Blog

Self-esteem. It’s a sensitive topic that, in an instant, could have you putting yourself into one of two camps… Camp 1:    My self-esteem is good, thanks very much. I’m not sure that I need this bulletin. Camp 2:    You’ve written this for me. I definitely need to feel better about myself! If you’re in theRead more

If I were asked, “What’s the most common thing leaders don’t get right?” delegation would certainly be near the top of the list. I know, I know, delegation might not be the most exciting topic in the world, but heck, it’s so critical that you get it right… Leaders, even seasoned leaders, commonly don’t delegateRead more

Aaron’s the CEO of a financial organisation. Given the instability in the financial markets for the last two or three years, being in his role hasn’t been a bed of roses. However, the levels of trust people in his organisation have for him has grown markedly in this time. In contrast, Zach’s the CEO ofRead more

On a good day, being urgently summoned to your boss’ office will have you excitedly optimistic and expecting to be acknowledged for your good work or perhaps requested to lead an exciting new project. Oh happy days! On a bad day, being similarly summoned will have you feeling tense and nervous, expecting a reprimand aboutRead more

A recent coaching conversation uncovered a quality that’s intrinsic to effective leadership—a sturdy, resilient “I’m OK, you’re OK” mindset. Surprisingly, leaders and those who develop leaders haven’t given a lot of attention to this topic—and yet it’s impossible for a leader to be astute, influential and upwardly mobile without this underlying mindset. Here’s why…  Read more

An amount of my work with executives and leaders is about helping them influence someone to think differently or to take action. Together, we work through their scenario so that they have a plan that they’re confident will create listening and receptivity in the other person. Their success rate is so impressive. (I love thisRead more

How can I make that statement with so much certainty? Well, imagine if we got everyone in your organisation together and asked them to anonymously respond to the question, “Do you think trust is very high throughout this organisation?” how many people would say “yes”? Don’t be too hard on yourself: In an international surveyRead more

A shift has occurred—a shift that’s giving already successful senior leaders a huge edge… From a study of 11,000 senior leaders across six continents we learned that 95% of leaders who consistently involve their stakeholders measurably improved their effectiveness. Stop and think about that—95% measurably improved their effectiveness! That’s a huge deal if you’re anRead more

As a leader your job is essentially to get things done through others—to motivate, persuade, inspire and propel your team members to meet their targets. Right? And that’s not a big ask when your emotional intelligence (EQ) is up there. Unfortunately the reverse applies too. That would be why Yale’s School of Management, for example,Read more

Well, one thing’s for sure, you’re not alone with suffering overload and feeling overwhelmed. Every leader I’ve met this week has been in that boat. The problem is you don’t get to all of the critical things that need doing. And the ones that you do get to so often don’t get enough of yourRead more

You’ve been in one of those awkward conversations where an idea is put on the table but it goes nowhere, haven’t you? You know, when the conversation becomes stilted or there are embarrassed mumbles or a stony silence. Kerrie, the Australian Sales Manager, has an idea and she needs buy-in from her boss, the GlobalRead more

I actually thought the leader I was coaching was exaggerating when he said “I’d be happy to forgo an amount of my salary for a pat on the back”. But then, a couple of days later, another leader disclosed that he still feels thrilled when he remembers a time, many years ago, when his bossRead more

THE number one thing at the top of most leaders’ minds these days is that they don’t have sufficient time to get done what they need to do. The sense of overwhelm they experience because of the sheer number of critical-to-get-done things on their plate is—OK, it’s overwhelming! 90% plus of the leaders I speakRead more

I’ve noticed that “trust” isn’t generally something that’s formally assessed in organisations—and yet “when it’s good it’s very, very good, but when it’s bad it’s horrid.” Simply put, you wouldn’t be a very useful leader if your peers and your team members didn’t trust you implicitly!   Why Is It A Big Deal If There’sRead more

Roger Enrico, the Vice President of Pepsi Co, said, “The soft stuff is always harder than the hard stuff.” Nevertheless exemplary leaders put a hefty focus on how they behave as a leader—the soft-stuff. Apart from any humanistic motivation, they know that the quality of their relationships and the levels of trust they generate withRead more

Much has been written over the years, even by me, about how to influence another person… After examining a few bucket-loads of literature, asking lots of questions, observing behaviours, and personally checking it out in practice, there is no doubt in my mind that the sure-fire way to influencing someone is to—here it is—be committedRead more

Are you one of those leaders who spends so much time and energy on the day-to-day, tactical aspects of your business that you neglect the strategic perspective? If so, you’re not alone. Lots of the leaders I work with want to be more strategic—regardless of whether they head up their organisation, manage a part ofRead more

I don’t know about you but my last year was pretty damned good—however that’s not stopping me from figuring out what I can do to make this year even better. What exactly will I do? I need to shift something—a behaviour, or a habit, or an attitude I have towards something or someone—if I’m toRead more