Articles & Anecdotes

Stories and ideas drawn from over 40 years working as an occupational psychologist and management trainer.

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Personal Blog

My personal blog is written as the mood takes me, on a whole variety of topics. Comment is actively encouraged.

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Bid for any original watercolour

I will accept any reasonable offer for any of my watercolours to raise money for Prisoners Education Trust (I am a trustee).  Simply click on Fundraising Watercolours and scroll down through the images.  They are all unframed, original paintings.  Please support a good cause.

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Dr. Peter Honey: A short biography

I am a lapsed chartered psychologist and founder of Peter Honey Publications Ltd (now owned by  Pearson).

After graduating, I worked for Ford Motor Company and then British Airways before becoming a freelance occupational psychologist in 1969 (yes, that long ago!). I have always focused on helping directors/senior executives to manage themselves and other people better (impossible to run out of clients!) and worked in organisations as diverse as the Bank of England, AstraZeneca, American Express, the Automobile Association, ICI, ICL, UKAEA and Ford.

I am ‘respectable’ – a Fellow of the RSA and, until recently, the CIPD.  I was a founder member of the distinguished group that produced A Declaration on Learning and I am a Patron of the Campaign for Learning and a Trustee of Prisoners Education Trust.

I am a dedicated lifelong learner and, rather to my surprise, a popular conference speaker.  I am also a prolific author with a monthly column in TJ and a regular blogger for People Management.  I have written over 20 books including:

  • The Manual of Learning Styles (with Alan Mumford)
  • Developing Interactive Skills (with Neil Rackham)
  • 21 Questionnaires for Personal Development
  • Explore Your Values
  • Teams and Teamwork
  • How to Manage Your Learning Environment (with Alan Mumford)
  • Valuing Diversity
  • 101 Ways to Develop Your People, Without Really Trying!
  • Problem People and How to Manage Them
  • Improve Your People Skills
  • 50 Cautionary Tales for Managers
  • Strengthen Your Strengths

All my work has two enduring themes; learning and behaviour.  Fortunately, neither of these has a sell-by date.  Helping people to learn from their experiences and to interact with others more effectively, will always be relevant.

Latest Article

A manager who became the victim of unintended consequences

Larry was the owner-manager of a very successful laundry.  It specialised in hotel and restaurant linen.  Every day, including weekends, a fleet of vans set off on their respective rounds delivering large wicker baskets of clean linen and collecting the dirty linen.  On the whole the drivers had good, friendly relationships with the staff they dealt with at the various hotels and restaurants.  The drivers would frequently stop to enjoy a chat over a cup of tea and a cigarette. [...]

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Latest Blog

My Smart car out-smarts me

Now that we live in Central London I have bought a Smart car from friends who are going to America. This seems sensible for many reasons – no road tax, 100% exemption from the congestion charge and, perhaps above all, more practical than my Mercedes SLK which was delightful, but silly. It is also a classic example of downsizing – from 3,500cc to 799cc. So, until today, I was pleased with my little Smart car and no doubt will be [...]

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