My (mostly) weekly thoughts on leadership, high performance, wellbeing and more.

Have a read through, or you can see a complete index here

Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

New job? Get your legs out from under the desk

The phrase "get your legs under the desk" is often used to describe the process of settling into a new job, but sometimes the best way to do that is to actually get your legs out from under the desk – both literally and metaphorically. Here’s 4 ways to do that.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Boredom, ChatGPT and me

When we're bored, it could be a sign that we're not being challenged or stimulated enough in our work – either in a major, career-defining way, or just that day or hour.

I was bored and here’s what I did.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Quieting your inner critic – dealing with imposter syndrome

Most of us are familiar with that nagging voice in the back of our heads that tells us we're not good enough, we don't belong, or that we're going to be found out as frauds.

But the good news is, impostor syndrome can be eased. Here are a few tips that have helped me and might help you too.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Seven tips for a smoother transition back to reality after a break

As I write this it’s my first day back at work after a summer of sunshine, relaxation, and not being in a hurry. The shift back into work mode can be rough but don't worry, I've got you covered with seven tried and true tips for a smoother transition back to reality after a summer break. And let's be honest, I’m talking to myself here…

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

The Joy of Subtracting

Overwhelmed clients often ask me for tips and tricks to help them handle the demands on their time and energy.

Stop to think about it, though, and that’s bonkers. How is adding more going to help with overwhelm?

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

A bit of a rant about toxic positivity

I really get irked by the toxically positive idea that any negative emotion you might have is a limitation holding you back. Eradicate the limiting belief and success will be yours, so this pervasive trope would have you believe! No.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Can your team tell you what they really think?

I once heard a leader describe her team as being “wrong” for saying they didn’t feel safe to offer her feedback, thereby proving that it was not, in fact, safe for her team to offer her feedback.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

How to escape from meetings overload

In nearly all of the dozens of workplaces we’ve studied, helped, or worked at, we’ve found that meetings in particular create wasteful and soul-crushing friction”…

A new Harvard Business Review piece reports research finding what we all already know to be true – and importantly, offers some solutions.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

8 Habit Traps to Avoid

Building a new habit is much easier when you avoid the common pitfalls that can derail your efforts.

Avoid these 8 mistakes when trying to develop new habits.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Delegating: top tips

Delegation is an important component of most leadership roles. The trouble is leaders often have a difficult time letting go of responsibilities. Here’s some tips on when and how to delegate.

Read More
Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Lowering the bar

This week I'm sharing a blog from before-times (February 2020), on the topic of lowering the bar. It's an oldie, but still very relevant.

Read More