As part of your role, do you provide feedback? Delivering feedback is truly an art form that requires conscientious thought regarding desired outcomes and the care it deserves. Equally important is the attention we give to receiving feedback in the most effective manner. We’ll explore the art of giving constructive feedback in this blog. Tough [...]
There are several types of leadership styles and trust me, I have come across most. What I find fascinating is that often leaders ‘think’ they're certain type, but when we drill down, they're often not. This is where we start to unravel traits, ingrained and learned, and perceived perception to build a more accurate picture. [...]
The fabulous Brené Brown describes vulnerability as "uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure". It is that unstable feeling we get when we step out of our comfort zone or do something that forces us to loosen control. I would say it’s most definitely a strength and not a weakness, but should leaders show vulnerability? Stepping out of your [...]
What is so amazing about us humans is we are like fingerprints, grains of sand or snowflakes. Everybody is completely different. There is no two of a kind but occasionally, the business world doesn’t realise this. I enjoy working with a number of teams which are brimming with different types of people – the introverts, [...]
When I get asked what I am, I say I am a business consultant, but what exactly is a business consultant? ‘Consultant’ can be a very broad term for many areas of business improvement. And sometimes it comes with the connotation of someone swanning in and not doing an awful lot. We’ve all met them [...]
How would you say your listening skills are? Do you really listen to your team and take note of what they say? More importantly, do you know what to listen out for in what they don’t say. Being an empathetic and active listener is a key ingredient to being a good leader. Not only does [...]
This feels like a very timely post to write following on from my recent post on why everyone is talking about resilience. Last time I wrote about how to support others and this part explores what you can do for yourself and what's needed in business. Why is resilience such an issue in businesses large [...]
There is a lot of talk about the words and phrases of 2020 having been ‘pivot’, ‘adapt’, ‘unprecedented’ or ‘you’re on mute…’. For me the word which everyone is talking about is ‘resilience’. I feel this is something that will grow even more prominent this year. In this blog I’m going to explore what it [...]
It’s November, and normally at this point in the year we are all feeling a bit tired and ready for a break. But, this has been no normal year. We might feel exhausted, unrested, anxious and stressed so it’s no wonder it's hard to lead when our motivation has gone AWOL! I recently featured in [...]
I have worked with businesses and their leaders who have experienced rapid growth but then find cracks in the foundations. These challenges can often be alleviated with improved infrastructure, knowledge or training but typically the most challenging area is how to scale up as a leader. There is a lot of information out there supporting [...]
With a large number of businesses having furloughed some of their workforce, there is advice out there about the money they can claim. But there’s not a great deal about how, as a leader, to keep your furloughed employees inspired and engaged. More commonly, a recent question I’ve been asked is “how do I manage [...]
In these worrying times, various leaders from all over the world are using widely varying techniques to combat this epidemic. From a professional standpoint, it is hugely insightful to witness. There are certain key leadership qualities which are needed in a crisis. Like us all, I have been watching open-mouthed the recent happenings and am experiencing a [...]
