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“Maybe I’m not capable of being the leader that I want to be.” “I’m not confident that I can do a decent job as an executive.” “Who do I think I am? Truth be known, I’m not really very effective in my role.”   So many leaders talk about how they sometimes feel like aRead more

Here’s a short but important message from Seth Godin:   Optimism As a Choice If your team is up by thirty points at halftime, it’s not optimistic to expect that you’re going to win–it’s a realistic assessment. Optimism is an attitude and a choice. It involves context and focus. We’re not deluding ourselves with theRead more

As a leader it’s essential that you don’t put “the cart before the horse”. We know that doesn’t work. And jumping into action when you feel anxious and overwhelmed, before you’ve developed a constructive mindset, is like putting the cart before the horse. Think about it: Historically, when your performance has been less-than-great, wasn’t itRead more

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” —George Bernard Shaw   Brilliant leaders think differently to not-so-brilliant leaders. This is good news—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—but, as you’ve probably noticed,Read more

I don’t think we have any option but to accept what’s going on in this interesting new world we live in—and plan a bright future for ourselves, both as a person on the planet and as a leader. Many female leaders are getting real clarity about how they can be a stronger leader from myRead more

This question isn’t as lightweight as it sounds. Because our brain is a question-asking and question-answering mechanism, as soon as you ask, “What are you hoping for?”, your brain begins to paint a picture of your ideal outcome. But wait, there’s more… Once your brain begins to paint a picture of what you’re hoping for,Read more

Sadly, the bell curve is just as real when applied to a leader’s performance as it is in other realms of performance. Female leaders typically sit in one of four categories on the normal curve of distribution, aka the bell curve: As a female leader, when you sit in the Red zone… You’ll be inRead more

This message is short and sweet—but potent for you as a leader if you want to be at your best. You’ll notice that when you focus on any of the three behaviours below, you’ll develop hugely useful insights into your leadership and create opportunities for you to accelerate towards being first-class. Already good leaders becomeRead more

  I expect you’ll be fascinated, perhaps even concerned, by the following article. It describes research on how emotional intelligence declines significantly as a leader climbs the corporate ladder. The results weren’t what I was expecting—and probably not what you’re expecting either. It tells us that CEOs, on average, have the lowest EQ in theRead more

There’s a lot of research these days about how important it is to your leadership success that you think and speak optimistically about your future and the future of your organisation. But so many glass-half-empty leaders are unwittingly derailing their teams. Richard E. Boyatzis (Professor of organisational behaviour, cognitive science and psychology) is an expertRead more

You may have come across Brenè Brown, the research professor and New York Times bestselling author.I truly love her most recent book, “dare to lead”. It’s the most compelling book on leadership I’ve ever read.   I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say her work on courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy has rocked theRead 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

The greatest gift you can give anyone, both as a leader and as a person on the planet, is to be fully present when they’re talking to you. Be 100% present. Hear what they’re saying. Hear what’s behind what they’re saying. And hear what they’re not saying. Regardless of whether they’re telling you about theRead more

“Who am I to have a goal of being a senior leader?”  “I’m afraid of being found out.” “I really do doubt myself from time to time.” “I don’t have imposter syndrome. I really am a fraud.”   Most high-achieving, intelligent, ambitious leaders have “imposter” thoughts like these from time to time. (If you don’t,Read more

Your Career Doesn’t Need to Stall So many female leaders’ careers stall as they attempt to climb the hierarchical ladder. But they don’t need to. Are you one of those female leaders who feels frustrated because you’re not being offered the promotion you’re after? (Of course, male leaders’ careers stall too. But women tend toRead more

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to notice and influence one’s own and others’ emotions. It involves competencies such as emotional self-awareness, self-regard, empathy, assertiveness, stress tolerance, flexibility and optimism.   Recently I was told about two senior executives who, in a meeting with their team members, declared that they didn’t have high EQ. One ofRead more

You’re not alone in this camp. My recent survey invited executives and leaders to share their biggest challenge. I found the result surprising in that… Well over 50% of respondents said that their fluctuating 
confidence was the greatest inhibitor to their success as a leader These leaders are also concerned that their confidence level isRead more

Seth Godin, the author, entrepreneur and marketer whose thinking I truly admire, said: “It’s possible that you are the way you are, that you do what you do, that you react as you react—and that it can never be changed. Believing this is incredibly sad though. Each of us is capable of just a littleRead more

“Maybe I’m not capable of being the leader that I want to be.” “I’m not confident that I can do a decent job as an executive.” “Who do I think I am? Truth be known, I’m not really very effective in my role.”   So many leaders talk about how they sometimes feel like aRead 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