Difficult conversations are called that for a reason. They’re painful—for you and the other person. Here’s how to make them suck a bit less: First: your goal isn’t to make the conversation painless. It’s to be honest, clear, and respectful while staying true to what…
Confidence is important for effective leadership. But lots of managers get this completely wrong. Confidence inspires trust and reassures your team that things are under control. But many leaders misunderstand what confidence means. They think it’s about pretending. Acting like they have all the answers,…
As a leader, are you a chess master or a gardener? I want to be a gardener. Here’s why. Leaders today are overwhelmed. It’s hard to keep up with all the decisions, reviews and plans. As the world speeds up and grows more complex, leading…
Dreading sharing some bad news with a team member? Here’s 3 steps to approach it 👇. If you have bad news to share with someone, the kind and effective way to do it is directly and with compassion. Don’t beat around the bush or procrastinate.…
When stepping into a new management role, the impulse to make early, significant changes is natural. The idea of making a big improvement to the team or the business feels energising. For most managers, this comes from wanting to have a positive impact. The desire…
Management and leadership tasks can be hard. But there’s a bunch of easy stuff too. So get that right. I was listening to Scott Galloway talk the other day and his advice to young people included “get the easy stuff right”. It occurred to me…
We tend to picture grand things when we think of impactful leadership. But it’s often the small acts that count. Because most of our impact comes day in, day out as we go about our role. And it’s easy to miss these everyday opportunities when…
Here’s 3 things that effective leaders take total responsibility for. While average ones might own one or two (and bad ones none 🤦♂️). Strong leaders don’t make excuses. They accept that – if something happens on their watch – they’re responsible. They don’t just parrot…
A friend recently asked – hypothetically – what advice I would have given to Australian Olympic breakdancer, Raygun. I don’t know anything about breakdancing (beyond it being artistically and culturally complex) or elite competition. But I would encourage anyone to be sincere, try their best…
When was the last time you apologised for something at work? If you can’t remember, consider: are you perfect, or are you not apologising for some other reason? I’ve noticed that some people in management roles don’t like to apologise. But this approach is dead…
The word ‘leadership’ is thrown around so often that it sometimes feels like it is losing its meaning. We see it everywhere: in job titles, on LinkedIn profiles, in performance reviews. But what does it really mean to be a leader? Has the term become…
This cartoon nails it! (cartoon credit: Kendra Allenby, The New Yorker) It’s a common dilemma. One that many of us face at some point in our careers. After years of honing our (usually technical) skills, we’re presented with a crossroad: the only way up seems…
The more senior we get, the more tempting it can be to play not to lose. (As opposed to playing to win). I’ve noticed this trend amongst some leaders (and in myself sometimes). The more senior we get, the more conversative we become. At a…
Writing is one of the most powerful tools you have. Whether you’re running a business, leading a team, or simply trying to get a message across, the way you write can make or break your impact. Yet, most people don’t give it the attention it…
Is there such a thing as too much praise at work? Some managers think so. Here’s why they’re wrong. “You can’t hug your kids too much”. That’s what I told one of my colleagues when talking about encouraging our teams. Here’s why it matters. There…
Here’s what they get wrong: ❌ Taking months to finish the process❌ Distracting their already busy team with endless ‘planning days’❌ Drowning in analysis before even starting the plan❌ Spending a fortune on strategy consultants The truth: ✔️ You can create a solid strategic plan…
I’ve let people go.I’ve said “no” when someone really wanted a “yes.”I’ve told my team that the business was struggling. It’s natural to want to delay delivering bad news. We put it off because we care. Because we don’t want to hurt people. But the…
I thought this was pretty funny when I saw it the other day. Like most good jokes, it has a strong hint of truth to it. Because sadly, a lot of managers are not OK. A recent study by The Workforce Institute surveyed 3,400 workers…
Here’s what to do: First: Assess your engagement at work. If you’re measuring engagement in your team, check out your own results in isolation. Otherwise, schedule a self check-in once per month to rate how you’re feeling out of 10. Pay attention to any trends.…
I’m continually reminded that clarity is a fundamental element of great organisations, relationships and, ultimately, a great life. When we have clarity, we are more fulfilled as individuals and our organisations and communities thrive. Method 1 Do you know what you want to do and…