Feelings are the hidden energy that drives behaviour at work. They shape decisions, teamwork, and culture—whether we realise it or not.

Cue the feelings of helplessness and frustration as you question why things seem to go wrong despite your efforts. Maybe you feel like you're unfairly judged or that your career is being held back by external factors.

And when you try to find a way through?

You end up focusing on the negatives, interpreting neutral actions as personal attacks, and falling into the trap of a victim mindset.

Does this sound familiar?

If you've ever felt stuck or unfairly treated, you might be experiencing this mindset. But here’s the good news: You can break free from it.

Here are three practical steps to help you move from feeling like a victim to taking control:

👉 Challenge Your Certainty: When you're convinced you're being treated unfairly, ask yourself, "In what way could I be wrong?" This small shift in thinking opens up new possibilities.

👉 Shift Your Perspective: Before reacting, pause and consider the other person’s viewpoint. What might their experience be? Understanding both sides can change the dynamic.

👉 Self-Reflect: Ask yourself the tough question: "How might I have contributed to this situation?" Taking ownership of your role gives you power to change the outcome.

Remember, the power to shift your mindset lies within you. By breaking free from the victim mentality, you open up new opportunities for growth and success.

The Titanic was the greatest ship of its time. It was the Edwardian equivalent of the Airbus 380, designed to transport a large number of passengers quickly and safely across the Atlantic.

All of the elements in the story of the sinking of the Titanic can be abstracted out and seen every day in any large organisation. This is particularly true when it comes to communication breakdowns. The Titanic and the events surrounding it serve as a metaphor for the modern hybrid organisation.

Like the Titanic, modern hybrid organisations are technologically complex. There is frequently an overreliance on technology to manage systems (resulting in a decrease in developing robust human systems) and a belief that technology will save us. Because everyone had the brief that the Titanic was unsinkable, they underestimated the risk. The Titanic was unsinkable... until it sank. Too Big to Fail is a book by journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin about the collapse of the Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers (Sorkin, 2010). Of course, Lehman Brothers (and Barings Bank) were too large to fail, just as the Titanic was too large to sink.

The radio operators on the Titanic were overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks, just as we are often overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks at work and struggle to see the bigger picture. We have a tendency to overlook what is important…