Blog

Brenè Brown has got me thinking, again… You’ll agree that truly impressive leaders think and behave differently to run-of-the-mill leaders. This is especially so when they give developmental feedback. After all, developmental feedback, when delivered effectively, has a positive impact on a team member’s performance—which has a positive impact on the team’s results—which frequently hasRead more

Almost every day I hear a leader describe their unhappiness about a team member’s performance or behaviour. But when I ask the leader how candid they’ve been with their team member about it, the leader so often says, “Well, I haven’t actually had a chance to talk with them about it yet.” That’s When MyRead more

An unresolved conflict is hugely detrimental to relationships, teamwork and productivity. Therefore it must be dealt with quickly. This, for many, is easier said than done. On the topic of conflict, best selling author, Seth Godin, said: “One of us is wrong—and it’s not me. That’s the way every single conflict begins. Of course itRead more

Brilliant leaders think differently to not-so-brilliant leaders. This is good news if you want your leadership to be more brilliant than it currently is—given that you’re 100% in control of the way you think :-). But let’s be clear about this: In the short-term, controlling the way you think is simple, yes—but it’s not particularlyRead more

I’ve loved receiving your comments and feedback on my Leadership Blogs throughout the year. Thank you for your thoughts and for your appreciation :-). You’ve indicated that the most valuable Leadership Blogs in 2017 have been the three I’ve linked below… How To Put Things Right When Someone’s Peeved With You   You so oftenRead more

There’s so much talk about the importance of being “authentic”—the value of telling the truth about your thoughts and feelings. Why is authenticity such a big deal? Reflect on leaders you’ve been exposed to—who was great, who was not as great? I’ll bet the great leaders you’ve known were authentic and the not-as-great weren’t asRead more

You so often get yourself into more trouble when you try to sort things out with someone you’ve upset. In an effort to justify your actions, you typically tell them why you did what you did. But they don’t seem to sympathise with that. And so the situation often goes from bad to worse. SoRead more

Susie was clearly disturbed as she described one of her peers, Belinda. Initially, Susie had attributed Belinda’s behaviour to the fact that Belinda was quite new. She’d only been with the organisation for six-months—she’d come from an entirely different culture and her team was twice the size she was used to. Susie. who works closelyRead more

After examining bucket-loads of literature and observing behaviours, I have no doubt that the sure-fire way to influencing someone is to—here it is—be committed to their success! When I say “influence”, I don’t mean a self-centered manipulation that results in you getting what you want and the other party being screwed. I mean a positiveRead more

It doesn’t matter what you call it….. honesty—authenticity—candour—integrity—frankness—truthfulness—openness—sincerity—genuineness It’s a prerequisite if you’re to be trusted by people.   Honesty and Influence Here’s the thing… It’s essential that other people trust you if you plan to be influential. Influencing is damn hard if they don’t. They’ll spend their time looking at you through squinty eyes,Read more

It Was Because Of The Dog… That irritating barking dog enabled an unforgettable demonstration of heart-warming consideration and kindness. It was the talk of the street. A client described how the neighbour’s dog barked, unrelentingly, for hours every day. Neighbours from afar spoke over their fences and stood in the street complaining about the intrusion. And then things turned around—emotionalRead more

Oh heck, we often get ourselves into more trouble when we try and sort things out with someone we’ve upset. Typically, we quickly tell them why we did what we did. We try to justify our actions. And if they don’t seem to sympathise when we tell them why, we get upset with them. AndRead more

I often write about how to deal with conflict. That’s because there are so many leaders who don’t master conflict. They therefore grapple with managing their tension and stress and unwittingly stall their careers. You’ll benefit from checking out this template if you: Feel nervous when conflict strikes, or Find yourself side-stepping hard-to-handle, difficult situations,Read more

To be frank, I’m amazed at how many people step around difficulties. Even some otherwise impressive leaders are doing it.Don’t get me wrong. I’m not encouraging you to be too challenging or to take a win/lose approach. My problem is that way too many leaders are putting their head in the sand and pretending theRead more

So many leaders do a fabulous job—except when it comes to dealing with the conflicts that inevitably show up in their leadership role. That’s where they let themselves down. Confidently confronting and eliminating conflicts is a crucial missing link for so many leaders. I’m going to show you how you can take preventative action soRead more

95% of leaders find difficult conversations stressful. Many leaders admit their apprehension about having a difficult discussion is enough to put it off for days, even sometimes for months—regardless of the huge costs of doing so. But there is a way to ease the stress…   How’s It Going to Be When You Get aRead more

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

I’m going to cut to the chase in this bulletin. Please forgive me if I offend you. And please know that I am well-intended and here to help… There are lots of disturbing things about poor performance. And the most disturbing aspect by far is how common it is for leaders to tolerate poor performance!Read more

It Was Clear That The Two In The Next Meeting Room Were In Trouble… Overhearing was inevitable from my adjacent room—and things weren’t going well for them! Interestingly, when you only hear the voice it’s so easy to notice the underlying attitudes, isn’t it? The flavor of their communication, especially the bad habits they’d bothRead more

Leaders who don’t master conflict are leaders who grapple with managing their tension and stress—and who unwittingly stall their careers. You’re reading a great article for you if: You feel nervous, or even powerless, when conflict strikes, or You find yourself side-stepping hard-to-handle, difficult situations, or You have an inkling that your success, and yourRead more