friendship, sponsor)

Building a brand: to craft your own brands start by taking invent. Consider the basic components:

Appearance and presence

Professional experience

Personal interest

What others say about you.

Communication:

Apologising is generally not in or of itself a bad idea. But in traditional organisation, apologies may lead to a women being perceived as weak and as a result, limit her influence and opportunities.

Try to change the following situation do not require an apology:

A flight is cancelled for a planned client pitch-> It is so frustration our flight was cancelled.

A conference room is double-booked for a meeting you are leading.-> It appears the room is double-booked. Let me go see about an alternative.

Negotiation: Good tips to answer common compensation questions:

One of the reasons I am interested in another position is because I believe, based on my talents, accomplishments, and work ethic, that I am underpaid where I am right now.

Leadership: Transactional versus Transformational Leadership styles

Traditional: think control on the top of pyramid  -> Perform at the lower layer of the pyramid

Transformational leadership and employee involvement, employee empowerment, total quality management and team concept.- The lower level employees are empowered to make dictions about how to best achieve the organisational goals.

Culture:

Leadership has a number of components, a few of which are :

Ability to connect with others

Integrity and trust

Authenticity

Confidence

Energy

Sincerity, be authentic

Positivity

Work-Life Fit

Stop trying got be perfect and let go of the guilt, Seven Principles of the Money Guilt-Free Philosophy by Julie Boat:

You must be willing to let some things go

Parenting is not a competitive sports

Look towards the future and at the big picture. Don’t become overly hung up on there and now

Learn when and how to live in the moment

Get used to saying yet more often and being able to defend your no

Laugh a lot, especially with your children

Make sure you set aside specific time to have fund a s a family

Scoop by Evelyn Waugh

I have read EvelynWaugh’s Brideshead Revisited many years ago and  I loved it.

Scoop is viewed as a satirical, farcical novel. The story was plotted around the English upper class -Lord Copper of the Daily Beast and Mrs and Ms Stitch, African government- Ishmaelia, and the profession of journalism-John Boot.

The plot of the book is dividend into three You can find the plot of the story https://mantex.co.uk/scoop/

I enjoy reading the witty, old fashioned conversation between Boots and Ms Stitch. Also the funny conversation between him and African officer.  However, not entirely politically correct if it was written today.

When Boots felt in love with, Katchena, a mercenary blonde prostitute who claimed to be married and need support from Boots with her husband. The story line was just outrages.

When I started this book, I thought it was written by psychologists.

It started the first chapter describing ‘Disconnection Syndrome’. Its the state that we are trapped to the addiction of our devices in social media and internet with short-term pleasure and a commercialised illusion of sustainable joy.

There are top eight characteristics of disconnection syndrome in the context of brain health and function. These are mindless activity, loneliness, chronic inflammation, instant gratification, narcissism, poor relationships, chronic street, impulsivity and mindless activity. The brain wash is about how we can  increased self-worth, reduced inflammation, better relationship, better decision making, less street, happiness, empathy and have better overall health.

There are some key notes I have taken our brain which I found fascinating and we may heard some before but the book provided many references of more recent study.

anterior cingulate- a region of the brain that has a unique connection to bother the limbic brain and the prefrontal cortex.

corpus callous- the part of the brain connecting the left and right hemispheres

A new addition: Multiple high-quality studies have demonstrated actual structure change in the brains of internet-addicted individuals compared to healthy controls.

     -anterior cingulate is smaller in size among internet addicts than it is in other people.

       -social media excessively have less white matter in the corpus callous

Empathy verus narcissism (e.g selfie)

    - Empathy- Onion sandwich on Frank’s menu can changed his mood swiftly.

     - A weakened prefrontal cortex is linked to narcissism.

    - People high on the narcissism scale had significantly higher levels of cortisol in response to negative emotions than those with low levels of narcissism.

Link between Nature scents and immune function

Exposure to nature has been shown to increase our immune-cell populations.

The researchers found a significant increase in the blood levels of “natural killer’  cells, boost to immune system, and significant decrease in urine level of adrenaline and noradrenalin, two of the major chemical of the sympathetic nervous system and stress response,  after spent three days in natural.

The happy chemical: Serotonin

In the present of inflammation and/or cortisol, the kynurenine pathway is activate.

Some recent research reveals that the neurotic by-product of the kynurenine pathway causes negative downstream effects on moods.

High C-reactive protein (CRP) levels correlate with severity of depression and a decreased connection between the reward circuit and the prefrontal cortex.

the growth of new brain cells in the memory center-the hippocampus that for mince were placed in silent conditions increased comparing with mice exposed to  in a noise conditions.

Through 8 weeks of meditation program, the individual with memory problem increased in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex as well as other area of the brain and memory function improved.

Being part of Westend community, I was attracted by the book titled  ‘Gloucester Crescent: Me, My Dad and Other Grown-Ups’ from local library and wanted to find out what it was like living in the 60s, 70s and 80s in Gloucester Crescent in Camden Town.

The author’s father, Jonathan Miller, came from a medical doctor background, but was an English theatre and opera director, actor, author, and television presenter. Naturally, William was surrounding with TV screen writer, such as Alan Bennett and other famous actors in his neighbourhood. William talked the darker side of his father. Even being famous in others’ eye, he  was often despairing with his own failure. 

This resonates my childhood too. My father was a poet  since he was a teenager.  However in order to  support our family, he started his early career a TV producer and later on he set up his own TV commercial film company. Before we could afford a family home, I used to spend my early childhood in the office and I was surrounded by many TV actors and models. Sometime I felt a bit overwhelm when hearing small talks about the entertainment industry through his circle of entertainment friends. When I was 12 years old, Dad asked if I want to take over his company one day. I said no way! Then he told me I shall study hard if I want to do something different for my life.

The second half of the book focuses on William’s school live. In the primary school years, William met his mother’s expectation and passed the exam as a music scholar to get into Primrose Hill Primary . His parents believed the school will guide the lightening path for his future. In the contract, William and his Gloucester Crescent friend Conrad were labelled as posh and William, in particular, was often bullied through out the rest of school years in Primrose.

He got into into Bedales in A-levels in the hope of becoming a doctor like his father. However he struggled through the two years study in Bedales and he failed miserable with all Os at the end.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Longlisted for the Man Booker prize 2016.

The plot of the story started from when Lucy was in the hosptial for three weeks with an undiagnosed illness following the removal of her appendix. During her stay in the hospital, her mother, who hasn’t spoken to Lucy for years, turned up to visited her and stayed for 5 days. 

The story was full of emotional substance. Lucy Barton grew up in a garage size house in the farmlands of Illinois with an unpleasant childhood.  She devoted all her energy to books and she managed to escaped away with her ex-husband William to New York city. Later on, she became a successful novelist.  Despite her unpleasant childhood, she was craving her mother’s love and wished her mother can be more vocal to say ‘ I love you’ to her.

During her mother’s visit, they did a lot of small talks about the neghours  in her poor neighhood. For instance, they  mentioned a character named ‘Mississippi Mary’, who and Evils were both from Tupelo. Mississippi and being described as  ‘rash’ to reflected her poor childhood.

One of the charters I liked in the book was Lucy’s artist friend Jeremy, who told her that in order to be a successful writer she would have to learn how to be ‘ruthless’. The other charter in the book I liked was Lucy’s writer friend, Sarah Payne. Sarah told Lucy that, "if you find yourself protecting anyone while you write this, you’re not doing it right.” 

At the end, Lucy also decided to be ruthless and got out of her unhappy marriage even she has two daughters.